With new exercise trends and relaxation techniques coming out ona seemingly weekly basis, Bob Hughes is sticking with an oldie butgoodie yoga.
Archaeological finds in the Indus Valley of Southern Asia haveyielded stone seals depicting figures using yoga poses that dateback to 3000 B.C.
What was initially a Hindu discipline of physical and mentaltechniques has now spread around the world.
There are different variations of yoga, but Hatha Yoga, the yogaof postures, is the most familiar.
Hughes has been teaching yoga since 1975 and has taught the Yogaand Relaxation class at The University of Memphis since 1996.
With the dim lighting and prone positions, yoga almost seemsmore akin to sleep than relaxation, but the benefits of yoga arereal, Hughes said.
Yoga releases tension in the body, reduces stress, relievesheadaches and premenstrual syndrome and can help cure insomnia, hesaid.
The ancient techniques also relax heart and respiratory rates,which can reduce blood pressure. In addition, yoga practice canhelp someone quit smoking cigarettes, marijuana or drinkingalcohol, said Hughes.
Hughes said students in his class generally report higher testscores, a result of increased concentration levels.
Yoga unknots muscles as it stretches and tones them. It not onlyworks on the body's frame, but also on nerves, organs and glands.Each pose focuses on a different part of the body, and Hughes saidit's a complete body and mental massage.
However, people experience many different benefits by practicingyoga.
A bonus of flexibility and stretching can even affect students'sex lives. Hughes quotes to his class a message from a formerstudent who wished to stay anonymous, "My sex life is the bomb. Whoknew that a person could flex so many nice ways? My husband callsme flex-all. I love it."
As a side note, Hughes qualifies, "Yes, yoga does help with yoursex life, not so much libido as in flexibility and joints andmuscles don't tire as easily."
However, people experience many different benefits by practicingyoga.
Murriel Lester, a first time student of yoga, said she'd heardabout the benefits of yoga and wanted to experience it for herself.She said she thought taking the course would increase her balancefor jogging. Her discipline has improved and, she said, yoga givesher a spiritual connection, as well as a "separation of spirit andbody."
"It prepares you for life's surprises," she said.
Sam Sehnert is a veteran of Hughes's classes and is now takinghis third class. He said construction work gave him back problems,and the only thing that alleviates the pain is yoga.
Sehnert, who has attention deficit disorder, said the classeshelp him stay calm and focused. In addition, he said he no longerhas a hard time controlling his temper.
"It's definitely good (for your) mental health," he said."You're more sane the more you come in here."
