Five Quick Tips When Starting Yoga

Congratulations on making the choice of getting into yoga. You have decided on a fantastic way to set a sound foundation to looking after yourself, mind and body, for the rest of your life. Yoga is a fantastic gift, and special because it is one that you give to yourself. So take your time, learn well and enjoy your wonderful self gift to the max.

Here are five tips that will help you to make your start on this wonderful, gentle yet powerful, lifelong exercise regime for mind and body.

1. By happy and smile. You are about to make a significant investment in your future wellbeing. You may be a bit uncertain at first, that’s quite natural. After all, it will be quite new to you for a while. But the point of yoga is to instil peace, quiet and control to aid your happiness. So, throw away that frown and smile because you are already on your way.

2. Dress appropriately. Loose clothing such as shorts and T shirt or a track suit are great. Shoes are left off for yoga exercise. The clothes you select should allow you full freedom of movement, no tight spots or pinch points.

3. You only need one piece of equipment, a decent yoga mat. It should be long enough for you to lie on and a bit wider than your shoulders. They are not expensive, so if you find you need something different after a while it’s no big deal.

4. Leave an hour or so after a full meal before undertaking yoga exercises. Your digestion will preoccupy your body to allow you to concentrate fully. On the other hand, if you are hungry when you start, then you will also not concentrate as well as you should so a light snack of fruit will keep the pangs of hunger away. After you have completed your yoga session reward yourself with a light snack.

5. Plan your week so that you can fit in your yoga practice into regular time slots. Making a time commitment makes it more likely that you will stick with it in those important early days. That you will take your new activity seriously, and so derive the greatest benefit.

6. An extra tip for you. Take your yoga studies at an easy pace. Sure the experts have developed flexibility that can take your breath away. Do not be tempted to strain your body to reach too far. If an exercise hurts, then you are probably trying a bit too hard. DO a few more repetitions of a simpler move first, then try the more difficult one again. Gently does it.

You can study yoga with a teacher through classes or, if you are time constrained, through self study. If you can sign up for yoga classes then that’s a great way to develop your skill. You will receive help with getting to understand more about yoga, and have the fun of shared experiences with your fellow yogics.

Your routine may dictate that it is just not possible to devote the time needed to get to regular classes. In that case self study taken carefully can do a wonderful job at helping you forwards. Once you have passed through the initial stages and have mastered the initial concepts than you will find there are simple routines that you can do in twenty minutes that will keep you on the right path.

You will undertake more demanding poses and routines as your knowledge and skill develops. Each of which will increase your flexibility, helping you to reduce weight and develop your inner peace and powers of concentration. A good result for just twenty minutes out of your day, a yoga mat and some loose clothes.