For the most part, people only mention the advantages of yoga and it is indeed a beneficial workout for everyone. However, as yoga is becoming a trend, new types of yoga and all kinds of instructors have appeared. Along with them, there are a few downsides that we need to notice.
To help you understand this workout and make the most out of it, this article will discuss both the pros and cons of yoga.
The Benefits Of Doing Yoga
According to Statista in 2018, yoga is one of the 10 biggest fitness trends over the world. Many studies suggest that there is no side effect if people know how to approach yoga in the right way. They also point out many pros and cons of yoga. We list some of the most common benefits down below.
1. Increase the body’s strength and flexibility
Yoga is not a high-intensity exercise but it has great impacts on every muscle in our body. While other workouts focus on increasing the intensity over time, yoga let people slowly learn and extend the flexibility of their body. Yoga experts can bend and move their bodies in a way they might not able to imagine when they first start.
Yoga is also proven to strengthen the body’s immune system. It can even help us to recover from sickness and injuries faster. Some athletes use yoga as a tool to perform better in their major field.
2. Relieve stress and aid mental health
Among all the pros and cons of yoga, this one is mentioned most frequently. In many ways, yoga can be considered a type of meditation. The practice emphasizes the connection between our minds and our bodies.
Through controlled breathing, peaceful posture posing and the focus on human senses, practicing yoga is great for stress relief and anxiety reduction.
Yin yoga and Hatha Yoga are the best exercises after a long stressful day. Mudra Yoga is also good for people having problems to focus or feeling imbalanced energy in their body.
3. Enhance the body’s functional performance
Since yoga is slower than most other workouts, it gives us time to perfect our postures. All the moves are designed to straighten our spines and improve our balance. Practicing yoga regularly shapes the habit of keeping a good posture.
Consequently, we can perform our everyday activities more effectively. It also helps in avoiding injuries while playing other sports.
4. Tone muscle
One reason why yoga can support our performances in other workouts is because of its ability to tone up our muscles. During a yoga session, our muscles are stretched and pushed to their limit. Every part of our bodies has to work hard to keep us balanced and still, especially our core.
As the muscles are lengthened and improved in resistance, our bodies appear to be more toned. Some of the popular poses for toning are downward dog, plank, and bridge pose.
5. Boost weight loss naturally
Finally, one of the most asked questions when it comes to the pros and cons of yoga is if it can help us to lose weight. The answer is yes, especially if you know how to choose the right practices.
Firstly, yoga makes the body to be more sensitive to insulin and reduces fat-storing. Secondly, it helps you to be more mindful of your body and what you put into it. Some types of yoga also require more physical efforts such as vinyasa and power yoga.
Some Drawbacks In The Modern Yoga World
Despite all the benefits you can get from yoga, there are things that you should pay attention to if you want to advance in the practice.
1. Muscle cramps
First of all, yoga has many levels. Beginners without proper preparation and good instructors can have problems with their muscles and posture. Muscle cramps are real things among yogis.
Besides, trying to push too hard can cause unnecessary pains and injuries. Give it time and eventually, you will get there.
2. Some modern types of yoga are not for everyone
Nowadays, besides conventional yoga types, we also have hot yoga, beer yoga, and all the new invention. However, some of them may be bad for you. It is important to know the pros and cons of yoga types.
For example, if you have high blood pressure, hot yoga is not the best thing to try. Or if you are having pain in certain parts of the body, you should not choose something too hard like power yoga.
Should You Practice Yoga?
After analyzing all the pros and cons of yoga, it can be summed up that yoga is beneficial for most people. Since the workout has a wide range of difficulty and types, anyone can find something for themselves.
However, we should still be careful while choosing which instructor and yoga class to start with. Just pay attention to your body need and you will have a great experience.