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yoga guide

Ashtanga Yoga And Its Features Explained

September 12, 2017 by Ava Rogers

Practicing yoga is one of the simplest methods to get rid of obesity and stressed brain. The ancient practice comes with a complete range of medical benefits. Correct yogic postures can have soothing effect on various diseases. Which can often be better than gulping down tons of medicine. Yoga is nothing but just stretching your body and reviving it in such a way. That you relieve it from painful ailments. Ashtanga Yoga is one form of Yoga which has become quite popular throughout the world

Ashtanga YogaDifferent poses of yoga have a different impact on our body. Moreover, there are several levels of yogic postures. The beginners must go for Ashtanga yoga as it is much easier to practice. Besides, there are many Yoga Asanas that focuses from top to toe of your body. And does not require rigorous twists and turns.

There are different yoga postures for pregnant women and blood pressure patients. It also works well for diabetes sufferers, and depressed individuals. This article shall discuss the Ashtanga yoga postures in complete detail;

What Is Ashtanga Yoga?

Let us begin the discussion with, what is Ashtanga Yoga. It has its reference in various mythological books. Not only saints but professional health practitioners also practice Ashtanga Yoga. This yoga form is more than just a normal yogic posture.

It is rather a divine yoga form that synchronizes your body towards a particular energy form. The yogic postures stimulate various mental emotions. It elevates your mental capabilities and eliminates all the barriers that are not letting your body grow spiritually.

This Yoga prepares your body for true spirituality. The yoga posture lets you explore various meditation dimensions. It helps you attain more energy and positivity. The surge of energy will automatically make your body conducive. After all, preparing the body to explore those hidden dimensions of meditation is quite necessary for a spiritual awakening. And Ashtanga yoga is certainly going to help you in doing it

Best for the beginners

The beginners who are looking forward to fundamental yoga forms can undertake Ashtanga yoga without any doubt in mind. Depending upon your tradition and physical requirements you can practice this popular yoga form. It has enormous potential to capture positive effects.

Although there are multiple versions of this yoga. Talking about the literal meaning; it refers to 8 limbed yoga form. That lets you achieve a different level of discipline.

What does Ashtanga Yoga feature?

This form of Yoga includes back bending opening and twisting different body parts in the correct way. The Asanas begins with a sun salutation and several standing poses.

Who can practice Ashtanga Yoga?

Ashtanga yoga can be practiced by any beginner or an expert yoga practitioner. You don’t have to actually learn a series of yoga postures. But what you have to do is to undertake one after another yoga posture. Practicing a series of postures is somewhat challenging.

The ones who wish to practice meditation and spiritualism will definitely find Ashtanga yoga to be the best. If you ever wish to explore your physical limits or define your strength Ashtanga yoga is the thing for you.

Ashtanga yoga works best for the ones who have ever suffered from cardiac ailments. The swift yogic postures can synchronize the bodily rhythm. It works as a great stress reliever and a fat burner. Several yoga postures that come under Ashtanga yoga are the best for attaining more flexibility and stronger muscles.

Ashtanga YogaThe current scenario of Ashtanga Yoga

Currently, people are not learning Ashtanga yoga in its original form. They are largely focusing towards its studio version which is more inclined towards the physical aspect of growth. Ashtanga yoga has its own deep hidden method which only true spiritual Yogi Gurus can help you to know.

The yoga doesn’t need you to twist your body or stand on your head. It also doesn’t need you to hold your breath or undergo tough physical atrocities Practicing Ashtanga yoga correctly just needs two-way guidance. The Yoga form can endorse peace of mind along with setting you free from painful circus of life. I personally learned hatha yoga when I was 11 years of age.

Vinyasa Yoga resembles Ashtanga Yoga

Some of the yoga postures can vigorously strain the beginners. Practicing yoga needs you to explore something new every time. There are tons of reasons why practicing this yoga is beneficial. I guess you would have heard about the term Vinyasa flow.

When talking about general yoga postures. Vinyasa flow basically refers to a pose of inhaling and exhaling air. Vinyasa yoga is one of the fundamental yoga postures because it prevents your brain from wandering elsewhere. The yoga resembles quite a lot with Ashtanga yoga.

