Learn How To Get The Most Our Of Your Yoga Class
Posted on December 7, 2009
Filed Under Yoga | Leave a Comment
Yoga promotes flexibility and muscle strength, and benefits the body in so many other ways, by reducing stress, improving emotional and mental health, and balancing other body functions. Those who begin practicing regular yoga often start because they’ve heard how good it is for health. While it’s true that any practice of yoga is beneficial, it’s even better if you can maximize your success by following several guidelines.
Aim to arrive at your yoga class several minutes early to avoid rushing and to relax into a good yoga mindset. When you rush in at the last minute, it takes much longer to get into the flow of things, and you don’t get as much from the class as you could. If you have time for a drink of water or a trip to the bathroom, and maybe time for a stretch or brief meditation, you’ll be able to start your class in the right frame of mind.
It is helpful to begin each class with an intention which you can focus on through the class. This may be something like focussing on remaining calm in situations which are usually volatile, or becoming more loving and tolerant, eating more nourishing foods, or taking more time for spiritual practices. Just make it something positive and congruent with the practice of yoga.
If you’re suffering from an injury, or have recently gone through an illness, it’s important that you let your yoga instructor know, as they are able to advise on poses to avoid and may offer alternatives. Those new to yoga should also tell their instructors, who can look out for them and assist with developing the correct poses to avoid strain or injury. Many people are so anxious to progress in their yoga that they inadvertently injure themselves, so it’s important to realize that it will take time. Be patient and work at a level you feel physically comfortable with. The philosophy of yoga is one of healing, so pushing oneself and getting injured really does go against that, and will hinder any success or health benefits.
After your class, take the time to digest what you have learned. Don’t simply rush out, jump back into the speed of life and forget why you attended yoga in the first place. Try and keep the peace of mind you developed in your yoga class, and think over what you learned. When you are a beginner you’ll have a lot to learn and remember, and it will take some time. If you can focus on learning and remembering just one or two new poses per lesson, you’ll find that it won’t take long before you know all the basic poses.
Ideally, go to your class on a fairly empty stomach (don’t eat for two to three hours before starting a class), as the process of digestion takes energy and can make you lethargic, and it’s also possible to get cramps or nausea if you exercise too soon after eating, especially when doing moves that involve the midsection (including deep forward bends, twists, and inversions).
Maximizing your yoga practice is simple if you can take the right mindset to class, and focus on a beneficial intention throughout the yoga practice, which also assists in removing worrying thoughts from the mind. A positive outlook during a yoga class, and the maintenance of positive feelings afterwards is one of the best things you can do.
Ana Paula Hernandez is a writer and yoga instructor with over twenty years’ experience. She believes firmly that students need the right grounding in yoga poses and yoga postures to ensure success in yoga.
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