Welcome to Fit2Burst, Claire is an extensively qualified Personal Trainer, Sports Aromatherapy and Pregnancy Massage Therapist, Hatha Yoga, and Pilates instructor. 

How many days a week should you do Hatha Yoga? 

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• Hatha Yoga is amazing even if you only practice for one hour a week, you will experience the benefits of the practice. If you can do more than that, you will certainly experience more benefits. I suggest starting with 2 or 3 times week, for an hour or and hour and a half each time. 

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What are the health benefits of Hatha Yoga? 

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• Increased flexibility.

• increased muscle strength and tone.

• Improved respiration, energy and vitality.

• Maintaining a balanced metabolism.

• Weight reduction.

• Cardio and circulatory health.

• Improved athletic performance. 

• Protection from injury. 

• Lower blood pressure.

• Lower heart rate.

• Reduce Stress.

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Is Hatha Yoga a good way to lose weight? 

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• Most individuals need to change both their energy intake and their energy expenditure to lose weight. Many Hatha Yoga practises burn fewer calories than traditional exercise, however, Hatha Yoga can increase one's mindfulness and the way one relates to their body. Even if you add a significantly intense Hatha Yoga class 3 or 4 times per week, you'll likely have to trim your food intake as well to lose weight. It takes deficit of 3500 calories to lose a pound, meaning to drop 1 pound in a week, you need to maintain a 500 calorie deficit per day. 

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Is Hatha Yoga or pilates better for you? 

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• One of the main differences between Hatha Yoga and Pilates is that  Hatha Yoga can be used for improving the flexibility of the body and it will also gradually increase the flexibility of your joints. Where as Pilates focuses on trying to relax muscles which are tense and provide strengthening of the numerous muscles of the body. 

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Is Hatha Yoga good for your mental health like depression? 

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• There is a growing body of research to back up Hatha Yoga mental health benefits. Hatha Yoga increase body awareness, relieves stress, reduces muscle tension, strain, and inflammation, sharpens attention, concentration, calms the mind and centres the nervous system. Hatha Yoga can be a powerful practise for depression or anxiety, and a key component of this is the breath. The breathing used in Hatha Yoga, such as Ujjayi, can help calm our stress response system and contribute to a state of calm. The result is a mind and body connection that can have far reaching effects.

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Can you do Hatha Yoga everyday? 

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• VIVA Variety... what ever you Hatha Yoga asana practice is, don't get sucked into thinking that it is ideal to do it everyday. Include walking, running or lift some weights. If you absolutely believe that you must practice everyday then at least you make sure you are not doing the exact same poses everyday. 

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How long are you supposed to do Hatha Yoga?

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• If you can, practice 2-3 times week at least. Try to do an hour or and hour and a half when you can. However, don't let unrealistic expectations stop you fro practising 20 minutes or even 10 minutes. 

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Why is it good to do Hatha Yoga? 

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• Hatha Yoga poses stretches your muscles and increases your range of motion and even though Hatha Yoga is not aerobic, some research finds it can be just as good as aerobic exercise for improving health.It takes a lot of strength to hold your body in a balanced pose. 

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Is Hatha Yoga good for curing anxiety and panic attacks? 

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• Available reviews of a wide range of Hatha Yoga practices suggest they can reduce the impact of exaggerated stress responses and maybe helpful for both anxiety and depression. In this respect, Hatha Yoga functions like other self soothing techniques, such as meditation, relaxation, exercise, or even socialising with friends. Hatha Yoga postures, known as asanas help ease the physical discomfort that is caused by anxiety, Hatha Yoga not only helps in easing the physical, but it can also help with anxious thoughts. Negative thinking patterns and frequent worries are common for those diagnosed with panic disorder. 

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Can Hatha Yoga help you lose belly fat? 

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• A regular Hatha Yoga can play a role in helping achieve your long awaited 6 pack. It can help you lose weight and tone from head to toe, including your abdominal area. Hatha Yoga boosts weight loss in a more holistic way than you might think. Certain Hatha Yoga poses can directly target your abdominal muscles in a much more functional and efficient way than any amount of crunches.

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How long is the average Hatha Yoga class? 

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• Theres very few regulations when it comes to Hatha Yoga, and that includes the amount of time you spend practising each session. A standard class is usually 1 hour with some practices lasting 1.5 hours or longer.  

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Is Hatha Yoga good for back pain? 

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• While Hatha Yoga isn't a good idea if you have severe back pain, those with occasional soreness or chronic aches may greatly benefit from certain postures that can help lengthen your spine, stretch and strengthen your muscles and return your back to its proper alignment.