Yoga
– which means a fusion of body and mind –
is one of the hottest workouts around and the benefits are amazing.
It is a great way to tone up flabby muscles, gain strength, and improve
your flexibility. It’s also one of the best ways to relieve
stress and anxiety, leaving you calmer and happier.
Child’s pose, cobra pose, cow pose, tree pose… There are
literally hundreds of yoga poses (or asanas in yogi-speak) to try.
But before you get twisted up, let’s break down a few of the
most popular types of yoga.
Ashtanga, or “Power Yoga”
gives you a pretty strenuous workout with poses that are challenging
and athletic. This type of yoga focuses less on meditation and more
on moving quickly through poses that help you build strength and stamina.
Bikram, also known as “Hot Yoga”,
is done in a room that’s heated to at least 100°F to simulate
how it would feel to practice yoga in India. In this kind of heat,
your muscles warm up and loosen as you move through a series of intense
stretches.
Hatha is a more
mellow and relaxing form of yoga. Because you move through poses at
a slow, comfortable pace, you can more easily focus on breathing and
meditation. You can do it in the morning to set the tone for a peaceful
day or do it after school to de-stress.
That said, all you’ll need to get started is a yoga instructor,
bare feet, a yoga mat, and comfortable clothes. With just a few weeks
of practice, you’ll be walking taller, and feeling as strong
and graceful as a ballet dancer. You’ll also be more relaxed
and better prepared to handle daily stresses like midterms and your
little sister!
Still not convinced to try it out? Maybe you’re just a little
hesitant to try the “downward dog” for the first time
in front of a bunch of super flexible yogis.
Lucky for you that MissFit
Yoga is one of the three workouts
included in the MissFit
video. So now you can strike a pose
whenever you want to, in the privacy of your own home, and whittle
away your worries and those mushy arms at the same time. |
