Yoga as exercise or alternative medicine is a modern phenomenon which has been influenced by the ancient Indian practice of Yoga. It involves holding stretches as a kind of low-impact physical exercise, and is often used for therapeutic purposes. Yoga in this sense often occurs in a class and may involve meditation, imagery, breath work and music.

Both the meditative and the exercise components of yoga have been researched for both specific and non-specific health benefits. Yoga has been studied as an intervention for many conditions, including back pain, stress, and depression. In general, it can help improve quality of life, but does not treat disease.

Additional benefits of yoga include the following:

1. Lowers stress and improves mood
2. Boosts confidence
3. Lowers the risk of exercise injury
4. Increases flexibility 
5. Improves muscle tone and strength
6. Improves posture

Contact Agape Therapy’s wellness specialist, Sarah Paustian, at spaustian@agapetherapy.com or 319-277-3166 if interested in taking yoga in the Cedar Valley.

Functional Movement Screen

FMS is an acronym for the Functional Movement Screen, which is a ranking and grading system that documents movement patterns and helps with normal function. Functional limitations and asymmetries are identified through these screening patterns, and these issues may decrease the effects of functional training or physical conditioning and alter body awareness. A score is generated from this screening, which helps to identify problems and track progress while helping to restore proper movement patterns.

The FMS simplifies the concept of movement and its impact on the body. Its system benefits everyone involved - individuals, exercise professionals, and physicians. Simple language is utilized, making it easy for individuals, exercise professionals, and physicians to communicate clearly about progress and treatment. The screen effortlessly identifies asymmetries and limitations, which diminishes the need for extensive testing and analysis. Standardization is a high priority as the FMS creates a functional baseline to mark progress and provides a means to measure performance. The FMS also quickly identifies dangerous movement patterns so that they can be addressed. It also indicates an individual’s readiness to perform exercise so that realistic goals can be set and achieved. Applied at any fitness level, simple corrective strategies of a wide array of movement issues are used to help individuals perform specific exercises based on their scores.