The breathing patterns of both the postures are similar. Sometimes yoga instructors mix the two forms and implement it together without any particular rules. Ashtanga yoga may include playing of certain yoga soundtrack so that you may feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

Ashtanga yoga is relaxing as well as stimulating at the same time. It triggers your physical limits and lets you master Iyengar standing poses. Few other poses of this yoga balance your body and pushes your limits.

Important to keep in mind

Any yoga form is an osteopathic approach towards wellness. In any case, yoga practices create harmony, positivity and strength. There are more than hundred types of yogic postures. Practicing some of the other forms of yoga each day can help you stay safe against present and potential physical disorders. The best results are achievable when you practice yoga on a routine basis at fixed time duration.

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Filed Under: Yoga Tagged With: Ashtanga Yoga, yoga benefits, yoga guide, yoga types

How Is Yoga Beneficial For Those Suffering From Diabetes

August 17, 2017 by Ava Rogers

As the world advances more and more people are coming into the grips of different diseases and conditions. Diabetes is another health condition which is day by day affecting millions across the globe. And it is showing no signs of slowing down.

As Yoga becomes increasingly popular throughout the globe, more knowledge is surfacing about it’s good effects on all aspects of health. Yoga mainly targets to abolish the sedentary lifestyle that we have become so much habituated in. But it must also be remembered that diet needs to be proper for any diabetes reversal.

Diabetes can be kept in check by maintaining a low blood cholesterol level and stabilizing the blood sugar. Yoga can help you achieve that if you are consistent and regular with practice.

Many Yoga poses are known which are conducive to the proper working of the vital body organs. In fact Yoga is such a form of exercise which helps regulate almost all portions of the body. And that too without being overtly physically demanding.

In long run Yoga will help burn calories and get rid of the excess body weight. So, Yoga with a good diet can be surely used to mitigate the reasons for diabetes.

We have always heard prevention is the best cure. So measures should be taken by every middle aged man and woman so that they do not develop diabetes at the first place. Its highly recommended to embrace Yoga as early as possible. Since it is a low impact form of exercise, it can be done on a daily basis without much stress.

It will help stabilizing the digestion process ensuring proper absorption of necessary nutrients. Also blood circulation is improved, thus assisting in reduction of body toxins and elimination of wastes.

Numerous Diabetes Mellitus patients have known to report the excellent effect of Yoga on their overall physical condition. It helped reduce their daily stress level and improved flexibility in addition to reduction of inflammations. If you think for a moment, you will understand that achieving all these through natural means, without gulping down medicines is way better. It definitely is a step forward to control the diabetic condition with less difficulty and stress.

With Yoga what you must do is to find out the poses which will be particularly beneficial to your specific physical condition. Likewise, some poses are known to be beneficial for those having diabetes. Few specific well known poses that can be mentioned are – the downward facing dog pose, the western intense pose, the big toe pose, the hero pose, the fish pose, the half lord of fishes pose etc.

There are many others. It is important that you get authentic and proper guidance before starting out. So there is nothing more safe than seeking professional advice from a qualified instructor. All poses of Yoga might not be suitable for you depending on your requirements. The instructor will be able to help in a much better way and recommend you poses.

If getting an instructor seems to be too expensive, at the least, you must research thoroughly before starting on any pose regularly. This will make you aware of its actual benefits. YouTube is an excellent resource to actually see demo videos of how different Yoga poses are performed. In this page itself few are added for your reference.

So, to stress again, if you are on a tight budget, yet determined to continue with Yoga, do engage in proper research before starting out with anything. You can read on the different Yoga forms.

Always remember that consistency is the key. If regular practice is not performed, then results will be minimal. If consistent result is desirable, then regularity is must. Within a short time, any person performing regular Yoga will be able to fill the difference. It will calm their mind and reduce stress levels. Which will in turn assist in regulating the blood sugar and pressure level. And it is no secret that controlled blood sugar level is extremely important to reduce possibility of any heart condition.

It is also vital that the breathing techniques for every Yoga pose are properly followed. It has a meditative effect. This particular characteristic of Yoga is known to reduce cortisol levels which is known to affect the blood glucose levels. And regulating the blood glucose levels is the single most important aspect of reversing any form of diabetes.

Yoga is a very ancient form of exercise that has its origin many thousands years ago in India. Although it has earned immense popularity, and obviously not without valid reasons, yet medically it is not approved as any way to reverse diabetes.

