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The popularity of yoga has shot up phenomenally in the last decade. The factors for this include not merely celebratory endorsement of this ancient workout technique but also the benefits obtained by it by ordinary men and women. It has even become a part of the workout schedules of many athletes.
With the steady rise in the number of yoga practitioners there is also a steady rise in yoga-related injuries. Lack of flexibility, incorrect method of doing the poses, lack of strength in the body leading to mid-pose collapses are some of the factors which have resulted in injuries to yoga practitioners. These can be avoided by taking care of the following things.
Always practice yoga under the watchful eyes of a trained yoga teacher.This is imperative. If you are a beginner level yoga practitioner (or even otherwise) it is always better to have a yoga teacher around to supervise your yoga technique. Remember, yoga is about a series of steps that allow us to get into a specific yoga pose. If we miss a step, the result could be a serious injury. Hence, obtain the services of a trained yoga instructor to avoid these.
Know your limits.Yoga poses are of different types and styles. The level of flexibility and strength demanded varies from pose to pose. Hence, before you attempt any yoga pose you should know about the strength and agility of your body. If you overlook your limits then injuries would soon follow. Chief amongst them would be overstretching and straining of neck, shoulder, wrists, hip, thigh, hamstring and ankle muscles. Remember, these are vital points of your body on which your body moves. Injury to them can be both painful and immobilising.
Never compete in a Yoga session. In weight training exercises competition with fellow trainers can work as a stimulus. However, competition in yoga classes can have a completely reverse impact upon your body. Instead of providing you with a stimulus, it can cause injury to different parts of your body. Hence, you should not compete in a yoga class and should continue at your own pace. The best way to go about is to set your own goals and work according to them.
Know when to back off. While it is always good to push yourself in a training session, there are certain limits to which your body is willing to go along with you. Once you cross this threshold, the body wilts and indicates its unwillingness through bouts of pain. Pay heed to these indications and put on hold any further advances or modifications which you intend to incorporate in your workout. This would be in your own interest.
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