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Yoga Basics: Your guide to the Practice of Yoga

anonymous asked:


Most of the time, prospective Yoga teachers have a very strong foundation in Yoga; but sometimes, they originally come from a related-field, such as Martial Arts, Pilates, Dance, Gymnastics, or Fitness. This is fine, but be prepared for a “learning curve” and do not expect to learn all about Yoga in one Yoga teacher training intensive course. Even if you “lock yourself up” in an ashram for months, you should realize that learning Yoga is a life-long journey and not a race.

Now, if you come from a related field – you have a lot more mental work to do than a long-time student of Yoga. Hatha Yoga is a physical form of Yoga, but being athletic is not as important as the knowledge a Yoga teacher should possess. So, what should you know in order to become a Yoga teacher? Below is a list of what a Hatha Yoga teacher should know in order to successfully teach Yoga classes.

Anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology should always be covered during a Yoga teacher training session. Yoga student safety is especially an important issue for those who will be teaching Yoga. Students are always physically different, and Hatha Yoga practice can be made to adapt to anyone – regardless of age or physical ability. Anyone who desires to teach Yoga should have a complete understanding of how the physical body works.

Asanas are the postures held during Yoga practice. Hatha Yoga teachers do not have to know hundreds of Asanas to teach a Yoga class, but they should be very familiar with 26 to 100 different Yoga postures – depending upon the style of Yoga. Yoga teachers should be able to design a lesson plan using these postures, their variations, and the many other aspects of Hatha Yoga teaching.

Yoga teachers should know how to give Asana modifications to their students. Sometimes, this could be advising a Yoga student to use a block, strap, bolster, chair, ball, blanket, or any other prop for proper alignment and safety. Other times, this might be giving a Yoga student an alternative variation of an Asana.

Yoga teachers should be familiar with contraindications for Asanas; which are cautions that can be related to a specific Yoga posture. This is very important when working with Yoga students who are pregnant, have high blood pressure, or have a specific ailment.

Yoga teachers should take the time to be familiar with each student and his or her particular health condition. This means researching health conditions that Yoga students have and staying on top of your own continuing education. After becoming familiar with an ailment; learn how you can help, but never give medical advice.

No Yoga teacher should ever put a student at risk. The body of a Yoga student cannot be forced into a position that a Yoga teacher feels is correct. Instead, the body is gently guided to its natural limits, without pain and little discomfort.

Copyright 2007 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

ATrujillo asked:


Yoga is a philosophy of life as well as a system of exercises that encourages the union of mind, body, and spirit. Yoga dates back as far as 4000 BC, and was developed first in India. It is a classical science and philosophy that was developed by the Indian sage Patanjali. Yoga comes from the original Sanskrit word, ‘joga,’ which means ‘to join. It has been around for a long time, yet its teachings are still applicable today. Yoga is geared towards self-development and is an important element in personal growth. It is an ancient set of teachings and practices, yet it is truly very simple to do.

   In the past decade, the yoga craze has been sweeping the western world. Yoga as it is practiced in the West is often simply the asanas, or yoga postures. These postures are named after mammals, fish or reptiles. Poses range from the easier corpse pose, which involves lying on the floor while completely relaxed, to the most difficult poses that take years of practice to master. Hatha yoga, the style most commonly taught in the West, includes stretching and breathing exercises, poses, meditation or relaxation techniques. Yoga has many styles, forms and intensities. It is a system of techniques that can be used for: learning to relax, managing stress and increasing limberness all the way to becoming more self-aware. Yoga is all about going back to nature, back to the basics. It is a way of maintaining a balanced attitude in your day-to-day life. Yoga, has precise movements that draw your focus away from your busy day and more on the calming moments as you move your body through poses that require balance and concentration. It is a program that involves stretching, movements, controlled breathing and relaxation exercises.

   Yoga is more than a set of exercises to increase flexibility, however. Yoga can help you meditate, reduce stress, and even build strength. It is said to be a complete medical science and an enlightening spiritual art. Yoga is more than mastering postures and increasing your flexibility and strength. It has also been found to be helpful in the treatment of depression and anxiety which often accompanies pain problems. Yoga poses are also useful in curing disorders such as eating, bipolar disorders, asthma, seizures, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels and is said to also encourage weight loss. It has been known to balance hormones and the endocrine system. It can also be helpful when combined with other treatments for heart disease and high blood pressure. Yoga is often used for helping to rehabilitate  people who want to improve and increase back strength after spinal injury.  It can strengthen muscles, increase flexibility, and help you sleep better. Yoga, when combined with a vegetarian diet, aerobic exercise and medication has reduced cardiovascular disease and blood pressure levels. Yoga is an effective method to reduce anxiety. It’s controlled breathing exercises has become a popular means of stress management and teaches that by controlling your breathing you can gain control over your body and mind. Yoga also helps build stamina and strength which can help you cope better with the physical aspects of stress. Yoga is also a good tool for relaxation. Yoga slows down the aging process by giving elasticity to the spine, firming the skin, removing tension from the body, strengthening the abdominal muscles, improving the tone of muscles, and correcting poor posture.Yoga produces a healthy strong body with increased immunity against disease. It not only cures diseases and improves physical health but also changes mind sets.  Yoga is a wonderful form of exercise, it relaxes the mind and exercises the body. It combines breath and movement into one, it also directs oxygen to flow into our muscle tissue which allows for better blood movement throughout our body. 

