Can Yoga Strengthen Your Muscles
There has always been this illusion that yoga is a workout regime designed only for women. You see, people thought, and still think, that yoga can’t build muscles. Come to think of it, some people don’t even consider yoga a “workout regime” solely because of that reason. Well, to be honest, I think that people who claim this haven’t even tried yoga out. I hope that this article will open your eyes and make you not judge a book by its covers. It is a fact that there is a hell of a lot more women doing yoga, but that doesn’t mean yoga isn’t for men, or that yoga can’t develop muscles.
Use Yoga to Strengthen Your Muscles
If you follow the world of tennis like I do, one name will stick out. That name is Novak Djokovic, a regular number on the ATP rankings list. He has broken plenty of records and beaten pretty much every “big-shot” in the game. He is number one.
So, why did I start talking about Novak all of a sudden? Simply because Novak stated in many different interviews that he practices and loves yoga. He also said that yoga helped him become better at tennis. Although he isn’t muscular and doesn’t look that strong, you definitely need strength if you want to play tennis, especially if you want to be the best in the game.
So, yes – yoga can definitely build muscles. However, you must keep in mind that yoga can’t give you that look that bodybuilders have. That’s because yoga isn’t a workout made just for gaining muscles. Yoga is a mixture of spiritual and physical exercises. It is designed so that you can relax your mind and body, and also strengthen them.
With that being said, you will gain strength, flexibility and an ability to relieve stress and anxiety and many more benefits just from yoga. If you mix yoga with some other sport, like basketball for example, or even bodybuilding, you would be on an entirely new level. So, yoga alone won’t get you six-packs, big biceps, and huge shoulders, but it can develop natural strength in your muscles and make them more durable.
The poses that you can try for strength training days are:
I would also like to give you a piece of advice. The best thing that you can do if you want to reach insane levels of strength and take your physique to another level is to mix things up. You can use bodybuilding, calisthenics, Cross Fit or something similar for strength and muscle gaining training, and you can use yoga for muscle relaxation and endurance workouts.
A mixture of calisthenics and yoga for strength and relaxation is also very effective.
And there you go. Yoga can strengthen your muscles but it will be way more effective if you use yoga as an add-on to another workout regime. If you want to change your body, then you can choose this.
Safe Yoga for Bone Health
Has it ever crossed your mind that a few basic yoga practices can help enhance your bone tissues? As astounding as it might sound, it is very true! Yoga exercises can help get rid of several health conditions, stimulate and promote many essential physiological processes. Yoga will also help you relax your mind. There are many benefits of yoga, but what I wish to talk about in this article is precisely how it may help you get more strong bones and how it enhances better bone health.
Bones are living tissues that are continuously developed and destroyed, thus affecting its density. Although at times the healthy balance is optimum, in some cases the degeneration is higher than the amelioration, hence causing bone decline.
The bone decline is as unavoidable as growing older. Women and men reach the optimum bone mass at the time they are 30 years. As soon as you are 30 years, your bone density starts to decrease, and the risk of getting osteoporosis becomes inevitable.
Yoga For Bone Health
Studies by one of Columbia University have shown that practicing yoga at least four times or more a week enhances bone strength and helps reduce the possibility of bone fracture as well as reversing osteoporosis. Now that you are informed on how bone density declines, let us look at a few yoga poses that will help you build healthy bones and avert the possibility of contracting osteoporosis.
Listed here are three yoga poses that are best designed to help strengthen the bones:
1. Bridge
This pose is therapeutic for osteoporosis and aids in stretching the chest, back, and neck.
How To Do Bridge Yoga Pose
- Rest on your back, fold your legs and place your feet level on the floor while positioning your heels as close to your sitting bone as you can.
- Breathe out as you press your arms and feet on the floor while pushing your backbone upwards and raising your hips.
- Raise your hips high enough until your thighs are parallel to the floor and your knees are right over your ankles.
- Remain in the same position for about thirty seconds.
- Release as you slowly exhale while lowering your spine onto the floor.
