Yoga Can Improve Flexibility

You probably associate yoga with stretching or even contortion. Flexibility is an important aspect of modern Western yoga. Stretching tight muscles and encouraging complete range of motion are two benefits of practising the postures. Acute injury, such as muscular strains and tears, is more likely in tight muscles. Not only will loosening up those tight regions help you avoid injury, but it will also help you avoid repetitive-use injuries by allowing your body to move freely during your workout. Stretching allows you to move through your natural range of motion, which can be lost if not done on a regular basis.

Yoga cultivates mental flexibility in addition to physical flexibility. All of the poses, breathing exercises, and meditation techniques urge you to be present in the moment. We can discover happiness in the here and now by letting go of previous memories and projections into the future. As you gain more yoga expertise, you'll notice that your mind will carry you through highs and lows, just as it does throughout training. Equanimity, or the ability to remain calm no matter what comes your way, is developed by staying aware of the present without becoming overwhelmed. Mental flexibility is the ability to keep your mind—or one metaphorical foot—in the present as external influences try to bend you in multiple ways.