One of the first things that I often hear out of other peoples mouths when I mention that I teach yoga is "flexibility is great but I'm not very flexible and what I really want is to get stronger". But what do we really mean when we say that we want to "get stronger"? The media has bombarded us for the last 30 years or so with images of bodybuilders (yes..Ah-nold we are talking about you) as the apogee of health, fitness, and strength. Thus, we have come to believe that isolation of a muscle group to make it more asthetically pleasing is actually a demonstration of strength.What most people really want is greater functionality (to be able to do more with their bodies while suffering less for it ) rather than greater muscular size. In this, a balanced and regular yoga practice has a firm place as being one of the best overall fitness regimens ever developed.
One develops strength in yoga by putting the body in a particular alignment and holding the alignment while making micro adjustments over a period of time. For upper body strength, one can study hand stand (arm balance), head stand, and forearm balance (all inversions as well). For lower body strength one can focus on the standing poses such as Triangle pose or Warrior I which emphasize leg and core strength.
For cardiovascular work one can practice the sun salute sequence that I often use as a warm up in class. Now try doing this sequence the way it was intended...108 times in a row...I guarantee a great cardio workout.
Balance comes from the practice of poses which require one to stand on one leg (Tree, Half Moon, Warrior III). These not only require core strength and flexibility, but build stamina as well as balance. Regular practice of these poses builds a stability that comes from a functional balance between the core and extrinsic musculature.
A regular practice of the different types of yoga postures (Standing, Forward Bending, Back Bending, and Restorative) builds poise in ones body, mind, and soul by burning away the impurities of the body, ego, and self understanding.
