If you experience any tightness and constriction in your muscles, you probably want to consider implementing some stretching exercises in your routine to release tension and increase your flexibility. Should you sign up for a yoga class? Many yoga asanas, or positions, help improve mobility. Should you opt for regular stretching instead? Let`s examine the differences between the two worlds and what they have in common. This way, you can choose which one is more suitable for you.
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Stretching – Focus on Aspects of Flexibility and Mobility
Stretching routines help us extend our muscles, increase their flexibility, and enhance our joints’ range of motion. They focus primarily on a muscle or a group of muscles and are done to warm up or cool down before/after a strength training or cardio session. Stretching can be done even as a standalone routine. In short, stretching exercises focus on the physical aspects of flexibility. If you want to improve your athletic performance, prevent injury, or relieve symptoms like stiffness, choose a regular stretching class.
In terms of variety, stretching can be active or passive. Active or dynamic stretches are what people usually do before a training session in order to prepare their bodies for exertion. They get the blood flowing and warm our muscles up. According to Stretch, people can do this passively or statically.
You can do a stretching class on its own, as a standalone routine, in order to relieve tightness in your body or on the day after a heavy workout. In any case, do exercise caution. Do not push your limits so far that you injure yourself. It is best that you have a personal trainer or join a stretching class nearby so that you get expert guidance on the best stretches.
Yoga – a Holistic Wellness Practice
Yoga practices have many aspects, but the focus of yoga is different. Yoga means ‘union,’ and the intention of yoga practice is to achieve complete energetic balance or unity of mind and body. Apart from physical postures, yoga includes breathing techniques, meditation, visualization, chanting mantras, and so on. All these aim to enable practitioners to gain greater awareness and harmony in their physical, mental, and emotional world.
People who seek out yoga don’t only want physical wellness and flexibility. Yoga practice usually incorporates mindful breathing to help release the tension and energetic blocks in stiff muscles. It also includes meditative awareness and visualization while performing asanas in order to improve mindfulness and physical control.
The practice of yoga asanas is part of a complex philosophic and spiritual tradition. There are yoga instructors that do not dive too much into the spiritual aspects of yoga during their classes. If you’re heading to a yoga class, expect to be exposed to the practices above as well as to terms like chakras (subtle energy centers), aura (the energy field surrounding the body), prana (the flow of vital energy in the body) and others.
The physical practice of yoga can be divided into many branches. It can be more static or more dynamic, slow-paced, or in the form of a fast flow sequence. You can choose the style of yoga that best suits your preferences and your current physical condition. You might try different yoga classes online from the comfort of your home or go to a physical location. You start at the beginner level and work your way up to the top. Exercise caution and don’t force your body into advanced positions.
Yoga and Stretching Similarities
- Improve flexibility and range of motion
- Improve athletic performance
- Prevent injury
- Stimulate circulation in your muscles
- Invigorate and energize
- Improve recovery from exercise
- Enhance balance and posture
The added bonus of yoga classes:
Different styles of yoga can have asanas that not only increase flexibility and range of motion but also build physical strength. Yoga often incorporates breathing techniques that increase oxygen absorption and enhance the lung capacity. The relaxation and meditative techniques taught at some yoga classes reduce stress levels and increase focus.
Yoga incorporates some twists and movements that provide a gentle massage of the internal organs and stimulate toxin elimination.
Research shows that in therapeutic value, yoga classes and stretching classes have almost the same physical results when it comes to back pain and muscle tension relief.
Conclusion
Everybody needs to stretch, especially if their job involves sitting at a computer desk or in a car for many hours. A stretching routine will help release tightness and keep your body and spine flexible and young for a long time. A yoga routine will add the bonus of mindful awareness and breathing for better relaxation, concentration, and oxygen absorption. Whichever one you choose, do practice regularly.
