12 May The Yin and Yang of Yoga and Fitness with VIBE Yoga, Health & Fitness in Waukesha
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Yoga and Fitness: Yin and Yang
Many people have a yoga routine and many have a fitness routine, but fewer people explore the benefits of having a combination of both practices. It may be fair to describe yoga and fitness as the two sides of a yinyang equation: two complementary energy forces that exist as inseparable and contradictory opposites, which can be described as feminine and masculine. In this analysis, yoga will be referred to as the yin (feminine nature) and fitness as the yang (masculine nature). Let’s explore the differences of these energy forces, and how they ultimately complement one another.
Yoga can be described as a mind/body practice that ultimately allows us to connect deeper within ourselves through breathing and movement, a feminine energy. A deeper connection allows us to witness our bodies and minds at work; it helps us to understand our bodies and how they move; and it challenges us to be patient with ourselves. The more a person can practice being “with” themselves—building inner awareness through body and mind—the more powerful they can be in their everyday life.
Fitness, as a practice, leads us to feeling stronger and more powerful, a masculine energy. Some experts define physical fitness as “one’s ability to execute daily activities with optimal performance, endurance and strength with the management of disease, fatigue and stress.”
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Yoga, Health and Fitness
Exercise takes care of the body; having a regular fitness routine of lifting weights and/or cardio is extremely beneficial in keeping the body and mind strong.
While yoga and fitness are opposites, they are also equal to one another—just like yinyang and the concept of feminine and masculine. The mixing of the two energies makes life possible. When life-force energy is appropriately balanced between yin and yang, it flows smoothly, maintaining and promoting a healthy physical, mental and emotional state. The same harmonious balance is aided when an individual partakes in a dedicated, well-rounded routine combining both yoga and fitness practices.
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Samantha Drum is the co-owner of VIBE Yoga Health Fitness, which offers a variety of both yoga and fitness classes to help its clients achieve the harmonious yinyang balance. VIBE is located at 180 Kossow Rd., Waukesha. See a listing of available classes at VIBEmke.com/classes or by downloading the MINDBODY app. For more information, email Info@VIBEmke.com or visit VIBEmke.com.
