Yoga at Home for Absolute Beginners!

Hatha Yoga for Beginners: Yoga IS for Healthy Bones

Gees, I really do dislike shoddy research!  Again, I refer back to the October 4, 2007 Time Magazine article, "When Yoga Hurts."  The author stated, "and while yoga has been shown to alleviate stress and osteoarthritis, it doesn't develop the muscle-bearing strength needed to help with osteoporosis." Such misinformation! 

Numerous books on yoga discuss and demonstrate many of the weight-bearing asanas that help strengthen bones and create more bone mass.  Linda Sparrowe, author of Yoga for Healthy Bones, validates the practice of yoga as a way of helping preserve and build bones.  She includes information from Iyengar yoga teacher, Patricia Walden, who has stated that to prevent osteoporosis, you need to incorporate inversions and weight-bearing poses such as the downward facing dog, the upward facing bow, and headstand.

Lifting your own weight in such poses also helps build muscle mass.  The kicker, of course, is that you must exercise REGULARLY (got it?)  At least 5 times a week for 30 minutes a session according to Yoga for Healthy Bones.   Weight-bearing yoga poses and movements that exert pressure on bones stimulate them to retain calcium.  And, unlike walking or running, Yoga exerts pressure on all the bones (including those in the wrist, elbows etc.), not just those in the lower body.

Yoga Quote of the Day:  "Even novice yoga practitioners say it's impossible to separate the physiological benefits of yoga from the emotional and spiritual ones."  ~Yoga for Healthy Bones by Linda Sparrowe.

Hatha Yoga for Beginners: More About Yoga's Uniqueness

In a previous post I noted how Yoga differs from other forms of exercise, particularly other types of stretching.  To elaborate further on this, consider what Ina Marx, author of several yoga books including You Are in Charge, says is unique about yoga. 

She notes that yoga goes beyond simple stretching because 1) the poses incorporate static stretches held more steadily and for longer periods of time than other stretches; 2) yoga stretches are designed to create balance and symmetry in the body and to release tension; 3) emphasis is placed on entry into and exit from each pose and to the "even flow of breath."  I personally focused on these three areas much more in the past year of my practice and noticed greater progress and my energy levels have soared....!

I also agree with Ina Marx's view that "ultimately, you cannot attend classes for the rest of your life (well - maybe you could....)...at some point you have to take over and maintain your own program." 

Yoga quote of the day:  The beauty is that people often come here for the stretch, and leave with a lot more.  ~Liza Ciano, co-owner and co-director of Yoga Vermont, yogavermont.com

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.

Hatha Yoga: Unique Aspect of Yoga

As I revealed in my first post, I started yoga at age 15 because I was a non-athlete.  My lack of coordination and agility meant I never qualified for a junior varsity or varsity team and thus I got minimal physical exercise at school. 

I innately realized, however, that our bodies are meant to move and stay flexible, strong, and firm.  A feature article in Philadelphia Magazine about the wonders of yoga intrigued me and soon after I taught myself basic hatha yoga poses from the books I previously mentioned.  In my early years of practice I felt I gained some of the physical benefits of increased flexibility.  However, I don't recall experiencing the same surge in energy and bliss that I have experienced during my past year of mindful practice and focus. 

I missed some of the essence of yoga.  Although decades have passed (don't ask how many....!), I have noticed a dramatic difference in results!

Sure, some people may take up yoga solely to gain some flexibility and to firm their abs and butt.  However, whereas other more traditional forms of exercise emphasize certain movements to stretch for the sake of stretching, yoga goes deeper. 

In yoga one stretches in a deliberate, scientific way (developed over 5,000 years ago) to promote the harmony of body and mind.  If you practice hatha yoga consistently, attentively, and carefully over a period of time, I can almost guarantee that you will enhance not only your physical well-being and appearance, but your energy and spirit will likely soar. 

This is what makes yoga unique and is the purpose of the blog.  More people need to know about this wonderful ancient system that can improve our modern lives! 

Yoga Quote of the Day:  "Constant practice alone is the secret of success." ~Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Hatha Yoga for Beginners: Benefits of Home Practice

I named this blog "At Home Yoga with Laura" because I want to emphasize the value and particular importance of practicing yoga at home.  Classes can be wonderful if you can find the right teacher and the right level, but, in my view, yoga should be a daily activity - an activity you engage in at least 5 to 6 times a week. 

It needs to be part of your lifestyle.  I sometimes skip once a week - but, when I do, my body feels restless, as if it's missing something highly beneficial. Consistent and frequent practice yields long-lasting, more profound results.  I know that the discipline required to do this may seem daunting.  And, I have to admit that I was probably born with an especially large dose of self-discipline (most of the time....!) 

