by Shareeza S.S Faruqui
As a yoga instructor, I love taking a student’s 1st class. It’s nice being able to talk to them and to get their impression of yoga. It’s also nice to see the look on their faces when they are asked to do the Surya Namaskar and asanas! I’ve seen looks ranging from utter disbelief to complete bewilderment!
I’ve compiled a short list of the most common mistakes a yoga beginner can make and some tips on how not to keep repeating them!
1. Not warming up before practise
Just like conventional exercises, it is advisable to warm-up your body before you begin your yoga practise. Best way to warm up the body is to perform Surya Namaskar 12x. Not only is this the best warm-up exercise, but it is also a complete cardiovascular workout. Surya Namaskar when performed in the morning after getting out of bed completely energises the body and gives you the added burst of energy throughout the day. Make it a habit to practise Surya Namaskar every morning.
2. Rushing into an asana
Hold on people! Yoga is not like any gym exercise. Most beginners tend to hit the ground running with yoga. They just rush into poses. This is an incorrect way to practice Yoga. As a beginner, you must ease your body into an asana. You are moving your body in ways that you never have before. Take it one step at a time. Rushing into asanas can have negative effects on your body. You may cause tension in your body. Yoga when practised correctly will not cause any tension or pain in your body.
3. Wrong breathing sequence
To gain maximum benefit when practising yoga, each asana must be performed with its corresponding breathing sequence. You are either inhaling/exhaling when easing into an asana or inhaling/exhaling when releasing the asana. The breathing sequence is an important aspect of yoga. Improper breathing can be detrimental to your health. Always keep a notebook handy with you to jot down the proper breathing sequence. Check, check and check the breathing sequence with your instructor. If all your efforts fail and you still forget, just breathe normally.
4. Tensing your body during practise
Many students tense their bodies when they practise yoga. It is normal to tense your body when you are doing any gym exercises, but in yoga you MUST relax your body. Yoga works on the entire body system, thus you must relax your body to enable your internal organs to be activated by the asana. Holding your body tense can cause injury and defeats the purpose of yoga.
5. Not performing Shanti Asana (Relaxation) after practise
You should always end your yoga practise with the Shanti Asana or Relaxation pose. This asana relaxes and realigns your entire body. Ending a yoga practise will rejuvenate you completely. Always find time to incorporate Shanti Asana into your practise.
2 Responses
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TheOne Says:
I tried your breathing exercise and felt great doing it.
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Yoga Instructor Certification Says:
I started yoga by doing simple asanas like inhaling-exhaling i.e. Anlom-Vilom.The benefits i recievd were encouraging like removal of stress,positive vibes,purification of blood..
