Regular practice of GENTLE YOGA will provide you with the following 6 key benefits

Please see below to learn how GENTLE YOGA works to deliver these benefits.

Builds Muscle Strength

Muscles are a very important part of our make-up. It might surprise you to learn that we have around 640 muscles in our body and these make up more than half of our total weight. We can categorise our muscles as either voluntary or involuntary. As the name suggests, we have very little power over the involuntary muscles, therefore it is the voluntary muscles which a yoga practice mostly addresses. The voluntary muscles are called skeletal muscles because without them the skeleton would neither be able to move or stand upright. These muscles effect movement and posture.

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Postural muscles are important because they keep your body upright while standing or sitting. Strong and flexible postural muscles are energy efficient for the body and they make less strain on the joints and ligaments. With the support of the postural muscles the joints are less likely to degenerate and contract painful conditions like arthritis. Yoga poses firstly address correct alignment of our joints and then by holding this alignment for a length of time we build up strength in the postural muscles.

At the end of each of our skeletal muscles are tendons which attach to our bones. Therefore, to create a movement, we simply need to contract (shorten) the muscle that attaches to the particular bone that we want to move. Ideally muscles need to be strong and flexible to allow effective and easy movement. For example, if you build up your bicep (upper arm) muscle but neglect to stretch it as well it will be very hard or impossible to straighten your arm. Yoga poses build strong lean muscles because they lengthen and strengthen. Yoga poses add to the strength of the muscles by using the body weight to work against gravity.

Muscles work in pairs, as one muscle contracts on one side of a joint there must be its counterpart on the other side lengthening to allow the movement. For example, in order to come into a standing forward bend we need to contract our abdominal muscles to bring the torso closer to the legs and at the same time we need to have sufficient length in our back muscles to allow the body to bend. For friction free action both pairs of muscles need to be well-matched in length and in strength.

In our everyday life, we tend to perform repeated movements which can lead to certain muscles becoming dominant and thus expose the joints to wear and tear, the muscles or tendons can become inflamed and too painful to stretch. GENTLE YOGA addresses imbalances in strength and flexibility in the right and left sides of the body, the upper body and lower body and the front and the back of the body.

Betters Your Bone Health

Our skeletal system is a series of long and short bones connected to each other by joints. Our body depends on this skeletal framework for shape and movement – without it, we would be like a jelly fish – soft and shapeless. You might be surprised to learn that you have 206 bones which make up your human skeleton system. That’s a lot of bones and they need our attention!

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In addition to their support function, your bones also have other functions. For example, they protect the softer parts of the body like the heart, brain and lungs. Also, blood cells are produced in the bone marrow and the bones store many minerals like calcium and phosphorous.

Although our bones are very hard on the outside, on the inside they are much softer, porous and sponge-like. Bones, like the rest of our body are living tissue which are growing and reshaping themselves over and over again according to the way we are using our bodies. GENTLE YOGA poses bring a steady supply of blood, nutrients and energy to this mass of living, breathing, changing tissue.

Because many forms of exercise like jogging, aerobics and many of the competitive sports are high-impact, they can have a negative effect on our joints which, as we age, can contribute to bone fractures and joint wear. Recent studies show that yoga poses improve our joint health by stimulating the release of lubricating fluids and reducing the effects of the wear and tear that is responsible for osteoarthritis. 

In the GENTLE YOGA classes, there are a variety of poses, such as downward facing dog, which systematically apply bone strengthening weight to each of the body parts. Therefore the bones in the hands, wrists, arms, upper body, neck and head, pelvis, spine and feet and legs all become stronger. As a form of exercise to build strong bones, yoga is a complete workout and because all the poses can be adapted and modified there is no limitation to who can perform any of the poses and still get the required results while working at their own pace.

