Do you want to get
started with yoga but don't know where to begin your practice? Have you been
practicing for a short time and don't know how to choose your online yoga
classes? Or are you a yoga beginner and need guidance to continue your
practice? If you are looking for yoga for beginners, this article is for you.
This post will guide
you in your yoga practice at home, whether you are just starting or already a
yoga beginner.
If you have doubts
about one or the other, you can learn more about yoga levels.
Open your yoga mat,
put on comfortable clothes, and start now with your home practice safely.
In this post, I have
created a three-step proposal to respond precisely to this need to have an
accompaniment to start doing yoga at home for the first time.
And for those who have
been creating for a while, you will find in this article a beginner's guide
with different tips and tools to continue to maintain your practice at home.
My ambition is to
bring yoga to as many people as possible. Today more than ever, we need to
connect with our inner self not to get carried away by the mind, get moving to
awaken the energy and strengthen the body and, above all, breathe to mark a
pause in our particular day to day, at home.
What Is Yoga?
Perhaps before you
start your practice, you are wondering: But what exactly is yoga? Yoga is a
traditional discipline originating in India that connects body and mind through
breathing.
In Sanskrit, the word
yoga means "Union"; hence, yoga's practice uses our body's union with
our mind to achieve physical, mental, and spiritual harmony.
Benefits of Yoga
There are multiple
benefits of yoga. Many people are attracted to this ancient practice for its
physical contributions.
Still, it should be
noted that constant exercise will also make you feel great benefits on a mental
and spiritual level: reduces stress, helps us to live with awareness, improves
concentration ...
Types of Yoga
When you get to a
studio or dare to do an online class, you see different types of yoga and names
like Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Jivamukti, Anusara, Sivananda, YinYoga, Acroyoga
...
And there are several
styles of physical yoga, almost all variants of traditional Hatha yoga.
Indian masters created
some, and others by more recent Western teachers and teachers. Some are more
dynamic and physical (Kundalini, Jivamukti, Ashtanga...), others are calmer
(Hatha, Sivananda, Iyengar...) or passive (Yin, Nidra, Restorative...).
If you want to know more
about the different styles' characteristics, I leave you with this article on
yoga types.
I advise you to start
with Hatha Yoga as it is a type of yoga suitable for all ages. It is an
essential practice, soft, slow, and easily adaptable to beginners as the
postures are held long enough to get to know their details and adjust our body
to a correct alignment.
Tips for Yoga
Beginners
Yoga is a complete
practice in which we tone, stretch, breathe, meditate, heal and relax both body
and mind.
Before you start your
first class or classes as a beginner, I would like to share tips that can help
you feel more comfortable and connected with the practice.
In both your online
and in-person classes, choose a qualified teacher who transmits confidence,
security, good energy, and peace.
Make it easy, look for
a center close to your home or work, and if your schedule does not coincide,
try to practice online, and you will see how you can also connect.
Try different classes,
teachers, and schedules to see which ones suit you best.
You can practice in
the morning or the afternoon, depending on your routine and your biorhythms.
But it is better to fast or leave a margin of two hours since your last meal,
so you don't feel heavy.
Please wear
comfortable, breathable, and slightly stretchy clothing so that it adapts well
to your body and does not bother you in some asanas, and thus, you can better
observe how your body is aligned.
Consistency, regular
practice, and repetition of asanas will be critical in your learning. Do not
set yourself as an initial challenge to do acrobatic postures you see in the
networks. As I always tell you, it is essential to repeat the same classes to improve.
Practice calm and
aware of your breathing. Each inhalation and exhalation will mark each
posture's times and help us follow the movement's dynamics.
Do not get carried
away by beliefs or compare yourself with other people. If you are not very flexible,
you will acquire or recover that flexibility when you were children and lose
sedentary life.
If you are hyperlaxity, you will find support points that ensure your movements. If you are a runner or have an active sports practice, you will find very suitable asanas to stretch your muscles and not shorten them. You must explore to find yourself in your practice and observe your evolution.
Should I chant OM? The
mantra OM is a chant whose vibration helps us reconnect, be in the present
moment, and enter into the practice.
Don't look for
religious meaning; I use it more as a form of greeting like Namaste. If you
don't feel comfortable, don't sing it, but I invite you to try it and
experience it.
Yoga Asanas for
Beginners
As I mentioned at the
beginning of the article, it is advisable to start with hatha yoga.
Some of the basic
asanas that you can find in a Hatha Yoga class for beginners can be:
Cat-cow pose
(Viralasana): is a basic posture that serves primarily to warm up our spine.
Downward Dog Pose
(Adho Mukha Svanasana): This inverted V-shaped inversion opens the body completely.
Child's pose (Balasana): This is a posture of rest or recovery. That is why it is essential to always keep it in mind, especially in our beginnings, to go to it whenever we need a moment of pause.
Yoga Material to
Practice at Home
Whether you practice
online or in a center, I recommend that you have your yoga mat, which is more
hygienic.
There are many types
of mats, but I recommend a non-slip one so, besides serving as cushioning
support, you will prevent your hands and feet from slipping on it.
In this article, I
explain the various options. You will see how worth the investment because your
mat is the essential tool in your practice and will accompany you for a long
time.
Likewise, other basic
yoga materials can help you in your initiation to be more stable and aligned in
the different postures:
One or two yoga blocks
can help you explore the different asanas and feel more comfortable and aligned
in them.
A zafu cushion for
your meditations will allow you to raise your pelvis and hold yourself in the
meditation posture with a more upright spine and relaxed hips.
A yoga strap is an
accessory that can help people with little flexibility, although it is also
beneficial to get into advanced postures.
If you sweat a lot, you may be interested in a non-slip towel the mat's size, which you can then easily wash.