So, are you among those who believe that yoga and exercises are for those flabby and obese? Wrong! Physical exercises like yoga are performed to remain fit, not just to simply lose weight. A thin person needs to do exercise as much as an obese person.
Yoga is not simply meant for those who are trying hard to lose weight. Even professional athletes prefer practising yoga. These athletes keep themselves fit by yoga. Are you surprised to know that athletes also do yoga? Do you think that why such healthy and fit people need yoga in their lives? This is primarily due to the reason that yoga is not about body fitness. It is more than that. It is about relaxing the mind and undergoing an experience that is holistic and ultimately leads to the overall development.
Few reasons why professional athletes practice yoga is:
- For professional’s yoga is one of the best ways to loosen up, energize and calm their body and mind. It helps them to focus before their game starts and at the same time eases the soreness post-game. Practice for half an hour or more prior to the match is very useful in improving the body’s flexibility.
- Yoga teaches that breathing can be regulated and controlled for different spiritual and health benefits. This plays an important role in several athletic events like gymnastics or swimming. It makes the mind sharper and is very helpful for athletes who play cricket or shooting. Therefore, yoga offers an all-round development, which you can only attain otherwise with the help of several workout routines.
- Yoga helps in increasing the intake of oxygen. At the same time, it lowers the heart rate and creates a better understanding between the body and mind. It boosts self-confidence and makes the individual fit, not only physically, but mentally. You should never forget that yoga is a method of meditation and increases communion with oneself.
- Functional flexibility and strength are also increased with yoga. It improves mental clarity, an ability to survive stress and assists one to cope with the long practice hours that athletes must go through every time. Yoga allows a specific degree of flexibility when it comes to mental ability as well. It permits you to continuously push the boundaries of your body.
- Yoga not only helps in increasing the hunger pangs but also helps the body to deal with extra food. It increases the basal metabolic rate of the body and makes sure that the chances of gaining weight are reduced significantly in a healthy way.
- It is a great help to athletes who are trying to improve from injuries. As popularly known, sometimes sports can be injurious to health. Repeated muscle wear and tear takes place daily and more so with professional athletes. Yoga helps in helping the body to recuperate faster from injury. In a similar manner, it also helps in lessening the risk of any injury in the initial stage.
If yoga is beneficial for top-notch athletes, it will work for you too. Try!