But that is quite normal. Any form of exercise, no matter how beneficial, cannot really be projected as a treatment to any medical condition.

But that does not change the fact that Yoga is an excellent way to regulate certain body conditions which are primary causes of diabetes. Yet, do not forget to consult a registered medical practitioner, before starting out. It is important to ensure that performing physical exercise like Yoga is not detrimental to your health.

If your doctor gives go ahead, then nothing else should stop you from getting started with a Yoga regime as soon as possible. Do your research, take proper guidance and practice everyday. And soon enough, you will notice the benefits of Yoga to reduce your diabetic condition and improve your holistic well being.

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Filed Under: Yoga Tagged With: yoga, yoga benefits, yoga for diabetes, yoga guide

Why Should You Practice Yoga If You Have Lower Back Pain

August 15, 2017 by Ava Rogers

People who are physically active due to their nature of work are generally much better of in terms of health. But most are affected by a sedentary lifestyle. Due to office based job they need to sit at one place for a long time. Physical activity is almost nil throughout the day. Exercise is also mostly out of question due to hectic schedule.

Sounds familiar, right? Well, cost of progress, it seems. And health hazards are not unnatural in such a situation.

Let’s talk about a typical day for a typical corporate office professional.

She gets up in the morning, gets ready and jump in her car. Then drives for a considerable time.

She then walks a few paces from car park to building. Stands in the lift to go to the designated floor. Then again walks a few paces to her seat. And then sit there in that same place for the better part of the day.

At the end of the day, she drives back home. After arriving home, stressed and tired she hits the couch with smartphone in hand supposedly to “de-stress”

Sitting For Long Hours:

Well, the major reason for back pain is sitting for long hours. For better understanding a basic idea of the spinal chord structure is necessary.

The vertebra or the spinal chord is one of the most vital part of the body. It consists of small bones which lay separated by soft and spongy disc like structure. The discs between the bones are gel like, and acts as a lubricant. Mainly acting as cushion between the hard bones thus preventing them to rub against one another.

Staying in a sitting posture for too long wears the discs over time. Also frequent leaning front or back, for extended period can also result in the discs to be displaced. And that in turn can result in serious misalignment of this protective layer of tissue. When this happens, the normal functioning of the discs are hampered. They also tend to get inflamed and swollen. At that point pain sensations start occurring.

Now, if the swelling is serious enough to press against a nerve, then the pain aggravates much more.

Loss of Flexibility:

Another issue is of body flexibility. Due to lack of sufficient body movements, the ligaments and tendons tend to shorten and make muscles stiff. If the hamstring muscles get tightened over time, that plays a role in back pain as well.

The lower back muscles have to then bear extra strain for keeping the vertebra straight to support the body weight. This extra load on the lower back muscles will eventually wear them and pain will start.

Yoga can be a real good way to counter this issue of sedentary routine. The various poses of Yoga flexes and exercises your muscles thus keeping them flexible. It also helps to keep the bones and tissues well aligned.

But it needs to be ensured that the choice of Yoga poses is balanced enough to cater to the specific situation. If you are suffering from back pain then you need to avoid practicing those poses which have a lot of forward bending. It can hurt the back muscles more. Always listen to your body before continuing with your regime.

It’s really very important to get correct and authentic guidance or else the pain might necessarily not be gain for you. A good idea is to get a qualified Yoga instructor or join a Yoga institute.

Any qualified instructor will be able to recommend poses which will be beneficial to the lower back muscles and help you to alleviate the pain. It is vital that your core muscles and joints are strong and flexible to support your body weight. This way the back muscle will not be under constant pressure trying to keep your posture intact.

Excess Weight Gain:

With regular and religious practice of Yoga, with time, excess weight loss is highly probable. As mentioned earlier, your spinal chord is responsible to support major portion of the body weight. So excess weight is never a good news for your spinal bones and discs.

So, shedding extra weight will eventually decrease the possibility of the disc misalignments. Remember that when these small discs are in good order, susceptibility to back bone injury will be much less.