But, actually, I think it requires less discipline to roll out of bed and go to my living room or recreation room and begin my yoga practice than to drive to the class (although I can walk to one yoga studio in my neighborhood), park, attend the class, and drive back home. 

When discipline seems to be a problem, just remember that doing yoga is a gift you give to yourself.  Initially, you may need a good dose of willpower and commitment, but once you've gotten into the rhythm of almost daily practice, your yoga practice will almost have a life of its own.

I know one person who attends yoga classes three times a week.  But, I think it would be difficult to find someone who goes to classes 5 to 6 times a week and the cost would probably blow a huge hole into most people's budgets (unless you belong to a sports club or a yoga studio that allows unlimited classes with a membership fee or large investment for the year). Much can be gained by daily home practice or home practice that supplements class participation.  The key advantages of home practice are 1) time flexibility - you can practice any time that suits you!  2) no cost - home practice is free - minus the cost of the book or DVD; 3) potential for fewer distractions- it's easier to maintain an inner focus; 4)p rivacy  and no comparison with others' progress ("gees, how can she be so much more flexible than I?"); 5) ability to break up your yoga routines to best meet your needs and to focus on the exercises that are most important for you.

Yoga Definition of the Day:  Chakras - the vitality or energy centers of the body

Yoga Quote of the Day:  "It's a huge evolutionary step to learn how to practice for yourself."~Mark Whitwell, internationally known teacher, Heart of Yoga.

Hatha Yoga for Beginners: Tips to Avoid an Injury

As I mentioned in the previous posting, Time Magazine published a feature article, "When Yoga Hurts," in October 2007 which purported that the number of injuries incurred by doing yoga was climbing.   Again, I would emphasize that yes, one can get hurt in yoga because it is a physical activity. 

 However, if one learns and practices yoga with the proper mindset, really listening to one's body, I believe the chances of getting injured are minimal.  I personally have never experienced soreness or an injury from hatha yoga. 

To avoid injury just follow these guidelines:  1) NEVER (and I do mean never) push, tug, or strain yourself when doing a pose; 2) go only as far as you feel comfortably able - and when you first begin learning yoga - this may mean not very far at all!; 3) move into and out of the poses slowly and gracefully (I imagine myself moving like a ballerina doing a slow-motion, dreamlike dance; 4) hold your poses quietly and motionless; 5) breathe in and out deeply and slowly in sync with the poses.

I believe that Yoga can do more to heal than hurt.  Jess Stern, the journalist who wrote Yoga, Youth, and Reincarnation, followed the guidelines listed above.  In a few months of practice he was able to heal a long-term whiplash injury.  Rosie Reichmann who published her book Ageless Yoga in her 80s (what an inspiration!), suffered from severe back pains for years during her early adulthood.  Consultations with top specialists in England and Switzerland produced no relief.  However, at age 40, Rosie learned yoga at the Iyengar Yoga Clinic, became a teacher, and completely cured her back pains.  If you ease into yoga and take your time, you will reap many benefits and not have to worry about injuries.

Yoga Definition of the Day:  Hatha Yoga - "Ha" means sun and "tha" means moon.  Hatha yoga brings union to pairs of opposites.  Yoga is the name of the science of physical and mental development that originated in India about 5,000 years ago.  The science of Hatha Yoga consists of 1) cleansing techniques; 2) postures; and 3) breathing exercises. ~ Yoga for Beauty and Health by Eugene Rawls and Eve Diskin.

Yoga Quote of the Day:  "There's no age at which a person cannot help himself." ~ Ageless Yoga by Rosie Reichmann.

Hatha Yoga: Beginners - Fear an Injury?

For uncoordinated, nonathletic (at least in the past) people like me, just the thought of attempting pretzel-like yoga poses is enough to cause them to balk and run.  Despite yoga's myriad benefits the questions "what if I throw my back out? or "what if I fracture a bone?" inevitably arise and serve as obstensibly valid reasons for not even starting yoga. 

This fear-laden perspective was seemingly validated by the perhaps well-meaning, but poorly researched article on yoga that appeared in an October 4, 2007 issue of Time Magazine.  "When Yoga Hurts" by Pamela Paul claimed that "over the past three years, 13,000 Americans were treated in an emergency room or doctor's office for yoga-related injuries, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission." 