One of the most debilitating problems that affects us at any age is the compression and misalignment of the spine. The stretching, twisting and strengthening of the GENTLE YOGA poses and the emphasis that is placed on building and maintaining correct posture can so dramatically affect the spine that problems such as slipped discs, spondylosis, kyphosis and scoliosis can all be reduced, maybe cured and certainly, avoided.

Unfortunately, as we age, we are more prone to fracturing our bones but a consistent yoga practice can address this by improving our posture, balance and co-ordination.

At any age, we can succumb to the effects of stress in its various forms. Yoga is well known as ‘first-aid’ for stress! Who would think that stress affects our bones, but one of the effects of stress is the release of adrenaline which depletes the calcium in our bones, encouraging them to become more brittle and prone to osteoporosis. The slow, long yoga breath, the restorative poses such as Child’s Pose (Balasana) and Corpse Pose (Savasana) are deeply relaxing and work to retain the calcium where it should be – in the bones.

To summarise GENTLE YOGA is a well-rounded health practice which encourages the health of the skeletal system along with every other system of the body.

Gives You Better Sleep

After an hour or so of twisting, balancing and stretching your body, we conclude every GENTLE YOGA practice with everyone’s favorite pose: savasana.
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For those who do not know, savasana is also called corpse pose, and it involves, well, lying still like a corpse. On your back, with your eyes shut, arms at your side with palms up, and muscles relaxed. After the physical and mental demands of the practice, savasana is so utterly relaxing that it is not unheard of for some students to drift off to sleep. And this is no accident—the relationship between yoga and sleep is well-documented.

Numerous researchers have looked at the relationship between yoga and sleep from various different angles. The basic conclusion of all of them is this: yoga improves sleep.

There are a number of ways in which yoga is known to improve sleep (and likely more that haven’t been studied yet). One of the biggest factors is also the most obvious: stress reduction. The physical release caused by stretching and twisting muscles, coupled with a focus on deep breathing, makes yoga the perfect exercise for chilling out—not to mention the fact that yoga studios are specifically designed to be serene environments. Over the long-term, regular yoga practitioners can even lower their level of the stress hormone cortisol, but the short-term relaxation effects can be felt immediately.

Besides relaxing the mind, yoga can also help bring about physiological changes that promote sleep. This is because yoga and meditation initiate the parasympathetic response—the “rest and digest” nervous system, which is responsible for the body’s unconscious actions like digestion and sleep. In the GENTLE YOGA practice, we increase this effect by focusing on poses like forward bends and spinal twists that promote blood flow to the abdomen.

For those whose sleep is impeded by physical pain, yoga can also provide a solution. Targeted poses help relax tight muscles and work out knots. And the mental benefits of yoga can alleviate physical pains. By increasing cognitive and emotional control, yoga reduces pain perception and allows you to more easily stop fixating on negative sensations.

And then there is the fundamental fact that yoga is, well, exercise. Exercise is an essential part of good sleep hygiene, as it helps promote healthy sleep-wake cycles. The physical fatigue also makes it easier to fall asleep when you crawl into bed at the end of the day which contained a yoga practice.

Improves Your Blood Quality and Lowers Your Blood Pressure

Simply stated, the circulatory system in our bodies is composed of the heart (the pumping station) and blood vessels (the conduits). As the heart contracts it sends blood to the lungs where oxygen is picked up. This oxygen enriched blood then travels back to the heart which pumps it around to every cell in the body. After nourishing the cells of the body, the oxygen depleted blood returns to the heart which pumps it back to the lungs to receive more oxygen and the cycle begins again.

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GENTLE YOGA exercise benefits your entire circulatory system, beginning with the production of blood, which takes place in the marrow of the long bones in the thighs. By improving circulation to the legs with regular yoga stretching exercises, we help to rejuvenate the blood. Also, yoga exercises have the effect of stretching the body’s major blood vessels, keeping them free-flowing and elastic.

