Health Benefits of Doing Yoga: What Are the Pros and Cons?

More information on the practice of yoga

Is yoga good for your health? Is it a good sport for everyone? Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced practitioner, the list below will help you understand the benefits and problematics of practicing yoga.

What is yoga?

Yoga is a physical activity based on relaxing the body and awakening the mind through gentle gymnastic exercises.

Although it’s a relatively recent phenomenon in the West, yoga is an ancient practice that originated in India as far back as the 3rd millennium B.C. Today, there are many different forms of yoga (Bikram yoga, Hatha yoga, Power yoga, Kripalu yoga, Kundalini yoga, Ashtanga yoga, yoga for seniors, for children, for pregnant women…). As you can see, if you’re looking for a dynamic or explosive sport, it won’t be yoga. If, on the other hand, your aim is to maintain your health through a gentle, all-in-one approach, yoga is for you!

The advantages and health benefits of yoga

Yoga is an intensive sport with many virtues. Here are just a few of them:

• Yoga tones the body
• Yoga combats stress and brings serenity and well-being
• Yoga improves sleep quality, concentration and memory
• Yoga contributes to body awareness
• Yoga promotes blood circulation

Drawbacks and disadvantages of doing yoga

There are different types of yoga to suit everyone’s needs (for seniors, children, pregnant women….). Although the practice of yoga may seem gentle and harmless, it can be painful. Postures must be performed with precision to avoid the risk of injury (wrist strain, shoulder sprain, torn cartilage, etc.).

On the other hand, if you suffer from back or hip problems, certain postures may be inadvisable (e.g. the candle posture). Simply discuss this with your teacher, after consulting your doctor. Among the different types of yoga, Bikram yoga, for example, is practised at temperatures of up to 40°.

This discipline may therefore be inadvisable in cases of cardiovascular problems or respiratory insufficiency, for example. That’s why, whatever your level, it’s important to listen to your whole body and not overestimate your physical capacities.