At first I thought they said "Bringing Yoda Back", but Bringing Yoga Back is just as good!
I've taken yoga classes in the past and found that yoga was much harder than I thought, and just didn't stick with it. But, now, I'm ready to take the leap and try it again: this time with more enthusiasm and commitment knowing that it will help my running goals, too! So, I joined the #bringingyogaback challenge with Prana and my fellow FitApproach Sweat Pink Ambassadors!
Me, being me, I did some research on Yoga to get me Kick Started. And I know that many of you are like me and are uncomfortable with yoga because it's outside of our fitness routine, and it can seem daunting. But, the benefits outweighed my reservations, and here is what I learned:
What Is Yoga?
The word, Yoga, comes from Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language, and in contemporary terms, it means uniting the mind, body, and spirit. The art of yoga is really about creating balance in the body, developing both strength and flexibility through poses and stretching.
What are the Benefits?
1. Flexibility: Yoga will have you moving and stretching in new ways which will help you to become more flexible. Inflexibility leads to pain and immobility all of which age the body.
2. Strength: Yoga forces you to support your own body weight and thereby increases your strength.
3. Balance: Yoga also forces you to practice balance. Greater balance leads to a better core.
4. Better Breathing: Breathing exercises lead to more oxygen for your body to work efficiently.
5. Stress Reduction: Yoga forces you to focus on what you are doing that very moment. This practice leads you to forget the world that is bombarding you and relieve the stress that grips your body.
Is Yoga a Religion?
Yoga is not a religion, it is a philosophy of taking control of your mind and body: it allows you to clear your mind from frivolous thoughts and focus on the things that are most important.
Do I have to be flexible or coordinated to start Yoga?
Not at all! You have to look at Yoga as with any other activity: you don't know how to play tennis, so you take tennis lessons. The more you do Yoga, the more flexible and coordinated you will become!
What's Next?
Over the Next 12 Days, I will be taking a challenge to add a new Yoga pose each day.
I'll be posting my progress each day, and at the end of Day 12, I would have started a path to a better me! It's baby steps, but baby steps lead to a future marathon; for that reason, I'm willing to jump in and try!
Are you ready to join me? Just follow @prAna on Instagram, post your progress using the #bringingyogaback and #taketheleap hashtags and cross your fingers because you may win the prAna giveaway!
Looking forward to seeing you on Instagram: Follow Me There
kesselrunner77@gmail.com
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