Fans of yoga say that it clears the mind, alleviates stress, improves health and brings them one step closer to inner peace. So how can you get started on your path to nirvana and better health? Learn more about the benefits of yoga, which class is right for you, what changes you’ll see in your body and more...
Why Yoga?
You already know that this ancient practice, with roots that extend back thousands of years, can help reduce stress and increase flexibility.
"Yoga is a journey of self-discovery,” says Leigh Crews, a registered yoga teacher (RYT) and spokesperson for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Council on Exercise (ACE).
The goal isn’t just a strong core and toned body. Yoga also teaches relaxation and meditation – and what students learn in class transfers into the rest of their lives, Crews explains.
“Instead of laying on the horn when they get cut off on the freeway, they practice yoga breathing and remain calm,” she says.
Yoga also has many other documented health benefits, including:
Lowered blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate. Those who practiced yoga three times a week improved blood vessel function by 17%, and those with heart disease improved by 70%, a 2004 Yale University School of Medicine study found.
Improved cardiovascular function. Women who regularly practiced yoga had lower blood levels of the cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6), a marker for inflammation, according to a 2010 study at Ohio State University.
Greater immunity. A 2007 Washington State University study found that when breast cancer survivors practiced Iyengar yoga for 8 weeks, there was a decrease in the activation of an important immune system protein called NF-kB – a marker of stress in the body. Iyengar or “restorative” yoga is a form that uses props like blocks, belts and folded blankets to help students find proper alignment in each pose, regardless of physical limitations.
Better sleep, plus more energy and endurance. Hatha and restorative yoga helped cancer patients double their sleep quality and energy levels, according to a 2010 study by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Hatha is a gentle type of yoga that involves fundamental poses.
Relief of back pain. A three-month course in gentle yoga and relaxation improved chronic back pain among middle-aged women, a 2011 British study found.
Reduced depression and anxiety. Iyengar yoga increased levels of GABA (a relaxing brain chemical that’s reduced with depression), a 2010 Boston University study found.
Arthritis relief. After 8 weeks of yoga, people with rheumatoid arthritis experience a reduction in joint tenderness and swelling, according to 2008 research at Johns Hopkins University.
Get Equipped.
Very little gear is required to start yoga. But the following can be useful, depending on your needs:
Yoga mat. This provides padding as well as a non-slip surface on which to practice. A thicker mat is recommended if you practice on a wood floor.
Many yoga classes provide mats for students, but they may not be cleaned and disinfected properly between sessions. If there’s any question, you’re better off bringing your own.
Yoga props. A yoga block, usually a large, soft object made of foam or cork, can help you balance in standing poses. A yoga strap can help you stretch further. A bolster – a long, rectangular pillow – is good for restorative poses.
Yoga DVDs. These are useful if you do yoga at home. But keep in mind that you won’t have a personal instructor on hand to correct your posture if you make mistakes.
Some good choices include:
Basic Yoga Workout for Dummies
A.M./P.M. Yoga for Beginners
Kripalu Yoga: Gentle
Yoga for Beginners
Yoga Journal's: Beginning Yoga Step by Step
Flow Yoga for Beginners with Shiva Rea
Yoga apps. Instructions tailored for your phone or tablet computer are becoming more and more sophisticated.
One good choice is Authentic Yoga, rated among the top 10 in Apple’s health/fitness category. It offers audio instruction from natural-health expert Deepak Chopra, accompanied by visuals from yoga instructor Tara Stiles. It includes traditional moves as well as poses to remedy tight shoulders and relieve back pain. It’s available for the iPhone, iPad and iPod at www.itunes.apple.com/.
Clothing. You don’t need special yoga clothing, although some women prefer it. In general, loose, comfortable clothing or tights/unitards work best. The most important thing is that the clothing doesn’t restrict your movement.
Get Started.
Before beginning a yoga practice, get the approval to proceed from your doctor, especially if you have a medical condition. Then schedule a class with an experienced yoga teacher – one who gives each student individual attention – to learn poses correctly.
To find a qualified instructor, ask a chiropractor, acupuncturist or other trusted health-care provider for referrals. Or search the website of the International Association of Yoga Therapists.
A qualified yoga teacher (RYT) registered with the Yoga Alliance, a non-profit organization that sets standards for yoga training, will have at least 200 hours of training; there’s also a 500-hour level.
So what’s the right yoga class for you? Read on to help you decide...
Hatha
“Hatha” is an umbrella term that refers to any practice that teaches physical postures as a means to enlightenment. When a class is billed as hatha, it generally is a simple, gentle overview of the fundamental yoga poses – no jumping around or flowing from one pose.
What to expect: Older folks, non-limber people and beginners.
Who should do it: People who want to learn concrete ways to de-stress and beginners who want a gentle introduction.
Who shouldn’t: Anyone who thinks exercise doesn’t count unless you get all red in the face.
More info: www.religionfacts.com/hinduism/practices/hatha_yoga.htm
Iyengar
Iyengar uses many props – blocks, belts, ropes and lots and lots of folded blankets – to help students find proper alignment in each pose, regardless of physical limitations. The keyword in an Iyengar practice is “precision.”
Iyengar teachers go through years of rigorous training and can customize the practice to a variety of conditions and injuries. They generally don’t talk about yoga philosophy or spiritual teachings.
What to expect: You may do only 10 poses total in an Iyengar class, holding each for minutes. It’s a mental challenge in our short-attention-span culture.
