Yoga For Fitness
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| Yoga and Chiropractic Care |
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Chiropractic care and yoga are disciplines that work very well
together and provide similar benefits. Practicing yoga enhances physical
performance on various levels, increasing flexibility, strength and
centering. Yoga practitioners enjoy wide-ranging benefits for their
long-term health and well-being. Chiropractic care could be described in very similar terms. Chiropractic care provides more energy by allowing ligaments and muscles to relax and do their jobs properly. The result is increased alertness and increased reserves of the strength needed to accomplish all the day's tasks and activities. Chiropractic care increases flexibility by properly aligning spinal joints and increasing spinal ranges of motion. Ankles, knees, hip joints, arms and shoulders all respond to the improved central ranges of motion. As a result all physical movements become freer, easier, and more relaxed. Chiropractic care improves health and well-being by optimizing communication between the nerve system and the rest of the body. When the body receives the proper flow of information from the brain and spinal cord, it is able to function at peak effectiveness. For maximum health and wellness, yoga and chiropractic care are a powerful combination. |
It seems like there's a new fitness craze every few years.
Television news reporters extol the virtues of each of these latest and
greatest exercise regimens. Countless articles in magazines and
newspapers feature celebrities and fitness models demonstrating these
new routines.
Way back in the mid-1980s, high-impact aerobic classes were the new
thing in fitness. It didn't take long however, for even the most ardent
exercisers to notice that all that jumping up-and-down caused shin
splints, stress fractures and other injuries. This realization helped
usher in the low-impact aerobics craze. Strength training has also seen
the popularity of various workout philosophies rise and fall over the
years - from working out on Nautilus and other equipment, to isometric
resistance band training, circuit training, kettlebells and Super Slow
resistance training.
After trying out a succession of "new and improved" workout styles,
many of us eventually come to the conclusion that the more simplistic
exercises we learned long ago work just as well as, or maybe even better
than, the latest trends. Tried and true calisthenics such as jumping
jacks, squats, push-ups, lunges, and pull-ups that our gym teachers used
to make us do can be an effective method for developing overall
strength and fitness.
These compound exercises we used to complain about
as teenagers are surprisingly effective at building core strength too.
Back then, nobody spoke about strengthening one's core. The results,
however, spoke for themselves. Having a strong core is now recognized as
an important aspect of overall fitness, largely due to the increased
popularity of Pilates since the 1990s.
The increasing popularity of yoga classes has followed a similar
trajectory as the increased popularity of Pilates classes. Although
Joseph Pilates developed his fitness methods back in the 1930s, his
programs didn't really become widely known until the last 20-25 years.
Yoga, on the other hand, has various styles or disciplines that are
centuries old. Hatha yoga is a well-known type which was initially
described by Yogi Swatmarama in the 15th century. Today, people of all
ages and fitness levels enjoy practicing yoga. Participants in a typical
yoga class include kids, teenagers, and adults of all ages, including
seniors in their 70s and 80s.
If you think you have to already be in decent shape to begin a yoga practice, think again. Check out this amazing short video
that chronicles the story of Arthur Boorman, a disabled veteran who was
told he would never be able to walk on his own again. The strength of
his determination is incredibly inspiring.
A typical yoga workout includes not only exercises designed to
build strength and increase flexibility, but will also often include a
series of rapid movements to increase aerobic intensity.1,2
Yoga helps its practitioners increase their ability to concentrate,
focus, and naturally calm the mind. Another benefit is learning how to
breathe properly, which helps to provide needed energy to the muscles.
Beginners are able to work at their own pace and can therefore derive as
much benefit as even the most experienced students in the class.
Yoga classes stimulate a profound release of endorphins - the "feel
good" biochemical that enhances well-being while fortifying the immune
system - providing life-enhancing benefits that last all day long. Yoga
is a total-body training system, enhancing the connection between the
body, mind, and spirit.
1Williams K, et al: Evaluation of the effectiveness
and efficacy of Iyengar yoga therapy on chronic low back pain. Spine
34(19):2066-2076, 2009
2Tekur P, et al: Effect of short-term intensive yoga
program on pain, functional disability and spinal flexibility in
chronic low back pain: a randomized control study. J Altern Complement
Med 14(6):637-644, 2008
