5 Complementary Physical Activities to Include in Your Yoga Routine

• Walking or running

Running or walking can motivate you to continue practicing yoga. After sprinting or jogging, you’ll feel “high” –feelings associated with expansion and clarity, elements you’ll find useful when indulging in yoga.

Eco-therapy – any physical exercise you do outdoors – according to studies, acts an effective form of treatment for mild to moderate depression. Running or walking can work as antidepressants you’ll find effective if you’re dealing with stress or mental health issues.

Instead of running on the treadmill, get outdoors for a walk or run to improve your mental health even as you follow your regular yoga schedule.

• Games and sports

You can play your favorite sport to keep fit and continue performing at your yoga sessions and everyday activities. Consider basketball, beach volleyball and golf, among other fun games.

If you’re new to any sport such as golf, check out a site like https://totallyengolfed.com/ for everything you need to make the most of your golfing. You’ll also find all the golf gear and accessories you’ll need for amateur use.

• CATCH Health for Home-Based Physical Fitness

Make use of the CATCH Google Classroom to keep your entire family healthy and fit when you’re unable to go outdoors, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic. It gives free and easy access to multiple evidence-based nutrition, health and physical education materials.

Although CATCH programs target kids, you can workout alongside them to keep fit. Designed for use with minimal supervision and even in limited spaces, you’ll find the CATCH resources useful to meet your ongoing need to stay fit and healthy for your yoga sessions.

Choose from Activity Breaks, Physical Activities and Family Health and Nutrition options based on your specific needs.

• Exercise

Exercise, according to studies, is as good as medicine.

The ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic poses various challenges that impedes your need to maintain active lifestyle. Engaging in physical activities regularly is key to attaining good health and maintaining it.

Physical activities with moderate intensity are linked to improved immune function. This is unlike living a sedentary lifestyle. Similarly, regular physical activity is linked to reduced stress and anxiety levels.

Just like the strength training and speed-work you can obtain from yoga sessions and long runs, regular exercise offers several health benefits. They include:

• Improved mood
• Reduced risk for Alzheimer’s and dementia
• Muscle building
• Increased energy levels and performance
• Calmer and stress-free mind
• Improved intelligence and memory
• Enhanced ability to process information

A physically-demanding job can leave you fatigued and exhausted.

But…

With the right forms of exercises to complement your yoga practice, you’ll feel more energized and strong enough to fight and overcome fatigue.

Inactive lifestyles, according to a 2008 study conducted by the University of Georgia, results in people getting fatigued. However, engaging in low-intensity exercise on a regular basis can lower fatigue by up to 65% and increase energy by up to 20%.

Better fitness levels and mood due to regular exercise can enhance your general health and wellbeing. Exercise enhances various aspects of your life to enable you experience its range of health benefits. It boosts:

• Sleep
• Cardio health
• Focus and concentration
• Endorphin levels

Despite your busy schedule, you can integrate low-intensity exercises in your routine to ensure that you keep on performing at yoga and other aspects of your life.

• Learn boxing

Rumors has it that you can lower your anger and stress levels each time you hit a punchbag. When you’re stressed or angry, you need an aggression outlet to release the pent up emotions. You’ll find this empowering if you’re dealing with similar emotions.

Releasing pent up emotions through aggression also has healing effects that you’ll find useful. Trigger endorphins release into the bloodstream through an intense interval session of making short, sharp punching “rounds.” You then take rest after the short periods of hitting punches.

Focus on the punches to attain a state “flow’ and benefit from the stress-relieving effects of boxing. This is more effective if you’re hitting punches with another boxer.

Consider local amateur boxing clubs or boutique boxing classes in between your yoga sessions for improved performance.