First steps with yoga – where to start?
Yoga is an amazing type of physical activity that is great for fitness, both physically and mentally. Asanas are great for body shaping, and regular practice of yoga is a good way to get healthy. In today’s text I will present the story related to my discovery of yoga. In the post you will also find useful information on where to start practicing yoga.
My discovery of yoga
My adventure with yoga began about 10 years ago, when I first went to a yoga class. Prior to that, I was unfamiliar with this activity and had not performed any asanas at home, so I didn’t know what to expect. Intuitively, however, I felt that yoga would appeal to me, and that’s exactly what happened. I chose my first yoga school quite by accident – it was a place located in the very center of Warsaw (Yoga Klub). A dynamic form of yoga is practiced there – ashtanga, in which the emphasis is on the combination of movement and breath. A characteristic part of the practice of this type of yoga is the frequent performance of a dynamic asana – sun salutation. This asana is performed there many times between other, more static, asanas. I remember the fatigue I felt while performing asanas and the blissful feeling of relaxation I felt while performing the last, relaxing asana – savasana.
After the very first class I fell in love with yoga! I also saw that the practice of yoga is absolutely not an easy activity and has little to do with meditation in the lotus flower position. It turned out that yoga is an exercise that requires a lot of effort and teaches humility. Watching the instructor perform each asana with great ease was very inspiring to me. I knew that in order to perform the various postures well, I had to practice yoga regularly. I also recognized that some asanas require a tremendous amount of work calculated not in months, but in years.
This first experience with yoga was a valuable lesson in humility. Yoga turned out to be an activity that enthralled me. I was very impressed by how yoga can shape the body. I also really liked the whole philosophy that is involved in the practice of yoga. The exposure to yoga was interesting and put me in a positive mood. However, one trait of my character made itself known here – straw enthusiasm. Very often I am incredibly fascinated by something and then lose heart for it. This is exactly what happened with Ashtanga yoga, and after the first infatuation and regular sessions, I abandoned yoga for a while.
Return to yoga
After some time, I missed yoga for good and decided to return to the mat. I remember that my motivation level was incredibly high at that time. I knew that I had a long road ahead of me filled with exercises and crossing steps in learning particular asanas, but I was not discouraged at all. I was looking for a good yoga school and that’s how I came across Slawomir Bubicz’s Hatha-Yoga Academy. It’s a Warsaw-based yoga school that uses a method derived from B.K.S. Iyengar – one of the most prominent modern yoga masters. This type of yoga is the most popular and practiced by the largest number of people in the world. The school emphasizes the impact of yoga on various aspects of human life. Each class realizes that there are connections between the physical, mental and spiritual spheres.
The basis of the Iyengar method is asanas, or body exercises. Practicing asanas with this method strengthens muscles and increases their flexibility, while releasing mental tension. The next step is pranayama – breathing exercises – and deep relaxation (savasana) and meditation (dhyana), which bring regeneration to the body and calm the mind. I became enamored with the place, the atmosphere and the teachers and felt that this type of yoga was perfect for me. In the past year, for various reasons, I focused on running, while yoga had to wait. However, since the beginning of October, full of enthusiasm, I returned to yoga!
The first steps with yoga – from the check.
There are some people who prefer to start practicing yoga alone at home, while others (like me) prefer to practice in a group. Once you’ve found a good school in your area, it’s worth thinking about a few things related to yoga practice. Here are some of my tips on what it takes to start practicing yoga.
The right attitude
The most important issue is, of course, the right attitude. Without a positive mindset and a willingness to take action, we won’t start practicing. When deciding to do yoga, it is worth being aware that it is an activity that requires patience, self-denial and perseverance. In order for the practice of yoga to bring results, it must be practiced regularly. Daily practice would be ideal, but if we go to classes at least twice a week, we will certainly feel the positive effects of yoga on the body.
