Should I do Pranayama before or after workout?

Pranayama before or after workout: It is always a good idea to do Pranayama before workout because it helps to calm the breath and increase focus, which in turn promotes a more focused workout. There are several good reasons why you should place pranayama at the end of a yoga session. If you do them right, pranayama takes your yoga practice to another level. Pranayama should be done before workout and after pranayama we should meditate. There is no fix rule but doing after workout will make you and your muscles calm.

Pranayama is the word for controlled breathing. “Pran” literally means life and “Ayam” means rule. Hence a samas/ regulatory combination of both these words becomes Pranayama. Pranayama is much older than the physical exercises that make up contemporary physical yoga. In the old Sanskrit texts on hatha yoga the “asana” or seat was initially the pose you sat in to practice meditation and breathing exercises.

Here are the 5 best pranayama exercises:

• Bhastrika Pranayama or Breath Of Fire
• Kumbhaka Pranayama or Breath Retention
• Simhasana or Lion’s Breath
• Mrigi Mudra Pranayama or Deer Seal Breathing
• Kapalabhati Pranayama or Skull Shining

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