Exercise and breathing technique

Vyayamam Sthairyakaranam agryam |

The best remedy to maintain the stability (of body and mind) is exercise.

We commonly see, such statement can easily be extrapolated and enthusiasts many times go overboard.

As we know, exercise has been part of human civilization for ages. It comes with a specific dogma and rules that are mentioned for the benefit of our health. Looking at the common lifestyle and exercise pattern of most of us in this modern era, it gives me a strong reason to write about it. Ayurveda understands exercise thoroughly and strongly believes that regular and suitable form of exercise is conducive to good health. Nonetheless, if done in wrong manner it can have harmful effects.

Ayurveda very well understands our lifestyle including physical activities and diet in respect to their effects on our health. The physical acts and diet can be planned in such a way that it will be beneficial for our health.  In other words, each act can be understood as a prescription or proscription.

In relation with exercise, Ayurveda specifically advocates certain important points –

• Exercise is the physical activity that should help strengthen the body and the mind.
• In any form of exercise, a proper breathing pattern proves to be a key factor for maintaining good health.
• Ayurveda understands that exercise is of two kinds – Shakha Vyayam & Koshtha Vyayam – Shakha Vyayam is the exercise that is mainly acts on the musculature and koshtha vyayam mainly acts on visceral organs and body physiology by maintaining Vayu.
• Yogic postures, Pranayam (the exercise of breath) are considered as koshtha Pranayam and on the other hand, gym workout, athletics, marathon, sports are considered under shakha vyayam
• According to Ayurveda, koshtha vyayam has an edge over the shakha vyayam, as they are beneficial in regulating body physiology and reversing pathology in many conditions.
• For any pathology, Vayu or Prana or Vata is a crucial player that lets manifest a disease involving other factors including bodily constituents. Koshtha Vyayam is the kind of exercise and helps regulate the Prana (or Vayu or Vata) which is the root cause for most of the pathological events. That is the reason why Yoga proves to be beneficial in most of the diseases when done in a proper manner.
• Irrespective of type of exercise, breathing technique is very important.