Benefits of Yoga

I have seen many of the popular press articles and some of the research articles (most are not very well controlled – unfortunately the studies are for the most part too poorly designed to make confident conclusions) espousing the benefits of yoga practice. Every body system, including endocrine, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal is supposed to be positively affected by yoga in some way. Perhaps they are.

Exercise certainly will positively affect every body system. Many well-designed studies have removed doubt that the higher intensity the exercise the more one will benefit (up to a point that is not likely to be sustained by anyone but a few elite athletes). Unfortunately, few articles that claim health benefits of yoga compare asana practice (poses linked with breathing) to traditional exercise so no one can say for certain if yoga is as good as or more or less effective than a workout that includes cardiovascular exercise and resistance training. There also are many styles of yoga practice, some more likely than others to benefit all body systems. Of all the classes available on any one day in any city, most will not be as beneficial as a gym workout for any body system because of the difference in workload intensity.

I personally look to the gym where I maintain an elevated heart rate during cardio exercise and lift my maximum weight during resistance training (see previous blog posts) for physiologic benefits of physical activity. It is the mindfulness part of yoga practice that keeps me coming back to my mat. Turning inward to time by breath with body movement keeps me present the entire time I practice. Anytime my mind wanders off to the huge list of things I need to do or issues I need to resolve, I come back to my breath and alignment to maintain my mindful yoga practice. My poses are deeper when I’m aware and my experience is more awake and alive.  I finish my practice feeling like I’ve been to a spa or had a nap in a way that other physical activity doesn’t offer. My mind is still after a yoga practice and I feel ready to tackle the to-do list and unresolved issues with new clarity and vigor.

 My awareness practice on the mat also helps me to return to the present moment during my experiences off the mat. I have learned to tune into the present by being aware of each breath and of the sensations of each moment.  I have come to appreciate the difference between gulping tea without awareness and presence and drinking with attention to the aroma, taste, and sight of the drink. I stay with each sensation to take advantage of each moment, particularly when I am enjoying an experience. Why get a fabulous massage when I’m busy mentally running down my to-do list?! Why indulge in a decadent dessert unless I’m enjoying each bite with all my senses?!

 I’ll rely on my gym workout to benefit me physiologically. It is the awareness and mindfulness I learn from my yoga practice that I see as the valuable benefit of yoga.

Benefits of Awareness and 100% Effort

My philosophy is that if I’m going to make time, whether it is 20 minutes or 90 minutes, to be on my mat then I’m going to make the most of it. I like intensity and focus that I put into my practice and my gym workout. Maintaining my attention on my body keeps my mind from drifting into crazy chatter that it does the rest of the day and that break is nice. But full effort also affords me all the benefits from the practice (or workout).

I can sort-of-kind-of be in virabhadrasana 2 (warrior 2 pose). You know what this looks like, a little wishy-washy. My front knee can be bent a little and my arms could be out to the sides but be soft and hanging limply because I’m not really aware of what I’m doing. Or I can choose to be in the pose completely with intention. This way my front thigh is parallel with the floor, my legs are working hard as I press them away from each other, and my arms are alive with activity. I’m not rigid, but all of my body is working completely, in the present moment, with all the effort that I can give. I’m going to be there for five breaths anyway, why not be aware, give it all I’ve got, and get the most out of it.

When I do manage 100% effort I’m more likely to have my muscles and joints aligned the way they should be. That alignment makes my muscles more efficient. If I want to develop muscle strength, mental focus, flexibility, balance, or any other benefit from practice then I’m most likely to get to those benefits if I’m completely aware and putting full effort into the pose.

Full effort also keeps me from injuring myself in the pose. It is when we are really thinking about something else that we get hurt. That is because we let the front knee cave in toward the inside of the foot and stretch the ligaments beyond what they should be. Or we can create cervical discomfort if the shoulder blades are riding high instead of anchored down on the back as they should be.

