Before I started yoga, there wasn't any type of exercise that I particularly enjoyed. I've always walked here and there, did a bit of dance during school days, then there are the occasional bursts of motivation to run (they die off quickly, but I try) but when I started yoga, it was love. I became a devoted yogi and not in any stereotypical hippy way... I just really love yoga and everything it does for me.
I think that it's important to find a way to move your body that you enjoy, that nourishes you and your soul so you do it more regularly. Some people love running, some love hitting the gym and these things are great if you love doing them! Combine these with yoga and you will excel even more at them! For example, as I said, I am not much of a runner although my running now compared to my running before I started yoga has improved tremendously. One reason for this is because yoga improves your lung capacity as you learn to breathe deeper and better.
One thing I find funny is that many people think of yoga as a relaxing activity. While one of the benefits post class is having a much more relaxed outlook, the class itself is anything but! It definitely can be relaxing in some types of yoga, especially during the savasana (relaxing pose/dead man pose), but to you people that think that for all yoga I say - you have never been to a Power Vinyasa or Bikram class! And, you have never met the people in my class! They are taught, trim and terrific. Clear skin, tight abs, fit fit fit... and most of them do yoga as their only form of exercise.
My yoga of choice is Bikram Yoga. I have been doing it for around 3 years & love it. I do other types of yoga sometimes and I do some yoga at home to mix things up a bit but I always go back to the Bikram studio. For those that don't know much about Bikram Yoga, it is yoga that is practiced in a room heated to 40'c with around 40% humidity (so you basically sweat your ass off throughout the whole class, literally, you are dripping wet by the end of class).
Before I started Bikram yoga I had chronic migraines. I had a migraine or headache 3 weeks out of every month. I took pain killers every day just to get through work and would come home tired and grumpy and would want to go to sleep because I felt so terrible. I have suffered migraines since I was a child and have tried so many things to get rid of them. Some of these include - going to the optometrist, he said it was my eyes, so I got glasses. Then I tried the osteopath, he said it was my back that needed cracking. Then off I went to the masseuse, it apparently was knots in my neck. I then tried an acupuncturist, she said it was the heat in my liver. Went to the doctor, he said it was food allergies, I had to eliminate certain foods to see what it was (it was nothing).... Then, I started Bikram Yoga... Went again, and again... Slowly I could feel my whole body opening up in a way I had never felt before. I worked on strengthening and lengthening my spine, worked on opening my back and after a couple of months my migraines started to subside, now I actually can't remember the last time I had a migraine (touch wood). I have had a little headache but nothing like the debilitating pain I used to feel. It could be that through practicing yoga all of the above reasons for my migraines disappeared... It could be that I just needed to move my body in a new way.
There are so many benefits to yoga.. I personally think that Bikram yoga is especially beneficial because of the heat as you are sweating out all of the toxins that are in your body. Naturally you begin to eat better as you crave better foods.
Some other benefits are increased flexibility (thanks to the heat you can stretch so much more), increased muscle tone, ability to sleep better, clearer skin, reduced stress (my husband can attest to this, I am so much happier now!) and improved concentration. Through certain postures you stimulate the thyroid gland (which is important to help prevent weight gain and also to keep the thyroid healthy) & the pituitary gland which helps to keep you looking young! It prevents illness (I haven't been really sick in ages, I actually can't remember the last time I was sick... maybe a couple of years - where is that wood again?), I am sure this is because I sweat out all the toxins. At the first signs of getting the sniffles I get myself to a Bikram class and get it all out of my system.
There are so many more benefits such as treating depression, arthritis and back problems but these are the ones that I have personally felt. It is such a great style of yoga for beginners and advanced.. There are people aged between 16 years old -70+ in my class so there are no excuses that you are too old to start!
Ever wonder why people that do yoga seem happier? That is because they are! During yoga, the hormone oxytocin is released (the same hormone released when you cuddle someone).
Another part of yoga that I love is the confidence it gives you. I (like most other women) suffer from insecurities with my body. What yoga has taught me is that we are all unique and should embrace and be grateful for the body and life we were given. If you have been to a Bikram class you will notice that the yogi's don't wear much... Just a crop top and bike pants..or sometimes a man up the front will be wearing a nice colourful pair of budgy smugglers. At first I thought, oh my goodness I could never wear that! I used to wear a massive baggy top and full length tights and would stand up the back so no one could see me. As you will quickly learn, it is way too hot to be wearing so many clothes so eventually mine matched the other yogis (not the budgy smugglers - that would be weird). This is because now I have realised that no one cares what I wear, and if they do - I don't care what they think! Everyone is at yoga to improve themselves, not to concentrate on other people. I am happy with the body I was given because I have learnt to be grateful to have one that is healthy, happy and able to do what I want it to do.
Yoga teaches you patience and discipline. It builds on endurance and there is never any finality, you can always get better and better. The body is an amazing thing and what it can do if you apply yourself is incredible.
It is a complete mind and body exercise, the stronger your mind the better your yoga will be. The more you strengthen your mind at yoga, the stronger it will be outside of the yoga room at home or work.
I could go on forever about how great it will make you feel once you start but you will never know unless you try it yourself... So go on.. Let me know how you go! Give yourself at least 5 classes before you judge whether you like it or not, it will be hard - very hard at first! But it will get better! And you will feel amazing!
Here is a list of other top reasons to give yoga a go http://www.ageology.com/blog/top-25-reasons-do-yoga-hormonal-health
Namaste :)
Bee xx
images sourced from www.bikramyogacapalaba.com.au
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