2. Locust Pose
The Locust or the grasshopper pose is an effective workout for the legs and the back. It helps strengthen the back and leg bones.
How To Perform Locust Yoga Pose.
- To perform this pose, start by resting your belly on the floor with your hands placed along your torso.
- Raise your legs while your forehead is resting on the floor.
- Breathe out slowly as you raise your head and stretch your arms backward, trying to reach your legs.
- Maintain this position for about 10 to 15 seconds and repeat the process thrice.
3. Tree Pose
It is probably the most famous yoga pose for strong bones. It is incredibly common and is used for yoga illustrations. Maintaining this for about 30 seconds or more will help you get strong bones as well as relaxing your mind.
Now that you know the poses, don’t ever get worried when you start experiencing weakening bones. Get on the mat and perform some of these poses. Practicing them daily will help hold up the loss of bone density.
Two Reasons Yoga Leggings are Better than Joggers
It seems that many yoga apparel manufacturers are beginning to create deviations from the standard yoga leggings that have become extremely popular among yogis of all levels and practices. Joggers stand out among the new workout clothing trends because they are rising in popularity in the athleisure fashion world. They’re marketed both as great options for a steady work out, as well as a stylish choice for an afternoon on the town.
What makes joggers different from sweatpants? They are a little more form-fitting through the thigh and calf, allowing them to flatter the shape of the body more than baggy sweatpants. They also typically have a drawstring waistband with matching bands around the ankles to accentuate the bottom of the legs.
Yogis are beginning to wonder whether it’s possible that the newly popular joggers will replace their beloved yoga leggings in years to come. It seems unlikely that joggers will prove to be the best choice for workout clothing for yogis, but here’s why.
Joggers Don’t Allow Your Skin to Breathe
Yoga leggings are typically made of spandex material, which is why they are able to cling to the legs so tightly. Fortunately for yogis who favor a heat-building sequence or hot yoga practice, this fabric wicks away moisture that collects as a result of the workout. It is thinner in nature than some other materials, which allows your skin to breathe better as well.
Joggers are primarily made of a cotton material which doesn’t serve to wick away sweat or allow your skin to breathe. This can be very uncomfortable for yogis who prefer a hot practice.
If your yoga practice is typically on the gentler side, such as a yin yoga or yoga nidra class, a quality pair of joggers may still be a good choice for you. It may keep you a little warmer in a class like this as your core body temperature tends to drop when you relax into the gentle poses.
Joggers Don’t Allow You to Focus on Alignment
Alignment is the most important aspect of practicing yoga safely for years to come. An overextended knee or one pointing in the wrong direction can lead to joint damage and pain. Yogis try to actively avoid these situations that make them more prone to injury and force them to take time off the mat.
Yoga leggings allow yogis and their instructors to ensure that they maintain proper alignment in each asana. You can clearly see the direction of the knees and how far the knee extends over the ankle in some standing poses such as the Warrior II or the Side Angle pose.
Joggers are a little bit looser in the leg area, making it possible to mask the exact location of the knee. This can lead to dangerous overextension or misalignment, resulting in accidental injury. In conclusion, for a safer overall practice, yogis (particularly those who are just starting) are better off choosing yoga leggings to better manage their alignment.
What Should You Wear to Hot Yoga?
Hot yoga has become quite a modern trend, with all sorts of individuals wanting to try out this new workout trend and traditional practice. The idea of sweating out your toxins while working on your muscle tone and flexibility is too good to pass up. However, many would-be yogis are uncertain about what they should wear to their very first hot yoga class.
If you need a few expert pointers on how to dress appropriately for your first hot yoga experience, you’ll want to take a look at the list below.
Steer Clear of Yoga Pants
Most hot yoga practitioners are adamant that yoga pants aren’t the way to go when it comes to this specific discipline. Many yoga pants are made of a cotton or jersey type of material which can hold sweat instead of wicking it away. As your class progresses, the pants will start to accumulate more and more sweat which can be uncomfortable and distracting to your practice.
