Incorporating Yoga into Your Life

My Experience with Yoga

As an avid runner, I have encountered my fair share of injuries. After my third stress fracture, I realized I needed a low-impact form of exercise that raised my heartbeat but did not include a gym membership or access to a pool. Yoga was exactly what I was looking for.

My friend first told me about Bikram yoga during my study abroad in South Africa. Held in a room often heated to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, Bikram is low-impact yet elevates one's heartbeat and induces intense sweating throughout the 90-minute session.

Though first attracted to the release of tension and stress offered through Bikram, I quickly realized that the benefits of yoga went beyond the body. Yoga not only tones the body, it trains the mind. Through practicing yoga, one's mind, body and breath all become connected through different series of poses that range from easy stretches to advance poses requiring extreme concentration, balance and strength.