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Yoga Guide for Busy Mums Yogaberry, Christine Jaureguiberry

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Yoga Guide for Busy Mums Yogaberry, Christine Jaureguiberry Yoga Guide for busy Mums Yogaberry, Christine Jaureguiberry <span>Copyright</span> -- 2016 Table of Contents Why should you practise yoga 1 The Benefits of Yoga and How it Helps You to Help Yourself 1 Choosing the right style and getting started 2 Which style of yoga is right for me? 2 8 top tips for your first yoga class 5 How to start a personal yoga practice at home 8 Now let's get started! 11 5 tips to help you get back into yoga after a baby break 11 yoga for backache: 3 poses for a strong & healthy back 14 Why should you practise yoga The Benefits of Yoga and How it Helps You to Help Yourself Why should you practise yoga The Benefits of Yoga and How it Helps You to Help Yourself The benefits of yoga are well known nowadays but we can’t talk about them often enough! I’m only focusing on a few of them in this post as, honestly, there are so many! Here are my answers so some of the main questions about the benefits of yoga: Why should I do yoga? Really the question is why wouldn’t you practise yoga because the benefits are huge! better posture can relieve back ache increased flexibility toning the body regulate blood pressure relaxation good for the heart and circulatory systems better balance and focus better bone health (prevent osteoporosis) increased immunity can help with anxiety and depression promotes better sleep happiness! These are just a few of them! Will yoga help me to relax? Relaxation is one of the main benefits of yoga. So much that it deserves its own headline in this post! In yoga we learn how to breathe deeply, we are coordinating breath and movement and teaching the body and the mind how to relax. The movements can be very slow or they can be dynamic but what makes it yoga is the use of the breath! By moving the body in certain ways we can also open up various energy channels in the body. We can learn how to use them to lift our mood, create energy and calm the nervous system, whatever, is required! We can learn how to quieten the mind, and ultimately relax easier. This is easier for some people than others of course. Sometimes it takes a little bit more time, sometimes this can be instant! 1 Why should you practise yoga The Benefits of Yoga and How it Helps You to Help Yourself How often do I have to do yoga to see the benefits? You will notice the benefits after the first yoga class! Yoga is a very personal experience and the more you practise the more you will benefit from it! Going to a class once a week is great, twice a week even better and three times a week is fantastic! Ultimately it will help you to develop your own home practice so you can do yoga whenever you want to! What else will I learn in a yoga class This depends very much on your teacher of course. Some might only teach yoga asana, the physical part of yoga. Some might incorporate breathing exercises, some might teach yoga philosophy and mindfulness. Chances are that they teach all of this without you even noticing! Ultimately the aim of a yoga class is to teach you how to teach yourself. It’s personal and it’s all about experiencing it and practising! It’s giving you tools that you can use whenever you need them. Understanding and listening to your body and responding accordingly. You’ll be able to experience the benefits that brought you to yoga in the first place and hopefully even a few more that you weren’t even thinking of!! Choosing the right style and getting started Which style of yoga is right for me? I’m getting asked a lot of questions about different styles of yoga so I thought I write a little bit about the different types of classes that are usually available in yoga studios. I have to say that I am not a big fan of categorising yoga as to me “yoga is yoga” and only the approach to asana, the physical, practice (which is only one of the eight limbs of yoga) is different. On the other hand, however, if you are a beginner you will most likely start with asana before anything else so it’s good to know what to expect!! So hopefully the below will help you to find out which style of yoga class is right for you. I have tried most of the classes below so am speaking from experience – with the exception of Kundalini Yoga and Jivamukti for which I needed a little bit a help from Google… 2 Choosing the right style and getting started Which style of yoga is right for me? Ashtanga Yoga What is it: Made popular by Patthabi Jois, another student of Sri T Krishnamacharya. 6 fixed sequences – usually the primary sequence is practiced in regular yoga classes. Very demanding and physically challenging yoga practice. Suits you if: you like a fixed routine, you want a challenging and athletic yoga practice Bikram Yoga What is it: invented by Bikram Choudhury in the early 1970s, 90 minute classes that consist of 26 postures and two breathing exercises, practiced in 40 degrees heat and high humidity. Suits you if: like heat (!), are not afraid to sweat a lot, like a fixed routine and a very challenging yoga practice. You can read more about my experience of Bikram Yoga here. Hatha Yoga What is it: hatha can be translated as “forceful” of ha = sun and tha=moon which refers to the balancing of 3 Choosing the right style and getting started Which style of yoga is right for me? two energies. Hatha Yoga is actually the physical part of yoga so the styles below are actually subcategories of Hatha Yoga but when Hatha Yoga is used to describe a class it’s usually a gentle, basic and meditative style. Suits you if: you are a complete beginner, you want a gentle and relaxing yoga practice, you don’t want a fixed routine but learn a variety of yoga postures Iyengar Yoga what is it: based on the teachings of BKS Iyengar, a student of Sri T Krishnamacharya, who is often considered to be the father of modern yoga. Iyengar yoga is very precise, based on correct alignment and considered to be challenging yet very safe practice. A lot of props like blocks, bricks, belts, blankets etc are usually used to make poses accessible. Suits you if: you like a detailed practice, you have specific postural problems or back conditions that you want to work on, you like working with props, you want a style of yoga that is accessible to all levels and body types. Jivamukti Yoga What is it: holistic yoga practice that includes a vinyasa style practice, chanting, meditation and yogic teachings Suits you if: you want to learn more about yoga philosophy, spiritual practice and yoga in general. Suitable for all levels and anyone with an open mind! Kundalini Yoga What is it: introduced to the west by Yogi Bhajan, combination of pranayma, meditation, mantra and asana practice. The focus is on the awakening of kundalini energy Suits you if: you are looking for a spiritual practice that includes all aspects of yoga Restorative Yoga What is it: very gently and passive style of yoga which involves lots of props like bolsters and blankets. Suits you if: you want to destress and relax your mind and tensed muscles Sivananda Yoga What is it: very specific style of teaching after Swami Sivananda, standard routine of asanas and breathing 4 Choosing the right style and getting started Which style of yoga is right for me? exercises but not as physically demanding as Ashtanga or Bikram Yoga. Based on 5 principles of asana, pranayama (breathing exercise), relaxation, proper diet (vegetarian) and positive thoughts Suits you if: you like routine, you want a more gentle yoga practice, you are open to the spiritual side of yoga Scaravelli Yoga What is it: inspired by the teachings of Vanda Scaravelli, gentle but actually really demanding style of yoga at the same time that uses gravity and sophisticated knowledge of anatomy to release tension in the muscles around the spine. Suits you if: you are interested in anatomy and a detailed practice, you have back problems such as scoliosis or other conditions. Vinyasa Flow Yoga What is it: quite fast paced type of class where movement is synchronised with the breath. Challenging and athletic but includes a variety of yoga postures and no fixed routine. Suits you if: you are looking for a fast paced fitness type class. There is usually not much time for detail so it’s better suited to people who are in very good health and are already familiar with the basic yoga postures. Yin Yoga What is it: inspired by Chinese Taoist Yoga teachings. Postures are held between 2 and 5 minutes – sometimes up to 20 minutes. Slow and meditative, challenging for both the body and the mind – especially if you struggle with patience! Suits you if: you are anxious, stressed and in need of a really good stretch! Great for anyone who does competitive sports or other “Yang” like activities to get your system back into balance. I would say the above are probably the main type of classes that are available in the UK. Do let me know if I missed anything out and I will add it on the list! 8 top tips for your first yoga class So you’ve finally decided you want to take up yoga, get in shape and bring a little bit of calmness into your life.
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