YOGA & PHYSICAL EDUCATION

The aim of Yoga is the integration of personality at all possible levels. Objective of Physical Education is to attain good health and physical fitness. Hatha Yoga is a branch of Yoga which emphasises on cultivation of a suitable vehicle of body and mind for attaining the higher goals of yoga.
Yoga= Education
Hatha Yoga = Physical Education
Both are emphasied in Physical activities.But we can't neglect the Psychological aspects. The mind-body relationship has been accepted on all hands. When we tackle the body the mental aspect is also tackled though indirectly. Thus physical aspect forms a basis for comparison of the two fields, Hatha Yoga on one hand and Physical Education on the other. There is a close correspondence between the two.
In India , the yogic exercises form a part of the Physical Education curriculum; they have not yet found the place in the field of Physical Education in western countries. The common objectives of yoga and Physical Education may be mentioned as
(1) Yoga for the prevention of sports injuries- Every sport involves vigorous movements. all vigorous acivities shorten muscles and make them more susceptible to pulls and strains. the more the person engages in vigorous exercises,the morehe needs to stretch. In sports like running, the muscles most commonly injured by strains of Hamstrings and calf muscles.Athletes completing in running sports should regularly practise stretching. Athletes engaged in running should perform at least four asanas to prevent injuries and these are Padahastasana, Paschimothanasana,Ugrasana and Halasana.
(2) Yoga for the cure of sports injuries- They can cure muscle spasms. The stretching procedures of Hatha Yoga is helpful in certain conditions of muscles due to injuries in sports. The neuro muscular coordination seems to be better influenced through yogic exercises.