Someone around you has already spoke about yoga, you know someone who knows someone who does yoga and they feels so much better since they have started - the fact is, yoga is around you and this may be a sign for you to start. Maybe you simply don't know how to start and why yoga is so good for you. In this article today, I will give you 5 benefits of a consistent yoga practice and 5 tips on how to start it.
5 benefits of practicing yoga (postures, meditation...):
Improved Flexibility and Strength: Yoga poses are designed to stretch and strengthen the muscles, which can improve flexibility and mobility. With regular practice, you may find that you can move more freely and easily.
Stress Reduction: Yoga has been shown to reduce stress levels by calming the mind and reducing tension in the body. Breathing exercises, meditation, and mindful movement can all help to ease anxiety and promote relaxation.
Better Balance and Posture: Many yoga poses require balance, which can improve your overall stability and coordination. Practicing yoga can also help to correct poor posture habits, which can alleviate chronic pain and improve overall physical alignment. However, it does not dispense you from seeing a medical professional.
Increased Energy and Vitality: Yoga can help to increase energy levels and reduce feelings of fatigue. The practice of pranayama, or breathing exercises, can help to improve lung capacity and oxygen intake, which can improve overall vitality.
Improved Mental Clarity and Focus: Yoga requires concentration and focus, which can help to sharpen the mind and improve mental clarity. Regular practice has been shown to enhance cognitive function and memory retention, making it a great addition to any daily routine.
Does that not make you want to start? Name someone who doesn't want to feel better in their body and mind. Imagine how it would be to regain control of your life when sometimes, everything else goes out of control. That is what yoga helped me do. When I started yoga I was really nervous actually, almost scare to walk into a room. I had some preconceived ideas of what a yoga class would look like and felt I was going to be out of place or making a fool of myself. So I started online with Yoga with Adriene on YouTube and to be honest I didn't like it (Not Adriene's fault, I do like her classes now that I am more experienced). It wasn't until I tried a few classes with a few teachers that I started to like practicing. I think those first couple of classes were the ice breaker and now I love practicing both online and in person. I will give you my best 5 tips to start:
Find a teacher or class: Yoga is best learned from an experienced teacher who can guide you through the poses and offer modifications if needed. Look for a class that fits your schedule and level of experience. Whether you prefer online or in person that's up to you, but I feel like the live experience of following someone who is there to guide you made a difference (FOR ME) as opposed to pre-recorded classes. Some people do prefer pre-recorded classes in order to start on their own time.
Start with beginner-friendly poses: Many yoga classes will focus on basic poses that are accessible to beginners, such as downward-facing dog, warrior II, and child's pose. Start with these and gradually work your way up to more advanced poses. You may have good levels of fitness (even if you don't) but some yoga styles (including hatha) requires a different way of coordination and strength and some classes can be challenging so best to stick to beginners class if you are really new.
Listen to your body: Yoga should never be painful or uncomfortable. Pay attention to how your body feels in each pose and don't push yourself beyond your limits. If a pose doesn't feel right, ask your teacher for modifications or skip it altogether. Practicing will also help you to understand your body signals better and you will be able to make a difference between what feels good and what doesn't. It is a great tool to learn how to listen to your body, especially if you are not used to doing it or spend a lot of time in your head and thoughts.
Practice regularly: Rome wasn't built in one day. Consistency is key when it comes to yoga. Even just a few minutes a day can help build strength, flexibility, and mindfulness. Aim to practice at least three times a week. Whatever reason you may have to start yoga practice (all are valid), doing one session every 6 months is not going to help you in any way. If you do want to bring change in your life, building habits is the key and yoga is the same - if you are inconsistent you will not be able to experience the benefits of yoga and engage on this new journey of positive change 🤍
Don't compare yourself to others: Yoga is a personal practice and everyone's body is different. Don't worry about how you look compared to others in the class or how deep you can go into a pose. Focus on your own practice and enjoy the benefits that come with it. That is probably the best advice I could've given to myself to be honest. Although I don't really care so much about others' opinions of me, going through the door of a yoga studio was a very intimidating step for me. I felt the same when I went into my yoga teacher training, the fear of not being legitimate enough to be in that space I guess. BUT you are, you are allowed and welcome to any yoga class - I strive to create this safe space because I know how daunting it can feel to even begin. Message me if you want to chat about doing classes together, I would love to guide you
I hope this article helped. See you soon on the mat. Namaste.
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