Tips for Yoga Beginners

If you’re just starting a Yoga practice then you probably haven’t had time to figure out some of the tips and tricks that will make it easier to get started with a regular Yoga practice. These 5 tips from experienced Yoga practitioners will help you as you start your own regular Yoga practice:

1. Buy a good mat – Your Yoga mat will help protect your joints and will also be an important part of your yoga practice. Don’t buy a poor quality mat just because it’s inexpensive. When you are sure that you are going to start doing Yoga on a regular basis then it’s time to invest in a high quality mat. It’s a better value to buy a high quality mat that will last than to buy something cheap that will need to be replaced quickly.

2. Wear clothing designed for Yoga – When you’re doing Yoga you’ll be moving in ways that can put a lot of stress on clothing. You need to have clothing that is loose enough to be comfortable but tight enough to not get in the way of your movement. You also need to wear clothing that will stand up to a lot of movement and stretching. Resist the urge to buy normal gym clothes and buy some clothes that are specifically designed for Yoga.

3. Practice at home – Even if you’re taking a class at a Yoga studio you should set aside some time to practice your Yoga at home until you get the hang of the poses. Practicing at home will also help you increase your flexibility and agility.

4. Compare Yoga studios before you commit – There are lots of Yoga studios and holistic centers that offer Yoga classes. Before you commit to one particular studio you should attend classes at three or four different places so that you can compare the prices, the class sizes, and the teaching styles to which one is the best for you.

5. Give it time – It might take some time before you are as flexible as some of the other people in the class. It also might take some time for you learn the poses and the meditations. Don’t give up. There’s always a learning curve when you’re learning something new and the other people in the class and the teacher won’t expect you to be to be perfect from the start. Join a beginner’s Yoga class at first so that you will be other people who are also just learning.
By Jay

Yoga breathing will induce relaxation of mind and body

A really positive benefit that you will discover soon after starting your yoga practice, that you will learn properly. Yes, you will start breathing in such a way as to bring an instant calmness and total relaxation into your life. As long as you are receiving good instruction, or following an accurate guide, the better you will get at this which will further enhance the quality of your life. Furthermore, if you find yourself in stressful situations, you will be better able to cope and remain calm thanks to your yoga training.

A really common fear or phobia that people suffer with is having to speak in public to an audience. Many of the public speaking courses include components on relaxation techniques. These are incorporated into the course as they are considered vital techniques to either eliminate or control panic, which is a common reaction when people address strangers in public situations. People who perform yoga breathing exercises on a regular basis are found to be a lot calmer as individuals, they seem better able to control these stressful situations better than those who are untrained in these or any other techniques.

If you remain calm and in control of your breathing, the fear of public speaking will subside and the apparent enormity of the situation will seem to be in perspective, making the situation easier to accept and control. By simply breathing correctly you will notice a feeling of calm that will enable a person to complete a public speaking engagement; or any other stressful situation for that matter.

Yoga has also benefited many professional sports men and women by allowing them to perform at, and sometimes beyond, their best by eliminating the tension and anxiety that they feel pre-event. In all sports events optimum performance demands that the muscles and breathing of competitors remain as relaxed as possible at all times to allow for maximum performances. Yoga is the vehicle to allow you to achieve that optimum yet relaxed state of mind and body. Other yoga stretching techniques train the body to become more flexible, which is an additional benefit to athletes as a supple body will pick up fewer injuries.

Correct Yoga breathing exercises will imbibe a relaxed, focused individual who will remain calm under pressure and un-phased in the face of adversity.

Source:
Michael J McKay