To do a yoga routine for beginners you only need about half an hour per day and the equipment is minimal, i.e. a yoga mat.
If you don't think you can do yoga, think again; your body can become surprisingly flexible, balanced and strong and your mind can attain a high stage of self-awareness by using the wide range of yoga poses.
Many people find that yoga is very relaxing, easing tension in the muscles and joints without becoming fatigued and over exerted. Best of all, yoga is said to make the person who does it regularly look younger with an inner radiance and peace.
Here are some things you should consider before you start your yoga exercises for beginners.
Be aware of the limits of your own body.
Avoid injuring yourself by trying to do more than your body is currently able to do.
Start with a teacher so that you can learn the basic yoga positions. Alternatively, you could buy a book or better still a DVD so that you can see how it should be done.
If you have medical issues, you should consult your healthcare professional before you start doing yoga exercises.
Yoga poses or exercises are known as Asanas and usually start with slow, deep breathing and concentrating your mind on yourself. Breathing and body movement should be co-ordinated until they become as one. You will also be able to tell from how you are breathing when you should start or stop an exercise.
Yoga is a flowing form of exercise so graceful movements, not jerky ones are necessary.
Follow some or all of these basic yoga exercises for beginners:
The Corpse: This pose involves lying flat on your back with your arms and legs slightly spread and is a classic relaxation pose used between Asanas and as a final relaxation.
Easy Pose: Sit on your mat with your legs crossed and your hands resting loosely on your knees. If you can, one lower leg should rest on top of the other one. This is a meditative pose which helps to straighten the spine, slow metabolism and promote tranquillity.
Neck Exercises: Relieve tension in your neck by bending your head forward, then to the right, then backwards, then to the left, returning to the original position in between each movement.
Shoulder Lifts: These also relieve tension in the neck and shoulders by first raising and dropping one shoulder then the other then both together, slowly.
Eye Training: Eyes need exercise to in order to keep the muscles strong. Look up then down, look right then left, look top right then bottom left, look top left then bottom right and finally look up and roll your eyes clockwise then anti-clockwise.
Sun Salutation: This is a sequence of twelve positions performed continuously which prepare the body for yoga Asanas.
1. Stand on your mat and put your hands in the prayer position then exhale.
2. Inhale and raise your arms above your head still keeping your palms together.
3. Exhale then bend from the waist until your hands are touching your feet.
4. Inhale then squat with your hands on the floor and step back and straighten the right leg while keeping the left knee bent. Arch your back and lift your chin.
5. Keeping your hands on the floor exhale and step back with your left leg to meet your right leg. Keeping your back straight and your arms extended support your weight on your feet and hands as if doing a press up.
6. While still exhaling, lower your knees, chest and forehead to the floor in succession keeping your toes curled under and you hips up.
7. Inhale, flatten your legs to the floor, straighten your arms and bend your head back. Your chest should be at 90 degrees to the floor.
8. Exhale and with feet and hands flat on the mat lift your hips so your body forms an inverted V shape.
9. Inhale and keeping your left leg straight, bring your right leg forward, foot flat and lift your chin.
10. Exhale and bend from the waist to touch your feet.
11. Inhale then stand up straight and bend backward with your arms straight above your head.
12. Exhale gently and stand up straight once again.
If you don't think you can do yoga, think again; your body can become surprisingly flexible, balanced and strong and your mind can attain a high stage of self-awareness by using the wide range of yoga poses.
Many people find that yoga is very relaxing, easing tension in the muscles and joints without becoming fatigued and over exerted. Best of all, yoga is said to make the person who does it regularly look younger with an inner radiance and peace.
Here are some things you should consider before you start your yoga exercises for beginners.
Be aware of the limits of your own body.
Avoid injuring yourself by trying to do more than your body is currently able to do.
Start with a teacher so that you can learn the basic yoga positions. Alternatively, you could buy a book or better still a DVD so that you can see how it should be done.
If you have medical issues, you should consult your healthcare professional before you start doing yoga exercises.
Yoga poses or exercises are known as Asanas and usually start with slow, deep breathing and concentrating your mind on yourself. Breathing and body movement should be co-ordinated until they become as one. You will also be able to tell from how you are breathing when you should start or stop an exercise.
Yoga is a flowing form of exercise so graceful movements, not jerky ones are necessary.
Follow some or all of these basic yoga exercises for beginners:
The Corpse: This pose involves lying flat on your back with your arms and legs slightly spread and is a classic relaxation pose used between Asanas and as a final relaxation.
Easy Pose: Sit on your mat with your legs crossed and your hands resting loosely on your knees. If you can, one lower leg should rest on top of the other one. This is a meditative pose which helps to straighten the spine, slow metabolism and promote tranquillity.
Neck Exercises: Relieve tension in your neck by bending your head forward, then to the right, then backwards, then to the left, returning to the original position in between each movement.
Shoulder Lifts: These also relieve tension in the neck and shoulders by first raising and dropping one shoulder then the other then both together, slowly.
Eye Training: Eyes need exercise to in order to keep the muscles strong. Look up then down, look right then left, look top right then bottom left, look top left then bottom right and finally look up and roll your eyes clockwise then anti-clockwise.
Sun Salutation: This is a sequence of twelve positions performed continuously which prepare the body for yoga Asanas.
1. Stand on your mat and put your hands in the prayer position then exhale.
2. Inhale and raise your arms above your head still keeping your palms together.
3. Exhale then bend from the waist until your hands are touching your feet.
4. Inhale then squat with your hands on the floor and step back and straighten the right leg while keeping the left knee bent. Arch your back and lift your chin.
5. Keeping your hands on the floor exhale and step back with your left leg to meet your right leg. Keeping your back straight and your arms extended support your weight on your feet and hands as if doing a press up.
6. While still exhaling, lower your knees, chest and forehead to the floor in succession keeping your toes curled under and you hips up.
7. Inhale, flatten your legs to the floor, straighten your arms and bend your head back. Your chest should be at 90 degrees to the floor.
8. Exhale and with feet and hands flat on the mat lift your hips so your body forms an inverted V shape.
9. Inhale and keeping your left leg straight, bring your right leg forward, foot flat and lift your chin.
10. Exhale and bend from the waist to touch your feet.
11. Inhale then stand up straight and bend backward with your arms straight above your head.
12. Exhale gently and stand up straight once again.