Yoga Exercises For Beginners | LIVESTRONG.COM

Yoga Exercises for Beginners Photo Credit yoga pose-badhakonasana, cobblers pose image by Susan Rae Tannenbaum from Fotolia.com

Hatha yoga, or gentle yoga, may be particularly appealing to beginners, states the Mayo Clinic, because of the slower pace and easier poses. A Hatha yoga class generally focuses on three sections: breathing, poses and meditation. Once you have a basic understanding of each section, you will quickly be able to try more dynamic and challenging poses and breathing techniques.

There are many breathing techniques, or pranyama, in yoga, but as a beginner, the most important thing is to focus on simply controlling the breath. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet place on the ground. Place both hands gently on your belly. On the inhale, feel the air being drawn into your lungs and down into your belly. Your belly will start to rise. On the exhale, feel your belly fall toward the ground, helping to squeeze all the air from your lungs. To bring additional awareness to the breath, inhale and exhale to a slow count of three for each.

According to "Yoga Anatomy," many yoga traditions consider mountain pose to be starting point for all other poses. This pose will help to establish correct posture and serve as the foundation for all other poses, especially balancing poses.
Although it may seem that you are just standing up straight, there is in fact more going on. Your feet should be together, with your weight distributed evenly. Your knees should be facing front, not turning in or out. If you tend to hyperextend your knees, bend them slightly. Your shoulders are down and back with your arms are resting at your sides, palms facing inwards. Your head is in a neutral position, ensuring your chin is not pushed forward or pulled too far back.

"Yoga Journal" states that bound angle pose helps to stretch out the inner thighs, groin and knees. This pose can actually be difficult for beginners, but using props will help you to be more comfortable and stretch out the tight muscles.
Sit on your mat and place you feet together in front of you. If your muscles are tight, it will be difficult to lower your knees toward the ground. In that case, use yoga blocks to prop yourself up. Stack as many as you need in order to feel a comfortable stretch in your inner thighs, groin and knees. Your lower back should maintain a neutral curve.

According to "Yoga Anatomy," the corpse pose may be easy to do, but the hardest to master because you need to fully relax your mind and body, which is very difficult for most people.
Lie on your mat with you feet comfortably apart and your arms at your side resting away from your body, palms facing up. Your shoulders should be away from your ears and every muscle in your body should feel relaxed. Your breathing should be deep and rhythmic, but natural. This pose is most often used in conjunction with a meditation, which can include visualization or reciting a mantra.

Article reviewed by GlennK Last updated on: May 14, 2010

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