Yoga – Benefits and contraindications

The yoga is a method of relaxation based on the control of breathing . Yoga is a discipline originating in India that has existed for hundreds of years. All information on this activity with relaxing virtues that has the wind in its sails, its qualities as contraindications . Yoga is a millennial Indian practice that allows the harmony of body, mind and spirit. Yoga is based on postures and conscious breathing.

Yoga is a philosophy of life that allows you to become Zen by establishing a harmony between your body and your mind. The practice of yoga, which means “union” (of body, mind and soul), is based on the work of postures, also called “asanas”, breathing, concentration and meditation. There are several types of yoga: Hatha Yoga (the most widespread and practiced), Kundalini Yoga (chakra mastery), Raja Yoga (practice that only works the mind), Yoga Nidra (the oldest, ancestor of sophrology ), etc.

Yoga is defined as a “mastery of natural impulses”. It is a discipline combining theory and practice. The practice of postures – called Asana – combined with breathing, is a method that develops body and mind in a harmonious way in all daily activities. The benefits of yoga are physical, mental and emotional. Breathing is essential in this practice and it must be well controlled. Fast breathing makes you nervous, while controlled breathing calms and soothes . In yoga, the breath and the mind are intimately linked. Many postures stretch the spine . Others, by torsion, vivify the nerves coming out of this same column.

Who can practice?

Anyone can practice yoga, including children, elderly or disabled characters, and pregnant women (unless contraindicated). Often, they are stressed people who register. But, beyond that, they are people who want to be in harmony with their body and mind. The best example is pregnant women who seek to be in harmony, to be well in their bodies. More generally, the clientele is of course largely female. That said, women are starting to try to bring their husbands!

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progress

A session, which lasts one hour to an hour and a half, begins with a relaxation on the ground. The atmosphere should be calm and the light soft, to create an atmosphere conducive to relaxation. We often warm up with a posture called the sun salutation. Then we perform the postures, which can be standing, sitting, on the back, on the belly etc. We always work on the vertebral axis. It should also be known that in yoga, we always put postures and postures. And when you contract some parts of the body, you release other parts at the same time. Finally, between each of the postures, there is always a phase of relaxation. The session ends with a deep relaxation.

earnings

Yoga is relaxing because it is based on breath control. The postures tend to execute series of contractions then relaxations. In a posture, we will contract certain parts of the body and learn to release them. Relaxation comes from the fact that one is always attentive to one’s body and one’s breathing. Breath and mind being intimately linked, when you have a good control of your breathing, the mind is soothed …
Yoga brings many benefits. It brings a feeling of well-being and relaxation. This discipline brings many bodily benefits like the control of the body and a gain of elasticity and flexibility . It also brings dynamism and helps to better withstand fatigue . It improves the high blood pressure by removing body tension and digestion , and stimulates blood circulation. Yoga also helps reduce back, neck and joint pain ( arthritis ).
In addition to the physical benefits, yoga can develop a psychic well-being. It increases the psychic force, fights the stress , the anxiety and allows to recover calm and serenity. It also improves sleep and allows you to become aware of your body.
Yoga brings a lot of well-being, flexibility but also helps to better withstand fatigue. Yoga is also involved in improving lumbar and cervical pain , high blood pressure and digestion. It also improves the psychic strength, the effects of stress, the quality of sleep.

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Delivery

Yoga allows you to work your breath, to acquire breathing and relaxation techniques and to learn positions that facilitate childbirth . The sessions last about an hour. They can begin at the beginning of the pregnancy . Eight sessions are 100% reimbursed if they are performed by a midwife . However, these sessions are not supported by social security if performed by a yoga teacher.
Muscular stretching exercises help to increase the suppleness and tone of muscles used during pregnancy and childbirth. Exercises involving breathing to properly coordinate the breath and movements. Exercises to learn how to position your pelvis well. Exercises to be more flexible, more agile at the time of delivery. Yoga can also be done after childbirth.

Cons-indications

Some postures are discouraged for people who have a hip problem. The practice is also not recommended for people with back pain, multiple sclerosis or epilepsy . It is also not recommended in case of recent surgery (less than 6 months). If in doubt, seek the advice of your doctor. To relax, see also our article on massages or the one on reflexology .
learning to execute the positions correctly and benefit from them. It is therefore preferable to contact qualified professionals: group lessons in a yoga school affiliated to the National Federation of Yoga Teachers (FNEY) or individual lessons with a certified teacher. As a beginner, it’s best not to practice yoga alone at home to avoid injury.

Precautions

A poorly executed yoga posture can cause injuries: injuries to the neck, shoulders, back, lumbar, pelvis or wrists. At the beginning of any yoga session, it is important to observe a warm-up period so as not to perform cold postures and limit the risk of injury. The most complex and / or most traumatic positions must be learned in a progressive manner. It is also advisable to practice yoga in a moderate way without over-evaluating one’s abilities. Professionals point out that yoga is not a sport, and that the competitive spirit goes against its principles of well-being, non-violence and individual development.

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Cons-indications

If yoga is a discipline accessible to many people including children, pregnant women and the elderly, some postures may be discouraged. During pregnancy, it is recommended to avoid hot yoga (Bikram yoga), elongated and inverted postures, twists and jumps. Instead, favor gentle movements and stop in case of pain. Multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, severe cardiac conditions and recent surgery are among the contraindications to yoga practice. It is also recommended to be vigilant in cases of hypertension, diseases of the hip, back or cervical.

See a doctor

Before starting yoga, it is advisable to seek the advice of a doctor. Especially since yoga schools usually ask for a medical certificate at the time of registration, as for any physical activity .

The practice of aquatic yoga

Aquatic yoga is practiced:

in the pool
- in water at least 32 °.
- less than one meter deep. The exercises are always practiced where one has foot, to feel safe.

equipped with a diving mask,
accompanied by a sweet oriental music.
in session from one hour to three o’clock.

The benefits of aquatic yoga

Benefits for the mind:
- Relaxation and evacuation of stress,
- Concentration.
- Benefits for the body:

Remodeling and body tone: back, glutes, thighs, abdomen.

Exercises

Inspiration and expiration in the water to deepen its expiration.
Coordination of movements and breath
- with the classic postures of yoga.
- with undulations of the body and in particular of the spine.
After having emptied the air of one’s lungs, one sits down and then lies down (for the more experienced ones) at the bottom of the pool, letting his body go with the movements of the water.