9 Effective Ashtanga Yoga Benefits You Should Know!

Ashtanga yoga is a popular form of yoga where you need to do vigorous physical activities with intense endurance, strength, and flexibility. This type of yoga was initially recorded in Yoga Korunta, which is claimed to be an ancient manuscript written by sage Vamana Rishi. The word Ashtanga is a combination of two Sanskrit words. ‘Ashta’ means the number eight and ‘anga’ refers to a limb or body part [1]. So, ashtanga is a holistic system of eight limbs together.

Ashtanga yoga benefits you in many ways. With it, you can improve your physical strength and it even helps reduce anxiety and stress. Read on to know the stages and benefits of these yoga stretches or ashtanga yoga poses. 

Ashtanga yoga poses 

Follows eight steps that need to be performed without skipping any steps. Here is the eight-limb path: 

• Step 1: Yama – Taking control 
• Step 2: Niyama – Mastering the rules 
• Step 3: Asanas – Practicing the poses 
• Step 4: Pranayama – Emphasizing breath control 
• Step 5: Pratyahara – Withdrawing all sensory perceptions
• Step 6: Dharana – Focusing on concentration
• Step 7: Dhyana – Starting a deep meditation
• Step 8: Samadhi – Reaching a state of complete equilibrium 

Ashtanga yoga benefits 

Here are some ashtanga yoga benefits to note:

Strength 

Ashtanga yoga is one of the challenging forms of yoga. It involves holding your weight with your legs and hands. In fact, the main series of ashtanga yoga has sixty vinyasas. This strengthens your core and increases muscle endurance. Those who practice ashtanga yoga regularly build significant muscle strength.

Flexibility 

If you are generally inflexible and are looking to change that, this type of yoga can definitely help. As with any other form of yoga, ashtanga yoga adds flexibility to your muscles over time. It helps put your body in a good posture by pushing you to stretch strenuously. A few weeks of doing ashtanga yoga will enhance your flexibility quickly.

Muscle tone 

Weight management 

Performing this yoga burns fat as you build muscles. The result will lead to less fat on the arms and stomach area. A typical yoga exercises session lasts for about 90 minutes, and it makes you sweat a lot. So, practicing this yoga regularly will help you become leaner. A study found that yoga is linked with mindful eating as well, which is crucial to weight management [2].

Cardiovascular health 

The vinyasas or ashtanga yoga exercises help maintain your heart rate. The poses in ashtanga lead to a lot of sweating. This not only builds strength and flexibility but also strengthens your cardiovascular system. It further helps you reduce the risk of cardiovascular health problems like coronary heart disease.

Focus and creativity 

If you want to improve focus, balance, and coordination, make ashtanga yoga a part of your daily routine. With meditation, you can learn to focus on the present priorities and avoid intrusive thoughts. This practice can help your mind stay active, agile, and leads you to explore your creative sides. It puts you in a calm state of mind, which helps tackle different challenges in life with ease.

Lower stress and anxiety 

In a world with a fast-paced lifestyle and stressful work life, these intense yoga exercises can fortify your mental faculties. The poses will come naturally to you once you learn the ashtanga yoga sequence. Thus, you can enter a meditative state easily and get rid of stress and anxiety. A study reported that practicing ashtanga yoga reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression [3].

Prevention of injuries 

Apart from physical therapy, performing ashtanga yoga poses also reduces lower back pain. Those who practice these asanas daily can perform better in sports and strenuous activities. The yoga poses help strengthen your body, lowering your risk of injury. They also reduce the risk of age-related injuries, thus improving your overall quality of life.

Lower blood pressure 

Performing any type of yoga, including ashtanga yoga, will boost your physical and mental health. To take complete care of your overall health, you must also visit your doctor regularly to ensure optimal health. To make things easier, book doctor consultations online on Bajaj Finserv Health. Find the best doctors and specialists of your choice and get your health queries resolved.