This is a question I hear a lot. As disciples of Tony Horton and dedicated P90X fans, we here at The Fit Club Network listen and learn from Tony. Tony refers to yoga as the “Fountain of Youth”. In fact, “Fountain of Youth” is the title of Disc 6 of the One-on-One with Tony Horton series. In this DVD Tony describes some of the benefits of a regular yoga practice. The purpose of this page is to provide you with more information about the benefits of yoga, some tips to assist your practice, and maybe even a few new moves to incorporate.
Click to watch a preview of “Fountain of Youth”
Our first exposure to yoga was with the Power 90 series. There is a brief bit of yoga used to warm the body up before the Sweat 1-2 and Sweat 3-4 sections. When Monica and I started P90X and started doing Yoga X, we were amazed by how difficult it was. I have to admit that I did not like the workout at first. It was long, exhausting, and frustrating. Over time, Yoga X has become my favorite exercise program. Yes, it is long (approx. 90 mins), and it is still exhausting; however, it is no longer frustrating. This is not because I have mastered each move. It is simply because I have gained an understanding of what yoga is all about and what Tony is trying to accomplish with the Yoga X DVD.
Yoga is about flexibility, but it also about strength. The difference between a typical strength workout and yoga, is that yoga builds mental strength in addition to physical strength. Yoga requires complete focus and a dedication to the moment. Our society has evolved into the nation of the multi-taskers. We text while we drive (not endorsed by The Fit Club Network), listen to music while we work, and watch TV while we exercise. Taking an hour and a half out of our busy lives to breath and hold difficult postures for several minutes is not something that comes naturally to most Americans.
I submit to you that the purpose of yoga is to build the mental strength to sit still. The payoff is increased flexibility and strength to be sure, but yoga also brings a sense of clarity and calm that other “traditional” forms of exercise simply cannot provide. We hope you have found this post helpful and will keep checking back regularly for more updates.
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