Yoga is a total work-out that has survived all hypes and fashion trends. An old monument of more than 5000 years old, but still trendy and efficient. This age-old discipline is based on the idea that body and mind must be one, leading to a sharper awareness. Yoga strengthens your body, it calms your thoughts and keeps your mind sharp.

A total work-out for body and mind
Some yoga exercises have crazy names; they could be figures from Alice in Wonderland. ‘Cow face’ or ‘half lord of the fishes,’ or ‘one-legged king pigeon’ just to name a few … and some of the positions look pretty strange, but that has to do with the ‘roots’ of yoga.

The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word yuj which means as much as a yoke, unite and control. In Hinduism, yoga has a philosophical and religious approach: it is a discipline that teaches you how you can use your mind to control your feeling and your body, in that way in connection with Buddha (also known as the great yogi). ) to come.

The yoga that is practiced with us is, in fact, an age-old Eastern ‘pragmatic’ philosophy that came from India. It is a harmonious body of strengthening and stretching body postures where you learn how to relax your body and mind through concentration, meditation or relaxation, and breathing regularly and deeply. Yoga does more than help you to burn calories of your muscles. It is a total work-out for body and mind!

Yoga and health
Yoga is not only a means to reduce mental stress and keep your body flexible, but it can also help with back pain, asthma, high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis and a few other problems or ailments such as chronic fatigue.

And it has more pluses in store! A total package of yoga postures exerts a positive influence on the limbs without straining your joints. Certain poses require balance and strength, and by practicing regularly, you build up that muscle power. Your radius of movement becomes wider, and your muscles stretch, which provides extra body flexibility.

We put the most important plus points at a glance:

Core: The English word ‘core’ refers to the center or core of the body, i.e., all muscles running from the shoulders to the pelvis (abdominal muscles, buttocks and back muscles … there are a total of 29).

Arms: In yoga, you do not need any weights or a device to build up your arm, you use your own body. With the high shelf, you strengthen your arm muscles but also your core because you distribute your body weight equally over your arms and your legs. In the crane position, your arms are challenged even more because they have to carry your full body weight.

Legs, hips, and thighs: Many yoga postures work on all the muscles of the legs, hips, and thighs. The mountain posture, for example, ensures that you keep your back straight and get strong legs. The triangle stretches and strengthens the thighs, knees, and ankles.

Back: The back muscles are taken care of by exercises such as the downward dog and the cat.

An additional advantage is that you need little material for yoga (just a yoga mat) and that it is accessible to everyone: young and old, able-bodied and disabled people … everyone can practice yoga. If you are diabetic or have heart problems, you should first consult your doctor to find out which exercises are suitable for you.