If you are like most keep-fit-fanatics and are hoping to increase your flexibility or you are a beginner who wants to get flexible fast in the best way possible, then you would probably want to incorporate yoga into your daily workout routine.
So, to answer your question? YES! Yoga does help with flexibility!
According to an article medically reviewed by Melinda Ratini, a WebMD medical review team, “In one study, people improved their flexibility by up to 35% after only eight weeks of doing yoga”. Yoga is a great way to work on your flexibility.
Doing daily yoga poses is a highly effective way to help build and improve your flexibility while making you strong, balanced, and well-coordinated. Its incorporation of breathing and meditation can also significantly help improve a person’s mental well-being.
Asanas, also called yoga postures or yoga poses, work by stretching your muscles, and they aren’t meant to be one-size-fits-all.
The practice of yoga is adaptable. If you are afraid that you can’t do the poses or won’t be able to follow along with those adept and more skillful, don’t worry, you can modify or customize poses or sequences to fit your body’s ability, age, and needs.
Yoga guides or teachers often provide this modification to make complex or advanced level poses accessible to all.
Yoga is not exclusively for people who are already flexible. Flexibility in yoga is not a prerequisite; instead, it is a result.
How does Yoga help with Flexibility?
Yoga is more than and not just stretching; it is different from stretching by emphasizing the duration, the safe form poses, and the variety of stretches. The yoga difference can be described with these three:
- Body Alignment is the precise and accurate way each yoga pose is done to maximize its benefits and lessen or diminish the risk of injuries.
Practicing with the understanding of alignment helps ensure that you are not compromising one area of your body in an attempt to focus on another area of your body.
Having a good yoga instructor or teacher can help bring alignment to the forefront. - Attention means that you are entirely focused on the specific moment that you are doing the yoga practice, and your attention remains constant throughout the practice.
- Mind and Body Awareness means that you do not zone out or just go through the sequence of the poses without feeling each pose to its fullest.
One of yoga’s most excellent tools is awareness because it takes you out of your stressful, complex minds and just allows you to reset, recharge, and reduce your anxiety. Mind and body awareness lets you find inner peace while doing your yoga practice.
Why is Flexibility Important
A key component of physical fitness is Flexibility. This key component is improved through stretching, and stretching makes you feel great.
When you stretch, you relieve stress by releasing the tension and stiffness in your muscles. Where the body goes, the mind follows. Letting go of physical stresses also makes you let go of mental stresses or anxiety.
Flexibility is one of the reasons why yoga practice is excellent at reducing stress, alleviating insomnia, and increases a person’s sense of well-being.
How long does it take to be more Flexible?
What’s the hurry? As with all yoga’s benefits, reaping the positive results comes with consistent and regular practice over time. The sooner you start practicing, the sooner you will see improvement.
Moreover, there are other factors or variables to consider as well, like, how frequent you do yoga, what kind or level of difficulty is the yoga that you do, your physique, your age, and so many other things that come into play, which means putting a deadline to your flexibility journey may be a bit difficult but not impossible.
Yoga classes can help; it is ideal for flexibility because you will receive and find an expert instructor who can teach you and guide you towards your goal. One thing to keep in mind, doing yoga practice regularly will improve your flexibility. If you never start, you will never get results.
What is the Best Yoga Pose to be More Flexible
The best yoga poses to be more flexible are those that are done regularly. Some yoga poses are easier than others; the important thing is to choose the best that helps you achieve your goal.
Any yoga poses is a good starting place, but remember, the whole mind and body approach makes yoga one of the most effective and efficient ways to improve your flexibility. And the best yoga pose for flexibility is all the poses that you can do.
Disclaimer: It is always best to consult a physician or other medical specialist before starting any (new) practice or workout regime.
You are responsible for your health. I am not or in any way responsible for any kind of injury or problems you might get following the usage of the information given in this post.
This post is meant for informative purposes only. It shouldn’t be used or serve as a replacement for professional guidance. Always remember to start your workouts with a proper warm-up!