The breathing techniques of Yoga with each pose is another great characteristic. it improves the blood circulation of the body and helps cleanse toxins. Nutrient rich blood always needs to those parts which needs them the most like discs and ligaments of the joints. Yoga will help you achieve just that. Thus it is always stressed that Yoga has multidimensional benefits for holistic well being.

Now there may be reservations in mind of those who are actually suffering from back pain. But rest assured, that Yoga can be done slowly and in a controlled way without affecting the pain sensation. No other form of exercise can provide this convenience. Be it resistance training or cardio, they are in general physically quite demanding.

So shed your inhibitions once and for all. Yoga can be life changing choice to bid your back pain good bye for ever.

Filed Under: Yoga Tagged With: yoga, yoga benefits, Yoga for back pain, yoga guide

3 Ways Yoga Can Improve Mental Health And Bring Happiness

August 14, 2017 by Ava Rogers

There is no dearth of fitness programs in today’s world. It has become a billion dollar industry selling dreams to common folks.

What is the reason behind this? Well, everyone wants to achieve that great body. The slim and toned bodies flaunted by celebrities in huge billboards at every direction.

Yoga is no different. Mostly it is being advertised these days as an effective way to get back into shape. And of course that is 100% true. Yoga aids in the improvement of body strength and muscle flexibility. And not only that, Yoga will ensure gradual weight loss as well. And most importantly, it can be practiced by anyone regardless of fitness level.

But most people tend to overlook one vital fact about Yoga. Apart from physical benefits, Yoga is also responsible for mental and spiritual well being. The importance of this, cannot be undermined in any way. So for a change, also do consider your mental health and read on to find out how Yoga can have a profound effect on the same.

Live In The Present

It is known, that people either tend to clutch on to their past good times or keep hoping for a prosperous future. This just reaps off the opportunity to live in the present times. But it is of paramount importance that the mind is allowed to live in the present. It helps it to attain clarity and satisfaction. With constant being unhappy about what was good or what can be better, is no way to live a happy life.

In today’s world it can be actually quite difficult to focus in the moment right now. Because we are always thinking about the office meeting next week for which you need preparation. Or the credit card bill that should have been paid 2 days ago.

Yoga helps greatly to deal with this issue. Yoga is all about attaining and holding particular physical poses for a small time period. During this period the breathing needs to be calm and controlled. This entire exercise has a meditative effect. The mind becomes immune to the external disturbances and learns to focus internally.

During performing Yoga, the Yogi becomes fully aware of his/her own being. The thoughts and worries drift away and mind thrives in the present moment. This is huge. With regular practice, the overall mental health improves greatly. Which will help you attain clarity of your thoughts, focus on your strengths and feel much more positive about yourself.

Relieve Stress

What do people generally do for reducing stress? Watch TV, play video games or idly lie down on sofa and go through social media. Or worse even, indulge in 1 or 2 drinks.

But are these practices really conducive to de-stressing? Maybe, but these can also be detrimental to overall physical well being in the long run.

Yoga, as mentioned earlier, constitutes of focused breathing. It has been observed in scientific studies, that stress hormone or cortisol level goes down through controlled breathing. Also it helps regularizing and lowering blood pressure.

Endorphins released in the process of physical exercise helps improve stress levels and mood. It is beyond doubt that Yoga is an awesome way for stress reduction in day to day life.

Balance Emotions

In this super fast paced age of competition and fragile relationships, emotional turmoil is a natural occurrence.

Professionals struggle to maintain work and personal life balances.

Teens struggle to maintain balances between their actual desires at one hand and pressure of expectations on the ot.

Each and every person goes through some form of emotional imbalance. In the developing years it has a more profound effect. Teens often have to fight with constant depression, sense of insecurity and anger.

A study conducted by a Harvard professor with 11th and 12th standard students showed something interesting. It was found, that those teens who enrolled for Yoga are in much better and balanced emotional state than those who took traditional physical education classes.

This proves without question that Yoga does have an immensely powerful effect on the mind and spirit due to its meditative roots. Thus you should embrace this approach of facing issues of life with a clear head and confident self. And Yoga will no doubt help you achieve this while retaining your mental happiness and satisfaction.

