Hatha Yoga Poses Chart
What Causes Yoga Injuries?
Our bodies are programmed to adapt to yoga and walking, by making constant “upgrades” to withstand stress and perform more efficiently. Regular and small increases in workload, followed by recovery periods, promote rebuilding and improved capacity. The factor that is most commonly neglected is rest, but it is crucial: It is during the recovery period that the rebuilding takes place.
But each of us has a few “weak links” that take on more stress when we work out. These are the areas that ache, hurt or don’t work correctly when we start a new activity, increase training, or don’t provide sufficient rest after a hard workout. In some cases, pain-killing hormones, such as endorphins, will mask the damage. Most commonly, exercisers go into denial, ignore the first signs of irritation and continue training until the stressed area breaks down.
To sustain progress and avoid injury, we simply need to follow a simple pattern: 1) A slight increase in training produces a minor breakdown of tissue. 2) If the after-workout rest period is sufficient, the muscles, tendons, cardiovascular system rebuild/restructure to handle a higher level of performance. 3) All body parts continue to adapt in structure, efficiency and performance when there is a balance between workout stress and rest.
yoga improvement continues if…
Hatha Yoga Poses Chart Photo Gallery
• we don’t push too far beyond current capabilities.
• we engage in regular workouts.
• we provide enough rest after the stressful sessions.
Be Sensitive to Your “Weak Links”
Most of the aches and pains experienced by my runners and walkers are located in their “weak link” areas the muscles, joints, tendons, etc. that take more stress due to our individual range of motion. The process starts during a normal workout when micro-tears develop, in muscles and tendons, due to the focused stress of continued movement/irritation of these key parts. The number of these tiny Yoga Injuries will increase on long or faster workouts, especially during the last third. But in most cases, the rest period after a workout will allow for healing of most or all of this damage.
There is often no sensation of pain during or immediately after the workout because the body has a number of pain-killing mechanisms (including endorphins) which will temporarily mask the symptoms. But when a critical mass of these broken fibers has accumulated in one area, you have produced more damage than the body can repair in 48 hours you have an injury.
