[Gameplan] Beginners try Vinyasa Yoga

Life happens so quickly and we do so many things that we sometimes forget to pause and spend time with ourselves.

“Vinyasa is a Sanskrit word that means ‘flow’ so when you say Vinyasa, you do one breath, one movement. It’s a fast paced class so we can expect them to sweat a lot, but at the same time, it relaxes the body towards the end,” said Ben Bernabe, a Yoga Instructor at Beyond.

Beginners try Vinyasa Yoga

Yoga is a physical activity but it’s also a mental workout. It’s not just your body that you train but your mind as well. “Many people think that yoga is a lot about relaxation, but actually relaxation is the result of yoga. And there’s a lot of hard work that happens when you come to the studio to practice,” shared Ben.

Because you have to hold certain poses, yoga challenges certain muscles in the body and helps improve these muscles so you’ll be able to hold the poses longer as you continue to practice.

“Doing the poses took a lot of balancing work, concentration, and I think to a certain extent some strength also. Some of the moves really used muscles that I’ve never used before, especially during the core area workout,” said Trixie, a working mom.

Most people believe that only those who are flexible can practice yoga but according to Ben, flexibility is something that you gain through practice. Gameplan host Katz Salao had this realization while observing the different people that they were with during their class.

“That one time that everybody was doing the same move, and almost everybody had a hard time, it sort of made me feel better too. Maybe some are stronger than others but we’re all heading towards the same success,” she said.

Relax, release, and let go

Yoga allows you to be at peace with yourself, your body, and your surroundings which is something that people don’t usually make time to do. It is important to take a few minutes off of your day to just relax, take deep breaths, and do things that you enjoy.

“I find myself stretching myself out and giving myself to different people, different jobs, and with yoga, you are with yourself for fifty minutes or an hour. There’s a certain way that the yogis speak that let’s you sort of be okay of the fact that that moment, you’re only serving yourself,” said Katz.

“This yoga session was a realization that there are times in our lives that we have to pause, breathe, and think about ourselves. Having a good workout that enables me to cleanse, to de-stress, and to just leave my worries behind enables me to be a better person also,” added Trixie. – Rappler.com