Yoga is most effective when you practice it consistently and with purpose. This book includes all of the information, tools, and tips you need to get started. Here’s how to use this book to begin your yoga practice.
All you need is a mat, but you will have a more effective session if you also have one or two yoga blocks and a yoga strap—these help you tailor the poses to your body. Cork blocks will provide more stability than foam ones. For the strap, use any that won’t irritate your skin. A rope or belt works, too.
1 LEARN THE 7 KEY CONCEPTS
The first step is understanding the overarching concepts that allow you to practise yoga safely and effectively. It’s important to understand what you should be focusing on while practising so that you get stronger as efficiently as possible, while avoiding injury. Yoga is different from other workouts, and many concepts may seem unfamiliar (maybe even counterintuitive), so review the key concepts before performing any postures.
WORKOUTS Choose from 3 workout categories, described here
2 SELECT A WORKOUT OR PROGRAM
This book has 25 stand-alone workouts and 3 longer-term programs. Workouts are sequences of yoga postures that address specific needs, such as building core strength or relieving neck pain. The long-term programs give you specific workouts to complete on a daily basis for months at a time, ensuring that your hard work will pay off. To help you select a program, read the descriptions starting here.
PROGRAMS Select 1 of 3 programs tailored to your goals
3 EXPLORE THE POSTURES
It’s important to familiarize yourself with the postures before you start. First, read all of the instructional text, then try the pose for yourself, making sure to follow all technique prompts. Now you’re ready to start the workout. After all, you learn best by doing, so you can now put the book down and get to work.
POSTURES 55 thorough guides for each yoga pose
What’s the secret to working out? This book has all the tools you need—yoga concepts, postures, and workouts—but there’s a few more lessons to help you form a successful practice. Implementing these simple ideas helps you form unbreakable habits to accomplish your goals.
1Identify your real reason for working out, and make that the basis of everything you do. There’s a reason why you work out, one that is really driving you. Whatever it is, figure it out! Then create goals for yourself based around this reason and select workouts and programs that reflect those goals. Constantly remind yourself why you began, and you’ll see substantial results.
• Tired of chronic back pain? Think of how great it will be to move without pain.
• Want to be a better athlete? Keep in mind the performance increases you can look forward to.
• Want to look better in the mirror? Think about the dream body you’ve always wanted.
2Set a schedule and stick to it. Many people get to the gym and aren’t sure what they’re going to do. They spend half their time just thinking about the exercises they’ll do, instead of spending that energy on the workouts themselves. Plan your workout ahead of time, being as specific as you can. This frees up your energy for the workout itself, rather than on trying to figure it out.
3Keep a record of your workouts to hold yourself accountable and track your training. A complete log helps you to understand your fitness because you can look back and see what you were doing two months ago and compare that to what you’re doing now. More than that, it’s a physical representation of all the hard work and time you put into your goals. It’s something to take pride in. I recommend buying a small journal for this, and not using it for anything else.