Yoga is well known to offer a wide range of physical and psychological benefits to yogis of all ages. However, there are specific benefits to practicing yoga during the teen years. Adolescence is a tumultuous time of life and it is common for mental health problems to surface during these years. Recent research suggests that yoga classes provide specific psychological benefits to kids in high school. The research was conducted by Harvard Medical School at a high school in Massachusetts. For the purposes of the study, they assigned students randomly to either a typical PE class or yoga. In the … Continue reading →

If you have spent any time running, you have likely seen runners stretching or learned that stretching is beneficial for preventing injury and improving flexibility. Runners generally stretch before and after running and use a variety of exercises to stretch various muscles throughout the body. Yoga provides an effective way to stretch all the muscles of the body. The typical yoga practice will stretch the muscles all over the body. There are specific asanas that are beneficial for runners. Sequences, such as sun salutations, provide an effective way to warm up and awaken the entire body prior to hitting the … Continue reading →

Yoga offers benefits to people of all ages, including significant benefits for seniors. Lack stability and balance increase as people age, putting seniors at greater risk for falls and injury. Falls are a significant health risk for seniors, resulting in hip fractures, brain injury and death every year. Among the many benefits of yoga are improvements in balance, posture and stability. Some asanas that help with balance include tree pose, mountain pose, dancer’s pose and the warrior asanas. These poses are used in all forms of yoga and each type of yoga offers benefits for balance and stability. Iyengar or … Continue reading →

Yoga offers benefits to athletes in a wide range of sports, including cyclists. The improving weather has cyclists in northern states anticipating getting back out on the road. When getting back into shape for cycling, yoga is a great addition to your workout routine. Yoga offers several benefits to cyclists. Yoga opens the hips, stretches the muscles and increases flexibility, strength and endurance. In addition, yoga helps to prevent the soreness that is so common the next day. Cyclists often feel muscle tightness throughout the body, specifically in the many muscle groups that are worked in cycling. This tightness is … Continue reading →

Yoga offers benefits for people of all ages. There are some significant benefits for mothers. Moms spend the majority of their time caring for other people, including spouses, children, pets and possibly their own parents. Yoga provides the opportunity for mom to take care of herself. Being a mother is an amazing gift, but it isn’t always an easy ride. Dealing with the many responsibilities of motherhood can result in stress and frustration. Yoga offers abundant stress relief benefits, which can help mom handle the stressful days. Yoga has a quiet and calming effect that provides the perfect counterbalance to … Continue reading →

If you’ve tried to conceive and haven’t been successful, scheduling a doctor’s appointment may be on your mind. In researching your options for improving fertility, you may not have thought about yoga, but there is some evidence that yoga can be a great addition to any treatments you are having. There are several programs and classes specifically designed to enhance fertility. You can find classes to attend, if there is a program in your area or use video and DVD practices that are designed for fertility. These often contain meditation components, guided imagery and relaxation exercises. Of course, you don’t … Continue reading →

Yoga offers significant benefits to people of all ages, including children. All children can benefit physically and emotionally from the practice of yoga. Children with special needs gain specific benefits from yoga exercises. Yoga can benefit children with a wide range of disabilities. Whether there is a physical issue that requires exercise to improve flexibility, muscle strength, joint health or other physical benefit or an emotional issue, such as hyperactivity or inability to focus, yoga therapy may offer a natural treatment option. Yoga helps to calm the body and mind in people of all ages. Children with ADHD, kids who … Continue reading →

Yoga offers benefits to people of all ages, from kids to seniors. The benefits for kids include numerous physical benefits, calming and improvements in focus and attention. For this reason, a growing number of schools across the US and around the world are incorporating yoga into the school day. Traditionally, the physical activities in the usual physical education program include games and activities that are not likely to be continued into adulthood. Think back to your gym classes in school. How often have you played dodge ball or kick ball since you left school? The current thinking in physical education … Continue reading →

Yoga offers several physical and mental benefits during pregnancy. In addition to these benefits, yoga can actually help prepare your body for labor. All the major features of a typical yoga class have direct benefits during labor and birth. Specific yoga poses offer benefits for preparing the body for labor. Focus on hip openers, asanas that stretch and strengthen the pelvic area and poses that strengthen the lower body. Any pose that involves moving into a squatting position helps to align the pelvis to prepare for the arrival of the baby. Prenatal yoga classes are an excellent resource for practicing … Continue reading →

There are some misconceptions about the practice of yoga and Christianity. Some critics in the Christian community warn against practicing yoga. On the other hand, some in the Hindu community claim yoga as their own and insist that the two are intertwined. Most people are in the middle of the debate and yoga is now practiced by people of all faiths. There are vast differences in how Christians approach the practice of yoga. Some focus only on the physical benefits of the exercise and avoid talking of the spiritual side of the practice. Others embrace the spiritual side of yoga, … Continue reading →