A Little Yoga Goes A Long Way

Yoga…you know it’s good for you, but do you skip it because you’re crunched for time? A group of researchers out of Hungary recently conducted a study using weekly beginner-level Hatha yoga sessions on university students (N = 82) (yoga group N = 49, control group N = 33). The sessions were 90 minutes in duration for 10 weeks. Researchers investigated various health measures such as BMI, body composition, resting heart rate, heart rate variability, along with performance measures including balance, flexibility and core strength. What the researchers found was the health measures did not change, however a significant interaction surfaced for balance and flexibility in the yoga group. Additionally, core strength improved significantly (p <0.001) in the experimental group (Csala, Szemerszky, Kormendi, Koteles, & Boros, 2021).  

Training once per week at anything may seem like it’s not worth the effort, however this study is a good example of the benefits with even a small dose. Balance, flexibility and core strength are facets of fitness that are the foundation of healthy participation no matter what level athlete you are. Focus on what you can do and reap the healthy benefits!