The elongated yoga breathing, which we focus on at the start of each class, oxygenates the blood and assists fresh nutrients to reach all peripheral vessels and capillaries. Improved circulation means that your brain will receive more oxygen, improving alertness, memory, and mood. Vital organs receive a steady supply of the nutrients they need for optimal functioning.

Stress is a known major contributor to high blood pressure and heart disease. GENTLE YOGA, when practiced regularly, is a natural relaxant which calms the mind and soothes the nervous system reducing our stress response and its harmful effects.

Yoga has been recognized for some time as being effective in reducing high blood pressure, particularly the diastolic (lower) number, which is the most crucial. To maximise the benefit, it is best to commit to a short daily routine of breathing, exercise, and relaxation, similar to what we do in the GENTLE YOGA class to supplement your class practice. Yoga techniques improve your body’s strength and flexibility, teach you how to relax mentally and physically, and show you how to better manage stress reactions such as muscle tension (most commonly in the face, stomach, neck, shoulders, and breath), rapid heart rate, constricted breathing, and anxiety.

The fastest and most effective way to reduce reaction to stress is to change your breath, and an immediate way to improve your breathing is to improve your posture. In GENTLE YOGA, you learn to strengthen your back and stomach muscles so that you can sit and stand straighter; this releases pressure on your heart and lungs and allows you to breathe easier.

Yoga breathing exercises, such as those we do in class, teach you how to breathe more deeply and rhythmically; this has many effects, both physical and mental. Your respiratory muscles become stronger, and more oxygen reaches your bloodstream. Regular practice of breathing exercises will give you greater concentration, willpower, and steadiness. You’ll feel calmer, too, as you breathe, because your mind cannot think about upsetting things when it is focused on the breath. You can learn to use the breathing techniques whenever you feel stressed, fatigued, or anxious for immediate relief.

Perfects Your Posture and Protects Your Spine

Modern western lifestyles dictate that many of us spend hours sitting at a desk in front of a computer, lounging in soft unsupported sofas, sitting in cars or lifting heavy objects as part of our normal day. These types of activities can put excessive pressure and strain on the muscles surrounding the spinal column. Over time, this stress on the spine can increase the likelihood of intense compression or even herniation of vertebral discs.

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Non-sedentary cultures, such as those living in India, do not have the same epidemic of back and neck problems that we do. Picture a woman gracefully balancing a large basket of food on her head. To carry such a heavy weight, she must have a perfectly aligned spine and strong posture-support muscles. You do not get that kind of alignment and strength from sitting around and watching the television. You can, however, get it from a regular GENTLE YOGA practice.

When we are beginning to learn to get into perfect posture to optimise the outcomes of our yoga practice, it is surprisingly challenging to master the art of rooting down through the feet while lengthening up through the spine, keeping your chest open without jutting your lower ribs out, and keeping the legs muscles strong and lifted without tensing the belly or jaw. And, that is precisely the reason we spend so much time in the GENTLE YOGA classes working on our Mountain Pose (Tadasana) which is such an important foundation pose for so many of the other postures. Tadasana demands that you stand in a way that supports the natural curves of a healthy spine.

It is important to understand the anatomy of proper posture. Whether you’re sitting or standing, your spine has natural curves that should be maintained. They are a mild forward curve in the neck and lower back, and a mild backward curve in the upper back and midback. As you practice yoga, you learn to maintain these optimal curves in many standing poses and in most sitting poses.

If any of these curves are habitually flattened or overly curved, abnormal posture can get locked into the body. A wide variety of abnormal curves can occur, including a flat neck and a flat lower back, but we will focus on the two most common problems: a hunched upper back (known as excessive kyphosis), which is usually linked with a jutting forward of the head (known as forward head) and, at the other end of the spectrum, an extreme sway in the lower back (known as excessive lordosis). These extreme curves contribute to many of the painful problems—muscle strain, joint pain, and disk problems, to name a few.

