Health Hints: Strength and

Flexibility with a

Balanced Mind

Brennan Phelan, Staff Reporter

Brennan_Phelan@csumb.edu

April 17, 2008

In a dimly lit room filled with

people on colorful mats, sitting

quietly side by side, their eyes are

closed and the room fills with the

subtle sounds of deep inhaling

and slow exhaling.

Walking into one’s first yoga

class can be an intimidating

experience, but once the anxiety

about the unknown wears away

it can be one of the most fun and

beneficial forms of exercise. An

ancient practice that, over the

past decade has become a popular

trend, yoga offers a wide range of

health benefits for people of all

fitness levels.

Practicing yoga can benefit

students through poses and

breathing techniques that help

relieve stress, enhance strength

and flexibility, and bring the body

and mind into balance.

“People assume that yoga is

all about flexibility, but that’s

not true. You do not have to be

flexible to take yoga or to gain

benefits from it,” said CSUMB

yoga instructor, Christine Derr.

There are many different types

of yoga. Some varieties provide

a cardio workout, while others

incorporate a slower pace and

require poses to be held for longer

periods of time.

“People are always amazed at

how much strength yoga poses

take,” Derr added. In her class,

she makes a point to modify

poses for her students so that

they can slowly build up strength

and flexibility without getting

frustrated.

Supporting the idea that yoga

can benefit both the body and

the mind, scientific studies have

indicated that yoga can reduce

levels of cortisol, which is a stress

hormone in the body. According

to a report published in “Yoga

Journal,” the deep breathing done

in yoga “elicits something called

‘the relaxation response,’ which

invokes the restorative functions

of the body.”

The integration of poses,

deep breathing, and meditation

has shown to have therapeutic

effects on health problems

ranging from asthma to low back

pain. In 2002, “The Wall Street

Journal” published reports from

doctors nationwide on the health

benefits of practicing yoga. The

reports concluded that yoga could

be used as a therapeutic tool in

conjunction with, or sometimes in

place of, traditional therapy and

medications.

Students are usually very busy

making it difficult for many to

find the time and motivation to

workout. For these reasons, yoga

offers a perfect outlet for students to

get physically active while easing

their minds of everyday stressors.

Yoga provides a fun way to learn

techniques for both exercise and

stress management, which are two

of the most important factors in

maintaining overall health and

wellness.

Enrolling in a yoga class on

campus can fulfill the University

Learning Requirement for physical

activity, and is a good introduction

to various poses and techniques.

Yoga classes on campus are also

offered through the drop-in fitness

program, and are free for CSUMB

students. If you are unable to

fit the campus classes into your

schedule, there are many private

yoga studios in the Monterey area.

It is always worth it to call ahead

and ask about student discounts!

The regular practice of yoga

can bring about unimaginable

changes in the body and mind,

integrating balance back into the

chaos of life.