Yoga a breath of fresh gym air
MICHAEL MASTROIANNI/Chief Photographer
Michael Stanleybaker (left) and others participated in an Introduction to Yoga workshop in the William Pitt Union’s Kurtzman Room last night.
By MALLORY WOMER
Staff Writer
November 16, 2004
Imagine lying on the floor, every muscle in your body relaxed. You take deep breaths that circle through your lungs and into your abdomen. As your eyes flicker open, you feel a calming sensation that completely overtakes your body. Your mind is telling you that you can do anything.
You were just in Savasana, or corpse pose. This is how you might end a session of yoga, a form of exercise composed of different series of poses and best known for its calming effects on the mind and body.
Since she began practicing yoga, junior Sarah Campbell has noticed an “all-around improvement in [her] well-being.”
Campbell began taking yoga classes last May to help battle the stress she felt from her internship in New York City. She had decided to commute to the city from her home, near Trenton, so her days began at 4:45 a.m. and did not finish until 7:30 p.m.
Campbell wanted to remain active, but she found that returning home so late limited her options. She looked to a local wellness studio, where she began taking yoga classes.
“I could still exercise, and it wouldn’t get my heart rate up [so] that I couldn’t fall asleep,” Campbell said.
A steady yoga practice has been shown to lower the resting heart rate of its practitioners, according to abc-of-yoga.com, a Web site dedicated to all things yoga.
Freshman Diedra Dunhoff signed up to take yoga classes through Pitt Program Council this semester. Since she began practicing two years ago, both at home and here at Pitt, she has noticed that it is easier to stand up straight and that she has more poise.
“Mentally, it’s a big stress-reliever,” Dunhoff added.
Stress relief is not the only psychological benefit experienced by yoga practitioners. Yoga has been shown to improve mood, concentration and attention span. A list outlining these benefits, as well as many more, can be found at abc-of-yoga.com.
“The relaxation that came after yoga was worth its weight,” Campbell said.
Campbell spent her high school years as a cross-country runner and wishes now that someone had informed her about yoga earlier. She suffered from tight hamstrings, a common ailment among long-distance runners.
Many runners have been surprised to find that yoga, when practiced correctly, can actually improve the suppleness of muscles and allow them to act more like springs when in use, according to an article published recently in Yoga Journal. But yoga practitioners can benefit from running, too. Running with proper alignment helps yoga practice by building endurance and strength in the ankles and feet.
Running is not the only physical activity that yoga complements. Yoga Journal also reported that yoga programs have been designed specifically for skiers, to keep muscles warm after a long day out on the cold slopes.
Yoga differs from other forms of exercise because it lengthens muscles as it strengthens them, creating a stronger and leaner body, as cited in both Yoga Journal and abc-of-yoga.com. Different poses focus on different muscles, and a complete practice will actually highlight all muscles throughout its course.
“I remained toned throughout the summer, without lifting,” Campbell said of the condition of her body as a result of steady yoga practice.
Yoga originated around 1500 B.C. in the Indus Valley, near present-day Pakistan. Brahmins, or priests, brought the idea of yoga to the area in books of ancient Hinduism. While yoga is no longer specifically associated with a certain religion, it still offers its practitioners the same health benefits, both physically and psychologically, that it offered 3,500 years ago.
“It’s nice to take an hour out of the week and do something healthy,” Dunhoff said.
Just like long distance running, yoga is not for everyone. There are plenty of opportunities to try yoga in Pittsburgh. Pitt Program Council offers classes for students, and classes can be taken for credit in the physical education department. Many studios also exist throughout the city and its suburbs.
http://www.pittnews.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/11/16/4199779671dd7