Practicing Yoga: Tips for beginners and most common mistakes

In this second article on the practice of Yoga for the Runner’s Bag. We will continue with some recommendations that will help us take the first steps in the world of Yoga. In our first article: “Practicing Yoga: A Beginner’s Guide” we talked about the history of yoga, the most common types of yoga practiced today and we began to introduce the keys to understanding this activity: Breathing (Pranayama), Postures ( Asanas) and posture sequences (vinyasa-krama). In this second part, we will see what we need to start practicing yoga, we will comment on some tips and common mistakes that we usually commit when we start practicing and we will complete this post with some indications to practice yoga at home.

What do I need to start practicing yoga?

One of the advantages of practicing yoga is that we practically do not need material: a good mat with a non-slip surface, a blanket to cover us during the final relaxation, comfortable clothes, and, above all, a good teacher to guide us at the beginning. If it is true that over time we will be able to practice yoga at home without the need for someone to guide us or just follow the class through the numerous online yoga videos on the net, in the first years it becomes almost essential to figure out the teacher who accompanies us in learning Yoga gradually.

To start practicing yoga and becoming aware of our body through postures (asanas). And sequences (vinyasa-krama) it will always be easier if we start with those simpler postures that require less effort on our part and with which it is easier for us to pay more attention to our body and breathing. A good teacher will guide us overtime to advance our knowledge of this practice, correcting our body in each posture and giving fluidity to the transition between postures. Starting with a teacher also has the advantage that he will clarify which postures are counterproductive if we have some type of specific injury.

Tips and mistakes to avoid when starting to practice Yoga

• You don’t want to go fast. Yoga is not a 100 m sprint race, rather it is similar to preparing for a long-distance race. You have to be patient and go little by little. Knowing our body and its response to each posture or sequence has a process. And sometimes that we must respect.
• Flexibility and strength are gained over time and depend in part on each other, do not try to go beyond what your body allows you abruptly. Yoga should help you get to know your body, its limitations, and how to go further, but always gradually.
• Losing concentration very quickly or not being able to switch off the mind is normal at first. Focus your mind and your attention on your breath as much as possible and it will be easier for you to have the concentration necessary to perform each posture correctly.
• Being injured and not mentioning it to your teacher is another very common mistake. If you have back, knee, cervical problems, or any other injury, tell your yoga teacher. And he will recommend which postures are appropriate, counterproductive, which others can help you improve that injury. Or which ones you should do with greater caution.
• Use the breath as a means to concentrate and escape from thoughts. Breathe only through your nose, getting used to doing it slowly. And accompanying the movements with exhalation or inhalation as requested by each posture or asana.
• Enjoy the final relaxation. The moment of relaxation at the end of the yoga practice or class is essential to complete the awareness of our body. And necessary to recognize how the sequences and postures have influenced it.

How to practice yoga at home?

Practicing yoga at home, although at first glance it seems extremely easy since it does not require equipment. Or practically space, requires taking into account some key aspects to be effective:

• Define in advance the session to be carried out, both in terms of time and physical demands. Try to carry out activation sessions at the beginning of the day and relaxation sessions before going to sleep. And you will see how the body assimilates the same posture differently depending on the intensity with which we do it and the sequence in which it has been included.
• A session guided by the voice of another person will help you to concentrate only on the posture. And you will avoid breaking the thread of the sequences if you do not remember part of the session.
• Start with short sessions that include sequences and postures that you already know or have practiced in guided classes.
• Do not focus all the practice on your body. Be aware that the mind and breathing are fundamental parts when doing yoga.
• You can increase the duration of the sessions by lengthening the time you remain in each posture and/or repeating the sequences several times.

With this second post, we complete the initial approach to the practice of Yoga. In future articles, we will present some examples with easy-to-understand sequences of postures and different objectives (strengthening, flexibility, relaxation, etc.). As well as dedicating an entire article to the practice of yoga as a complement to runners. Where we will try to compensate for imbalances effects that running causes in our body.

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