At Home Yoga with Laura

Hatha Yoga for Beginners: Hatha Yoga Poses: How Much Time and How Many Repetitions?

The first yoga books I used to teach myself prescribed 2-3 repetitions for each pose.  If I followed that suggestion, it would take at least 60 to 90 minutes to complete my daily regime.  While such a regime would benefit me, I would not be able to carve out that much time daily for yoga practice.  What is important is that I put everything I got into the stretch or hold.  When I do, I feel I can benefit from doing the pose once as much or almost as much as repeating twice or three times.

In general, let your personal fitness and body needs as well as time constraints dictate how many repetitions you choose to  do of a particular hatha yoga pose.  Most days, I do a pose once.  Other days, I repeat certain poses twice or three times if my body guides me to do that. For example, one afternoon I was not paying attention and I sat in an awkward position at my office desk for hours.  Boy did my lower back become sore and stiff!  Luckily, I remembered that hatha yoga could resolve the situation!  The next morning I repeated the cobra and the bow twice each to work out the kinks. Voila - problem fixed! Some days, though,  I choose to repeat certain poses just for the joy of it! Everyone has different bodies, issues, and preferences.  

Concerning the time you hold the poses, I have been surprised that many books neglect to tell you!  However, I hold most poses for the time recommended by my first yoga books.  Of course, when you begin, you will be holding the poses for a few seconds maximum.  Thus, initially your daily practice may take only 10 minutes or so.  That's ideal.  You want to adopt the yoga habit gradually.  Starting out with 5 or 10 minutes a day is an excellent strategy for creating the discipline of a daily practice.  Experimenting and working your way up gradually is the key to long-term success with your at home yoga practice.

Wisdom of the Day:  "Put everything you've got into a hatha yoga pose."  Laura V. Rodriguez

Beginners' Hatha Yoga: Always Pause Between Poses

Pausing between yoga poses is vital for optimizing the results from your practice. The first yoga books that I ever read, Yoga for Beauty and Health and Yoga, Youth, and Reincarnation repeatedly stressed the importance of pausing between poses.  Pausing helps you assimilate the energy that has been released.  Also, pausing between poses cultivates serenity and a wonderful relaxed pace to offset the hustle and bustle that many of us have in our daily life.  I believe we need to practice flowing and transitioning slowly between activities rather than rushing to and fro. Rushing often wreaks havoc, leading to mishaps that could have been avoided.  

I pause for 5 to 10 seconds between most poses.  But, play it by ear and listen to your body. You may need more time to catch your breath between strenuous poses such as the bow and the locust that require you to lift your body weight.  I do!  When you schedule your yoga practice, allocate sufficient time in your daily yoga regime to pause between poses.

 

Wisdom of the Day:  "Composer Claude Debussy said that music is the space between the notes.  Likewise, much power comes from the pauses between hatha yoga poses."~Laura Venecia Rodriguez

 

Simple Savvy Steps to Yoga Success: Yoga Week in Washington, DC

 

The annual DC Yoga Week (May 2-9) is coming up!  Many free and low-cost yoga classes are offered daily throughout the Washington, DC metro area.  It's an excellent opportunity to begin or renew your commitment to a daily yoga practice.  Many of the local yoga studios are offering special incentives for regular attendees of the classes.

Consistent practice I have stressed so frequently in this blog.  As John Shoemaker, founder of yoga studio, Unity Woods, states so clearly, "If you want to learn to play the piano, you need to practice every day.  It's the same with yoga."  And, that is a key focus of DC's yoga week.  So, view next week as a time to celebrate your yoga practice whether in a class or in your home studio!

Wisdom of the Day: ~Yoga is 99% practice and 1% knowledge.  ~Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois

Simple Savvy Steps to Yoga Success: Your Daily Mini-Vacation

I just finished a wonderful, rejuvenating practice a few minutes. I feel so serene - it's a quiet, Saturday morning and I feel so blissful. I realized that you can indeed convert your daily yoga regime into a mini-vacation whenever you choose.

This morning I chose to practice in silence.  It's my favorite time of year, early Fall.  I opened a window to enjoy the refreshing cool air.  Good ventilation and fresh air enhance your practice.  The birds were singing and I reflected on various scenes from vacations from years ago. Whenever I have traveled to special places like the islands of Kauai and Martinique, I have freeze-framed my memory of moments when I was taking in vistas of thousand-mile high mountains plunging into the ocean.  Well, this morning, I went back to special moments when I was either lying on the beach in Kauai and just taking in the sun, sea, and idyllic environment there or touring Martinique by bus and gazing out at the mountains by the clear blue ocean.

As I visualized these scenes, I still focused on the poses.  I just imagined that I was doing the poses by the ocean in Kauai or out on a grassy area overlooking the mountains of Martinique.  I also focused on the word, "serenity."  I relaxed and felt absolutely spectacular as if I were on A restful vacation. If you haven't yet had the good fortune to travel to a relaxing vacation spot, just borrow a National Geographic or travel magazine from the library and soak in some beautiful photography of idyllic spots and imprint them on your mind. Yes, you can make your daily yoga home practice into a mini-vacation!

