The Benefits of Yoga Workouts for Women
We know that walking, running, swimming and other types of cardiovascular exercise provide a list of physical benefits. And hitting the machines in the Curves circuit and using the resistance bands with MyCurves On Demand will make us stronger and more toned. There’s another category of exercise—mindfulness exercise—that does wonders for emotional health and overall wellbeing. One of the most effective mindfulness exercises with many health benefits is yoga, which is also available on MyCurves On Demand. 1
What is yoga?
Yoga is an ancient Indian practice. It started as purely a spiritual practice, but today, people do yoga to promote both physical and mental health. There are six branches of yoga, each of which have different end goals. The most popular form in Western countries is hatha yoga, which aims to benefit both body and mind. 2 It incorporates physical postures, meditation, and breathing techniques. There are many different styles and intensities of yoga workouts, and people practice yoga for a range of different reasons, from stress relief to weight loss to increased flexibility. 3
One of the greatest things about yoga workouts is that anyone can do them and reap the benefits. You don’t have to be a yogi, be in great shape, or know all the yoga terms. All you need is a mat to do yoga.4
Yoga benefits for women
The benefits of yoga for women are plenty. When practiced regularly, research has shown the following yoga benefits:
- Yoga workouts help relieve stress, improve emotional health, promote good sleep, and support positive health habits.
- Regularly performing yoga improves balance and flexibility. Women can engage in yoga for flexibility as part of a comprehensive exercise plan.
- Yoga benefits include pain relief. Specifically, yoga workouts can help with low back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis, and tension headaches.
- Practicing yoga can help you lose weight. The term yoga weight loss isn’t without merit. Performing the more strenuous forms of yoga can help support a weight loss plan.
- Aid in quitting smoking. It could be mindfulness or the link between yoga and stress relief, but yoga appears to help people who smoke cigarettes quit the habit.
- Decrease depression and anxiety. Because of its mental health benefits, yoga helps people with depression and anxiety manage their symptoms.
- Relieve menopause symptoms. This is an important benefit of yoga for women. Regularly practicing yoga can help with hot flashes, stress, depression, and lack of sleep.
- Boost general health. Yoga health benefits are far reaching. The practice can help people with chronic diseases improve their symptoms so they can live a healthier life. 5
As you can see, yoga-inspired workouts incorporate breathing techniques, exercise and meditation to provide a wealth of benefits for women, including improved mental clarity, better posture and a higher level of self-esteem. On the Curves Circuit or with MyCurves On Demand, you’ll get the guidance needed to help you incorporate yoga-inspired moves into your workouts while working toward achieving your health and fitness goals. To learn more about Curves programs, including balance and yoga-inspired workouts, visit Curves.com.
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