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Filed Under: Meditation, Yoga Tagged With: yoga, yoga benefits, yoga for depression, yoga guide, yoga tips

The Different Types Of Yoga And Their Classifications Explained

August 10, 2017 by Ava Rogers

Yoga can be classified in various different types each having a distinct name derived from their particular features. It has been seen that the beginners who are new to Yoga tends to get confused by all the terminologies and unable to decide which type of Yoga to choose. But it should always be kept in mind that irrespective of the type, all forms of Yoga are based upon few core principles which remains same.

The difference mainly is based upon which aspect the emphasis is being given in any particular Yoga type.

The basic principles of Yoga revolves around alignment of body parts in various poses, following a particular breathing pattern and focusing the mind away from external distractions. Some of the broad classifications of Yoga has been explained in the later part of this article.

With the emerging popularity of Yoga, numerous fitness organizations all over the world has started promoting and marketing their Yoga programs putting some of their own marketing twists in it. This makes it all more confusing and difficult to understand and choose. Especially when they tend to market new methods and new benefits in exchange of boat load of money.

But be aware of the fact that most of these companies are selling you hypes. So if you feel your finances are limited, there is absolutely nothing to worry. There is no dire necessity of courses and classes. You just need to gather information on various poses and internet is a classic source of this information. Remember, Yoga is an ancient art and has always been performed with simplicity through ages.

Although if we start discussing about the various forms of Yoga in details, it can potentially become a huge document. Which is far beyond the scope of this small article. So let’s touch upon the main characteristics of the various types which will help understand the classification.

Ashtanga Yoga:

The word Ashtanga or Astanga means “having eight limbs” in Sansrit. The ancient Yogic sage Patanjali first developed Ashtanga Yoga.

In modern days, it has become a very popular choice.This Yoga is based on the principle of executing a series of successive poses, and synchronising the breathing pattern with it. Ashtanga Yoga does involve quite a high level of physical activity and thus can take some time to master.

But if you practice this form of Yoga, beyond doubt it will help you shade extra weight and become slim and strong at the same time.

Ananda Yoga:

Ananda Yoga is actually a form of Yoga which has been sub branched from Hatha Yoga by Yogi Kriyananda, who is a direct disciple of Indian spiritual guru Paramahansa Yogananda.

There is less emphasis on physically demanding postures in this form of Yoga. Principle focus is to relax the body and mind through gentler poses combined controlled breathing. An initiation to deeper meditation is a greater objective of Ananda Yoga.

                                              

Hatha Yoga:

In Sanskrit the word Hath means “force” and it is most prevalent form of Yoga all over the world.

Hatha Yoga lies high emphasis on physical exercises along with controlling the mind to shield it from distractions. Chances are that you have seen Hatha Yoga images at multiple places including Yoga related TV programs and DVD covers. The principle is to perform a continuous series of movements to attain different poses in succession along with controlled breathing. The entire needs to be done in a relaxing manner with always taking care of the slow breathing pattern. It is not allowed to hasten through the sequence of moves and follow the process.

If you practice Hatha Yoga religiously, it will be help you gain clarity and self awareness.

                                               

Bikram Yoga:

This form of Yoga, as the name suggests have been synthesized from Hatha Yoga sequences by an Indian Yoga expert Bikram Choudhury.

Bikram Yoga needs to be done in heated up atmosphere. The room where the practice will take place need to have a temperature ranging from 95 -105 degree Fahrenheit. The heat is said to make the body more tolerant to injuries and give the muscles a level of flexibility. Also it has been claimed that it helps in detoxification.

How true is that? Well, no clear answers, because, that claim is yet to be proved scientifically.

But nonetheless, this form of Yoga has gained popularity among masses. But Bikram Yoga can be a costly affair due to its commercialized nature since special rooms and arrangements are needed in addition to professional supervision. So make an informed decision if you want to opt to opt for Bikram Yoga.

Yoga has branched out to multiple other types like Vinayasa Yoga, Sivananda Yoga, Iyengar Yoga and many others. But the most popular and vastly followed were mentioned above. Do not forget to research appropriately depending upon your own unique needs before starting with a particular form of Yoga. As mentioned above Internet is an unending repository of knowledge.

The bottom line is still that the basic principles are more or less same irrespective of the forms of Yoga. What is important is to get started and be regular and persistent in the practice. So, do not overthink, get started with your choice of Yoga poses and be assured that you will soon be able to reap several health benefits from it.

