Yoga is seemingly absolutely everywhere in 2019 and there’s no escaping it here either (sorry).

Regular yoga, hot yoga, cat yoga and well… every type of yoga is smashing through the media and greeting us in every direction.

Whether you’re a yoga guru, new to the flexy-craft or just looking to see what it’s all about, there’s no escaping the key benefits that yoga has on the body - even if you don’t really fancy turning yourself into a pretzel on command.

So without any further delay, here’s 5 key benefits of yoga on the body:

1. Improved flexibility

The first and most obvious of the benefits is the improved flexibility that you’re expected to receive from the participation of yoga. Bending yourself into new positions and progressing overtime is a surefire way to get flexy - and get flexy you will.

Even if you can;t touch your toes during your first session, you’ll be doing a backbend in no time and all the aches and pains that you’ve built up over the years will seem to vanish. It’s no confidence either, with improved flexibility and mobility - your body can perform the way it’s supposed to. You can wave goodbye to that bad back.

2. Increased muscle strength

Yoga gets a bad rap when it comes to strength, but what you’ll quickly find when you put yourself in any yoga class is the difficulty that comes with some of the poses and positions.

A strong core is the first benefit, keeping you stable and protecting the body from potential strength related issues. Not only will your abs start to pop, but you’ll be able to perform more complex and difficult poses as you progress your yoga career.

3. Improved posture

Posture improvement is another key benefit that you’ll likely see when it comes to yoga and with increased strength and flexibility, you’ll be seeing a huge improvement in the way you hold your body.

With your muscles having to do less work to hold your head in place and keep everything aligned, expect posture compliments very soon after starting yoga.

4. Protect the spine

You might be surprised to hear that everytime you practice yoga, your joints are taken through their full range of motion - preventing degenerative arthritis and protecting the spine against wear and tear.

Joint cartilage is treated like a sponge and with the use of the cartilage that isn’t usually utilised in day-to-day life, the sponge can become dry. With yoga, an influx of fresh nutrients is seen, filling the sponge back up and restoring neglected areas of cartilage. Sounds good to us!

5. Clears your mental state

Yoga is particularly good for clearing the mental state of those undertaking the exercise. With focus on the holding of positions and the concentration on breathing, yoga can be recognised as a method of meditation. Perfect for those wanting to destress and focus on nothing but the body.

Perform stretching and holds and you’ll be in with a clearer outlook and better mental state to continue throughout your day.