Some people learn best kinesthetically. For these students, adding yoga poses to your study sessions is a great way to build your health and your mind. Even if you don’t learn kinesthetically, it’s still a great way to increase the effectiveness of your college study sessions and get in a good workout.
Reasons to Include Yoga Sessions
Unlike other exercises that help you maintain a healthy lifestyle, yoga is a slow form of exercise that requires you to hold positions for an extended period of time. Each paragraph you read, or page you finish could be a chance to change to a new yoga pose. At the end of the semester, you’ll be acing your exams, and have plenty of energy to perform at your best.
Focus on Beginning Poses
Yoga is all about practice. The more your practice, the easier the poses will become. Start out with basic forms, and by the end of the semester, you’ll be twisting yourself into a pretzel with ease. Mountain Pose, Downward Dog, Warrior, and Tree Pose are all perfect positions for studying. You can alternate between these positions and combine your exercise and study routine without needing a break.
Set up Your Study Space
You will work more effectively by setting up your study space in an organized way. Use music stands or crates to hold your books directly in your line of sight, and pace different study materials at the right vantage point for different positions. This is especially great practice for students getting a masters in organizational development, since setting up the right conditions for your yoga/study sessions will greatly improve your ability to plan and organize no matter what your area of study/
Bring Your Friends Along
Get coordinated and enlist your friends and classmates to help with study sessions. Many of these sessions are ideal for learning, and you can ask each other questions about the material while holding poses. Talking during sessions also ensures you aren’t overextending yourself, and you can build closer relationships with your friends by exercising and studying together.
Study Without Books
If you prefer to avoid reading during your study sessions, set a few goals for each practice. Prep yourself before each session, and plan to memorize specific facts for each pose. Write these facts on a card, and switch them out between each pose. As you learn one fact, move on to the next and pose. This can really help with memorization and once you’re taking the test, you can just think of a pose and correlate it with the right material.
Yoga is a great way to clear the mind and deal with stress. When you’re exercising daily, you can improve your ability to respond well in stressful testing situations. Use this exercise to help improve your study habits and memorization. In no time, you’ll be acing every test.