Yoga has been around for centuries and started in India around 3000 B.C. The literal translation means “to yoke”, which in context can be translated to concentration and to join. Yoga helps your body and mind connect into one form by using breathing, techniques and posture.
Yoga of course, is trendy, fashionable and fun. It’s also a great way to exercise, to relieve stress, and anxiety. It seems that today almost everyone has at least practiced yoga or has at least tried too. Here’s some of the top things you need to know before getting serious about Yoga and what it actually entails.
- Breathing! Breathing in specific patterns or in certain body movements is a must for yoga. It not only helps you transition in one pose to the next, but also keeps you focused on the practice. It will help you actually want to practice yoga, instead of marking it off the to-do list for the day.
- Technique is extremely important as well. If you’re going to give yoga a try, you may as well start off learning the correct techniques. Simple poses such as the downward dog, planking, and upward dog can be done wrong if you’re simply just looking at someone else do it. Try looking at video tutorials and images that help guide your posture as you learn the techniques. This will not only help you become better balanced and flexible, but you also will not have to worry about injuring yourself with incorrect poses or stretches.
- Enjoy! Yoga is not about how fast you can achieve a certain pose for your Instagram. It’s all about really giving it a fair shot, which means you’re doing it to better your body, mind, and soul. You’re breathing and executing your poses correctly, and you’re maintaining your relaxed state of mind. This means allowing your mind to wander and breathing out all the anxieties of your day.
- Last but not least, equipment! While it is not always necessary, for a beginner it is very helpful to have the equipment to get you started and your body stretched properly. A mat helps relieve stress on your joints and allows you to create your own space. Blocks are also helpful when learning new poses your body isn’t familiar too. It’ll allow you to modify the poses until you can achieve them on your own. Bands also are a great tool to help you achieve success on your yoga journey. If spending money on equipment isn’t an option for you, you can easily substitute items such as towels, blankets, books, and other household items to help you!
Namaste, my friends.
