Regular Yoga practice can help you feel stronger, healthier, and less stressed. Genesis Health Club instructors are industry certified and represent the full spectrum of Yoga disciplines.
Yoga is a form of exercise that uses stretching and breath control to help you establish a connection between your mind and body, helping you gain control over both. The practice of Yoga has many physical benefits, and the breathing and relaxation techniques you will learn can help reduce stress and improve your overall health. How is yoga different from Pilates? Read the differences between Yoga and Pilates here.
Increase flexibility and range of motion
Yoga incorporates stretching that helps loosen stiff, tight muscles. You can target different muscles and encourage them to let go and lengthen by holding static poses gradually. Yoga props like blocks, chairs, and straps can deepen the stretch and make it easier to balance. The flowing movements of yoga help lengthen your body’s connective tissue and improve circulation in the joints.
With regular practice, athletes who strength train can get relief from bound-up muscles, and runners who can’t touch their toes can loosen tight hamstrings. For seniors, a practice that includes gentle stretching can help maintain or increase fluid between the bones, helping their bodies move freely longer. Gentle, flowing yoga movements can provide relief from the pain of arthritis and other chronic pains.
Improve balance and strength
Having strong muscles is key to improving agility and reducing the risk of injury from sports or everyday activities. With yoga, your muscles get stronger in part through balance moves, such as Half Moon Pose or Warrior II, that cause you to engage multiple muscles simultaneously. These balance moves will help you improve your core strength and posture as you use your back and abdominal muscles to stabilize your body.
Many seniors who cannot lift weights can strength train through yoga, and the poses can be modified to meet individual abilities. Using tools such as blocks, bolsters, and straps, seniors can perform poses that will help with activities of daily living, such as getting up from a sitting position. At Genesis, we offer a Chair Yoga class that includes chairs for standing support or sitting, so participants don’t have to get down on the floor. Having better balance and strength can also reduce the risk of a fall.
Help with weight loss.
For people struggling to lose weight, yoga can be a key part of a successful weight-management plan. Yoga is a low-impact activity that’s easy on the joints, and it can easily be modified for your fitness level. If you are new to exercising or you’ve increased your training intensity, a gentle yoga class can help ease muscle soreness so you can continue working out.
The mental control and focus you’ll learn through yoga can make it easier to practice mindful eating, and you may even experience fewer food cravings. Regular yoga practice has also been shown to balance metabolism.
Mental health benefits
A key component of yoga practice is training your mind to focus on the task at hand and tune out life’s distractions. You’ll learn to focus on your breathing and how your body feels, rather than the noises in the room or a big meeting at work. As you hold each pose, you’ll concentrate on finding and holding the stretch, and your instructor will guide you through your breaths. Yoga also promotes relaxation, which is great for adults and kids alike.
Achieving a mind-body balance can help you gain mental clarity, reduce stress, and achieve a better sense of well-being. Not only will you be in a better mood, studies have shown that yoga can also help you sleep better.
Physical health benefits
Perhaps because of the improved mental well-being, yoga has also been shown to lower blood pressure and improve immunity. Both the mental and physical components of yoga lead to an overall increase in energy and vitality.
Research has also shown that regular yoga practice can help relieve chronic health conditions like depression, anxiety, insomnia, migraines, and arthritis. In addition, the deep breathing techniques of yoga can decrease your risk of heart disease and improve your cardiovascular and circulatory system health.
Read more Yoga health benefits here.
Genesis offers many different class levels, making Yoga an activity that everyone can experience.
New to Yoga
If you’ve never tried Yoga before, we’ll help you get off to a great start. We’re especially proud of our Beginner and Yoga Basics Classes, designed specifically for new-to-yoga students and led by knowledgeable instructors trained to help you get the most out of every session.
Beginners and Seniors
The beginner to advanced beginner will enjoy Gentle Yoga and Basic Yoga, classes that focus on restoration and alignment. Chair Yoga is a safe and gentle form of yoga designed for those who have difficulty getting down onto or up off the floor.
Athletes
Yoga for Athletes is a mixed-level yoga class designed for athletes who focus on hip and shoulder opening and core strengthening.
Experienced
Group Centergy is a challenging Yoga and Pilates blend of movements that interplay with a lively pace and contemporary music for the intermediate student. The intermediate participant will also enjoy Yoga Flow, with its series of poses that connect and flow, working the body to the core.
Advanced
Serious students will enjoy Power Yoga, which includes strong core work and inversions. Hot Yoga challenges the student through increased heat and challenging poses.
Experience for yourself how Yoga at Genesis Health Clubs can improve your strength and health. Many classes are available 7 days a week, with times ranging from 5:30 am – 6:45 pm, so it’s easy to find one that will help you meet your health and fitness goals.
Questions about which class to choose? Not sure what level you are? For answers and the most current program and pricing information, please contact a Yoga Advisor.