Why Not Stretch Your Way into Spring with Some Yoga?

The arrival of Spring sees many of us tentatively emerging from our Winter hibernation spot on the couch in search of ways to get moving and get fit.

With most of us stuck for time, finding a workout that ticks all the boxes can be a difficult task. Yoga, however is the perfect answer, as there is far more to this age-old exercise than chanting and touching your toes.

Yoga has grown in popularity in recent years. According to Statistic Brain, 15 million people practice yoga in the U.S alone and each year Americans spend $27 billion on yoga classes and products. With celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow crediting yoga as part of their workouts, more people than ever before are rolling out their mats.

Originally developed thousands of years ago in India, yoga is a set of physical postures designed to stretch tight muscles in the body and relax the mind. It is different to other forms of exercise as students are told to move with their breath and this helps to clear the mind, as instead of focusing on thoughts and worries, the mind has a chance to rest and be in the present moment.

Yoga helps to tone the whole body, improve flexibility, core strength, protect against injury and encourage good posture. Moving sequences such as the Sun Salutation are a great cardiovascular workout and poses such as Tree pose help to improve balance. Breathing techniques help to enhance brain function and productivity and relaxation techniques learnt in class can help to beat stress in daily life.

There are many different types of yoga and there’s a style suitable to everyone, it’s just about finding the right class and teacher for you. Styles such as Hatha yoga and Restorative yoga are gentle and suitable for beginners. Hatha-Flow yoga and Vinyasa-Flow yoga are more dynamic and suitable for those who want to sweat and stretch. Ashtanga is a form of yoga that involves following a set routine of postures and Bikram and Hot yoga are yoga classes done in heated rooms where the temperature is around 40 degrees. These are only some of the choices available, there are many more such as Yin yoga, Kundalini yoga and Anusara yoga; the list is almost endless!

There is no shortage of classes in Dublin these days, yoga studios have become a bit like that famous American coffee-house; there is one on nearly every street corner. But when it comes to choosing a class, knowing that you are in good hands in a studio with teachers that have years of professional experience, is hard to beat. It’s also a bonus when your surroundings are nice and when the studio is conveniently located.

Yoga Dublin Studios is an example of a studio that is has a great selection of high quality teachers and classes in bright and modern surroundings. Running for 15 years, Yoga Dublin has three studios, based in Ranelagh, Dundrum and Dun Laoghaire, and offers over 200 classes to suit everyone whether new to yoga or advanced. The studios are open seven days a week and offer classes in the mornings and evenings as well as weekend workshops and teacher trainings.

Check out Yoga Dublin’s website for more details on classes schedules and prices as well as to avail of great offers such as the €59 introductory offer or the €79 monthly membership deal. You can also contact the studio by calling (01) 298 0300.