Taking up a new sport or activity? 4 reasons why yoga should be the first exercise you consider doing before all the others.
I have written an article not so long ago about all the advantages of stretching. This time I have a strong need to share with my readers what I believe should be an absolute must before they take up any kind of physical activity - YOGA. I have exercised for nearly half of my entire life and can tell you a thing or two in regards with how to enjoy sports and stay healthy throughout.
Physical fitness can have many measures - your endurance, strength, explosiveness or flexibility - they all have to be in some ways taken care of, for our bodies to work efficiently. I personally think, it's the FLEXIBILITY that needs the most attention as I have learned many people don't take it seriously, they work hard on building muscles, or to improve their speed but they overlook importance of patient and decent stretches. This is why Yoga comes to rescue and please let me share my four reasons why I think yoga should be a priority in every athlete's routine.
1). IT PREVENTS INJURIES AND MUSCLES' IMBALANCE
Let's face it, in order to fully enjoy any kind of sport, you must stay healthy. Chronic aches and pains, stiffness, strains are all effects of tight muscles, with hamstrings, calves, and hip flexors being the most neglected by their users. Put an end to all the discomfort at an instant by doing a simple yoga flow. One of my favourite yoga tutorials that are easy to follow and bring tons of immediate benefits almost from the moment you settle on the matt are those created by Rodney Yee. See this video HERE
2). IT RAPIDLY IMPROVES ALL OTHER FITNESS AREAS YOU ARE WORKING ON
Many people still associate yoga with meditative chanting and static poses. In fact, there are many types of yoga practice, from mild and gentle to vigorous and challenging. As we have already established that yoga should become crucial part of any fitness regime, it's entirely up to you which form of yoga you'd want to do. Any of them will elasticate your ligaments and muscles, will make you less prone to sprains and knotting and more like an athlete. To sum up, yoga can be a strength or cardiovascular workout itself with rapid results. Worth looking for some local studios now... or check this video HERE
3). IT TEACHES YOU TO LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
In yoga, there is no place for competitive approach, no comparisons, no rivalry. When in yoga flow, you are only doing as much as your body allows you to on that day. You start understanding the mechanics of movement, how to align your body to benefit from powerful stretches, and how to oxygenate your body through deep and effective breathing. Surprisingly, correct BREATHING isn't the easiest to master, only small tweaks however, can make any other exercise much more enjoyable and efficient. Start listening to your body through yoga today. URGENT!
4). IT REWARDS YOU WITH TIME FOR YOURSELF AND TRAINS YOUR MIND TO STAY FOCUSED
With so little free time we have nowadays, it is important that we don't waste any precious moments that we have to ourselves. Yoga does just that, whenever you decide to practice, it allows you to become more aware of your being, it gives you the time to spend with yourself, with anxiety and tension melting away as you progress through the poses, it is a way to clear the mind of worries. It has been proved in scientific research that your physical performance depends on mindset, so don't ever neglect that powerful muscle. Namaste.
SACRIFICE A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR TIME NOW TO PRACTICE YOGA, POSITIVELY CHANGE ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE FOREVER. ENJOY ALL OTHER SPORTS FULLY.
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