Filed Under: Yoga Tagged With: yoga, yoga for beginners, yoga guide, yoga types

6 Reasons Why You Should Practice Yoga Daily

August 9, 2017 by Ava Rogers

Several thousands of years ago, Yoga came into existence in India, taught by ancient sages. But instead of dying down as an ancient practice, it persisted through the ages and eventually became immensely popular in today’s modern world. And this is definitely not without reason. Since, Yoga not only has several important physical benefits, overall mental and spiritual well being can also be associated with it.

Read on to find out the main 6 reasons why you should start doing Yoga on a regular basis. If every day Yoga seems to be a rather tough routine, practicing it for just 3-4 times a week can also be super beneficial.

Better Sleep:

Yoga is known to facilitate a better sleeping habit. Due to extreme stressful life in today’s modern world, numerous people around the world suffers from sleeplessness.

More than the physical stress, insomnia is often caused by extreme mental stress, work related tensions and lack of proper relaxation of the mind.

Regular Yoga helps to alleviate both physical stress and sooth the mental restlessness. Thus it will help anyone de-stress and fall sleep within minutes of going to bed.

Holistic Well Being:

It is extremely vital for anyone’s complete well being is that s/he possess both a fit body and healthy and stable mind. We live in such a fast paced and competitive world, it is hardly possible for anyone to take the attention away from constant media flashes on various smart screens and let the mind calm down.

But no one realizes the truth, that this constant bombardment of fleeting images can be really harmful for the mental sanity of any human being. Believe it or not, Yoga is just the right solution for this unavoidable problem.

Every Yoga pose comes bundled with its own breathing technique. These breathing techniques are superbly effective in relieving the mind from external distractions and calm down. So practice Yoga every day to ensure a sane and clear mind along with a fit and strong body simultaneously.

Fit And Flexible Body:

The numerous Yoga poses help maintain a better body posture with strong limbs and flexible joints. With increasing age, muscles and bone joints tend to get rusted and stiff. Also gravity plays a more and more harmful role on our spinal chord and the vertebrae starts wearing out with time.

And this is more true for those living a primarily sedentary lifestyle. Yoga is very beneficial for all these people and help stretch the muscles and tissues and improve overall blood circulation. And an improved blood circulation is always a good news because it helps wash out the body toxins and keep many diseases at bay.

For every core and crucial muscle of the body, there is a suitable Yoga pose performing which will make it stronger with time.

Weight Loss:

Speculation has always been high about the effectiveness of Yoga for weight loss. But it is 100% true that Yoga can be a good obesity deterrent if it can be done with calorie deficit diet. Due to accumulation of excess weight many people find it difficult to perform strenuous exercises.

Yoga is a perfect solution for them because of it’s relatively easier nature. Without being discouraged by the physical stress that comes with the high impact cardio routines, Yoga is a much convenient way to burn calories without extreme rigor. But it must also be remembered, the results obtained through Yoga will be slower in comparison to endurance or strength training or cardio.

That being said, it is beyond doubt that the weight loss through Yoga will be slow but steady, consistent and completely safe if Yoga regime is continued regularly.

Improved Muscle Tone:

Yoga will help gradually increase the internal body strength and improve the muscle tone. But faster results like resistance training should not be expected from Yoga. The effects with Yoga is slow and gradual but inevitable at the same time.

The main philosophy behind the Yoga poses is that most of them needs to be held for some time thus acting against gravity. Which is nothing but a form of resistance training through natural means.

This will slowly improve your strength and muscle tone and with time will also help you gain muscle mass.

Suitable For All Ages

No matter in which age bracket you fall, there is no barrier in practicing Yoga. If you have started late, no problem at all. You can continue it to your senior years without any risk of health hazard.

Unlike other forms of rigorous sports or fitness regimes, Yoga is low impact and suitable for all ages and body types.

Thus reaching at an age where other sports seem too tiring, Yoga can always be your true friend.

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Filed Under: Yoga Tagged With: yoga, yoga benefits, yoga guide, yoga tips

4 Annoying Yoga Difficulties Beginners Face And How To Overcome Them

August 9, 2017 by Ava Rogers

Yoga has become a very common household name these days and have gained immense popularity in the Western World over last several years. This is due to its simplicity and super effectiveness. But although mostly Yoga is not too difficult to perform, but nonetheless, many individuals can face some few common difficulties while starting out.

