Health & Wellbeing

A Beginner's Guide to Yoga

Originating in India over 5,000 years ago, the ancient practice of Yoga is thought to promote good health, wellbeing and happiness. Now widely practiced and adapted in many different ways, yoga engages the mind as well as the body for a complete mind-body workout. Here’s everything you need to know to get started.

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WHAT IS YOGA?

Yoga utilises breathing techniques, exercise and meditation to boost both mental and physical wellbeing. The key elements of yoga include moving between strengthening and stretching postures (called asanas) combined with restorative breathing exercises. The aim of yoga is to create a strong, balanced and flexible body and a peaceful, clear mind. For some yoga is simply a workout practice, for others it is an all-encompassing life philosophy.

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WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF YOGA?

• Moving through different yoga asanas develops flexibility by encouraging you to use your full range of motion, and in doing so help prevent cartilage and joint breakdown.

• These postures develop upper and lower body strength using your own bodyweight, while working and developing your core stability, boosting circulation and bloodflow to the muscles and helping strengthen bones. Yoga is also a very low impact workout that causes minimal stress to the joints.

• Yoga can also help improve poor, desk-job posture, stretching and lengthening the spine whilst conditioning and strengthening the abdominals and back muscles.

• There is some evidence to suggest that regularly practicing yoga can lower blood pressure, regulate our adrenal glands, increase lymphatic drainage and boost our natural immunity.

• Several studies also suggest that yoga can be helpful for arthritis, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome and other long term chronic conditions.

• The deep breathing techniques can help boost lung capacity and maximum oxygen intake during exercise. This has a positive effect on more intense athletic activity, increasing endurance and stamina.

• Yoga encourages us to focus on the present, and promotes a calm, relaxed mental state, helping to relieve stress and anxiety, and improve the quality of our sleep.

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IS YOGA FOR ME?

Yoga classes are often depicted by images of willowy models striking perfect poses, and it’s easy to be put off by it or think that you are “not the yoga type.” The truth is that yoga is for everyone and regardless of your size, shape or ability; yoga will help you to become stronger and more flexible, while helping to relieve stress.

It’s best to start in a class with a qualified yoga instructor to help you learn how to correctly perform key yoga poses and help guide you into the correct posture. Make sure to choose a class that corresponds with your ability – most yoga teachers have regular beginner classes and courses. Also bear in mind that some classes are more intense than others and involve different yoga styles.

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THREE BASIC TYPES OF YOGA

1. Hatha: Focusing on physical, foundational yoga poses with deep breathing and mindfulness, this is a good class for beginners, strengthening and lengthening the entire body, helping build strength, flexibility, balance, coordination and controlled breathing.
2. Vinyasa: A more dynamic way of practicing yoga asanas, flowing between postures and linking to the breathing to build endurance, flexibility, strength and concentration while bringing a sense of mental calm and quiet.
3. Ashtanga: A powerful, fast paced and demanding form of yoga involving a progressive set of poses practiced in sequence, synchronising the breath and body, helping to strengthen and detoxify the body and calm the mind.

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WHAT SHOULD I WEAR FOR YOGA?

It’s so important that you are able to move freely, without restriction or distraction. It’s also important to avoid baggy clothes so that your teacher is able to check your form and alignment.

1. A tight fitting, breathable, stretch top or vest that allows you to move freely, but won’t fall down over your head while you’re moving through poses.
2. Breathable full length or capri tights. Avoid very short shorts so that you’re not distracted by them riding up, or worrying about not being totally covered up.
3. A sports bra for women, which is supportive and breathable – look for a low to mid impact bra.
4. Bare feet are normal on the yoga mat.
5. You can take your own yoga mat, but most classes will provide one.
6. Take along a towel and a bottle of water

Check out our yoga accessories and clothing here

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YOGA JARGON FOR BEGINNERS

Yoga: Originating from Sanskrit for “union or connection”, in this case a practice that unifies body and mind.

Asana: These are the physical yoga poses or postures that you’ll practice during your yoga session.

Om: Often chanted at the beginning and end of yoga sessions. Om is said to create deep vibrations through the body and is practiced to help us to connect to the universe and nature.

Vinyasa: A sequence of flowing poses in coordination with the breath. The Sun Salutation is one of the first Vinyasas you will probably learn.

Pranayama: Prana is Sanskrit for breath or life force and Pranayama is the control of this breath or life force to support the mind and body.

Savasan: Practiced at the end of a yoga session, this translates as “Corpse Pose” and marks the time to rest, where we lie down on the mat, focus on our breath and still the mind.

Mantra: A word, sound or phrase repeated as a prayer or a chant used to help meditation and focus the mind.

Chakra: Originating from Sanskrit for “wheel”, a chakra is a centre of energy within the human body that helps to regulate the body’s processes. There are seven basic chakras positioned throughout the body.

Namaste: You’ll most likely see your teacher bowing and saying “Namaste” at the end of your session. There are a number of definitions of Namaste but this is a gesture which broadly means “the light within me bows to the light within you.”

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