Getting Started with Yoga

When you hear the word yoga what’s the first thing popping up in your mind? I bet some of you might imagine Zen monks sitting crossed legged meditating for hours. Some of you might think of performing crazy choreographic asanas with their bodies bending in almost impossible postures (especially those of us who spend countless hours in front of a desk and going running like once a year!)

I feel you and have some good news for you! Yoga is so different from all the ideas we might have created in our minds and getting started is easier than you think!

First of all, you don’t need fancy expensive clothes, pricey studio lessons and a super-flexible body to make it happen! You can get started whenever and wherever you want, even in the comfort of your living room!

You just need a little space, a yoga mat, and a few minutes of your (sometimes hard to come by) time and you're ready to go!

Many people believe you have to spend hours practicing yoga to see results but in reality the quality of effort and consistency of your practice are the keys. If you can commit 10 to 15 minutes a day (everyday is ideal but we'll take a couple days a week to get started) you are going to start noticing a change, both in your body and your mind.

Commit to your practice. Make sure you're dedicated and when you falter or miss a session (we all do), don't give up. Forgive yourself and get back at it tomorrow. Unroll your mat and practice. Flow!

Here are a few tips to help get started:

Space

If you feel comfortable with it, go to a studio and have a knowledgeable teacher guide you through. Almost every studio has a beginners class where you'll be surrounded with other newbies. If not, no worries! You can get started in the comfort of your own home. You just need a space big enough for your mat (I've been caught practicing in the kitchen before!). YouTube has a ton of free yoga lessons for yogis of all levels and LOTS for beginners!

A yoga mat

You certainly can practice yoga without a mat but I wouldn't recommend it. It's easy to sustain an injury if practicing on a hard surface and we certainly don't want that! I know of a pretty good mat I can recommend ;-) The REECH mat is great for yogis of all levels. It provides the best (in our opinion but if you don't believe us ask our customers!) grip of any mat in the market, is anti-bacterial (so it won't start smelling the more you use it), and is 100% bio-degradable. Our mats are also 4.5mm thick to add comfort to you practice and relieve your joints!

Click here to pick yours up today, risk free! If you don't love the mat, send it back on us!

10-15 minutes of your time (anytime!)

When do you feel you need yoga the most? To start your day with the right foot? To unwind and relax after a long day working? That's it! The best time for you to practice, is when it works best for you. There's not right or wrong time as long as you're practicing. Start with a quick practice, 10-15 minutes,  and then you can increase day by day if you're feeling it. Or not!

Here's the last tip this week before we wrap up...

Listen to your body

Listening to your body is an important foundation of yoga. Experienced yogis and teacher will make every pose and position look easy. When you're starting out, don't feel like need to keep up or push beyond your capabilities. Some poses may seem too difficult to perform and they probably are for you, right now. You'll get there though if you stick to your practice! Listen to your body and if you feel any pain or any tension consider these signals of your body telling you it's not ready just yet. Take a deep breath in, a long breath out and release the pose. Try a modification that's slightly easier and more comfortable version of same pose or trying something different entirely.

Don’t forget that a little goes a long way so respect your practice, level of experience and enjoy the journey!

~Bernie