Stretch Yourself with Some Yoga

I must admit that I have always been a very inflexible person. I was always the one during practice who could barely reach down and touch her toes, while my friends were human pretzels. In addition to cardio and weight lifting, I have taken up yoga.

I am the definition of a beginner in yoga and I have learned about 8 poses so far that I incorporate into my core exercises.  

So why is yoga so good for you?

• It helps relieve stress  
• It increases flexibility 
• It improves core muscle strength  
• It improves balance 
• It decreases risk of injuries 
• It increases muscle strength and endurance 
• It reduces and can even relieve chronic pain 

Nowadays, you can download yoga apps or videos so you can learn how to do it at home. And there are many yoga studios and gyms that offer regular yoga classes for all skill levels.  

In the weeks since I started doing just the basic poses, I have already seen an improvement in my muscle tightness and balance.    

And if you fall over a lot when you are first trying it, don't fret! I fall all over myself all the time (usually in the gym with a bunch of peeps around), but just brush it off and stay focused!