I'm sure you've all heard about yoga and I'm sure some of you probably already practice yoga, but this is just a brief post aimed at any of you who may be interested in it and not quite sure where to start. I've been interested in yoga most of my life, especially since my sister practices it regularly. However it took me a long time to actually get interested in beginning to take part because I never knew where to begin and always thought I wouldn't be very good at it. It was only last year that I finally decided to start practicing it and although I'm not very advanced and don't do it as often as I should have, I enjoy the times that I do practice it and often see the benefits even from a brief one hour practice.
I still don't know loads about yoga and am trying to teach myself more, which is why I think so many people shy away from it. It's such a popular 'exercise' that goes back thousands of years, it's so easy to feel a bit overwhelmed. I certainly didn't feel too confident beginning to practice it when I didn't even know anything about it - I used to think to practice it properly I had to be more educated about the subject. However I don't really feel that's the case - you can go as little or as far as you like with yoga. It can be a simple beginners practice you do once a week just to help you feel relaxed, or you can begin to study it more and attend classes to reap more benefits. I'm in no position to blog and educate you about the history behind yoga, but I can tell you about what helped me get into yoga and the benefits I know that come along with it.
Yoga isn't just about bending yourself into funny positions to help teach yourself to relax. It is essentially a way to relax and find more balance in life - spiritually it can help you become more calm, put you in a better frame of mind and help you become a more positive person. But it is also exercise as well - yoga can help you tone up, improve your strength and flexibility and more. Quite frankly, it's a mix of both. It boosts both physical and mental well being.
 |
| Image taken from Google |
Although I'd loved to have joined a class - and would still like to - to start from the very basics of yoga, I ordered the Basic Yoga Workout for Dummies DVD. It features a basic one hours work out which includes and teaches you 12 of the most basic and standard yoga postures, so that when you feel comfortable to, you can later use these postures in your own workout. It's very simple and straight to the point, yet even after the first use I felt like I'd improved just a little. Presented by Sara Ivanhoe, it's one of the most basic yet helpful DVD for beginners and something that I would recommend. It's the perfect mix between being educational and teaching you about the benefits of each posture and more about yoga as a whole and a simple but relaxing workout. What's great about it is that it's not too overbearing and even offers an intermediate work out for when you feel more confident. I really love this DVD and often use it on a Sunday night before the beginning of a new week. I find I feel much more relaxed and able to sleep (without worrying about the following week like I usually do!) and then throughout the week I feel more positive and balanced - it definitely helps. I also found that Sara was a great presenter, she encourages you to take it easy and not push too much, and constantly reassures you that if you cannot do something than it's okay to sit out.
For anyone who is interested in yoga or by toning up by an alternative form of exercise but do not know where to start - start here! It's so easy yet still so beneficial.
Yoga is a subject I'd like to blog more about so please let me know if you'd like to see more posts on this subject! Do you practice yoga? What are the benefits to you? Please comment below and let me know.
P.S Have a look at the Fitness tag for more posts about being more fit and healthy!
