The Distinctive Qualities of Yoga, Gym, and Athletics
Is yoga better than athletics or going to the gym?
Yoga, athletics and working out in gym are all 3 different aspects and just cannot be compared among one another. It is like comparing the colours in a rainbow with each other. Each colour has its own beauty.
Every aspect of fitness like gym, yoga and athletics, has its own inherent qualities for which people choose one over the other, based on their comfort and choice. Ultimately people should be fit and healthy and when they choose the one, which they like, they tend to practise it all through their lives.
“Yoga is a mirror to look at ourselves within”.
When we broadly compare yoga vs gym, gym exercises mainly work on the muscles of the body and it is focused on the physical body. It makes the body fit and strong.
Initially (some 40 years ago) sportspersons, movie stars and affluent people only, worked in gyms. Nowadays, most of the people prefer to work out in gyms, at their convenient time. In most of the residential communities, gym is an inbuilt feature and the residents make use of the same. Slowly, even offices started having gym within their premises so that the employees get benefitted.
Gym exercises require proper equipment, properties etc., whereas yoga requires just a mat to practise.
Athletics is a group of sporting events like running, walking, jumping, throwing etc. They are basically cardio focused exercises that increase the heartbeat, improve the blood circulation in the body. It boosts the endorphins, one of the 4 happiness hormones. Athletics again works only on the physical body. In recent times, we can see that long distance running is taken up by many as a hobby and this also comes under the athletics category.
Now, coming to Yoga, consistent practice of yoga yields many benefits which are hard to list. Physically fit body, calm and cool mind, reduced hunger pangs, peaceful sleep, glowing skin and youthful look are some of the many benefits.
Also Read: Why am I not seeing results in Yoga?
Unlike other physical exercises, yoga works on the body, mind and breath. It works on improving the blood circulation, organ function, muscle strength and tone, joint stability and mobility, corrects the breathing pattern (abdominal breathing), improves lung capacity, boosts our immunity. Another unique feature of yoga is that it works on our subtle body and on the energy channels (chakras and naadis) which in turn helps us stay energetically balanced.
Breathing gets corrected through Pranayama, a set of scientific breathing exercises to regulate the breath as well as the mind. Once the breath is controlled or regulated, mind automatically comes under our control.
Unlike the other physical form of exercises, there are specific asanas in yoga for relaxation. When we are angry or agitated or restless, we can practise certain asanas. Likewise, those suffering from insomnia can also do a few asanas to calm the over active mind and catch a good amount of sleep. Thus, yoga has scope for relaxing as well.
Yoga is when every cell in the body sings the song of the soul – B.K.S.Iyengar.
Online yoga classes have the advantage of flexibility and avoiding the commuting (traffic jams especially). We can practise from home at our convenience. Online classes have the added advantage of recordings which can be viewed later for reference. So more and more people are opting for online yoga classes these days.
Also Read: Purpose of Yoga
Yoga is an art, science, therapy and spirituality, all in one. One needs to learn yoga from a trained and certified yoga teacher or an instructor through proper yoga class.
In a nutshell, yoga is a spiritual discipline based on extremely subtle science, which focuses on bringing harmony between the mind and the body.
One cannot compare yoga with gym exercises or athletics. They have their own benefits and advantages over the physical body. But yoga has an edge over other in the aspect that it controls the breath and calms the mind as well. Yoga helps in self-realisation, which is the most important aspect and USP of yoga.
Let me conclude with two wonderful quotes from one of the most famous Yoga teachers of all times, Shri B.K.S.Iyengar.” Yoga does not change the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees it” & “Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self”. Need I say anything more about yoga?
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Header title ‘Spice up the Surya Namaskar by Yoga-Darshini| Yoga-Darshini’s Online Yoga Classes’
- Mar 14, 2024