This intense mindful movement is important in the gym as well as on the mat. It is the moment I begin to think about the grocery list that I bang my leg with a dumbbell and bruise my shin (true story – happened last week). If I’m not thinking of alignment while I’m doing a set of flies then I’m likely to stress my shoulder ligaments and feel pain in the front of my shoulder. The ache might last a little while or it could end up being a serious injury, particularly if my inattention is habitual and I continually stretch the same ligaments. Injuries aren’t a badge of honor in the gym or on the mat. They mean that we didn’t do something right; we didn’t maintain awareness or we didn’t honor our body’s limitation that day.

Maintaining awareness for 100% effort on my mat and in the gym also helps me remain focused when I step into the real world. I get more from my relationships when I listen completely to what my friend is telling me. The intensity on my mat also helps me to stay focused when I’m doing anything else so that I am more likely to do it right the first time without errors. That happened last week, too. I breezed through the supermarket thinking about the yoga sequence I was planning to teach that evening and I left the store without a critical item.

No, I’m not able to put in 100% effort every single moment. But I do try. I’ve asked my yoga students this week to set the intention to put in 100% effort throughout the class. One woman learned that she compensates for weak abdominal muscles by using her shoulders in several poses. She realized that is why her shoulders are tight. Her devoted awareness during yesterday’s practice taught her a lot about how she uses her body and will help her get much more out of the time she already is committing to her practice. As long as she is on the mat, she might as well be there completely, 100%.

Sweat Equity

I feel great when I work my body hard. It just feels good to build muscle strength and cardiovascular endurance through resistance and cardio training. My yoga practice complements my weight training as resistance training and I feel stronger each day I practice. I personally don’t think that sweating feels good, but that seems to be a trend. Many people seem to want to sweat in the gym and in yoga class. I keep hearing people in the gym and yoga studio express how good they think sweating is for them, that sweating will get rid of toxins. I understand that some people may have a personal preference for feeling good to sweat, but I’m not sure why people want to believe the myth that sweating is good as “detox”.

Truth is that sweat is 99% water. There is a trace of salt, urea, proteins, and carbohydrates in sweat. But mostly sweat is water. The trace salt, urea, proteins, and carbohydrates are organic products that occur naturally in the body. They are not toxic, they are not environmental toxins. One cannot sweat out too much alcohol, a rich dessert, or a carbohydrate-heavy meal ingested the evening before.

Sweat does not contain pesticides, environmental pollutions, or food preservatives. Toxins that we ingest or come in contact with through the environment including mercury, alcohol and fatty foods are metabolized and digested in the liver, intestines and kidneys, and excreted as feces and urine.

Sweat glands are located in the skin and serve to regulate temperature. They do not function in metabolism, digestion, or filtering byproducts of metabolism. Sweating is an important physiological function. Is sweating good? Of course, to the extent that it helps to cool the body and prevent heat exhaustion. Sweat is overwhelmingly water. The body is designed to produce sweat. The water in that sweat evaporates from the skin as a cooling mechanism to maintain a consistent body temperature (98.6 degrees F). Sweating more means one of two things: either the environment is hot or the body’s core temperature is rising probably as a function of muscle activity. Sweating more does not expel preservatives, chemicals, or alcohol. Sweating expels water. That water will need to be replaced by drinking fluids to help the kidneys function in their role of eliminating toxins from the blood.

Can someone sweat too much? Absolutely. Heavy sweating with a rapid pulse can be a sign of heat exhaustion, or overheating. Heat exhaustion can result from being exposed to high environmental temperatures and strenuous activity. When people feel dizzy, fatigued, or faint (particularly when the pulse is faint and rapid) during a workout in a heated room they could be experiencing heat exhaustion. Nausea, headache and muscle cramps are additional signs that indicate the person may be overheating and needs to stop the activity, find a cooler room and drink water. Medical attention is necessary if the symptoms don’t subside.

Excessive sweating during a workout is a personal preference. It doesn’t mean that toxins are shed. The best way to “detox” is to avoid environmental impurities, food preservatives, and household chemicals. Sweating in the gym or studio will help cool you down but won’t be effective in eliminating toxins.