Learn how practicing yoga will improve flexibility.

Nothing is worse than trying to get your body to bend or twist a certain way, only to find that your physical limitations are much more severe than you envisioned. Flexibility is an essential portion of your fitness and well-being. If your flexibility is lacking, practicing yoga can boost your body’s pliability.

How Does Yoga Improve Flexibility? What You Should Know

There are multiple benefits associated with attending regular yoga classes at a yoga studio. Yoga encourages relaxation, promotes a strong mind-body connection, strengthens your muscles, burns calories, and enhances flexibility, as stated by WebMD. During your sessions, you’ll notice that yoga to increase flexibility happens in a few different ways.

When you go to yoga classes, you’ll only go as deep into a position as you’re physically capable of. The goal is to stretch the body without sacrificing your form.

As you stretch, your instructor will encourage you to complete breathing exercises while you perform the yoga poses. An intentional breathing exercise releases tensions and stress from the body. Once this stress leaves your body, you’ll likely find you’re able to stretch just a little bit more without this internal tension.

If you make classes at yoga studios as a part of your regular routine, your muscles will remember that you’ve been in these yoga poses before. They’ll recognize the position, making it easier for your body to get into the pose and ultimately go deeper into the stretch, improving flexibility. Since your body remembers the initial position, you can focus your efforts on increasing the intensity of your stretch.

Yoga classes will utilize poses and positions that lengthen and loosen the muscles, improving your range of motion. If you have an area that feels particularly tight when you are stretching muscles, let your instructor know. They’ll show you positions that are specifically suited for your problem spots.

Tips for Safely Improving Your Flexibility

Unfortunately, it isn’t uncommon for people to avoid yoga simply because they’re so inflexible. They believe that due to their lack of flexibility, there’s no way they’ll make it through a whole class. Fortunately, this isn’t the case. If you’re wondering how yoga improves flexibility when you have little beginning pliability, know that yoga can easily be adapted to all fitness levels.

When you get into a stretch, don’t bounce. This applies whether you’re in a standing or seated position. You want to maintain a steady position so you feel tension during the yoga position. However, don’t stretch until the point of pain or extreme discomfort.

During forward folds, it might be too difficult for you to keep your legs straight. That’s okay; instead, bend the knees slightly. This will decrease the tensions a bit and lower the intensity of the move.

You can also utilize accessories to adjust yoga poses to your skill level. Yoga blocks, rolled up yoga mats, and yoga straps can all help you adjust a pose so that it’s more suited to your capabilities. For example, instead of touching the ground during a pose, you might touch a yoga block instead.

Yoga Poses to Enhance Your Flexibility

Know that you can understand how yoga improves flexibility today with these simple poses. Start with the reclined hand to toe position. Lie flat on your back with the arms and legs extended. Raise the same arm and leg until you’re touching your hand to your toe.

If necessary, bend your knee slightly. Hold the position for thirty seconds as you deeply inhale and exhale. Use the other hand to help stabilize your hips if necessary.

Downward facing dog is a classic yoga pose that stretches the back, legs, and hamstrings. Get on your hands and knees, with your toes tucked underneath you. Lift your knees off the floor as you push your weight back onto your feet. Walk your hands out until your body makes the shape of a V. Hold for five deep breaths.

Stretch the hips and hamstrings a bit more with the pyramid pose. From the downward dog position, step your right foot in until it’s by your right hand.

Then, step your left foot in a few inches while until it’s in a stable position. Your right foot should be between your hands. Bend your knees slightly if needed. Hold for 30 seconds and switch sides.

Want more info on yoga for weight loss in Palm Harbor, or need to swing by the East West healing solutions store? Contact us today to schedule a session at our yoga studios and learn how yoga improves flexibility!