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The Benefits of Yoga and Your Own Private Yoga Trainer in Pietermaritzburg

 Studies and modern research are proving daily how mindful practices can benefit us. Yoga is one of the most useful and easiest ways to reduce stress while also targeting physical concerns like muscle strength and cardiovascular health.

We all have different bodies and fitness needs. The great thing about yoga is the fact that it recognises and respects all these differences and encourages every individual to practice in the way that best aids their development, whether physical, mental or even spiritual.

If you study yoga at a yoga school, you’ll discover the rich, ancient mysticism of yoga philosophy. But for those who want to try yoga out for the first time it’s only important to know that over the last 4000 years yoga’s aim has always been to create unity. Unity in our minds and bodies, but also with the external world at large; nature and each other.

Are you ready to live a more meaningful, healthier, happier and more harmonious life? Let’s explore some of the benefits you can enjoy with regular yoga practice.

Mental & Neural Benefits of Yoga

Modern Neuroscience tells us that the brain has the ability to adapt throughout a humans’ lifetime, making it possible to ‘rewire’ and change the actual physical structure. Yoga is a natural anti-depressant that can actively target the brain’s neurons and restructure it to remove bad patterns and cultivate greater happiness. 

But, don’t take our word for it. Here are some of the facts:

• GABA is a relaxant neurotransmitter and regulator in the nervous system that calms your nervous system. Yoga has been proven to increase the release of GABA with an average of 27%. The more you practice the more effective yoga will become in activating GABA to bring you better mental clarity and calm.
• Yoga boosts the release of BDNF (Brain-derived neurotrophic factor), a protein responsible for neuron health and neuroplasticity. It’s also proven to help people with chronic pain or depression.
• Better Neuroplasticity means you can physically rewire your brain to breakdown habitual thinking and cognitive patterns to create the type of positive thinking and happy thoughts you want in your life.
• Yoga increases the Serotonin levels in your brain that helps to regulate your mood and combat depression.
• Research suggests that meditation practices improves all forms of self-regulation. The regulation of Dopamine in the brain during yoga can thus aid any dysfunctions associated with addiction, including comfort eating.
• Stress hormones like Cortisol and Adrenaline is reduced by mindful practices like yoga. Not only will this make you feel more relaxed, it will also lower inflammation and influence the body’s response to do weight regulation.

Yoga is commonly used for some forms of therapy because of its ability and focus on creating well-being, instead of using the pathogenesis approach from the classical medical system.

Physical Benefits of Yoga

More and more, scientists recognize how imbalances in our bodies become the cause of disease. Above and beyond the mental and relaxation effects mentioned above, yoga is a great way to enhance the physical and physiological health of your body. 

This is what those clever experts say:

• Yoga will help prevent injury due to the combination of stretching and strengthening of major and minor muscles during practice. It gives people a superior biomechanically functioning body as it helps to stabilize the joints while reducing acute injury and wear and tear. Sounds like Yogis can also become superheroes…
• Holding asanas during yoga will help you to increase strength and organise the collagen fibres in and around them. Random fascia (collagen fibres) are directly related to ageing and inactivity so yoga will prevent your muscles from losing their efficiency through fascia restructuring.
• Performing daily tasks becomes easier with increased range of motion and mobility. Yoga will help you with functional stretching which allows you to move easier and access multiple joints, muscles and body parts at once.
• Yoga poses help us to build better balance. The ability to bring our focus to weak areas instead of relying on dominating muscles, allows us to optimise the smaller stabilizing muscles for balance.
• Yoga improves overall heart function and cardiovascular health. A yogic lifestyle consisting of movement, social support, meditation and a plant-based diet has been proven to lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure and actually repair damaged tissue.
• Your mind-body connection will improve with regular practice and therefore the consequential gut-brain connection will grow stronger to aid your mood and digestion processes.
• Yoga decrease chronic inflammation and thus the probability of developing auto-immune diseases.

Benefits of a Private Yoga Trainer

The only thing you have to do is find a yoga school or private yoga teacher to jump into your first yoga class. There are many styles of yoga and if you want to focus more on the physical and mental benefits you can choose to attend a Hatha, Ashtanga or a Vinyasa yoga class. 

To sweat more you can search for Hot Vinyasa or a Bikram yoga class that’s presented by a great hot yoga instructor. These classes are done in a heated room to increase the body temperature and allow yogis to move deeper into the poses. A hot yoga instructor will also be able to show you how to do a vinyasa class at home with heaters if you prefer to reap the benefits of hot yoga in the privacy of your own home.

Here’s how you can benefit from getting your own personal yoga trainer on Superprof:

• They can adapt and tweak the class to your fitness level and liking
• They can come to your house at a time that suits both
• Most yoga teachers on Superprof offer their first class for free
• You can ask them to explore techniques and different yoga styles
• They’ll give you individual and their undivided attention
• They’ll help to prevent injury by guiding you correctly in and out of poses
• Experienced teachers might be able to provide guidance on the treatment and practice around injuries

Are you ready to reap the multiple benefits of yoga?

Search and compare yoga teachers now on Superprof. We’re almost certain that you’ll find one that will help you invite greater health & vitality into your life.