Yogasana and Exercise
Yogasanas have often been thought of as a form of exercise.
However, they are not exercises, but techniques that place the physical body in specific positions to cultivate awareness, relaxation, concentration, and meditation.
Part of this process includes the development of good physical health by stretching, massaging, and stimulating the pranic channels and internal organs, making asana complementary to exercise.
Before understanding the difference between the two, it is important to recognize that exercise imposes a beneficial stress on the body. Without it, muscles waste, bones weaken, oxygen absorption decreases, insulin insensitivity may occur, and the ability to meet the physical demands of sudden activity is lost.
There are several differences in the way asana and exercise affect body mechanisms.
When yogasanas are performed, respiration and metabolic rates slow down, the consumption of oxygen and body temperature decrease.
During exercise, however, breathing and metabolism speed up, oxygen consumption rises, and the body becomes hot.
Yoga postures tend to arrest catabolism, whereas exercise promotes it. In addition, asanas are designed to have specific effects on the glands and internal organs, and to alter electrochemical activity in the nervous system.
Classification of Yogasanas
The asanas are classified into three groups: beginners, intermediate, and advanced.
It is not necessary to perform all the asanas in a particular group. Instead, regular practice of a balanced program tailored to individual needs is recommended for maximum benefit.
