Yoga may be a form of exercise, but founder of blok yoga Sammy Bowmer says it’s a lot more than that. What benefits could you reap from this discipline?
A lot of people will tell you yoga is good for you, you should try yoga… and well, we totally agree you definitely should – but why?
There are a tonne of real-life benefits from having a regular yoga practice, and it’s not just about touching your toes. So here goes…
The feel good vibes
That post yoga glow isn’t just from the sweat glistening on your skin, although that might be a part of it.
When we practice yoga we are essentially working toward creating harmony in the body – connection of mind, breath and movement can do wonders for your energy levels, improve your mood and generally just get those good vibes flowing.
Like what you see? Sign up to our bodyandsoul.com.au newsletter for more stories like this
Helps relieve stress and anxiety
Life is stressful enough as it is and then add (insert number of months here, because who is even counting anymore?) lockdown and all the little things that happen, those minor stressors can feel a lot bigger and the work life balance begins to get very blurry..
Yoga can be a really great way to help give yourself back some time – who couldn’t use a little more me-time in their day?
Taking time to step on your mat, slow down, find your breath and focus on yourself is a great way to de-stress and doing some yoga before bed can help you get a better night’s sleep – because who doesn’t need more sleep?
Self awareness
In yoga we talk a lot about “how you show up for yourself on the mat, is how you show up for yourself off the mat” which is just a way to self-reflect. When things become challenging on your mat or you maybe wobble or fall, notice how you speak to yourself – are you kind or critical?
This can translate off the mat too – challenging times and situations creep up all the time, so being more self aware is really empowering, understanding and managing your emotions and being able to communicate more clearly is definitely a positive power move.
Belonging
We all want to feel seen and to feel heard and whether you’re part of a yoga studio or an online community the sense of connecting to others is a wonderful way to feel a part of something.
This idea of coming together to move and flow but also to connect with ourselves and each other is special and can also be a great way to meet new people and make lifelong friends.
Flexibility, balance and strength
Yep, flexibility had to be mentioned, often people will shy away from yoga because of the “I’m not flexible enough” story they tell themselves, however doing yoga will actually help you to become more flexible – those toes might be a little closer than you think.
Yoga isn’t just about stretching though, depending on the type of class you take it can be a real workout and you don’t need to go to hot yoga to work up a sweat. A regular practice will build up strength, stamina, flexibility and balance – all the things we need a little more of especially as we get older.
Sammy is a Sydney based yoga teacher and founder of blok yoga, a community driven popup studio in Double Bay. We have fun here, we move to feel good, we bring the good vibes – that’s the motto at blok and they have created a space where yoga is a more accessible and fun practice for anyone and everyone. Find out more or book a class here.
Any products featured in this article are selected by our editors, who don’t play favourites. If you buy something, we may get a cut of the sale. Learn more.