Initial Pain and Discomfort:

The most common difficulty that a large number of beginners face is the stiffness of muscles that cause a considerable amount of discomfort and pain while practicing some of the Yoga poses. This is due to the reason that their body is not yet acquired the flexibility required for those poses.

The matter worsens for those, where the Yogi is supposed to hold the pose for several seconds for it to be truly effective. It is very natural to experience muscle aches during these poses and it does not necessarily indicate any serious issue.

An example will be the Warrior pose or the Virabhadrasana. This particular pose needs the thigh muscles to be stable and strong, so if that of the practitioner is weak, it can turn out to be quite difficult to hold the pose for a longer duration without the legs quivering. But this is quite natural in the onset.

The key is not to get daunted by this issue. Because the muscles need time and regular practice to become flexible and strong. And as time passes, with repeated practice of the same pose, will make the muscles appropriate and the pain and discomfort will go away completely. So hang on there!!

The Cost Factor:

The other most common difficulty is the cost factor associated with regular Yoga practice. It seems in recent times, the general thought process of many Yoga beginners and intermediate practitioners revolves round the merchandise that is needed to “appropriately” practice Yoga.

While some of these costs may be justified but one has to understand what exactly might be necessary and what are not. Since Yoga is a big industry these days, so the availability of numerous Yoga related merchandise is too common everywhere. Thus, if allowed, it can well be a costly affair.

The necessities are endless, starting from simple Yoga mats, to expensive equipment, fitness gears, accessories, headbands, dresses and the list goes on and on. And above all these, Yoga guides, books, DVDs and commercial Yoga classes or private instructors makes it even more confusing and expensive.

But the main question that arises from all this is – how much of all these is actually necessary?

The answer probably varies from person to person but it can be inferred without doubt that for a beginner, it does not need to be expensive at all. Now, Yoga has been practiced in India for thousands of years and costly equipment were not needed at that time.

Only two main things are necessary –

  1. A good Yoga mat and there are tons of places where inexpensive Yoga mats are available
  2. A Yoga guide be it a physical book or a DVD or online instructions. If it is too difficult to lay hands on a book or DVD, then YouTube is an excellent place for a ton of free resources.

Just by researching on the internet, huge amount of free information can be found on Yoga, and its various poses with instructions, which can be sufficient to begin with.

Getting Authentic Guidance:

The third difficulty is somewhat related to the above point. It is regarding unqualified instructors. Many Yoga students do not even realize the fact that their instructors may not be genuine, since it is all too much easy these days to get a false certificate in virtually any field.

Since Yoga instructors do not really need to be certified by a standard or centralized institution, so many of them get away with their limited knowledge which can, at the end, prove to be rather dangerous for the students.

So it is always advisable to only go to reputable workout institutions who are offering any Yoga classes and also to carefully check the credentials of the instructor/s. Also just by referring to a good Yoga book written by well known Yoga expert or by following a practice regime through a DVD or online course from a reputable organization can also be quite effective and sufficient.

Time Management:

Last but not the least comes the most prevalent difficulty of the 21st century. That of time. In today’s super fast digital age most people hardly have time for workout and even if they do manage to get time for Yoga everyday, they end up stressing up their everyday life.

One thing has to be remembered that the practice of Yoga is meant for relaxation and de-stressing the mind, but if this practice itself becomes the reason for stress, then it beats the purpose. So time management is extremely vital, because with Yoga, the importance of sufficient rest is paramount.

Although seemingly difficult, one way to manage time is to cut down a bit on less necessary and unproductive activities like watching TV, drinking with friends, spending hours in social networks over smartphone etc. For good health and mind everyone must be ready for a little bit of sacrifice.

It is also important to set aside a time for Yoga everyday and religiously maintain it. It is of no use to practice Yoga for 1 week and then forget about it for the next two. The time set aside for Yoga does not have to be long right at the beginning. Also during initial days it is fine to go ahead with a regime that involves only 3-4 days a week.

And as time progresses and practitioner becomes more and more comfortable and familiar with the different poses and regular timings, it can be incorporated more frequently in daily life.

As time progresses with diligent practice of Yoga everyday, life, without a scope of doubt, will become much more healthy, fulfilling and stress free.