   Yoga is one of the fastest growing exercises that everyone can do. You can start doing it right away and you do not need to buy anything special or learn a lot to start, there is also no age limitation for practicing yoga. Yoga is perfect for every fitness level. You can take classes to help you understand the concepts of yoga, having someone help you in the beginning is always a great idea, you might think about taking a class. Classes generally start with a series of poses and typically end with a relaxation period to calm the body and clear the mind. Classes are designed to help you build strength and to develop a deep sense of  your body, mind and spirit. Some classes can be modified to fit individual needs and for older adults, can help them stay steady on their feet and avoid falls. Yoga teachers are not certified, so make sure you go to a reputable studio. Yoga, overall, is generally considered very safe. Yoga is a gentle way to heighten your awareness, empower the body and invigorate the soul.

yogi asked:


My mom really likes yoga after reading so much about it from books she bought, and she would really like to try it some time. However, the problem is that she had undergone kidney transplant, which sort of complicates things. Therefore would yoga be appropriate for people that have undergone kidney transplant, and if it is, what postures are to be avoided, or can be done?
she has consulted her doctor and her doctor asked her to go ahead..

Alien asked:


Yoga Equipments for Your Yoga Practice

Yoga equipments can be a great help for the people who want to practice yoga as they help the yoga practitioner get deeper into the yoga poses. Yoga is the way to unite the body, mind, and the spirit.

In these days, yoga practice is becoming popular and lots of people are practicing yoga postures, breathing techniques and meditation. Yoga helps the people to maintain their body in shape and makes them feel better and healthy. And it is one of the reasons of practicing yoga by most people.

There are different yoga poses and yoga postures that make your body fit and well. The best way to relax the body and mind is to practice the yoga routine. Yoga practice helps you to keep your body in shape and this might be the best exercise for you.

Whenever you are starting yoga practice, you have to know the basic yoga equipments for a yoga class. Yoga can be practiced by people of all ages and if you have an idea about the basic yoga equipments that are required for practicing yoga then it can be possible to do anywhere.

Basic Yoga Equipments – Yoga Clothing

For yoga practice, the most essential yoga equipment would be comfortable clothing. You should wear comfortable clothes that will make an ease to breathe. Your clothes should be loose enough, not to interrupt you in your yoga sessions.

It is better to wear a more formfitting top because it will make you feel comfort and you will not have the problem of sliding down your top. A regular pair of exercise shorts or pants will do fine. Not to wear anything slick as some of the yoga poses could make you slip.

Shoes

Shoes are not compulsory for yoga classes. It will be the best whenever you are going to yoga class after work, as there will be no necessity for you to carry heavy athletic shoes. It is an optional thing to use socks or soft shoes for practicing yoga because traditionally it is practiced barefoot. In most classes, the yoga instructor may allow you to practice yoga with out wearing shoes.

Yoga Mats

Another one of the yoga equipments is yoga mats. They are useful both in gyms and in yoga classes. Using a mat for yoga practice is very common but when you are just starting, you may have to wait to buy your own.

Most classes will provide mats or will rent mats. The only disadvantage is that you can get smelly between the washes as many people can use the mats.

Some of the yoga equipments are optional. It also depends upon the type of yoga you are practicing. If you are following Iyengar style of yoga, then the props are generally used in order to keep the correct pose. They assist you to keep your body in alignment and also help you obtain the most out of your exercises.

Yoga Equipments – Yoga Blankets

Yoga Blankets are often used in certain poses and are useful when practicing the sitting positions or poses. They are also useful when you are in the cool down, relaxation period at the end of your practice.

Yoga Blocks

Yoga Blocks are similar to blankets and used as supports in order to improve your position and also makes it more comfortable for your body. They are great when practicing the standing poses where your hands or fingers are supposed to touch the floor and they do not fairly make it. Yoga blocks help you get the best results out of your yoga practice.

Yoga Straps

Yoga Straps, different yoga equipment, are useful for yoga poses where your hands have to meet, and also for postures that you need to hold on to your feet.

The above things are just props and there is no need of buying these yoga equipments unless you find that there is a need of them for your yoga practice at-home. Most of the yoga classes will provide these props.

Starting yoga and practicing it can be done on a little budget, whether you go to a yoga class or you practice yoga with the help of a video at your home. Just remember, the only things that you need for a regular yoga practice would be comfortable, breathable clothes, a top that is formfitting, regular exercise shorts, and no shoes.

Apart from these, you need to empty your stomach and make your nostrils dirt free and clean your throat before you start your yoga practice. It is better to start yoga practice with an empty stomach and also drink warm water 15 minutes before you start the yoga practice.

It will be fine if you try your yoga routine with just a folded blanket instead of a mat whenever you are practicing your routine at home.

Basically you don’t require all the above things for yoga practice. All you need is the desire and the attitude towards yoga and expanding your self-awareness. However this will not entirely eliminate the need for different yoga equipments.

The yoga equipments that you make use for yoga practice will assist you in doing your postures correctly. They support your muscles from getting any injury when performing some difficult yoga poses.

Most of the yoga equipments are prepared to relax your body and mind and also helps you to concentrate on the pose or practice the pose in a proper way.