“Yoga is 99% practice and 1% theory”
Once in a while many of us come across the idea of practicing yoga but just couldn’t begin with
it of all the many reasons. Some think that yoga is not their cup of coffee others might feel that
they are too inflexible for the poses or too old to join yoga class.
Whatever your reason might be always remember yoga is for every age and every body type. So
let the myth go away and if determined for a healthy mind and body enroll yourself for yoga
session.
There are some important things that you as a new yogi must know before hitting the mat. So
here is a list of things you beginners need to check before you don your yoga pants –
1. How and where to practice Yoga- You can perform Yoga anywhere and anytime, with
yoga props (need mats and the stretchy gear). While you can do Yoga, easily, at the
comfort of your home, there are yoga studios that conduct sessions which may involve
equipment like straps, belts, and blocks. So, it is up for you to decide how you want to
start with the Yoga practice. With virtual yoga becoming a thing today, one can simply
log in and follow various yoga experts who run videos series on YouTube and Instagram.
2. How often to practice Yoga – The purpose of yoga is not same as the purpose to join a
gym. Yoga provides calmness, strength, flexibility, and balance to your body. While you
may not have to dedicate an hour to yoga every day, but a three- four hours per work
works well for anyone who is starting with their Yoga practice.
3. Don’t even think about starting with pretzel poses from the very start- Yes, yoga is
all about being flexible and bendy, but that doesn’t imply to over exert and hurt your
muscles in doing advanced poses or asanas (arm balancing, inversions and backbends)
right from the start. As a beginner, one must begin from simple ones and gradually
move to higher levels. This is not a competition, this is Yoga !
4. Yoga is not just about exercising and body movement – Yoga as the world knows is a way of life. It is far more complicated than half an hour on the mat every day. While the essence of Yoga is in the practice, one must also try and understand the purpose behind it. Cultivating a regular practice will have a positive impact on your body, your lifestyle and overall outlook on life.
5. Which Yoga poses to begin with? – This is again connected to how one should approach practicing yoga. While starting directly with complex pretzel poses can make you fatigued, one can choose from a variety of simple asanas. In the end, it all depends on what your body is capable of and comfortable. Listen to your body, is the first basic rule to practice Yoga! It is necessary to start with fundamental poses first. Some of these can include the Mountain, Warrior, Plank, Chair, Lunge, Dog, Lifts and folds, Locust pose and many more.
6. Follow your teacher: Your yoga trainer eventually gets to know your body movement and alignment better than you. Therefore have faith in your Guru and religiously work on his/her advises.
7. Be flexible with the basics: Once you join in as a new yogi your instructor will first train you with the foundational poses of yoga. As a beginner you should be familiar and comfortable with poses like: child pose, mountain pose, downward dog pose, baby cobra pose, corpse pose, plank pose etc.
8. Mind your breath: Yoga is solely linked with your breath. If you learn the skill of focusing on your breath while practicing any basic or complicated posture you simultaneously establish a connection with your body and mind. The breathing exercise (Pranayama) helps in reducing anxiety and develops concentration.
9. Savasana is important: Savasana is the final resting pose at the end of your session. Generally many of the yogis skip this vital pose but as a beginner you should understand that savasna helps your body and mind to relax and rejuvenate after that hectic yoga session. Therefore it’s advisable to lay down for a couple of minutes and never skip Savasana.
10. Never give up: The fact is you won’t start loving yoga in a day but once you do there is no escape from it. Keep practicing until you make it a daily routine.
You do not have to be intimidated with complex inversions or backbends while researching yoga - you shall get there!
The key to become a true Yogi is years of practice and adherence to discipline. Yoga is not just a workout to lose weight or remove fat! Yoga is health and life – one must be cognizant how one approaches Yoga practice. A day of stress, and nerves in pain – all could be cured with regular Yoga practice. While starting out, one needs to choose their style as per one’s fitness and flexibility levels. The first few times could make you feel challenged but as the body warms up and opens to the idea; you would feel a new sense of enlightenment with regular yoga practice.
Nida Zakaria