At AdMac Fitness we believe in sharing the best advice when it comes to all things health and fitness. In today’s post, we’re going to look at the honest benefits of yoga.

We’ll take a look at what yoga is great for, what it’s not so great at, and how you can fit it into a regular, well rounded fitness regimen. This is a fair and balanced assessment of the practice, because if you speak to the hardcore yogi’s all they see is positive, whereas we want to be fair!

So, here’s the honest benefits of yoga…

Stress Relief

Let’s be honest - modern life can be relentless. Work, phone calls, social media updates, emails, a social life - it never seems to stop.

A yoga class serves as a sanctuary where you can find some calm amidst the chaos. Through mindful breathing, gentle stretches, and calming meditation, yoga has a remarkable ability to soothe the nervous system and alleviate stress. Taking the hour or so with no screen, quiet music and purposeful relaxation is a great calming measure for a busy brain.

Improved Flexibility and Mobility

This is the key benefit for most people.

While many poses may seem daunting to beginners, yoga is a journey of gradual progression and self-discovery. Through consistent practice, you’ll see a remarkable transformation in your flexibility and mobility. Tight muscles loosen, joints become more supple, and range of motion expands, leading to improved posture and reduced risk of injury in daily activities.

Improving flexibility is a great way to reduce injury risk and improve general joint and movement health.

Strength Building

This is a more controversial one. Whilst it’s true that yoga can help to improve strength, it does have its limitations, and it only builds a very particular version of strength.

Holding poses will build strength in that posture. It’s not going to make you stronger overall, and it won’t help you much in terms of functional strength. Carrying shopping, lifting your kids, moving furniture etc won’t become easier because you’ve performed a few downward dogs.

That being said, the poses create stability in the joints, and that helps to build their strength. In particular, the knees, hips and shoulders can benefit from a regular yoga practice.

Mind-Body Connection

At its core, yoga is a practice of integration of mind, body, and breath. By controlling all three, the aim to build a real awareness and presence.

Through practices such as meditation and pranayama (breath control), practitioners deepen their awareness of the present moment and cultivate a profound sense of inner peace. This work can help you to develop a sense of calm and relaxation, which helps a lot of people understand their bodies better.

Enhanced Mental Well-being

There’s a profound impact of yoga on mental health. Even the act of taking time out of your week to force calm and relaxation on yourself can be hugely positive step.

Studies have shown that regular yoga practice can alleviate symptoms of anxiety, depression, and chronic stress. By promoting relaxation, fostering self-compassion, and encouraging mindfulness, yoga empowers individuals to cultivate a positive outlook and embrace life with renewed vigor.

Community and Connection

In a class based format, yoga has a sociable aspect to it. By enjoying classes with like minded people, it’s a way to build a friendship group of people with shared interests.

Whether it's sharing laughter in a group class or finding solace in silent meditation, yoga brings people together in a supportive and inclusive environment. This sense of belonging enriches the practice and reminds us that we are all interconnected on this journey of self-discovery.

Conclusion

There’s no doubt that yoga has positive elements it can bring to people’s lives. There are real, tangible benefits to health and wellness.

Whilst the strength improvement element is wildly exaggerated (it doesn’t build series strength), and it offers little to no cardiovascular health improvement, there’s still room for yoga in a fitness regime. It’s excellent at improving flexibility, and the calming and relaxation benefits have few rivals.

A weekly class or two (depending on your needs) certainly won’t do you any harm, and will offer you plenty of benefit.

Want to improve your health and fitness? Let the AdMac Fitness Personal Trainers help…

AdMac Fitness has been helping the people of East London transform their health and fitness for nearly a decade.

We help people using tried and tested fitness approaches. Our expert team of personal trainers, based in both Bow and South Woodford can help you get a grip of your health forever. With our guidance and experience, you can relax knowing that your fitness journey is going to be guided by some of the best personal trainers in East London.

For more information on who we are, what we do and how we can help you achieve your health and fitness goals, contact us on… 07921465108 or email us at admacfitness@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

Our locations are…

AdMac Fitness: Arch 457 Robeson St, London E3 4JA

AdMac Fitness South Woodford: Unit 4 Marlborough Business Centre, 96 George Lane, South Woodford, London, E18 1AD