Doing Yoga Correctly
Yoga is a huge workout phenomenon in all major cities that are health conscious and looking to rise to a higher source. Here in Los Angeles, you see everyone wearing yoga pants, even if they aren’t going to yoga class. So why then is yoga so popular?
From my expert standpoint, yoga serves a lot of purpose within the hour it is practiced. In my book, Breaking the Chains of Obesity, 107 tools, I wrote that yoga promotes the following benefits:
- Yoga connects your mind and body because it is generally slow in movement and emphasizes the use of the breath during the flow
- Yoga works on strength, endurance as well as flexibility all in one workout
- Yoga improves circulation throughout the body
- Yoga reduces tension in the body which thereby can lessen pain
- Yoga helps you to create a state of active meditation while calming down the mind from mental stress
Yoga serves many valuable attributes to one’s life, however, it must be performed correctly. While yoga classes can pack a room with each yoga mat occupying every square inch of a yoga studio, the key is that each student is mindful of every body part at all times while practicing. According to Dr Mike Shapow, PhD, DPT of Joint Effort Wellness in Beverly Hills, “Yoga is great because it increases t-cell count which boosts the immune system. When you practice, focus on slow and deliberate joint movement so that you can prevent injury while attaining strength and structural balance.”
There are many postures in yoga that are performed in class. However, these 5 yoga moves below are the most common postures done incorrectly which puts people at risk for getting injured. Ways of avoiding injury in yoga is to understand the body and its mechanics and to embody movements that will not hurt you, rather, heal you. As Dr Shapow stated, if you move slowly through your postures, you will decrease your risk of pulling or tweaking something. Besides, yoga is all about mind-body connection. There is no rush. Slow down and focus on connecting your breath to every movement. Feel your body connecting from head to toe.
I recently published an article on the Huffington Post which reviews some of the top postures done incorrectly in yoga. Please review this article HERE and learn today how to avoid poor postures and form. The videos are also embedded below:
