Although yoga has a rich and long history that dates back to over 5,000 year ago, over the last decade, yoga has become a mainstream form of exercise throughout the country. A variety of classes are offered everywhere from yoga studios to fitness clubs and even in senior centers or part of community education programs. Yoga is popular because it’s an accessible form of exercise for individuals of many ages and abilities; it is also a gentle type of exercise for individuals who are recovering from a personal injury. According to Mike Sawaya, Denver Personal Injury Attorney, recovering from a personal injury and returning to the lifestyle that you had before your injury is important; yoga is a great way to work towards a full recovery.
What Yoga Can Do for You
Whether you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident or just want to become more fit, yoga is a good start to a healthy future. Unlike other forms of exercise, such as weightlifting or an organized sport, you don’t need to invest in a lot of equipment or have a knack for athleticism. Enter any yoga class and you’ll see bodies of every shape, size, and age; yoga doesn’t discriminate. Individuals who practice yoga do it for different reasons. While some enjoy yoga for meditative purposes, others use yoga to increase strength and flexibility. Both uses can be perfect for any individual recovering from a personal injury as the experience of an accident can have lasting physical and mental discomfort. No matter where you are in your fitness journey, yoga is a good place to start and to continue as you improve your overall health and well-being.
New to Yoga? Try These Poses
Yoga poses are easy to find anywhere you look. Whether you take a class, read a book or watch a video on YouTube. It’s important to do the poses correctly and never hurry through a pose. Yoga is meant to be done with slow deliberate moves and mindful breathing; do it any other way and you’re likely to get hurt.
There are a great number of yoga poses, but it’s a good idea to start out simple and don’t advance until you’ve mastered the easier poses. If you are recovering from an injury or have range of motion limitations, many poses can be modified. Ask a yoga expert about a safe and effective modification to any pose. Here are a few good poses for a beginner:
- Mountain Pose: This pose is a basic full body stretching pose. Stand tall, feet together, take a deep breath and with arms straight and palms together, raise your hands overhead. Reach for the sky as if you were on top of a mountain.
- Tree Pose: The tree pose focuses on balance. Think of a tall and strong tree as you shift your weight onto right leg, place sole of left foot inside of right thigh, keep hips centered and forward. As soon as you find your balance, bring hands in front of you (in prayer position) and extend upwards like in mountain pose.
- Child’s Pose: Child’s pose is a often used as a “resting pose” for many individuals who need to take a break from another pose. In this pose, sit up comfortably on your heels, roll your torso forward and bring your forehead to rest in front of you. As you lower your chest as close to your knees as comfortably as you can, extend your arms in front of you. Hold, breathe, and relax.
Yoga poses should never hurt and if you feel pain during the poses, ask an expert for help or make sure you are doing the pose correctly. With regular practice, you will notice that your stretching will become easier, your flexibility will increase, and your balance will become greater.
