Recently, I joined the gym (make that re-joined the gym!). Part of the sign up procedure (a.k.a. marketing funnel) is to offer a free session with a personal trainer. Always eager to improve my knowledge of resistance training, I signed up for a session. I was surprised to learn that my daily yoga practice will shorten my recovery time when training. In fact, my trainer mentioned that he himself (a champion Extreme Fighter) would be adding yoga to his training routine.

Yoga supports a holistic approach to medicine, and thereby fitness. Yoga is one of the few practices that looks at the big picture of your overall health and allows you to take care of your entire mental and physical wellbeing. Yoga practioners not only experience improvement in flexibility, strength and in some cases, cardio vascular conditioning, but also relieves stress and gain improvements in their mental health and emotional well-being.

Yoga is a whole body exercise and can be practiced as such. There are 8 branches of Yoga:

1. Yamas: This is basically your attitude to life and those around you. There are 5 Yamas:

a. Ahimsa or non-violence:

b. Satya being truthful

c. Asteya or non-stealing

d. Bramacharya or moderation

e. Aparigraha, meaning not taking advantage of others

2. Niyamas: This is all about self examination and how you treat yourself

3. Asana or physical poses

4. Pranayama or breathing exercises

5. Prathayara or withdrawal of the senses-this is part of meditation

6. Dharana or Concentration

7. Dhyana or Meditation

8. Samadhi or Enlightenment-the final peak of your disciplines

As you can see, practice of each branch of Yoga encompasses facets of your entire health and even your way of life. This makes it an ideal naturalistic and holistic way to improve and maintain your health. The most commonly known and practiced branch of yoga is Asana, or the flow of positions. There are many positions that can be practiced by beginners right up to advanced levels.

There are many websites with instructional materials, and supplies for yoga. As well as the traditional Yoga discipline there are now some modern day variations that are interesting to try. So go ahead and enjoy learning about this ancient discipline and improving your health the fun way.