Yoga loosens up large muscles, so they aren't stressing smaller muscles and bones resulting in injuries. It also loosens up joints and improves circulation, which is good for health. The procedure is to go through a contortion which stretches the large muscles causing them to loosen up. As the largest muscles loosen up, the force shifts to smaller muscles. If the position is held too long, a small muscle could get injured. So when muscles are real stiff, a position should only be held for a few seconds. Under these conditions, you should feel your way through the exercise. Instead of trying for perfect form, you just bend enough to add some force to the largest muscles. Then you shift weight a little moving the force around to different muscles. After that, return to a resting position for a few seconds. Yoga is a complete science of life that originated in India many thousands of years ago. It is the oldest system of personal development in the world encompassing the entire body, mind and spirit. It is the union between a person's own consciousness and the universal consciousness. The Ancient Yogis had a profound understanding of man's essential nature and of what he needs to live in harmony with himself and his environment. They perceived the physical body as a vehicle, with the mind as driver, the soul as man's true identity, and action, emotion and intelligence as the three forces which pull the body-vehicle. In order for these to be integrated, these three forces must be in balance. Taking into account the interrelationship between body and mind, the Yogis formulated a unique method for maintaining this balance - a method that combines all the movements you need for physical health with the Breathing and Meditation techniques that ensure peace of mind. Yoga may seem like the fabled elixir of life - a cure-all solution to man's daily problems and concerns such as illness. But actually, the benefits that Yogis or Yoga practitioners have been experiencing for thousands of years are only being gradually proven by medical science now. The classical techniques of Yoga date back more than 5,000 years. In ancient times, the desire for greater personal freedom, Health and long life, and heightened self-understanding gave birth to this system of physical and mental exercise which has since spread throughout the world. The word Yoga means "to join or yoke together," and it brings the body and mind together into one harmonious experience. Yoga, an ancient science, can help Women cope with health issues and help them develop the state of their body and mind. It can help alleviate the pain that goes with Menstruation, manage stress, and ensure an easier delivery among other benefits. Yoga poses are also designed to tone and exercise the muscles of the body to eliminate excess fat, and make it more flexible and stronger.