Flexibility
flex

Yoga is oftentimes correlated with being flexible. We usually see photos or videos of yogis in their pretzel-like poses. A study has shown that the most popular reason for starting yoga is to improve flexibility. While flexibility is not the utmost goal, research has actually proven that it is one of the greatest benefits of regular yoga practice.

Flexibility, in physiological terms, is the range of motion available on each joint and muscle and it can vary from one area of the body to another. Some areas may have muscles that move freely while some might be tight and restricted. A lot of factors can affect our body’s flexibility such as age, stress, lifestyle, or any habits that also leads to poor posture.

Stretching helps the body become more flexible, and specific yoga poses do exactly that. Yoga believes flexibility as an attitude; this means that you don’t have to be flexible to start yoga, but rather, daily practice can significantly improve your flexibility for a healthier life.

While there are a wide variety of yoga styles, these are three common ones that help boost flexibility.

Stretch

Types of Yoga

Vinyasa Yoga is a dynamic form where flowing movement in its poses increases the suppleness of the muscles along with stabilizing body strength.

Hatha Yoga mainly focuses on basic movements that are good for beginners. The poses will help you relax and focus while gaining flexibility and strength.

Yin Yoga stretches a large muscle group including the connective tissues in between. It mainly aims to exercise joint areas resulting in increased flexibility.

It doesn’t have to be perfect at first. Remember to take it at your own pace and focus on how a certain pose makes you feel rather than how it looks. Anyone can get used to anything if given enough time, and daily practice can go a long way for your body’s flexibility.

One way to begin your daily practice is through MixPose, where we provide daily virtual live-stream yoga classes with professional instructors for free. Simply sign up and join a class!

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