Flexibility and Yoga: Enhance Mobility & Well-being
What is Flexibility?
Flexibility is the ability to move muscles and joints through their complete range of motion. It’s an innate ability that many people lose over time. Our increasingly restricted and sedentary lifestyles lead to muscle atrophy and a limited range of motion in our joints.
- No movement would be possible without flexibility.
- A flexible person can perform everyday tasks efficiently and without risk of injury.
- Flexibility is important for sports and everyday life.
Components of Flexibility
- Joint mobility: The ability to move a joint through its full range.
- Muscle elasticity: The ability of muscles and tendons to lengthen and return to their original shape.
Health Effects of Flexibility
Muscles tend to shorten when not used, which can lead to fixed postural habits. In the long term, this can cause joint stiffness, aches, and pains. Performing flexibility exercises lowers the risk of this and provides significant health benefits:
- Correct and balanced body posture.
- Lower risk of joint and muscle injuries.
- Everyday tasks can be performed efficiently.
- Facilitates blood flow to the muscles.
- Achieves a state of relaxation.
Flexibility in Yoga
In yoga, flexibility is an attitude that invests and transforms the mind as well as the body. Yoga is an ancient and complex practice rooted in Indian philosophy. It began as a spiritual practice but has become popular for promoting physical and mental well-being. The word “yoga” means “to yoke” or unite the mind, body, and spirit.
Yoga typically focuses on three areas:
- Physical postures (asanas)
- Breathing techniques (pranayama)
- Meditation (dhyana)
There are many different types of yoga, among which Hatha yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga, and Vinyasa yoga are more popular.
Benefits of Yoga
Yoga is beneficial for emotional, physical, and mental well-being across all age groups.
- Reduces anxiety and stress.
- Improves mental clarity.
- Helps in achieving better sleep.
- Relieves lower back and neck pain.
- Helps in the regulation of menstruation.
- Helps in weight loss.
Safety Measures Doing Yoga
- Dress in appropriate clothing that allows you to move easily.
- Do not do yoga immediately after a meal.
- Listen to your body while practicing yoga.
- Do not push your limits of tolerance or ever push your body.
- If you are new to yoga, avoid extreme postures.
Sun Salutation
Sun Salutation, also known as Surya Namaskar, is a traditional yoga practice made up of 12 poses. Sun Salutations are commonly used in yoga practice as a warm-up or are intertwined into yoga routines, especially Vinyasa classes. There are three different types of Sun Salutations: A, B, and C. Sun Salutation A is the most traditional. There are also variations to Sun Salutation A that make it either more advanced.
How Many Sun Salutations Should You Practice?
To obtain optimal benefits, you should practice at least 12 rounds. One round of Sun Salutation consists of two sets/sequences: the first leading with the right leg and the second leading with the left in the 4th and 9th positions. Start by doing two to four rounds and gradually build up to twelve rounds.