How Yoga is More Holistic Than Other Stretches

 

 

Stretching is beneficial to one’s strength, structure and built no matter if it’s practiced within yoga or without. You may not know this but there are many different kinds of stretches that can be practiced here are a few:

 

Static stretching:

This is the type of stretching that involves the extending and the stretching of the body parts to its farthest limit and holding the stretch for a good thirty to 40 seconds before release. This is when there are no swift movements and extra force applied for a rigorous stretch; it is simply a mild and painless sensation of pulling the body parts. During this kind of a stretch you feel a gentle stretch on the muscles and the entire body parts except for the joints.

 

Passive stretching:

In passive stretching, one is supposed to take up a position and a partner helps him/her by providing the external force that is needed for stretching the different parts of the body. Passive stretching is beneficial because it helps to soothe muscle sores, muscle spasms and helps heal the muscle soreness that happens after a workout.

 

Dynamic stretching:

Dynamic stretching involves motion in the form of swings. One performs stretches and poses in a swing motion to eventually reach the limits of the stretch for that body part. The focus is to reach the entire range of their motion in a swingy motion.

 

Ballistic stretching:

This is the kind of stretching that forces you to stretch in a way that increase your normal motion range. This is achieved by adding a bounce when you are about to reach your normal motion range so that you exceed it by a little more distance and range. Ballistic stretching should be performed by professional athletes before undergoing strenuous activities.

 

Active isolated stretching:

Active isolated stretching is generally applied by professional athletes, coaches, therapists and chiropractors. In this kind of a stretch one uses all their force to perform a stretch and holds that position of the stretch without any external support system. Active isolated stretching is performed in active physiological practices so that it can increase the elasticity and flexibility of the muscle and fascia. It is also beneficial to improve the circulation of body fluids to these areas of the body while on a stretch.

 

Isometric stretching:

Isometric stretching is beneficial to increase the range of motion of the joints and not just the limb. It also works wonders for retaining the strength and flexibility of the ligaments and the tendons of the limb. This is done with the help of an apparatus or a partner. As the partner moves your limb to a stretch; you use all your power to perform the stretch in the opposite direction of the stretch help on by the partner.

 

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation

This is a kind of stretch that is a combination of the static, passive and the isometric forms of stretching. In this stretch you hold a static stretch which is supported by a partner making it a passive stretch and then you resist the stretch with all your might towards the opposite direction. This is the kind of stretch that helps increase the strength in a person.

Yoga was an ancient practice devised by the yogis of India to reach a “union” of the body and the mind leading to the spirit. Yoga is a Sanskrit word that means “union”. And hence the main aim of yoga is to reach that union. This was a scenario of a thousand years ago.

In today’s date, like all the other things yoga has become a trend, that helps people achieve a balance in their life and achieve a healthier happier life. There are millions of people joining the world yoga association each coming year.

 

If you are a yoga enthusiast and looking forward to a certification in yoga, you must head to yoga holidays in Nepal .

Yoga enthusiasts head to the mystical and pristine Himalayas to learn yoga teacher training in Nepal  each coming year (without burning a hole in their pockets).

 

So how is yoga more holistic than all of these stretches?

Yoga works in a systematic and sustainable stretching method. You perform asanas in your natural motion range and with time and more practice you gradually increase this range of motion in your natural time. This method is holistic because you don’t force your limbs and the ligaments and tendons, and they don’t tear apart with the forceful stretching.

Another benefit of performing yoga for stretching is that the benefits are longer-lived and sustained rather than when you forcefully stretch your limbs. The kinds of stretches that were mentioned above are performed by professional artists and their bodies never stop performing a certain sport and hence the stretches and their benefits are valid.

But as an average person who is stretching, performing these strenuous stretches can do damage more than benefits.

And by chance you stop practicing these stretches, the ligaments, joints and tendons will start to stiffen and ache. In the contrary, the flowy movements of performing yogic asanas helps a person with average stretches and in turn sustains the progress with increased flexibility in everyday actions and bodily responses.

Even when you stop performing these stretches and performing yoga as a whole (which is not suggested), the benefits and the flexibility remains and your body will go on for a long time without stiffening and aching.

And hence yoga is a more holistic stretch than most kinds of stretches.

 

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