Wisdom of the Day:  "The response of even the most stubborn areas of the body to the ingenious Yoga movements is truly astonishing." ~Richard Hittleman

Simple Savvy Steps to Yoga Success: More on Yoga Attire

Americans spent about $1.04 billion on yoga apparel in 2007!  Adidas recently announced its spring 2009 launch of a new activewear line for yoga by renowned yoga instructor Rainbeau Mars.  The line will include apparel made from sustainable fabrics such as Tencel with ecalyptus, a natural biodegradable material. 

Yoga practice requires that you wear comfortable clothing to allow full, unencumbered movement in every direction.  Clothing with no belts, buckles, or buttons.  Yoga catalogs and online yoga apparel stores offer myriad collections of attire in a wide range of prices (usually high)  Do you have to spend a lot to dress for your yoga practice?  No. You could just practice in your jammies assuming they have no constrictions. 

Some yoga instructors criticize the recent move toward baggy clothing and I can see their point.  You want your clothing to be comfortable, but not too loose or hanging off you.  Otherwise, it will get in your way and prevent you from monitoring your progress and seeing your body lines.

In a recent interview, famed yoga instructor Rodney Yee, criticized the spread of baggy yoga clothing.  He said, "It's crazy.  You can't see your body, so you can't correct the nuances of it because there is all this garment hanging down."  He added thast he thought yogis should wear clothing that shows their knees and that allows a few few of their bodies, "especially the knees, ankles, and the quadracep...The skin tells you so much about what the body is doing.  You want to make the skin receptive and overt."

I agree.  Although sometimes my jammies are my yoga attire du jour, other times, I really want to see what I am doing.  Form fitting but not constrictive clothing allows this.  You don't need to dig out those old leotards (if you still have them!).  But, wearing some flattering yoga attire can keep you inspired and motivated to stick to your practice.  Of course, those of you who take Yee's advice totally to heart might opt for nude yoga instead - that should really allow your skin to be receptive and overt!  And, it costs nothing!  But, for prudes like me, that probably won't work....

Wisdom of the Day:  "Your exercise clothing should allow for complete freedom of movement."~Richard Hittleman

Simple Savvy Steps for Yoga Success: Your Progress is Not Linear

Besides starting out gradually with your daily yoga program (check out 90+-year old Jack Lalanne on youtube.com - he still exercises 7 - yes seven times a week - although I don't think he does yoga), be aware that your progress will not be linear!  No.  Sometimes, you may see remarkable improvements in your ability to stretch and move into new poses in just a few days.  Other times, weeks- months- and maybe even a year could elapse before you master certain poses. This has definitely been my experience.  I have found the plough, which stretches the spine strenuously, particularly challenging.  My feet cannot always reach the ground during morning sessions. Have no fear!  You still benefit from your practice regardless of how far you can stretch on a given day. Getting quiet, staying present and attentive to your body, mind, and spirit as you practice reaps many rewards. Just do what you can in a given moment without straining or pulling.  Your progress over time is assured!

Yoga Quote of the Day:  "It is when people start to practice at home that the real insights occur.  In class, the teacher sets the pace...At home, you learn to listen to you body and breathe to move at your own pace."  Rodney Yee (well-known yoga instructor)

Hatha Yoga for Beginners: Don't Compete Even with Yourself

The January 27, 2008 Washington Post has an article,"The Insider - Competitive Yoga?  Not a Stretch" which highlights a buff, 31-year old physician and mother of an 18-month old who is competing in an upcoming Bikram yoga championship. 

If I had seen this article at age 15, I would have never delved into yoga.  Despite beginning yoga yoga only 3 years ago, Sonja Wyche sure looks like an athlete to me.  Her photo shows her doing the "standing full bow," an advanced pose requiring strength, flexibility, and balance.  Although she says competitive yoga is a "way of competing against yourself," she adds,"the competition gives you a way to see where you are in your practice compared to other people." 

In my view, this defeats the purpose of and spirit of yoga.  Granted, our country has achieved and progressed because of the spirit of competition, especially in our capitalistic marketplace.  However, when it comes to yoga, I believe, that the focus is on developing and expanding ourselves and not giving a hoot about where we are in practice compared with other people!   

When you start taking up yoga, your progress will not occur in a straight, continuous line.  Sometimes you will advance in a pose and then a few days later, you'll slip back.  Don't get discouraged! As some metaphysicians say, intention, focus, and consistency yield enduring results.  .

Like any other physical systems, certain types of yoga like Bikram yoga may be lending themselves toward competitions.  That's okay...But, I strongly urge the beginner not even to compete with yourself!  Just be present and enjoy whatever progress you make and whatever you can do when you go onto your mat. 

You don't have to be an athlete to do yoga.  Yoga is for anyone who wants to enhance their physical well-being, energy, and spirit (assuming again, they do not have a specific handicap, injury, or other impediment).

Yoga Definition of the Day:  Bikram Yoga - known as "hot" yoga takes place in rooms heated to at least 105 degrees.  The sauna-like atmosphere is designed to increase muscle flexibility, remove toxins, and boost heart rate.

Yoga Quote of the Day:  "The key is learning how to enter the practice in a way that works for you." ~Richard Faults, author of Kripalu Yoga:  A Guide to Practice On and Off the Mat.