Yoga mat
Choosing a good yoga mat is one of the key issues before starting a yoga practice. Mats provide traction, so that our body does not slip during exercise. An important parameter of the mat is its length – I am 171 cm tall and the mat is 183 cm long. It’s better when the mat is more centimeters than our height, because this way the body lies comfortably on the mat, and not partially outside it. The second important parameter is the thickness of the mat. On the market there are thin mats 2.5-3 mm thick, those of medium thickness – 4.5 mm, and even thicker – 5 and 6 mm. Thinner mats are lighter and this is a big advantage. On the other hand, thicker mats provide better support for arms and legs, which increases comfort during exercise. It is worth remembering that yoga mats are thinner than standard fitness mats. I am currently using a mat that is 4.5 mm thick.
Yoga outfit
How to dress for yoga? The basis is comfortable clothes that do not restrict movement. As for the bottom of the styling, tight leggings or sports short pants will work best for this purpose. Loose sweatpants won’t be a good option, because performing particular positions requires watching how our legs work. I, at my first yoga class, wore a long tight T-shirt and… tights. When I think about it now, I think it’s funny, although I didn’t find it funny at the time. Simply by going to yoga, I forgot about the fact that asanas are performed while having bare feet. So if you pack leggings for your first yoga class, you’ll be in a much better position than I was 🙂
When choosing the right blouse, it’s worth remembering that it should fit snugly against your body. That way, when doing inverted positions, the top of the garment will stay in place. Strapless cotton tops will work great. I especially like tops that have a heavily cut back. Under this type of top you just need to wear a comfortable sports bra and your yoga outfit is ready.
Yoga instruments
I used to think that yoga instruments of various kinds were not necessary for me. I was under the assumption that if my body can’t perform a position, it’s better to wait patiently until I get to the right level of stretching. However, during my yoga practice at school, I found out that using instruments sometimes makes it very easy to perform an asana. Tools are used to speed up progress in healthy people and to help those suffering from various ailments and movement limitations.
Straps
Straps are useful when our body is not yet stretched enough. In my yoga school you can use the straps that are on site, but it is better to have your own. It’s a small expense (about PLN 10), and sometimes it comes in handy.
Blocks
Blocks are also useful tools during yoga practice. The most popular are foam blocks. At the place where I practice yoga, the blocks are made of wood and everyone has free access to them.
Additional gadgets
A blanket, a towel, a relaxing pad for the eyes – these are all gadgets that come in handy during yoga practice, but are not required. Blankets and towels are most often available at any yoga school.
Books
A book that I can confidently recommend to anyone serious about practicing yoga is B.K.S. Iyengar’s The Light of Yoga. It is a worldwide bestseller written by Bellura Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyenegar, born in 1918, the legendary yoga master. Iyenegar lives in Puna, India, where he runs his institute. In the book you will find detailed descriptions of 200 asanas and 14 pranayamas illustrated with more than 600 photographs, a 300-week course, and a list of diseases with therapeutic asanas assigned to them. The descriptions of each position are precise and made it very easy for me to perform the asanas correctly. Everything is described in accessible language. Below is a description of one of the asanas.
“200.
Savasana, also called mrtasana
Sava or mrta means corpse. The purpose of this asana is to imitate a dead person. When life has passed away, the body is motionless and no movement is possible. One learns to relax by remaining motionless for a period of time and trying to make the mind, though completely conscious, completely still. This conscious relaxation refreshes and refreshes both body and mind. However, it is much more difficult to immobilize the mind than the body. That’s why this seemingly easy asana is one of the most difficult to master.”
As you can see, the description is very effective for understanding the purpose of performing the asana. Further on we can read the technique of performing this asana, which is described step by step in 9 points. At the end there is information about the effects that the practice of this position will bring to our body.
Body preparation
In order to start yoga practice well, it is also necessary to prepare the body. Yoga is never practiced after a meal. It is best to come to class with an empty stomach, while a large meal should be eaten 3-4 hours earlier. You can drink a glass of water before a yoga session.
Summary
The preface to The Light of Yoga reads: Yoga is a timeless, practical science, developing over millennia and dealing with the physical, moral, mental and spiritual health of humans as a whole. I really liked this passage, because it makes us realize that yoga can be for us not only a form of physical activity, but also a path to health in a broad sense. I hope this post will motivate you to give yoga a try, whether it’s at home or practicing in a group. If you will be looking for a good school then remember that the key is to find a place and form of yoga that suits you perfectly.
Rafal
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