I can speak only from my own experience, but, I personally have never (NEVER) experienced an injury or soreness from yoga since I started at age 15. (I did develop painful tennis elbow for several months from swinging weights during dance-aerobics at home.)..But, I have to admit, one of my best friends from elementary school attributes a foot fracture to my attempt at teaching her the backward bend on the toes pose at our hotel room during our high school trip to England.

I still do not know if the fracture resulted from my giving her bad instructions (that's possible - I wasn't an experienced, certified teacher and I was only 17!) or because we did a lot of walking as we toured England. However, what I do believe is that any physical activity could lead to an injury...even standing for a moment and making a sudden movement and falling has caused some of my friends and work colleagues to have a foot or wrist in a cast. 

However, by starting out with gentle Hatha Yoga which emphasizes SLOW, graceful movements and holding positions for a set period of time, I think your chances of an injury are minimal.  The more vigorous forms of yoga are best for more experienced yogis or people who are natural athletes (definitely not me....!)  I support Dr. Timothy McCall's view as expressed in his new book, Yoga as Medicine:  The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing.  "Go slowly, respect your body's limits, and listen to its innate wisdom.  The more you do yoga, the more you'll have access to that intuitive sense of what's good for you and what isn't..As with any physical exercise, the practice of yoga postures is not risk free. 

You could strain a muscle, inflame a joint, or fall over and hurt yourself.  But done carefully, yoga is one of the safest forms of physical activity you can pursue, in my opinion.  If you follow basic precautions, get good instruction, and do your practice with awareness, the risks are small, especially compared with the potential benefits..."

Yoga Definition of the Day:  Savasana - relaxation pose. 

Yoga Quote of the Day:  "Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape."  ~Author Unknown

Hatha Yoga for Beginners - Additional Class Tips

For beginning yogis who take classes, I have some additional tips to maximize your benefits.  Call the yoga center or gym or recreational facility and find out if you can attend a free class or drop-in so that you can become acquainted with the particular teacher's style.  Avoid investing in a class before you know exactly what you're getting yourself into. 

I am the type of person who likes full explanations of everything I learn - how it's beneficial to me and exactly how to do it, step-by-step.  This may not be important for you (although I have to admit, I can't understand why not - especially since in my opinion, the spirit of doing yoga mindfully includes focusing intently and fully on one's body and how it feels and how the body is benefiting in the moment by doing yoga poses), but it is for me.

Also important for me is that the instructor exudes energy, confidence and serenity, has a full understanding of and passion for yoga, and has a strong, lean, and buff physique. I have to admit that I am rather biased.  But, just as I like to choose an accountant or financial advisor who has personally mastered and is reaping the rewards of savvy money management and investment, I want my yoga instructor to exude a calm disposition and I expect him or her to be flexible, supple, strong, and firm.  He or she should exemplify what is possible through the consistent practice of yoga.   

15 years ago I attended several classes by an highly experienced yoga instructor.  However, each time I attended her classes, I had a gut feeling that something was wrong.  Although she was tall and slim, she appeared fragile.  It caused me to doubt her intructions. 

Other teachers have explained little about the poses they taught.  I would look for an instructor like that of one of my friends who attends a weekly yoga class  --her teacher is svelte and firm and she carefully explains the benefits of the yoga poses she teaches.  She also stops by each class participant to ensure they are doing the poses properly and corrects them if they are not.   So, make certain you choose a yoga class that is right for you!

Yoga Quote of the Day:  "Yoga is invigoration in relaxation.  Freedom in routine.  Confidence through self control.  Energy within and energy without. " ~Ymber Delecto

Simple Savvy Steps for Yoga Success: Tips for Taking Yoga Classes

Tips for Taking Yoga Classes

As I mentioned during my previous post, I taught myself Hatha yoga using a couple of comprehensive, books (written in the late 60s and early 70s).  Those books were the foundation of my personal training.  I learned enough from them to teach a short, beginners Hatha Yoga course in my sophomore year of college over the January "winter term."   

As interest in yoga spread over the years, classes began popping up literally everywhere.  In major metropolitan areas and even in smaller cities, you can choose from dozens of yoga classes. According to a 2005 study sponsored by Yoga Journal magazine, Americans spend $2.95 billion annually on classes and products and 16.5 million U.S. adults practice yoga, up 43% from 2002 (the numbers must be higher now). Wow!  And, that's an even larger increase from about 6 million in the early 1990s.

I have to admit that I have participated in only a small handful of yoga classes over the years.  Now, remember, I was rather uncoordinated growing up and that didn't change too readily as I matured into adulthood! (My son and daughter still consider me to be uncoordinated...) 

