The asanas were developed to gain mastery over [...]]]> The term “yoga” comes from the Sanskrit word for “yoke.” Yoga’s many branches are intended to join– or yoke– our physical and spiritual selves. Hatha Yoga is the branch that prescribes physical exercises, or asanas, and what most of us mean when we talk about yoga.

The asanas were developed to gain mastery over the body and facilitate meditation and spiritual insight. Today, Western medicine is coming around to yoga’s mental and physical benefits. Here’s how yoga stacks up in recent research:

Flexibility and Strength
Flexibility is yoga’s best-known benefit, so it’s not surprising that a University of Wisconsin study found that sedentary women who took yoga classes increased their flexibility by as much as 35 percent in eight weeks.

The UW study also found improvements in upper body and core strength. Participants were able to do more push-ups and abdominal crunches after the yoga course than they could when they began.

Healthy Weight
Yoga’s gentle movements are no great shakes in the calorie burning department. But a study at Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Medical Center found that overweight adults who practiced yoga lost five pounds over a ten year period, while those who did not gained weight–an average of 14 pounds. Researchers think that the yoga group’s increased body awareness helped curb overeating.

Stress and Focus
Researchers Traci A. Statler, Ph.D., and Amy Wheeler, Ph.D. found that study participants reported lower stress levels and a greater ability to concentrate after eight weeks of yoga classes.

Ready to get started with yoga? Here’s a list of yoga schools in Bellingham.