Yoga: Is It Good or Bad for You?

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Throughout the years, yoga has been one of the most sought fitness program. While most participants are women, there are also some men who have tried this physical activity. However, due to the recent controversies about its dangers, a lot of people want to know if yoga is good or bad for them? Honestly, the answer to this question is indefinite. It will actually depend on your physical attributes. So, before performing different poses or stances, you have to assess yourself if it is suitable for your body and condition. So, how will you assess yourself? You have to read further to know how.

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Flexibility

While yoga is physically designed to slowly improve your muscles’ flexibility, you should still consider this matter beforehand. So, how would you know if yoga is good or bad for you? You can do some flexibility tests such as sit and reach or shoulder stretch. If you feel uncomfortable or pain while doing it, you might want to reconsider trying yoga. Plus, injuries and accidents may occur. If you have fragile joints and muscle, this will be a major concern. Nonetheless, you can  opt for a beginner’s class if you feel uncomfortable doing stretches. As many yoga aficionados have attested, you can definitely improve your flexibility by doing yoga. This will take some time but you’ll definitely get it.

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Balance and muscle strength

Your muscle strength is another important consideration to discern if yoga is good or bad for you. Remember, you’ll be doing some stances and hold that pose for a few minutes. If you’re not accustomed to carrying weights, you'll probably have a hard time doing lifting your body while doing a certain pose. You might even injure yourself during the process. Hence, you might want to consider opting for other fitness activities that are suitable for your strength and capabilities.

Physical limitation

Although yoga doesn’t entail you to be physically fit, you should still consider this before signing-up for a class. Physical limitations can either be due to an injury you previously acquired, atypical bone structure or a medical condition. Forcing your body to twist, bend or do a pose will only lead to further injuries especially when it is not doable for you because of these physical limitations. Hence, you should always ask your physician’s approval before doing trying or signing-up for a yoga class.

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Overview

Is yoga good or bad for you? Honestly, yoga may promise you a lot of health benefits. It may even look like a simple and painless activity. But, clearly it is not for everyone. A lot of injuries and accidents occur because people force themselves to try it with or without supervision. So, to avoid these unfortunate accidents, you have to assess and ask yourself if you can really do it. If not, then there a lot of physical activities you can opt for. But, If you really want to try it, you  have to find a competent instructor. Furthermore, you have to be honest and inform them about yourself, your weaknesses and physical limitations. This will guarantee that you’re in the right yoga program suitable for your physique and physical condition.