Why Yoga is the Best form of Exercise for your Body

Yoga is an ancient science originating in India around 5,000 years ago. That is an extremely concise way to point out that there is probably something to it. A science/philosphy that has endured 5,000 years, transcending scores of generations, of governments, cultures and religions is probably worth checking out. Yoga has many ‘branches’ or disciplines all focusing on, in some capacity, ‘enlightenment’ or union with the creator/earth. Literally, Yoga means ‘yoking’ or ‘union’ with the divine. In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, one of the sacred yoga texts, comes the Eight Limb Path to Enlightenment. Essentially, this path is a road map, a sure way to blissful enlightenment. The eight limbs are as follows:
Yama – ethical disciplines
Niyama – self observation
Asana – posture
Pranayama – breath control
Pratyahara – sense withdrawal
Dharana - concentration
Dhyana - mediation
Samadhi – state of joy and peace


Asana, the third limb of this eighth limb path involves physical postures designed to promote strength and flexibility to enable the body to sit peacefully in prolonged meditation. In the west, there is more focus on this Asana limb of the Hatha Yoga system. (this is the first mention of Hatha. What is it?) Ever hear the saying, ‘your body is your temple,’ the idea that your body is structure in which your spirit resides. The Asana branch of Hatha Yoga focuses on keeping a clean, healthy temple so your spirit can thrive. To do this, Asana Yoga blends focused breathing and deep concentration with physical poses. It joins breathing, moving and thinking.
The benefits of yoga are tremendous and entire books have and will be appropriately devoted to them. That why Yoga has been practiced for over 5,000 years and still finds itself in the mainstream of a culture across oceans away from it’s origin. I provide a lengthy list of them in the back and suggest you read as many of them as you can. Though the benefits of yoga are extensive and largely entertained, in this chapter we will focus on those physical. So we will be concerned, primarily, with this third limb and will focusing on one specific type of Asana Yoga practice: Astanga Yoga.

An Astanga Yoga practice has poses dedicated to engage every cell of your body, heart, kidneys, liver, eyes, bones, brain, nervous system. It is, beyond comparison, the epidimy of the perfect exercise, so essential to total health. Oxygenating the system is one of the great benefits of vigorous exercise and the deep, regular breathing inherent in any Yoga practice strengthens the lungs to a point where more air is drawn in with each breath.
Astanga Yoga is the best, most complete form of exercise and it is all you need. Your lungs become stronger with each practice, your body’s muscles and bone fiber become stronger as you perfect each pose.

People often ask, ‘Yoga sounds like good exercise, but I still have to go to the gym and workout and do ‘cardio’ right? If you want to you can, but the Astanga Yoga sequence is totally systematic and it strengthens every muscle in the body, including the heart. To practice a Power Yoga like Astanga for around an hour everyday is plenty of ‘cardio.’

You may also visit the links listed below for further information regarding Yoga, Detox, Vegan and Holistic approach.

Miami Yoga Teacher Training

Yoga Teacher Training London

Detox Weight Loss Program

Miami Beach Power Yoga

Fred Busch

Namaste