Running faster, motivating yourself to lift more, building up a heavy sweat and really pushing your body to its limit can be very invigorating and enjoyable for some. For me though, not so much. I’ve never truly been someone who’s entirely passionate about working out or exercising. Yoga was the perfect initiative into the world of fitness for me. As a beginner, I found a way to navigate and learn the basics of yoga in a way that was completely welcoming and fun. Not only is yoga enjoyable, but it has an array of benefits, both mentally and physically. If you’re like me, wanting to find a form of activity that feels less like agonizing torture, here are some helpful tips to immerse yourself in the practice of yoga.
- Be (At Least) Slightly Knowledgeable
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Try your best to not feel overwhelmed or defeated. Learning a new skill takes time, and practice is imperative. Doing your research on the basic positions will help you create your foundation and grow from there. To name a few, mountain pose, downward dog, child’s pose and tree pose are just some of the vital poses to start with. For understanding how to format your body and flow between poses, Youtube and Pinterest are two resources that offer a lot of material. You can look up videos of beginner yoga routines or step-by-step pictures demonstrating how to master a beginner pose.
- Make Yourself Comfortable
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Yet another benefit of turning to the internet resources allows you to practice within the comfort of your own home. Don’t get me wrong, challenging your comfort zone and venturing out into a yoga class can be fun and informative, but you don’t have to jump directly into that right off the bat. Being in your own space that you’re already familiar with allows you to further create a relaxing and pleasing environment. Light some of your favorite candles, dim the lights or turn on fairy lights to set the mood. Don’t stress over looking the part either – yoga is about the activity and intention you set for yourself. Wear whatever feels most comfortable and practical to you.
- Take it up a Notch
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Once you feel like you have a minimal understanding of yoga, start incorporating new, exciting poses and transitions into your practice. While it’s important to build on the knowledge and skills you already have, don’t be too hard on yourself. Challenging yourself could be as simple as adding one new pose to your routine, trying a different video or asking a friend to join you. If you’re really feeling yourself, look up a beginner to an intermediate level yoga class near you. Apps like MINDBODY give you the ability to look up fitness classes around your area and register in advance so that you can make the commitment and stick to it. Participating in class gives you the chance of trying out different styles of yoga too. If you’re in search of a relaxing, mellow vibe, try a restorative class. A step up that provides some invigoration and sweat would be a vinyasa flow. An even higher step up would be a high temperature, vinyasa flow class, like hot yoga. This integrates more cardio activity into your yoga practice. Though truthfully I’m not a fitness guru, challenging myself to more strenuous yoga exercises can make me feel like a fitness queen.
The gist of all of this is the inspire you to have fun and try something new. Exercise should be an enjoyable, healthy experience. I’ve learned it doesn’t have to be a chore or a form of self-punishment. You can start slow and simple and work your way up. And most importantly, you can cultivate a gentle, enjoyable approach to fitness. Yoga provided that perfect balance of nurture and discipline for me and maybe it can for you.