Maintaining just the right curves is only part of the equation, however; to function efficiently, our skeletal structure also needs to be aligned vertically. That means when you are standing, your ears should be over your shoulders, your shoulders over your hips, and your hips over your knees and ankles as in Mountain Pose (Tadasana).

When any body part falls out of that vertical line, the adjacent support muscles will feel the strain. For example, years of having a forward head will cause the muscles of the upper back and neck to become tired and achy from holding up the weight of the head against the pull of gravity.

So, that is why Tadasana is such an important posture. With regular practice, you will discover that the simple act of straightening up, in Tadasana mode, not just in your yoga practice but also when you are standing anywhere, anytime can change your life. If you train your body to maintain the normal spinal curves and keep your posture vertical and spacious when you are standing or sitting upright, you are likely to feel better all over.

The GENTLE YOGA sequence which is employed in class is designed to strengthen the muscles in the back as well as the abdominal muscles. Back and abdominal muscles are essential components of the muscular network of the spine, helping the body to maintain proper upright posture and movement. When these muscles are well conditioned, we mitigate against back pain.

The hamstrings too play a vital role in managing spine health. They run from the back of the ishial tuberosity (pelvic bone) to just below the back of the knee. They are responsible for bending the knee and assisting the gluteal muscles to extend the hip. These muscles are very important to stretch because, when they are tight, they make it nearly impossible to sit up straight. People who do not sit with an erect posture run the risk of early onset of degenerative disc disease and other back problems. Tight hamstring muscles are closely associated with low back pain and that is why we spend so much time stretching them in class.

In our class sequence, we also engage a number of movements and postures which have the result of stretching the soft tissues – the muscles, ligaments and tendons in the back, legs, buttocks and around the spine which can also serve as a preventative measure to avoid back pain. In particular, Pawanmuktasana (fondly known as gas releasing pose), where we draw the knees into the chest towards the end of the practice, is particularly effective.

A number of postures in the sequence are geared towards stretching the piriformis muscle which runs from the back of the femur (thigh bone) to the sacrum (base of the spine). Tightness in this muscle has been linked to sacroiliac joint dysfunction and sciatica-type pain along the sciatic nerve.

Other postures work on the psoas major muscle which attaches to the front portion of the lower spine (from thoracic segment 12 through lumbar segment 5) and which can greatly limit low back mobility when tight.

Prevents Cartilage and Joint Breakdown

Joints are the connection points between bones, and cartilage is the smooth tissue that cushions the joints so that bones do not rub together (ouch!). A breakdown of the cartilage can cause chronic inflammation in the joint.

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Each time you work on your mat in your GENTLE YOGA practice in class, you are relaxing and moving your joints through their full healthy ranges of motion and increasing blood flow. This carries fresh nutrients to the cartilage within the joint. Your body does not take nutrients directly to cartilage, rather nutrients surround the cartilage and are only absorbed when old fluid is squeezed out so fresh fluid can be absorbed. This occurs when you move your joints through their full ranges and that is why we spend the best part of 20 minutes at the start of each class going through a warm-up routine.

Your GENTLE YOGA practice also helps protect your joints by building muscle strength. Strong muscles mean less work for our joints as they absorb forces that would otherwise impact the joints. Strong muscles provide stability for our joints during movement and thereby help prevent injury.

Taking your joints through their full range of motion can help prevent degenerative arthritis or mitigate disability by “squeezing and soaking” areas of cartilage that normally aren’t used. Joint cartilage is like a sponge; it receives fresh nutrients only when its fluid is squeezed out and a new supply can be soaked up. Without proper sustenance, neglected areas of cartilage can eventually wear out, exposing the underlying bone like worn-out brake pads.

Regular practice of GENTLE YOGA will provide you with the following 6 key benefits

Builds Muscle Strength

Betters Your Bone Health

Gives You Better Sleep

Improves Your Blood Quality and Lowers Your Blood Pressure

Perfects Your Posture and Protects Your Spine

Prevents Cartilage and Joint Breakdown

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