When I took a modern dance class in my freshman year of college, the instructor asked me undiplomatically  at the end of the first session if I had ever really exercised!  Needless to say, I immediately dropped her class. I admit I find it difficult to follow along in a group (or from a DVD). This caused me to be apprehensive about enrolling in yoga classes or any type of group instruction for a sport or physical activity.  Fearful of embarrassing myself, I consequently focused on learning and practicing at home.  And home practice has many other advantages which I will discuss in future posts. 

However, since yoga classes now abound with many wonderful, certified instructions, of course you should consider enrolling in one, particularly if you thrive on the camaraderie of a group activity. 

I have a few suggestions to maximize your benefits from the class (I like to maximize the benefits of everything!)  Just over a week ago on a Saturday morning, I attended a free beginners class at the Willow Street Yoga Center in Silver Spring, Maryland.  What a beautiful, spacious, pristine studio! 

The subtle scent of pleasant incense wafted through the front room as I entered the top floor facility.  The free introductory class was held in a large, light-filled room amply supplied with blankets, yoga mats, belts, blocks, and eye pads.

The class, taught by an ebullient, smiling woman, a former public policy analyst who exuded genuine passion in teaching Anusara yoga, was the best taught of the few yoga classes I have attended.  According to the center's definition, Anusara Yoga is "a powerful hatha yoga system that unifies a Tantric philosphy of intrimsic Good with Universal Principles of Alignment." 

Unlike some other yoga classes I attended, the instructor  began the class by explaining some facets of yoga philosophy and she provided guidelines for gaining maximum benefits from yoga practice. She then instructed the 25-30 class attendees (the class was larger than usual because it was free) in warm-ups followed by basic, introductory poses such as the the tree and downward facing dog.

I found the class appropriate and supportive for the absolute beginner, even a klutz like me (if I had never previously done yoga)!  To select the right yoga class and maximize your benefits from it, I recommend the following: 

1)  Call ahead and ask questions concerning the introductory class - what approach is taken?  Does the instructor plunge the students into poses with little explanation or is at least some brief, background information provided about the philosophy of yoga? 

2) Arrive at the class extra early - get a spot preferably in the FRONT row.  That way you can see the instructor the entire time (except if she moves to the side of the room).  I arrived early, but not early enough and was in the third row.  At least 4 or 5 times my vision was blocked when the instructor demonstrated poses.  You can't learn too well if that happens. 

3) Just relax and enjoy and don't even think that the people around you are paying any attention to you (my fear).  They aren't. 

4) Use an eye pad for the final relaxation pose - it helps you zone out in bliss (really!) and is soothing for the eyes.

Yoga Quote of the Day:  "Sun salutations can energize and warm you, even on the darkest, coldest winter day."  ~Carol Krucoff

Simple Savvy Steps for Yoga Success: How to Get Started

So, you've decided to learn Hatha Yoga!  Should you read a book or watch a DVD at home, enroll in a class, or hire a personal trainer?

I learned basic hatha yoga at home merely by reading books (yes, maybe I'm a slight nerd, but I do love books).  Actually, I had no choice- I started before DVDS or videos existed! (Hey, stop trying to calculate my age!)  Although, I think a few years after I started, Lilias, a yoga instructor, began her TV show on PBS. 

Armed with the right books such as my first two, Yoga for Beauty and Health by Eugene Rawls and Eve Diskin, and Yoga, Youth, and Reincarnation by journalist Jess Stern, I contend that you CAN teach yourself yoga. (But, teach yourself only if you have no existing injuries or any conditions that might present a constraint.  If you have any concerns, check with your physician or health provider first!)  The above clearly written, comprehensive tomes give you virtually all you need to reap the rewards of key hatha yoga poses.  You can find used copies on amazon.com or perhaps in your local used bookstore.

The pages in my copies of these books are yellowed.  However, they give precise, step-by-step instructions on how to perform hatha yoga poses or asanas as they are known in Sanskrit and specifically how they benefit targeted parts of your body.

Although my yoga bookshelf is now stocked with more recent works such as The Easy Yoga Book by Tara Fraser(http://www.yogajunction.co.uk) and Yoga to Fight Flab by Glenda Twining (www.glendasyoga.com) my early yoga book purchases are still among the best.  If you enjoy teaching yourself anything and like books, track these winners down!  I view them as personal yoga trainers that I can refer to any time at no additional cost!

Yoga Quote of the Day:  "For me, yoga is not just a workout - it's about working on yourself."  Mary Glover, "Health Profile:  Yoga Leaves Aches and Pains Behind," Arizona Republic, 6 April 2004 (p. E3, article by Connie Midey).