The 15 benefits of yoga for a woman

Those who practice yoga say that, once you try it, you can no longer leave it, that it is physical, mental,  emotional, and even spiritual before and after. We tell you why and how to choose the best style for you because, for women, yoga has wonderful benefits.

Although it is a discipline that has thousands of years behind it, yoga never goes out of style. In fact, it has now become a worldwide boom and the best physical, mental and emotional conditioning system for many people, especially women. Mayte Criado, founder and president of the International School of Yoga, says, "the percentage of women who practice yoga is surely 70%, compared to 30% of men who practice it."

But yoga is much more than that, it is an authentic path of self-knowledge, an effective manager of stress and emotions, in response even to our spiritual concerns.

Can yoga really offer you all this? Yes, and also, thanks to social networks and the digitization process of yoga centers, you can practice it wherever and whenever you want. Still not convinced? The president of the International School of Yoga, which also has an online school, Mayte Criado, founder, and president of the International School of Yoga, tells us about this discipline and everything it can contribute to women and men!

Yoga: the discipline of the subtle

As Criado says, "the physical, mental and emotional benefits of yoga are just as wonderful for men as for women." In fact, as he continues, "the ancient history of yoga reflects that it is a discipline developed by men and taking as reference the human body, its mental dynamics, and its emotional characteristics".“In this sense, the women and their impact on their physical, mental, and/or emotional state were never taken into account other than to prohibit their entry into yoga environments and the practice of certain postures. and techniques,” he says.

The fact that today the vast majority of yoga practitioners are women can be due to many reasons, as Criado points out: “Yoga is a discipline that works a lot on the subtle and connects very well with the feminine essence. In a society like the one we live in, with so many obligations, it is an ideal practice for women to find a way to face their reality with more calm and health”.
In parallel, as the expert says, "we must not lose sight of the fact that the woman's body is often associated with an image of well-being, beauty, and, very often, demand." “Culturally, well-being is closely associated with women, as is consumption. The danger is that yoga becomes just another consumer good and that, without realizing it, we transform this profound ancient discipline into a fashion, keeping the most superficial aspects. It is a risk that we must avoid so as not to lose its authentic dimension”, emphasizes the director of the International School of Yoga.

The best yoga style for beginners

Hatha, Vinyasa. Iyengar, Yin, Bikram, Jivamukti... There are currently many styles of yoga. Which one to choose or which is the best to start in this practice? As Mayte Criado points out, "there are many styles of yoga and there are possibilities of practice for the objectives that each person may have."

“To get started depends on the age, the functional capacity of the person, their prospects and pretensions, each style proposes different characteristics ”, says Criado. "Vinyasa and Ashtanga are very dynamic and demanding styles with the body, Iyengar is very technical but it also helps to understand the effects of the technique on the body, and it is a gradual proposal".

As Criado points out, "at the Escuela Internacional de Yoga we do not want to have a starting style because we believe that teachers must be trained to adapt the practice of yoga to the person and not the other way around." “We say that we are teachers of Hatha Yoga, which includes many possibilities. So, depending on the characteristics of the practitioner, we can offer a dynamic or more leisurely practice, or even a restorative or relaxing one”.

What if I have an injury or pathology? As the expert explains, “ In the educational stages, yoga is essential to offer children and adolescents a type of exercise with the body that relates to what they feel “The practice must always adapt to the person, especially if they have pathologies or injuries,” she says. “ In this sense, Restorative Yoga has a lot to offer, but also other ways of proposing postures if they are substituted and their goods are deeply known. It is what should happen in any circumstance”, she concludes.

Is there a minimum or maximum age to do yoga?

As Criado underlines, to do yoga “there is no age”. As the expert explains, “In the educational stage, yoga is essential to other children and adolescents a type of exercise with the body that relates with they feel or  perceive not only with their own functional and structural capacities (which at these ages there are usually many) but also, and this is the most important thing, with the discovery of the resources he has on a mental and emotional level to be able to face and live his life with greater security and confidence”

As for older ages, as Criado points out, "for the elderly, yoga is essential because of the recovery it provides at a functional level and because of the connection it offers to live in a relaxed way and open up to one's own reality with serenity and joy." As the expert underlines, "yoga is for everyone and for all ages."

15 benefits of yoga for women

The director of the International School of Yoga begins by citing five benefits of yoga for women and explains why.

• Inner peace

• Calm

• Confidence

• Awareness

• Presence

As Criado explains, "yoga practice is very effective in achieving these five benefits, which are the key for the others to have a real and authentic effect." As the expert continues, “the practice of yoga always has to develop in us a true attitude of equanimity; that is true yoga. The woman knows it and is aware of this repercussion. Her ability to achieve states of intimacy with herself facilitates and increases these effects in her”

• Improves circulation

• Boosts the immune system

• Regulates the endocrine system

• Improves the cardiovascular system

• regulates the nervous system

“Practicing yoga affects the body’s systems in a very beneficial way and leads to better health. In addition, yoga helps regulate and restore organic balance, which is essential for women due to their hormonal cycles”, says the expert, who lists five other benefits:

• improves breathing

• Improves physical endurance

• Improves physical and mental flexibility

• Alleviate the pain

• reduce stress

As Criado emphasizes, "for women they represent very therapeutic benefits." “It's true to say that, in general, women attend to myriad daily chores and obligations without a break,” she continues. “Relearning to breathe or prepare your bodies and minds to respond to current challenges, sometimes to pain at all levels, and to stress, is more important than ever. Yoga offers techniques and tools to be in one's own reality in a more serene and relaxed way”, she concludes.