Tips on how to practice yoga can be found in many books and on the Internet. However, does the exercise based on a movie or guide bring the same results as the exercises under the supervision of a teacher? Find out in what situations it is better to do yoga in a professional school, and when you can practice alone.

No guide can guarantee that we will master the basics of yoga and that: firstly - we will perform the exercises flawlessly, second - we will not jeopardize our body. Proper breathing is essential in yoga, which is difficult to control on your own. It is also worth learning the art of breathing together with an instructor.

Although it is very easy to find on the Internet, for example, guides for beginners in yoga or instructional videos on how to perform asanas - for many reasons, it is much better to learn the basics of yoga under the supervision of a professional instructor. For this, it makes sense to choose a good yoga school. A good school is one where professionals with documented qualifications teach, has a varied level of education and is well equipped with exercise equipment (mats, blankets, rollers, ladders). It is also worth reading opinions about such a school, e.g. on internet forums.

Learning yoga - with or without a teacher?

In a good yoga school, you will learn not only the basics, without which it is difficult to move to more advanced exercises. In such a place, the most important thing is the safety of students. Because, contrary to appearances, yoga can expose you to injuries. It happens when the exercises performed are too difficult and too burdensome for the body, or the student simply performs them incorrectly. The role of the teacher is to adjust the level of exercises to the student's skills and predispositions and teach him how to properly perform asanas.

Exercise with the teacher - advantages

  • The teacher will allow you to adjust the level of exercises to the student's predispositions and skills, and will help you choose the type of yoga.
  • The teacher is able to control the correctness of individual positions, e.g. to check whether we put our feet correctly or tighten our muscles.
  • The teacher cares about safety - prevents dangerous situations, reacts when there is a risk of injury or overload.

What should a good yoga teacher be like?

Good yoga teacher:

  • is a certified yoga teacher with coat least 5 years of experience,
  • if he conducts classes on the spine, he should also have a physiotherapeutic education,
  • at the first meeting, he inquires about our he alth condition, he is interested in past illnesses,
  • during the classes carefully controls our work, corrects bad position of e.g. feet, spends a lot of time taking care of proper asana performance,
  • does not cause us pain, does not exceed the barrier of endurance, e.g. by pressing the body,
  • interrupts training when the exercise causes discomfort.
This will be useful to you

Yoga teacher's advice:

  • Even the best textbook will not replace lessons under the supervision of a teacher - it is worth taking at least a few of them
  • working with the breath is better practiced in the morning, while working with the body - in the afternoon
  • you should practice in a place with level ground, in a quiet, sheltered from the sun, but bright and warm
  • you need a non-slip mat, preferably with a dermatological certificate, for exercise
  • clothing - plain, loose-fitting shorts and a T-shirt will suffice.

Yoga - when can you start practicing alone?

You can start performing the exercises yourself in parallel with the trainings with the teacher. In the first place, however, they should be exercises known from the classes, and not found, for example, in a book or on YouTube.

Only after learning the basics of yoga, we are able to independently take care of the correctness of performing more advanced exercises. Knowing your starting positions will help you progress through the levels of yoga difficulty. Learning the basics of yoga should take several or several weeks. Typically, the process of mastering an asana with 2-3 activities per week takes about three months.

Of course, you have to take the correction that people with greater physical fitness or those who do not complain about any ailments, can learn the basics a bit faster. The teacher should assess whether we are ready to move to a higher level of exercise.

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Yoga - what to remember when practicing yoga on your own?

Of course, nobody forbids practicing yoga alone. However, you have to reckon with the fact that if we are a beginner, we may unknowingly make many mistakes that no one will correct. As a result, yoga will not be as effective and safe as exercises under the supervision of an instructor.

Doing yoga on your own without a teacher requires regularity and precision. The exercises should be done carefully and slowly. Asanas that are too dynamic, or the pace of shifting to the next poses too fast, can be painful orrisk injuries. It is very important to follow the sequence of exercises, because each of them prepares you for the transition to a more difficult exercise based on it. A disturbance of this sequence may end badly.

Pain should be your red flag. If it occurs suddenly and is not the usual soreness associated with stretching, it should be a signal that it is time to stop exercising.

If we are beginners, we may unknowingly make many mistakes that cannot be corrected. As a result, yoga will not be as effective and safe as exercises under the supervision of an instructor.

You should also remember not to exercise right after eating (preferably wait two hours), do not forget about proper breathing, choose a quiet, fairly spacious place that will not restrict movement, put on comfortable clothes, exercise barefoot and keep each item for at least a minute.

If we decide to practice yoga alone, it is better to choose Iyengar yoga. It is quite safe, intended for beginners, and does not require high physical fitness. The essence of this type of yoga is the precision of exercises and the support of equipment that make it easier for us, e.g. tapes and blocks.

Important

Yoga is not for everyone

Apart from mental disorders, there are no contraindications for practicing yoga. The apprenticeship can be started at any age. But if you have had serious injuries or severe illnesses, it is better to consult an experienced yoga teacher. During the lesson, the teacher will remind you that, for example, any inverted positions are forbidden during menstruation, for people with serious problems with pressure or severe visual impairment.

Learn more: Yoga: indications and contraindications for practicing yoga

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Yoga