Yoga is a mixture of mental, physical and spiritual practices that originated in ancient India. It is believed to have first been practiced as early as around 3000 BCE in the Indus valley civilization. Research has shown that yoga that includes breathing exercises, meditation, postures and chants can reduce stress and improve a person's immunity.
During the 19th and 20th century, yoga started being introduced to the West. Since then it has developed into a widely practiced stress-relief and relaxation technique all across the globe.
In reality there are many benefits to yoga and reasons as to why you should give it a try. Although it differs from most typical types of exercise or training, it offers much more than you’d think.
One of the biggest benefits to yoga is stress relief. You might think that you’re already doing that by going to the gym or punching a punching bag, but that could also make you aggressive and tired. Yoga on the other hand uses different relaxation techniques that overtime can make you calmer in general, not just when you’re practicing them.
Another plus to yoga is that you’ll slowly but surely become more flexible. Regardless of what sports you normally train, being more flexible will always come in handy. Alongside this, you’ll also reduce the chance of injuries. By attending regular yoga classes you’ll be more flexible and fully stretched which will allow your muscles to recover more quickly after a hard training session in the gym.
One of the biggest misconceptions about yoga is that it is very easy to do. In reality however, anyone who’s actually gone to a yoga class knows that it takes a lot of physical and mental effort.
As easy as it looks, you’ll quickly realise that you’re not gonna get a lot of things right from the first try, or even the second. Yoga requires both physical strength and flexibility and you can’t do it without both. You might already possess one, but you’ll see that without the other one, you won’t succeed. Many poses will take time and effort to master.
On top of that, yoga isn’t only about physical qualities. It’s as much mental as it is physical. For many people the hardest part is clearing their minds and being in the present. You’ll see that learning to focus your attention on one task at a time, one stretch, one breath, will take more effort than you think.
The cost of yoga lessons depends entirely on how you choose to practice and learn. Many people opt to learn on their own via video tutorials, however following the teachings of a professional is always a prefered choice. At TutorExtra we offer a wide variety of qualified tutors ready to give you lessons. Prices start at around £10 and can go anywhere up to around £50. Browse through our website and find the teacher that suits your needs the best.