Yoga 101: Entering the World of Exercise and Calm

Yoga isn’t just for the eccentric movie stars, it’s actually been around for thousands of years and is designed to stretch the body, relax the mind and balance your entire being. Yoga has been given credit for helping people lose weight, reduce stress and generally feel better. If you’re curious about yoga, it’s advised that you contact a local beginner instructor and he or she can run through what the routines are.

Learning to breathe properly is the first step in yoga. You breathe through your nose and tummy and this will be your foundation. Always begin with a low stress five to ten minute stretching regiment. This will get you to the point where you can do some of the movements, without straining or spraining. The key is yoga is to not feel any pain. If it hurts, stop.

There are a number of positions that you will undertake, each one should involve breathing properly and holding the position. You need to be in the moment, so stop thinking about work or the drive home. The basic poses that your yoga instructor will show you are the down dog, table, cobra, cat, half locust and warrior. Everything else is built around these. Intensity in the beginning should not be your focus, you are just learning so take it slow. As you become more proficient, you can add a longer duration of time for each pose. Make sure you have a yoga pad as you will be on the floor as well as standing. The poses don’t require a lot of physical strength, just concentration. You only need to practice in the beginning around fifteen minutes per week, as you get better you can adjust to around ninety minutes. Always remember that breathing is what helps you to balance and concentrate. At the end of your session, take a moment to simply relax. Find a position that you are most comfortable with or listed to your instructor for a suggested relaxation. Calming music usually accompanies the yoga session and when you leave, you will feel like you spent a day at the spa.

Sources: http://www.lifescript.com/diet-fitness/workouts/yoga_basics/yoga_basics_intro.aspx

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.