Yoga and fitness for everyone's wellbeing

For centuries Yoga has been used to promote physical, mental and spiritual health and wellbeing, and in the modern age it's become a widely-practiced fitness activity for young and old alike.

The aim of Yoga is to create balance in the body through the development of strength and flexibility. It involves the performance of poses, or asanas, in sequence and focuses heavily on breathing techniques.

One of the great things about Yoga is that anyone can do it. Even if you don't feel you're particularly flexible, this will improve over time. You can also make it as easy or as strenuous as you like, depending on your aims.

For example, if relaxation and meditation are what you're after, then slow, low-impact workouts are ideal. But if you're looking to improve your fitness levels, you can choose a more demanding style of Yoga that will work various muscles and provide an aerobic workout as well.

Whether you're new to Yoga, or you've been practicing it for many years, the success of your workouts will be greatly enhanced if you have the right Yoga and fitness kit.

At Fushi Wellbeing we offer a range of eco-friendly Yoga mats, towels, bags and other accessories to help you make the most of your Yoga sessions, whatever level you're at.

Benefits of Yoga

Yoga has a number of physical and mental benefits that go beyond strength and flexibility. It can also tone your muscles, giving your body a more sculpted appearance.

If you suffer from back pain, practicing Yoga and fitness has been shown to ease the symptoms, and because it improves your posture, it can help to prevent musculoskeletal problems from developing in the future.

When you carry out Yoga activities, your brain is often focused on what your body is doing and how you're breathing, which can aid concentration and quieten the mind.

As a result, Yoga can be a great stress buster and a wonderful antidote to the strains of everyday life.

Yoga can also be beneficial in pregnancy, if performed correctly according to your doctor's instructions. Certain disciplines are great for maintaining flexibility and breathing exercises can help to prepare you for labour.

Types of Yoga

There are several types of Yoga and it may take some experimenting to find out what works for you. Some disciplines provide a more intense physical workout, while others are designed to calm the mind and focus the body's energy.

Hatha is a great form of Yoga for beginners, as it is slow and gentle, and typically requires lots of breathing work, which is essential as you progress into more advanced exercises.

Vinyasa Yoga tends to work at a faster pace and brings together some more challenging movements and stretches, making it ideal for those looking to move up a level.

Ashtanga Yoga, which is often referred to as Power Yoga, is one of the most physically demanding disciplines and involves constant movement from one pose to the next.

Another form of Yoga that's becoming increasingly popular is Bikram, which is performed in a heated room to encourage sweating. If you can take the heat, it's actually well suited to beginners, as it only includes 26 poses.

Getting started

Deciding which type of Yoga you'd like to practice is the first step, and after that you'll need to either book into a Yoga class or grab yourself some workout DVDs to try at home.

As well as comfortable clothing like leggings and a supportive vest, you'll also need some basic Yoga equipment like a mat and a bag to carry and store it in. At Fushi Wellbeing, we offer a wide range of Yoga mats that provide a non-slip surface, helping to improve your poses.

Our Manduka mats offer fantastic grip and are incredibly lightweight, making them highly portable. What's more, they're also made from biodegradable materials, so will fit in perfectly with your eco-friendly lifestyle.

Our Pranamat acupressure Yoga mats feature tiny lotus-shaped spikes that stimulate the body's active nerve centres and encourage blood flow, boosting energy and helping to relieve aches and pains.

We also offer a range of bags to keep all your Yoga accessories in one place, so you can take your kit to work ready for a lunchtime class or to the gym on a Sunday morning.

Yoga and fitness products from Fushi Wellbeing

In addition to our mats and bags, we also offer a range of Yoga and fitness accessories such as straps and blocks for extra stability and balance during your workouts.

Our Manduka cork blocks are made from cork oak bark, which is completely renewable and provides better firmness than a standard foam block.

Yoga straps can be a useful tool for beginners, as they help you maintain your poses as you become more flexible. Fushi's Manduka cotton straps are strong and easy to use, providing you with the extra reach you sometimes need.

A good towel is also an essential item in your Yoga and fitness kit, and our Manduka eQua microfiber towels are ideal, as they're super absorbent and quick drying, eliminating the need for large fitness towels that wear out easily.

If you're trying Yoga for the first time, or you've recently become a fan and you're looking for top quality Yoga products to enhance your workouts, the try Fushi Wellbeing's Yoga and fitness range.

We also offer a wide selection of body care products, as well as vitamins, herbal teas and health and beauty oils to help you take care of your mind, body and soul.

For more information about our yoga and fitness products, contact us online or follow us on Facebook.