Instead, you should consider wearing a pair of capri leggings. The shorter length will make you a little bit cooler than full-length yoga leggings, but it will still keep you appropriately covered. Yoga leggings are also typically made of spandex material, which helps to wick sweat away from the skin and helps it to evaporate.
Ultimately, you will feel significantly more comfortable in a pair of yoga capri leggings than you would in any type of cotton yoga pants.
Wear a Simpler Top
While some men may be able to get away with taking their shirt off for a yoga practice, many yogis will prefer to wear a cooler workout top. Look for spandex materials and other types of fabric that are known to wick away your perspiration. You’ll likely want a tank top that offers plenty of air circulation and doesn’t restrict any of your movements.
Female yogis may feel comfortable enough to wear a simple sports bra to their practice. Look for one with thicker fabric and plenty of support for a very intense practice. If you’re too self-conscious to wear a sports bra by itself for your yoga practice, consider pairing it with high-waist capri leggings. These can help to balance out the outfit.
Avoid Baggy Clothes
Baggy clothes will eventually cause bunching because they shift around throughout the course of the yoga practice. When the fabric gathers underneath sensitive areas like the armpits, behind the knees, or around the waist, you can experience lots of skin irritation. Tighter clothing tends to work better, provided that it doesn’t restrict any of your movements.
Dressing for hot yoga definitely requires a little more advanced planning than other types of yoga classes. However, seasoned yogis know that the practice can make their bodies feel significantly more flexible and stronger. It’s a great way to detox yourself and add a strong workout to your daily routine. Be sure that you come prepared so that you can practice safely and comfortably.
Truth aboutTherapeutic Yoga
Therapeutic yoga incorporates pranayama (breathing techniques), asana (yoga postures) and also guided meditation to aid in a medical complication, addiction, or even overall improvement of physicality. There is a thin line which separates the standard yoga and therapeutic yoga. The focus of therapeutic yoga is towards the enhancement of the general improvement of health and behavior.
Why should you take therapeutic yoga? A lot of people are drawn to it as a form of coping with illness, addiction, fighting old age, or even as a way of pain relief. It is, however, not the case for the majority of people. We find ourselves wondering if this type of yoga is meant for us, as we do not suffer from any of the prescriptions recommended for one to pursue therapeutic yoga. It leads us to assume that we cannot also enjoy the benefits of therapeutic yoga. However, this is far from the truth. Anyone can practice this type of yoga and enjoy all its benefits, as it has only some small variations from mainstream yoga. The advantage of taking this type of yoga is that it is tailored to meet your needs, having been developed as student-oriented; therefore, making it easy to learn.
Dealing with a terminal illness such as cancer can be one of the most stressful moments in anyone’s life. A person may lose interest in the life they are living. However, through the practice of therapeutic yoga, it has been shown that treatment such as chemotherapy is more effective. It can also act as a distraction from the illness, and this leads to improved positivity in life.
Group yoga also acts as a therapy for addicts. The practitioners, with time, become more open to one another, leading to the sharing of their experiences. Medical experts are then able to pick such information which they use in helping their clients to develop. Integrating meditation into this yoga practice ensures that practitioners can master their own urges and passions. A lot of people also develop a hobby from this practice and, once they are released from the rehabilitation centers, it becomes instrumental in their day-to-day lives. They are also not prone to relapsing as most of their counterparts do.
In conclusion, it is recommended to integrate both doctor’s advice and the alternative forms of medicine such as therapeutic yoga to aid you in coping with day-to-day challenges. Yoga has been scientifically proven to improve the overall health of a person — if practiced correctly. Therefore, we should embrace this practice for a healthier lifestyle.
Two Reasons Yoga Leggings are Better than Joggers
It seems that many yoga apparel manufacturers are beginning to create deviations from the standard yoga leggings that have become extremely popular among yogis of all levels and practices. Joggers stand out among the new workout clothing trends because they are rising in popularity in the athleisure fashion world. They’re marketed both as great options for a steady work out, as well as a stylish choice for an afternoon on the town.
What makes joggers different from sweatpants? They are a little more form-fitting through the thigh and calf, allowing them to flatter the shape of the body more than baggy sweatpants. They also typically have a drawstring waistband with matching bands around the ankles to accentuate the bottom of the legs.
