Benefits of Yoga
HATHA YOGA
Hatha yoga is a complete fitness program and will release endorphins in the brain as well as any regular exercise program. Yoga asanas stretch, extend, and flex the spine, while exercising muscles and joints, keeping the body strong and supple. When done in conjunction with breathing techniques, hatha yoga postures stimulate circulation, digestion and the nervous and endocrine systems. The immune system is strengthened by reducing stress as well as from the exercise itself. As a workout, yoga can be intense, easy, or somewhere in between. However, it should never be a strain on your body. Hatha Yoga was originally designed to maintain physical health while the mind the mind focused on centering. It is best when the body and mind work together to achieve the yoga asanas.
It can be practiced by anyone, regardless of age, to achieve a more limber body, increased physical coordination, better posture, and improved flexibility without incurring the potentially negative effects associated with high-impact forms of exercise. Hatha yoga remains different from newer or more modern types of exercise. It does not aim to raise the heart rate although variations such as Ashtanga, Power Yoga, or the flow series taught by Bikram Choudhury may increase the heart rate. Hatha yoga provides enough resistance for the muscles using gravity, to work on strengthening specific muscle groups.
Overall, the postures release stiffness and tension, help to reestablish the inner balance of the spine, renew energy and restore health. Some postures provide the added benefit of being weight-bearing which helps sustain bone mass. Relaxation and breathing exercises reduce stress and put you in touch with your inner strength. Regular practice of hatha yoga can promote graceful aging physically as well as emotionally.