It is a known fact that yoga has profound benefits. However, most of you may not know that yoga is a great post-workout program. If you are engaging in a cardio workout or a strength training, then yoga can help you in numerous ways. Apart from the regular stretching, which you generally do at your gym, you can also include yoga for recovery from sore muscles. This is also included as a part of the yoga teacher training in India.
You will also learn as a part of the course that yoga can meet the expectations of all the people. No matter what your religious background is, or your age, yoga can help you. And one thing is worth mentioning here, yoga is not just related to the poses. It also makes wholesome use of concentration, focus, breath, and various alignments. Every individual will experience a different category of benefit, if one practices yoga religiously.
Before you get to know what poses to use so that you can get positive benefits of yoga, as a post-workout modality, you must know of the immense benefits.
Benefits Of Yoga For Post-Workout Recovery
- It Helps In Stress Reduction
It is one of the main reasons for practicing yoga. But of course, there are two types of stress – bad stress and good stress. Proper strength training is a sign of good stress. When such stress is produced, the body is forced to transform and grow. However, if you subject the body to stress for a longer duration, it may not be able to recover. It may also lead to negative effects. However, if you practice yoga regularly, it has been proven again and again, to reduce stress. Your serotonin levels can be balanced, which lead to a feeling of calmness. Moreover, endorphins are also released, when you do yoga after a workout. It eliminates long-term stress and tension. When you join a yoga school in India, you get the best knowledge of the above nuances.
- It Cools Down The Body
Once you join the 200 hour yoga teacher training in India, you will get a clear idea of yoga poses which are good for post-workout recovery of sore muscles and joints. Many fitness experts also believe that an active workout can have more positive effects than a passive cool down or warm-down, as practiced in many different fitness modalities. Any kind of exercise elevates the heart rate and sets the lungs functioning. It is based on the premise that the body will cool automatically once the activity is discontinued. Yoga asanas are believed to help the body in this cooling off phase. It can basically help your body transit from an active sympathetic nervous system functioning to the active parasympathetic nervous system functioning. When this happens, the body switches back to the normal heart rate, blood pressure, and a slower breathing rate.
- It Improves Sleep
As you may already know, rest is a necessity after any kind of physical exercise. If you do not sleep properly, you may not be able to recover from soreness. Yoga has been proven time and again, to aid you in improving your sleep patterns. If you make it a regular practice, then this transition happens quite easily.
Now, that you are well aware of the several benefits associated with yoga, it is time to unearth its myriad benefits.
Post Workout Yoga Routine Decoded
- Balasana – This is one of the first poses or asanas that come to mind when people talk about a post-workout relaxation. It stretches the back, the shoulders and the spine. Additionally, you will also feel a stretch in the ankles, hips, and quads. You can practice this in a proper manner, under the guidance of the learned teachers at the yoga school in India. You can start it in the Vajrasana pose, wherein you can raise
- Adho Mukha Svanasana – This is another well-known yoga pose, which is quite popular as well. It helps in tackling sleeplessness, headaches, and also acts as a stress-reliever. You can start it easily, on all fours. Wherein, your buttocks are lifted and face the ceiling. The body is well-supported on all fours. The head hangs freely without much effort. If you observe from a distance, the body represents an inverted triangle. You will likely feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings, calves, hips, back, and the shoulders, as well.
- Kapotasana – Also called the pigeon pose, those who have tight hips, the yoga pose can be extremely challenging. Your body will be warmed up quite a bit, and also stretched up. Although the pose is a great hip-opener, it can be an intense one. Moreover, you can breathe and cool down the body well.
- Halasana – This is another effective asana, in which you have to lie on your back, with the legs overturned and touching the floor behind. Your hands will be by your side in this stance. It offers a very effective back stretch that most yogis perform after the end of any class. However, you have to do it under guidance.
Thus, the above yoga asanas can be effective as a post-workout routine. If you want to know about the above in more detail, along with the modifications and alignment alternatives, you can join a yoga school in Rishikesh.
Conclusion
You can practice yoga asanas as listed above, as a post-workout practice. It will help you immensely in more ways than one. Just ensure to practice authentic yoga.