From Equipement to Simple Poses — Here’s How You Can Get Started with Yoga
Practicing yoga is a great way to improve mental health, relieve stress, improve flexibility, and may even improve self-esteem and sleep. However, for those who have never stepped foot in a studio or otherwise tried their hand at yoga, knowing where to start can make for a daunting endeavor.
Whether you’re interested in the myriad of benefits that practicing yoga has to offer, want to lead a healthier lifestyle, or you simply want to try something new, here’s what you should know.
The essential (and optional) equipment
For those looking to try yoga for the first time, one of the biggest challenges can be found in knowing what you need to get started. That said, having the right clothing is a must — while you don’t need to own any fancy, name-brand yoga clothing, ensuring that you have stretchy yoga pants (or loose pants in general) will allow your body to move into poses more comfortably.
Having a yoga mat is another necessity, which will ensure you have traction when practicing poses as opposed to using the floor alone. That said, mats are often provided in classes, though purchasing your own will allow you to do so according to your own needs/preferences.
While a mat and the right type of clothing are considered to be the basic essentials to get started with yoga, it’s important to realize that there are a lot of extra accessories that, while optional, can elevate your experience and make you more comfortable.
Yoga blocks/blankets (which are often used to help alignment) and non-slip yoga socks (for those who don’t wish to go barefoot) are all optional when just starting out, though you may find the need for such items later on.
The value of simple poses
While complex yoga poses like the handstand pose are rather impressive, starting out with a variety of simple poses can be a great way to ease yourself into practicing yoga, especially if you’re doing so on your own. Classic beginner poses, like the downward facing dog, tree pose, and the corpse pose are all simple and easy to do during a relaxing at home session, and won’t require any difficult contortions.
However, while classic yoga poses can be easy and relaxing to practice, other easy poses, such as the cat and cow pose, can be done in order to relieve pain, such as tension in the back. A favorite among travelers due to the toll that traveling can take on the body, the cat and cow pose involves starting on all fours with a flat back, then drawing in the belly button, rounding the back and shoulders, and dropping the head. From there, slowly releasing and arching your back and shoulders while lifting your head will allow you to get a good stretch while releasing any tension in the back, too.
While trying your hand at yoga can seem daunting at first, getting ahold of the essentials, like a mat and the right kind of clothing, can be a great step in the right direction. While other accessories — like yoga blocks — are generally considered unnecessary for beginners, starting out with simple poses like the downward facing dog or tree pose can be a great way to get started with a relaxing routine.
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