What is Yoga?

Yoga is a group of physical, mental and spiritual disciplines with its origins in ancient India, It is a union of body, breath and mind and its various techniques are designed to cultivate this union in order to achieve health, happiness and a greater sense of self.

Types of yoga include Ashtanga (a fast and vigorous form), Vinyasa (focuses on breathing’s effect on the mind and body), Iyengar (involves holding poses for long periods) and Kundalini (explores the effects of breathing on posture). We offer yoga in Morley and Southern River.

What it’s based on

Modern yoga is derived from an ancient system of philosophies, principles and practices which existed in India and the Himalayas over 2500 years ago. Carvings of yoga postures have been found in the Indus Valley which show the poses and practices that were originally used.

What it involves

A typical yoga class runs for around 60 minutes and can involve an introductory period that would include breathing and relaxation exercises. This would be followed by a physical warm up to prepare the body and then the class proper, which would include a variety of postures, movements and stretches. Finally, there would be a wind up period of relaxation and meditation.

The benefits of yoga

Because yoga affects the mind, body and soul, its benefits are many and varied and are thought to include;

• Improved flexibility – loosens up the body, reducing aches and pains and also helping to improve bodybuilding performance.
• Improved muscle strength – helps to strengthen muscles which protects against injuries such as arthritis and back pain.
• Improved posture – helps you achieve good posture, which is important for avoiding muscle and joint problems.
• Active joints – puts joints through their full range of motion, helping to prevent cartilage and joint degeneration.
• Spinal protection – lots of spinal movement helps to keep the discs supple.
• Improved bone health – strengthens bones and helps to prevent osteoporosis.
• Increased blood flow – helps with circulation by getting more oxygen to your cells
• Boosted immunity – increases lymph drainage which helps the body fight infection.
• Improved heart health – improves cardiovascular conditioning and reduces your risk of heart attack.
• Lower blood pressure – helps to reduce blood pressure, which may be beneficial for those with hypertension.
• Regulated adrenal glands – reduces excessive cortisol levels, which are linked to depression, osteoporosis and insulin resistance.
• Lower blood sugar – reduces blood sugar levels by lowering cortisol and adrenaline and improving sensitivity to insulin.
• Improved focus – can help improve coordination, reaction time, memory and IQ scores.
• Improved balance – improves your balance and increases proprioception (the ability to feel where your body is in space).
• Improved lung health – helps to reduce your respiratory rate and improve lung function including volume and efficiency.
• Better digestion – protects against ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome and constipation by lowering stress levels.

Why yoga works

There has been a lot of scientific interest in the effects of yoga over the years and some of the benefits have been researched, although a lot more study needs to be done.

While we now know that some benefits of yoga can be linked to certain positive bodily functions and chemical reactions, we’re still trying to pinpoint exactly what causes those things to happen.

But yoga has been helping people for 2,500 years now, so there’s no reason why we can’t go on enjoying the benefits in the meantime, while we search for the answers to why yoga works.

At Bailey Fitness, our team is here to help you achieve your personal health goals and become the best version of yourself you can be.

So if you’re thinking about trying yoga in Perth, we offer classes in two convenient locations, depending on where you live. Yoga at our Morley gym is ideal for those in the northern suburbs and we also offer yoga at Southern River, our original gym in the south.

Check out our full range of fitness classes here.