You’re stressed out, your back hurts, your shoulders are stiff, you can’t concentrate, and you just need some time to relax! However, there’s just not enough time, because you know you have to get that workout in today. Don’t worry, you can do both with Yoga at Healthy Fit, The Health Club for Women!

You’ve probably heard of yoga before, you may have seen people practicing it in parks, and here at Healthy Fit, but do you know what yoga really is?

Short history — some say yoga may actually be at least 5,000 years old, consisting of breathing exercises and postures to help practitioners prepare for long hours of meditation and sitting still. But today, along with thousands of years of changes and advancements, it’s so much more than that.

There are many types, practices, and forms of yoga (we offer several here at Healthy Fit!), but most revolve around similar central focuses: increasing flexibility and strength through a series of movements, or postures, and controlling your breathing to help you control your body and your mind.

 The Benefits

Stress Reduction: When we’re stressed out our brains release a large amount of a hormone called cortisol into our bodies. Cortisol can be a good thing during an emergency (think broken bones) but otherwise it can lead to ulcers, throw off our immune system, and lead to high blood pressure, and weight gain.

The breathing exercises in yoga can help you learn to control your breathing, and return your body’s nervous system back to its normal, rest and relaxed state.

Increased Fitness: Yoga isn’t just about relaxation! Many of its poses, will work every muscle in your entire body all at once. At the same time, because your working against the natural resistance created by your body, in time you’ll build strength and endurance as you hold these poses for a longer period of time.

Increased Flexibility: In yoga, you’ll often practice a series of poses known as “asanas” which safely stretch your muscles, helping to release the lactic acid that’s built up in your muscles from general use (or overuse) and causes stiffness, pain and fatigue. Yoga also increases your range of motion in your joints, and stretches your soft tissues including ligaments, tendons and the fascia sheath that surrounds your muscles. In one study, participants had up to 35% improvement in flexibility after only eight weeks of yoga.

Increased Health: Studies show that Yoga can lower blood pressure, slow the heart rate, boost your immune system, relieve back pain and arthritis, improve energy levels and help with depression. It can also help those night owls fall asleep faster, one study found that insomniacs fell asleep minutes faster and slept an hour longer each night after two months of doing a 45-minute series of yoga poses daily before bed.

Yoga at Healthy Fit 

Special Populations Yoga: Specially designed for the prenatal student at any stage of pregnancy, this yoga class is also appropriate for anyone needing a gentler approach to yoga. We will focus on basic and modified asanas, as well as relaxation and breathing techniques.

Vinyasa Yoga: An all level yoga class with flowing poses to help build strength, balance, and flexibility. Also known as Power Yoga. Duration: 75 Minutes.

Yoga Level 1: Increase your flexibility and core strength with this introductory yoga class. Find the perfect balance to your workout routine with your Healthy Fit Yoga Practice.

Yoga Level 2: This class is recommended for thee more experienced practitioner. Students are encouraged to have a basic awareness of breathing and the abilities of their own body before entering a Level 2 class.

Download the Healthy Fit, The Health Club for Women Class Schedule.