3 Benefits of Alignment Based Yoga

3 The Benefits of Alignment-Based Yoga

As many of you know, Alex Howarth Yoga has evolved from a fitness based background. I started my career in the wellbeing industry as a Personal Trainer back in 2009, and I’ve always been passionate about helping people feel better in their body. It never mattered how fast or how heavy my clients went, it was always about moving well to promote longevity and feeling great.

This ethos continued as my career and passion shifted away from the gym floor and onto a yoga mat. 
Alignment is essentially the way your body moves, let’s assume we can all put an arm over our head, but how we move it into that space, and then how we hold it up there is different in every single person. 

The alignment comes in when we look at both the mechanics behind the movement and then holding the posture. 

Alignment-based yoga offers another approach to connecting with your body. Unlike many forms of exercise that focus solely on physical exertion, this style prioritises the body’s natural alignment, helping you tune into your unique needs and limitations. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced yogi, there is always more to learn, as every time you practice the physical side of yoga, your body will feel and move differently. 

Here are three powerful benefits of alignment-based yoga that make it a compelling choice for anyone looking to deepen their practice and feel better in their body.

Feel Changes in Your Body with Each Practice
One of the most rewarding aspects of alignment-based yoga is the ability to feel tangible changes in your body after each session. Unlike fast-paced practices that may emphasise speed and repetition, alignment-based yoga encourages practitioners to move intentionally and with mindfulness. This focus on alignment and form allows you to track small but significant changes as they happen: increased flexibility, improved strength within a pose, or perhaps a great sense of stability. When you engage in alignment-focused movements, you're activating muscles and areas that may otherwise be neglected. With each practice, you notice where you’re gaining strength or loosening up, building a stronger sense of connection with your body. This mindfulness not only enhances your practice but also encourages greater body awareness, making it easier to monitor and improve physical well-being over time.

Targeted Focus on Specific Areas of the Body
Another unique advantage of alignment-based yoga is its versatility in targeting specific areas of the body. Whether you want to stretch your hamstrings, open up your chest, or strengthen your core, alignment-based yoga offers techniques that let you focus on any area of your choosing. 
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In our alignment-based classes, I’m able to emphasise how different poses benefit particular areas, which enables you to create connection with more ease, but also discover the huge range available within every pose. Are we doing a rotation to help with opening the chest? Or the glutes? Are we using camel to strengthen the back of the body or open the shoulders? Sometimes it’s both, but with a focus you can adapt a pose, with my guidance to work on a more specific space.

Customised Practice to Suit Your Unique Body
One of the key tenets of alignment-based yoga is that each individual has a unique body, with its own range of mobility, strengths, and limitations. Unlike a one-size-fits-all approach, alignment-based yoga is adaptable, respecting that each body may need a different setup to achieve optimal alignment. This respect for your individual differences reduces the likelihood of injury and helps everyone safely explore their range of motion. I always encourage the use of props, such as blocks, straps, or bolsters, as they’re a powerful ally when it comes to finding what’s best for you. 

This approach also helps you listen to your body and avoid pushing beyond your personal limits. By aligning poses to your capabilities, alignment-based yoga helps you gain confidence and control over your body, letting you experience the benefits of each movement safely and sustainably.

In summary, alignment-based yoga not only strengthens the body but also nurtures a mindful, personalised practice. By paying close attention to alignment I can assist you in experiencing noticeable changes in your body, and help you focus on specific areas and nuances within a pose. I also constantly help you honour your body’s unique needs. 

Alex Howarth Yoga really does offer something for everyone, as the alignment approach to yoga fosters physical resilience and personal growth, making it an invaluable practice for anyone looking to improve their physical and mental well-being.

I can’t wait to see you on the mat soon. 

Love and Light 

Alex x