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Filed Under: Yoga Tagged With: yoga, yoga for beginners, yoga guide, yoga problems, yoga tips

5 Super Effective Yoga Poses To Perform Every Day

August 8, 2017 by Ava Rogers

Yoga has become a common household name these days and has gained immense popularity throughout the world. Although the roots of this very ancient practice actually lies in India, but it’s simplicity and effectiveness in getting a healthier life have made numerous people of the world embrace it. Not only the benefits of Yoga manifold, but they span from physical fitness to mental and spiritual well-being.

There are thousands of Yoga poses to choose from, which makes most of the beginner Yogis confused how to choose since they are often not familiar with their names and benefits. Each and every Yoga has a special long term benefit either on a muscle or an organ of the body. Having specific philosophies, each pose comes with specific breathing and repeating techniques.

5 such super effective Yoga poses have been described below which every Yogi should try to perform every day for sustained results. Please do not despair if you can’t get it right the first time itself. It is very normal to take several attempts to get used to any specific Yoga pose, especially for beginners. Just keep in mind that persistence will eventually bring perfection.

1. The Downward Dog Pose

The Downward Facing Dog Pose or Adho Mukha Shvanasana is one of the most frequently used Yoga poses.

  1. Bend and get on your knees in a crawl position.
  2. See that your palms and shoulders and your knees and hips are aligned vertically straight.
  3. With your palm pressing the floor, open up the fingers and then advance your palm forward and raise your knees off the floor.
  4. You have to it till your body forms an inverted V shape.
  5. Your knees should be straight. Keep you arms open and your head between them.
  6. Head should not hang down but should be aligned with your arms.

2. The Mountain Pose

The Mountain Pose or Tadasana is quite easy for beginners to perform.

  1. With your feet close and touching each other, stand in an upright and straight posture.
  2. The shoulders should be kept stress free and the arms should rest straight by the side.
  3. Then both the hands need to be lifted together till they are pointing upwards above the head.
  4. See that palms of your hands are facing each other.
  5. You need to breathe deeply while doing this pose and need to hold the final position for few seconds.
  6. Keep breathing in and out and relax your body while holding this pose.

3. The Warrior Pose

The Warrior Pose or Virabhadrasana has gained quite a bit of popularity and can be seen on various Yoga merchandise. Many celebrities are also seen doing this pose since it looks stylish and elegant.

  1. The first step is to stand upright with your legs a bit widely apart.
  2. Then the right leg has to be rotated 90 degrees to the right and body has to be lowered slowly till you are actually facing right with your right knee pointing 90 degrees right.
  3. With palms facing towards the ground, the arms need to be spread straight to each side of the body.
  4. You need to hold the position for 60 seconds or so and during this time breathing needs to be relaxing and gentle.
  5. Next, this pose needs to be repeated for left side as well.

4. The Tree Pose

The Tree Pose or Vriksasana is a common pose that may need a bit of practice to perfect.

  1. First you need to stand upright with the legs pressed to each other.
  2. Now right feet needs to be lifted slowly and you have to balance on your body on your left feet.
  3. The right feet then needs to be pressed against the left thigh.
  4. Then pressing the palms of your hands face to face, you need to lift your arms vertically above your head.
  5. Hold the pose for a few seconds.

5. The Bridge pose

The Bridge Pose or Setu Bandha Sarvangasana is a popular pose that you perform lying down.

  1. Lie down on the floor with your back straight and flat against the ground and your knees folded in front of you.
  2. Keep both the arms by the side of your body with them facing and touching the ground.
  3. Now you need to raise your entire body except your arms, till your thighs forms almost 90 degrees angle with your knees.
  4. Bear in mind that the arms should keep pressed to the floor for support and thighs should be parallel to the ground.
  5. Head and neck should always be kept pressing to the ground.
  6. Be extra cautious while doing this pose to prevent any injury to your neck.

So go ahead and try these 5 poses which have several health benefits and are relatively easy to perform. Performing these 5 poses every day will eventually make your muscles stronger and improve you sense of body balance. After you have mastered these, you can then start trying more difficult Yoga poses for enhanced effects.

Filed Under: Yoga Tagged With: yoga, yoga for beginners, yoga guide, yoga poses, yoga tips

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