Yogis are beginning to wonder whether it’s possible that the newly popular joggers will replace their beloved yoga leggings in years to come. It seems unlikely that joggers will prove to be the best choice for workout clothing for yogis, but here’s why.
Joggers Don’t Allow Your Skin to Breathe
Yoga leggings are typically made of spandex material, which is why they are able to cling to the legs so tightly. Fortunately for yogis who favor a heat-building sequence or hot yoga practice, this fabric wicks away moisture that collects as a result of the workout. It is thinner in nature than some other materials, which allows your skin to breathe better as well.
Joggers are primarily made of a cotton material which doesn’t serve to wick away sweat or allow your skin to breathe. This can be very uncomfortable for yogis who prefer a hot practice.
If your yoga practice is typically on the gentler side, such as a yin yoga or yoga nidra class, a quality pair of joggers may still be a good choice for you. It may keep you a little warmer in a class like this as your core body temperature tends to drop when you relax into the gentle poses.
Joggers Don’t Allow You to Focus on Alignment
Alignment is the most important aspect of practicing yoga safely for years to come. An overextended knee or one pointing in the wrong direction can lead to joint damage and pain. Yogis try to actively avoid these situations that make them more prone to injury and force them to take time off the mat.
Yoga leggings allow yogis and their instructors to ensure that they maintain proper alignment in each asana. You can clearly see the direction of the knees and how far the knee extends over the ankle in some standing poses such as the Warrior II or the Side Angle pose.
Joggers are a little bit looser in the leg area, making it possible to mask the exact location of the knee. This can lead to dangerous overextension or misalignment, resulting in accidental injury. In conclusion, for a safer overall practice, yogis (particularly those who are just starting) are better off choosing yoga leggings to better manage their alignment.
Take Your Practice Outside
There are a lot of places that you can take your yoga practice, the portability is one of the great positives of yoga. A studio is great to be around similarly minded people, at home for all the convenience of not having to go anywhere, and outside are all great possibilities. You need to make sure the weather is going to cooperate, but going outside to practice yoga is an awesome thing to experience.
Why Go Outside
It is no secret that fresh air is great for you. You can use yoga to center and ground yourself, and doing so outside magnifies that effect. The outdoors also is also a big open space, so if your apartment is a little cramped outside is an option for individual practice. Some yoga classes are also offered outdoors, so check your local studio if you like to have the group feeling. Getting outside can also help you increase your vitamin D intake, just make sure you follow basic sun safety to avoid uncomfortable burns.
Things to Consider
Your number one consideration with practicing yoga outside is going to be the weather. The cold can be uncomfortable and can cause your muscles to be tight. Warming up is going to help out a lot, so put some extra movement at the beginning to get the blood flowing if it is a little chilly. If you are in a group class outdoors, your instructor should be leading a more thorough warmup when the temperature has dipped a little low. Too hot, and too sunny can also pose a problem. Staying hydrated can help with the heat, as well as finding a shady spot. Trees are great for this, and also help ground you as you practice. Sticking to the shade is also important when it comes to the health of your skin. Extended exposure to the sun can increase your risk of skin cancer. You should make sure to take precautions such as staying in the shade, wearing long-sleeved shirts, and sunscreen to reduce your risk.
What You Need
There really isn’t much extra that you need to go practice outside. If you need it in a studio, take it with you. In addition, you may need more weather appropriate clothes. This could mean yoga socks if it is cold, or a hat if it is extra sunny out. Like any yoga, make sure you have clothing that keeps you comfortable. You may also want a blanket so that you have more room off the ground than just your mat.
In conclusion, taking a trip outdoors to enjoy nature during your practice is highly recommended. Whether you go by yourself, for some solo practice, or find a class that practices outside occasionally, you should try it out. You need to make sure that the weather is in your favor, and plan accordingly. Other than some simple outerwear to make you more comfortable, there isn’t much extra equipment to give it a shot. It may be something that you find very enjoyable and come back to regularly.