A Beginner's Guide To Yoga
Perhaps you have dabbled in yoga before, know a few poses, desire to increase your flexibility and mobility, or feel that beginning a practice would compliment your current fitness routine. Whatever your motivation may be for beginning or maintaining a yoga practice, it is something that can truly benefit everyone. But beginning doesn’t have to be overwhelming. This article will outline the benefits of a yoga practice and how best to begin one.
Introduction to Yoga
A common misconception about yoga is that it only involves poses. In actuality, that is only one-eighth of what yoga is. There are eight limbs of yoga total, with only one referring to physical postures. Minimally, a beginner should be motivated to start a yoga practice because it is essential that we take care of ourselves and our health, and yoga is another means of accomplishing that. However, there is a whole host of short and long-term benefits as well.
Short and Long-Term Benefits
Within a matter of weeks after starting a yoga routine, you will gain flexibility. After a few months of partaking in a steady yoga routine, you will continue to gain mobility and build strength, especially in your core. Even though some may not see benefits from yoga until after three months, most people experience benefits well before then. The key is to focus on how your body feels, rather than how your poses appear. One of the biggest takeaways (and an aspect of yoga that keeps many coming back) is allowing your body to rest and meditate at the end of your practice, which ultimately helps your mind relax more deeply on and off the mat. There is no limit to the long-term benefits of having a consistent yoga practice. Here’s how to get started.
Beginning a Practice
At Movement Revolution, we are lucky enough to have in-house yoga expert Shay Alexander to help guide us through beginning a yoga practice. Her core belief is that physical and meditative practices should be of equal importance, but if someone finds yoga for other reasons, they should absolutely follow that instinct.
Shay’s recommendation for beginners is to learn some version of a sun salutation. Shay says of these staple movements, “This is a few poses strung together as a means to help warm up the body while also moving to the rhythm of your breathing.” While she credits the importance of physical postures in yoga, she asserts that Prana, or breath, is just as crucial. It is when Prana and sun salutations are effectively linked that a yoga practice truly begins to come to fruition. In this way, Shay explains, you become more in tune with your body and its needs. When one becomes more in tune with their body’s needs, they tend to develop a unique set of movements which serve to be in line with the body’s natural rhythm. These movements are fluid and can change moment to moment.
Starting Small
When beginning a new yoga practice, it is paramount to start small with the basic building blocks, so as not to overwhelm yourself. Find 5-10 minutes during the day where you can be alone. Eliminate all distractions and sit comfortably with your body as you take a deep breath in and a deep breath out. Clear your mind of the chatter that threatens to pull you away from that moment. Begin to feel how your mind quiets, honing in on your breath. Proceed in this fashion for the duration of the time you’ve blocked out. Once you’ve mastered your breathing, you may begin to introduce more poses. Vinyāsa is a practice that involves flowing with your body and breathing naturally, while working to feel present in the moment. Once you feel comfortable with a 5-10 minute routine, slowly begin to increase your time as you feel ready for it.
If you are looking to expand your practice and truly learn from another, nothing beats going to your local yoga studio and learning from a live teacher. There are as many styles as there are poses. As Shay posits, it is more than worth experimenting to find a practice that speaks to and works for you. Many studios offer free or discounted trial weeks.
Why yoga?
Yoga is the ultimate form of self-care. We have the power to make choices for our health. We also have the opportunity to decide for ourselves what that looks like. Yoga is unique in the sense that it engages the body and mind equally. Additionally, it facilitates rest, calmness and peace (which is something all of us could likely use a little more of). In Shay’s powerful words, “We go to the gym because we need to work our bodies out. We do yoga to work our bodies in.”
This article was written by our very own Megan Carter.