BEGINNER’S GUIDE: ​YOGA TIPS TO GET YOU STARTED

Yoga has a raft of body and mind benefits, so get started today with expert tips from yoga teacher Sue Fuller

Yoga is a fantastic tool. It can help to boost energy levels, improve flexibility, reduce stress, strengthen and tone the body, enhance sleep, eliminate minor aches and pains and promote general feelings of health and vitality.

If you are new to yoga or thinking of beginning a regular yoga practice here are a few useful tips.

• Wear loose comfortable clothing that does not restrict your movement.
• A non-slip yoga mat is essential for practice, this enables you to get the most out of the postures without experiencing slipping of the hands or feet.
• Always practice yoga with any empty stomach. Yoga postures fold and twist the torso. It’s really uncomfortable and difficult to perform these postures if you have just eaten.
• Start at the beginning and practice basic postures to establish correct alignment
• Before performing any yoga postures take a moment to breathe slowly through your nose, during this time notice how your body feels. As you slow your breathing down your mind should follow and become a little quieter. This enables you to focus on your alignment and physical sensations as you move your body into different postures
• Pain is always a warning sign. If you feel pain or discomfort, relax the posture immediately
• Always seek medical advice before commencing any new physical activity.

Yoga and the Breath

Yoga has a strong focus on the breath. It helps when beginning yoga to remind ourselves that oxygen is our main source of fuel so it is important that we maintain a constant and steady supply this can be maximised by breathing correctly. Oxygen will help our bodies function more efficiently. As a beginner you might notice that some practitioners make a sound when they breathe do not be distracted as this is part of the practice and extremely beneficial (be warned that some practitioners do make more noise than others). Just close your eyes, focus on your breath and your alignment and you won’t notice the other people practicing yoga alongside you.

3 things to remember:

1 Good alignment will minimise strain to the body.

2 The benefits to be gained from each posture become greater with practice.

3 Yoga is a journey! For this to become successful your mind needs to be engaged in the activity.

Source: naturalhealthmagazine.co.uk/post/beginners-guide-yoga-tips-to-get-you-started