6 Core Benefits of Yoga

There are many benefits to having a regular and frequent yoga practice. The key is that it is regular (at least once or twice a week) and consistent.

Karen Lawley

Improve flexibility

Your range of motion tends to decrease, as you get older. Yoga helps to reverse this process by taking your joints through their full range of motion, increasing your flexibility gradually. Over time, the ligaments, tendons and muscles lengthen, increasing elasticity, and making your body more flexible. Your body alignment and posture will improve helping to relieve back, neck, hip and shoulder pain. You’ll be amazed at how much easier everyday activities like walking or running will become when you increase your flexibility. Your hockey, golf, basketball or baseball game will become better as you increase your flexibility.

Claudete Ede

Lessen your stress

Yoga reduces the physical effects of stress on the body. By encouraging relaxation, yoga helps to lower the levels of the stress hormone Cortisol. It also lowers blood pressure and heart rate, improves digestion and boosts the immune system. Yoga reduces the symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, asthma and insomnia. Your lung capacity will improve, and so will the quality and depth of the breath. People, who practice yoga on a regular basis, will notice that they will have less upper respiratory infections, as a result of the quality of the breathing they practice during a yoga class.

Hugh d’Entremont

Improve your energy level

You have to expend energy to gain more energy. But some types of exercise can get you feeling more energized immediately and this is one of them!

Strengthen, lengthen and tone your muscles

Yoga creates long, strong and lean muscles, from head to toe. Enjoy powerful muscles without adding bulk!

Corrina Rogers

Detoxify the body

By synchronizing breath and movement and gently stretching muscles and joints as well as massaging the internal organs, yoga ensures the optimum blood supply to all parts of the body. This helps to flush out toxins from the system and to eliminate stress hormones as well as maximizing nourishment to your body. It improves your complexion, increases vitality and recharges your enthusiasm.

Robin England

Lose weight permanently

A study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle linked yoga and weight loss. This 10 year study of over 15,500 men and women showed people who did yoga lost weight while the control group gained weight. Another study presented in 2006 at the America Heart Association found yoga helped overweight high school students lose weight while the control group gained weight. Yoga can help you lose weight in more ways than just by burning calories. It helps your hormonal balance, reduces food and alcohol cravings, and builds muscle.

Cheryl Coldham

New to Yoga?

If you are new to yoga, have a look at our Introduction to Yoga class.