Ancient Indian exercise system of Yoga is becoming popular across the world owing to its unique style. While techniques such as aerobics or body-building exercises focus only on the body, Yoga is about balancing and healing both the body and the mind. Believed to have originated around 5000 years, Yoga has remained relevant and popular as it is easy to practice and requires no props.
What’s more, Yoga is doable and beneficial for all ages. “Yoga can help kids grow their height, it can help control weight, and also help students improve concentration” says Megha Kampli, national level bronze medalist in Yoga. “Also, Surya Namaskar is a must for any growing kids.” she states. Yoga is also a good way to control weight without having to change your diet, says Megha.
“Yoga is a natural way of controlling weight. I myself eat a lot of rice, which is a weight-gainer, but Yoga helps me keep my weight under control” She observes that Dhanurasana, Bhujangasana, Naukasana, Tadasana, Vrikshasana are the key asanas that help one control weight.
As it employs a combination of exercises for the body and the mind, Yoga can also help college students improve concentration and focus. “College students must do the Surya Namaskar and Pranayam to improve concentration.” says Megha “exercises such as Bhramari Pranayam, deep breathing, Anulom-Viloma Pranayam, along with five to ten minutes meditation help enhance concentration. If the students can’t find time for other asanas, they must do Surya Namaskar. With its host of forward-bending, back-bending and stretching exercises, Surya Namaskar also improves one’s posture.” she informs.
Studies have found that regular yoga practice improves coordination, reaction time, memory, and even IQ scores. People who practice Transcendental Meditation demonstrate the ability to solve problems and acquire and recall information better”probably because they’re less distracted by their thoughts, which can play over and over like an endless tape loop.
It has also been found that ending and twisting asanas in Yoga help strengthen the spine. Many postures in yoga require that you lift your own weight. And some, like downward- and upward-facing dog( Shvanasana), help strengthen the arm bones, which are particularly vulnerable to osteoporotic fractures.Additionally, research also suggests that the slow pace of Yoga reduces stress-hormone cortisol, and this in turn retains the calcium in the bones.
“The best way to exercise both body and mind is the Surya Namaskar” says Pankaj Sainekar who holds the record for doing 2015 Surya Namaskaras in 12 hours. “When was attempting to set the record, I took roughly one minute per Namaskara, but the ideal way to do it is to stay for 15-20 seconds in one pose” says Pankaj while explaining the 12-step Surya Namaskar. One Surya Namaskar has 12 steps, and 12-24 Namaskaras make one set, which the recommended exercise for an average person, informs Pankaj who himself practices around 60-100 Surya Namaskaras everyday. “If you do not have time, you could even do one step per second, in which case you finish one Namaskara in 15 seconds, and one set in around five to ten minutes.” says Pankaj offering a solution to the problem of not being able to set aside time for Yoga.
Many of us may enjoy doing the asanas as we are twisting and stretching the body and are actually “doing” something, but meditation, which is also an important part of Yoga practice, is a struggle. “Meditation does not actually mean doing nothing” says Nikhil Magdum, a civil engineer who has been practicing meditation ever since his days as a student. “Our mind gets swayed by thoughts. When we are angry, we tend to act according to them, even when we know we should not. Meditation is the ability to become aware of your thought process and emotions.” says Nikhil.
”Jay Joshi
