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Find Your Fit

Author: Denise Anne Simmonds

Pursuit for Peace

It’s no secret that stretching is beneficial to our bodies but how is yoga any different? According to the Webster dictionary, yoga is a Hindu philosophy that teaches breathing techniques, meditation, and posture. (1) Yoga has been a trending practice within the past decade and more people are catching on to the benefits that it provides.

One obvious benefit of yoga is increased flexibility. The Yoga Journal explains that many back and hip problems are directly associated with people’s lack of flexibility. As you practice more these aches should eventually subside or go away. (2) You won’t be able to do the splits overnight, but in time you might realize you can finally touch your toes.

If you sit at a desk all day you know that bad posture results in back, neck, and even leg pain. Yoga may not look like a strenuous exercise but it works all major muscle groups in your body. Typically slouching is a result of bad habits in combination with weak core and back muscles. Many positions in yoga focus on core strength and balance which aids with this.

Aside from the physical benefits, many people are starting to realize the mental benefits it provides. According to the American Osteopathic Association, regular practice helps with managing stress, centers attention, and sharpens concentration. (3) These mental benefits are why so many people are looking to yoga to help with getting a better night’s sleep, performing well in school, and managing depression and anxiety.

If you are a beginner or nervous about your first class, don’t be! In many classes, instructors will provide alterations for beginners.

Rec Services offers several different Yoga classes. Check out our complete schedule for class descriptions and times. We hope to see you at an upcoming class! J

– Megan Heng

 

Sources:

(1) https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yoga

(2) https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/count-yoga-38-ways-yoga-keeps-fit

(3) https://osteopathic.org/what-is-osteopathic-medicine/benefits-of-yoga/

Introducing Find Your Fit

Hello!

Hello everyone, my name is Sarah Neal and I will be your blog host for the time being! Since this is the first post, I thought I would give you all a taste of the type of content that you can expect to see here, as well as a bit of background about myself.

 

What Is This Blog About?

Find Your Fit is a brand new blog where you can access information pertinent to the K-State Rec and health. We have started this blog focusing around personal training, so a lot of the first posts will likely be tied into that area of the rec, but others will be added later on. There will be interviews about the personal trainers so you can get to know them, articles on health and fitness, articles about things that are happening around the rec, and so much more!

 

About Me

Once again my name is Sarah, and most of the posts you see on this blog (for the time being) will be written by me. I am a personal trainer and group fit instructor here, as well as an avid health and wellness enthusiast!

I have worked at the rec as a personal trainer for about a year and a half now, and been involved with group fit for one semester. In the group fitness world, I teach yoga and meditation.

My interest in health and nutrition came along when I was in middle school. I had a negative body image and was unhappy with the way I felt-both physically and emotionally. This unhappiness, though hard to deal with at the time, was what motivated me to make some big changes in my life. I started running on my own after school and begged my parents to get me a gym membership (which they eventually caved in to). I had always done sports ever since I can remember, but never really stuck with just one. I tried various types of dance, tennis, karate, gymnastics, ice skating, and volleyball. Although I enjoyed trying the different sports, it wasn’t until high school when I started running track and cross country, that I found my favorite sport. My cross country and track coaches also impacted my health views in a big way, and it was because of their influence that I started to understand that health was about more than just working out, and I started paying more attention to what I was putting into my body.

From there on, I have continued to learn about all branches of health-mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional-and I think they are all equally important. Part of the reason I wanted to be a part of this blog, was because I want to get information out there. I want everyone to understand the holistic view of health, and to have the resources and knowledge to make any changes that need to be made, and to live the healthiest life they can. Chasing happiness is tricky, but if you go after health, happiness will come. Be on the lookout for the next post, and thank you all for reading!