5 Benefits Of Hatha Yoga

Hatha yoga is the type of yoga that most people think of when they think of yoga in general. Breath, body, and mind are all involved in the practice, and classes typically last 45 minutes to 90 minutes of breathing, yoga poses, and meditation. Yoga began around 2,000 years ago in India as a series of spiritual breathing exercises. Hatha was first recorded in the 11th century, but it wasn't until the late 19th century that it made its way to America, where it became popular in the 1960s.

Due to its mind-body wellness and health benefits, yoga is now practiced by roughly one in every seven Americans.

According to research, hatha yoga helps to relieve stress, support healthy habits, improve emotional health, ease back and arthritis pain, and even help with weight loss.

Each pose is a separate strength and endurance workout. According to a June 2015 study published in Evidence-Based Complementary Medicine, a group of 154 middle-aged Chinese adults improved their muscle strength and endurance after 12 weeks of Hatha yoga.

Your muscles stretch and move through their full range of motion as they work. According to the American Osteopathic Association, this can help with muscle flexibility and joint mobility.

You'll also improve your posture over time. According to the American Osteopathic Association, working on your posture can do more than just relieve back pain; it can also improve your lung health.

Through my Hatha yoga practice, I've improved my air flow and breathing techniques, "Glover says."

One thing you'll quickly learn in Hatha yoga is that your breath not only helps you transition between poses, but mindful breathing also helps you try new and difficult poses. This is easily applicable to life outside of the gym. When you're going through a stressful situation, focusing on your breathing can help you relax.

"No matter where I am, how I'm feeling, or what's going on, there's always a way to bring more comfort, joy, and acceptance into the moment," Regaldo says.

Regaldo also attributes her weight loss to her workout routine. "There are so many benefits to practicing Hatha yoga on a regular basis," she says, "but the most dramatic benefit I've experienced was an 85-pound weight loss over the course of four years, which I've been able to keep off for 12 years."

According to Harvard Health Publishing, 30 minutes of Hatha yoga can burn between 120 and 178 calories per person, depending on weight.