Learn why yoga is great exercise for weight loss
By Kathy Joyce
Yoga for is a great exercise. It helps to tone the body, increases muscular strength, and improves posture. It also detoxes the body by increasing the flow of oxygen and blood. Yoga helps to improve the metabolism and digestion, and also helps to relieve stress as well as having a very low potential for injury. People are more aware than ever of the health benefits of physical activity and fitness. Regular exercise has been linked to a reduction in the risk of heart disease, strokes, and cancer. Although it is common knowledge that exercise helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints, reduces blood pressure, and promotes psychological well-being, there is increasing belief amongst health and fitness experts that physical activity doesn't need to be strenuous to be effective. Yoga offers the perfect combination of strength and flexibility. Why, then, don't more people practice yoga.
People think of yoga as being passive and mystical and not relating to to their lives. Yoga improves both the physical body and the mind. It's widely practiced in Eastern countries but not so in the West. Only 2% of the American adult population practice yoga. Yoga can certainly help you to lose weight and can be practiced anywhere. You could start off by joining a local yoga class, or buy a yoga dvd or video. There are also many books on yoga. You don't need much equipment to practice yoga. just some comfortable clothing and a yoga mat. There are at least eight main branches of yoga and several offshoots of each, but essentially there are only two concerned with exercise: hatha yoga and kundalini yoga. Hatha is the most popular type of yoga in the Western world. It is a slow-paced discipline that emphasizes controlled breathing and assuming various physical poses. It is said to help the nervous system, the glands and the vital organs. Kundalini, which was introduced to this country in 1969 by Yogi Bhajan, is more active, combining various modes of breathing, movement and meditation. It is based on the idea that body energy that's coiled below the base of the spine can be tapped so that it travels upward through



different energy centers or chakras until it reaches the head. At this point one arrives at one's highest potential. Classically, there are 84 basic yoga positions, or asanas, which are coordinated with special breathing techniques. The asanas range from simple bends and twists to pretzel-like contortions reserved for the most advanced practitioners. The various poses elongate the muscles and build flexibility. Along with the proper breathing, they help rid the body of tension. Static holds isolate and strengthen particular muscles. Asanas have been evolved over the centuries so as to exercise every muscle, nerve and gland in the body. They secure a fine physique, which is strong and elastic without being muscle-bound, and they keep the body free from disease. They reduce fatigue and soothe the nerves. But their real importance lies in the way they train and discipline the mind.