Living in a society which strives for the perfect body inside and out has increased interest in yoga.
“Yoga teaches you how to become proactive instead of reactive,” said LA Landry, owner and operator of YogaBody, which opened on Jan. 5.
Yoga is regarded as the divine science of life. A yoga workout consists of a variety of low-impact movements of the body, which are beneficial to people at any physical level.
Yoga styles including Hatha, Vinyassa, Ashtanga and many others, originated in Hindu culture. Landry said the 5000-year-old practice became popular because of Americans’ fast-paced lifestyles.
Awareness of the practice has increased because most health and fitness centers offer yoga classes. There was a 29 percent increase in the number of people practicing yoga from 2002 to 2003, according to Diana Weber, a yoga instructor with a master’s degree in therapeutic recreation.
“Women make up the greatest number of attendance in yoga classes, especially working women,” Weber said. Movie stars such as Jane Fonda, Gwyneth Paltrow and Calista Flockhart have started practicing yoga. She said these celebrities have influenced many women to try yoga because they see how effective it is in improving physical fitness and appearance.
“Yoga is growing because of several intersecting events,” Weber said. “We have anxiety in our lives due to war, uncertainty of the future, economic uncertainties and family instabilities. Everything we rely on is changing rapidly. The ways we used to feel secure are no longer secure, so we have more anxiety in our lives.”
In a recent press release, Landry said oxygen spreads to all the body’s tissues and enhances a state of calm.
Breathing is an important aspect of yoga. When bending down or over, you breathe out, and when pulling yourself up, you breathe in, Emily Schlumbrecht, Fitness Graduate Assistant at the Student Recreational Sports Center, said. Poses are held according to breaths, not time, she said. Yoga workouts use your own body as resistance, Schlumbrecht said. The practice requires concentration and works all of your muscles as poses are held. It allows you to be more in tune with your physical and mental needs, she said.
Many branches of yoga are practiced, including Hatha, Vinyassa and Ashtanga.
Weber said she offers Hatha yoga classes at her studio. She said this branch of yoga helps people with anxiety and depression.
YogaBody offers Vinyassa classes, which are practiced in a heated studio. The heat is used to detoxify the body, improve strength and provides a better cardio workout, Landry said.
“You can do yoga at any
age,” Landry said. “It has every aspect of exercise that you need.”