Doing yoga can have both physical and mental benefits. Positions such as the cat-cow pose can help with back pain by stretching the neck, shoulders and spine. Tree pose can help balance and strength through stretching the inner thigh, opening hips and using the core. Downward dog can help heart health by improving circulation, according to hopkinsmedicine.org.

“It gives me time to let my brain focus on something other than work and stress and those kinds of things,” visual arts teacher Julie Short said. “I also enjoy the physical benefits like flexibility, there’s some muscle strengthening in there too. But for me, it’s maybe more about flexibility at this point in my life, with a baby on the way, being able to move my muscles in a way that feels comfortable and helpful.”

Yoga can help with self awareness, being in the moment, weight loss and mindfulness. Other benefits include better concentration, a positive outlook on life and less stress, according to health.harvard.edu and osteopathic.org.

Additionally, athletes benefit from yoga. Athletes such as Lebron James, Shaquile O’Neal and Tom Brady do yoga. They do this to increase endurance, decrease stress and help with injury recovery, according to bodybyyoga.training.

Places in the area where one can go to practice yoga are Club Fitness, Lifepoint Fitness and CrossFit. Beginners should start with poses like downward facing dog, mountain pose and half-forward bend. Starting with these eases the body into stretching in new ways, preventing injury from jumping into yoga too quickly, according to verywellfit.com.