Who should do it: Anyone who wants to learn correct form and those dealing with a chronic condition, injury or illness, or if you're turned off by spiritual teachings.
Who shouldn’t: Anyone who can’t sit or stand still without being consumed by angst – although, perhaps Iyengar could help curb that restlessness.
More info: www.iynaus.org
Vinyasa/Flow
A Vinyasa class is like learning the steps to a yoga dance: Students move seamlessly from one pose to another in synchrony with the breath. It can be physically challenging and will make you sweat.
Vinyasa studios often incorporate yogic philosophy, chanting and meditation, making them a good introduction to learn all about yoga.
What to expect: A packed room, a rockin’ soundtrack and a great workout, peppered with accessible bites of yogic spiritual teachings.
Who should do it: Anyone who thinks yoga is boring or not rigorous enough or is open to learning yoga’s spiritual side.
Who shouldn’t: Anyone allergic to chanting or looking for a quiet, contemplative or slow-paced experience.
More info: www.yogajournal.com/for_teachers/2227
Anusara
Anusara teaches that humans are intrinsically good, and that the practice of yoga can help us uncover our innate state of grace. Anusara is also defined by a sense of community; it’s not uncommon for students to clap when one of them nails a difficult pose. The practice is joyful, playful and physically challenging balanced with careful attention to form.
What to expect: A warm welcome from the teacher and fellow students, lots of in-class demonstrations and spontaneous eruptions of applause.
Who should do it: People who want to challenge their bodies yet crave a little philosophy to engage their minds.
Who shouldn’t: Anyone who wants a solitary yoga practice or who isn’t interested in yoga’s spiritual side.
More info: www.anusara.com
Kundalini
Kundalini yoga is based on the belief that a current of powerful vital energy (kundalini) resides at the base of everyone’s spine.
Its repetitive movements are designed to arouse this normally dormant energy and get it flowing up the spine to boost physical vitality, mental clarity, emotional openness and spiritual awakening.
It’s not a traditional physical workout, but doing the movements for a several minutes will build stamina and can result in exhilaration.
What to expect: Earthy types of all ages and fitness levels – from hipsters in clogs to bearded health food store devotees.
Who should do it: People who need an energy infusion and who aren’t put off by fortune-teller garb. Teachers often wear white, flowing garments, and some wear turbans.
Who shouldn’t: Anyone who thinks the practice of yoga is solely a means to get and flaunt a great body.
More info: www.kundaliniyoga.com, www.kundaliniyoga.org
Restorative
Similar to Iyengar, restorative classes use blankets, bolsters and blocks to prop students up in yoga poses, so they can experience the benefits without physical effort. For example, instead of doing a full backbend students lie on the floor with their spine draped over a bolster.
“Restorative poses allow the body to stretch more than just muscles,” says Witold Fitz-Simon, a Brooklyn yoga teacher, founder of yogaartandscience.com and author of The Yoga Practice Journal.
“The body's connective tissue, known as fascia, can begin to lengthen, which can create fundamental postural changes,” he says.
Above all, the poses feel great – as relaxing as a massage and as refreshing as a nap.
What to expect: A dark, hushed room filled with lots of props and people sighing contentedly.
Who should do it: Anyone who can identify with the phrase, “Stop the world, I want to get off” – the over-worked, over-tired, stressed out and recuperating.
Who shouldn’t: Anyone who thinks rest is a four-letter word.
More info: www.yogajournal.com/basics/991
Raise the Intensity.
Any yoga practice can be as challenging and vigorous as you want.
There are three ways to increase intensity:
Hold postures for longer and longer periods of time
Slowly build your practice up to more advanced and challenging postures
Move quickly between postures
Always start slowly and make sure you understand the postures before moving forward.
You can also practice the following yoga styles, which can be more difficult and vigorous. Beginners’ classes are available, but you may want to have some experience with yoga before trying them.
Bikram/“Hot”
Held in a heated room (between 95 and 110 degrees), Bikram yoga classes capitalize on the high temperature to loosen muscles and promote a detoxifying sweat.
Whether you’re in Los Angeles or La Grange, Ill., every Bikram yoga class follows a prescribed sequence of the same 26 poses. Hot yoga is similar (it’s also done in a heated room), but doesn’t follow the same sequence.
What to expect: A packed room, a locker room smell and beads of sweat flying every which way – plus, an incredible sense of cleansing.
Who should do it: Those who aren’t afraid to push themselves and don’t mind sweat or its accompanying odors.
Who shouldn’t: Germophobes and those with injuries.
More info: www.bikramyoga.com
Ashtanga/Power Yoga
Like Bikram yoga, an Ashtanga class follows a set sequence of poses – which one you do depends on how long you’ve been practicing.
Unlike Bikram, an Ashtanga teacher doesn’t call out the poses: Instead, students move through the sequence at their own pace as the teacher makes physical adjustments. Power yoga is based on Ashtanga, but each power yoga class is unique and choreographed by the teacher.
What to expect: A whole-body physical challenge and an intensity not found in a more playful Anusara class.
Who should do it: Anyone with energy to burn and a willingness to look like a fish out of water until you learn the yoga sequence.
Who shouldn’t: Anyone looking for a gentle introduction to yoga.
More info: www.ashtanga.com
AcroYoga
These classes are all give and take. A combination of yoga, acrobatics and Thai yoga massage, AcroYoga pairs students up with a partner – one is the “flyer” and one is the “base.”
After a series of warm-ups, the flyer does yoga poses while supported by the base’s body. The flyer experiences greater opening while the base is massaged by the flyer’s body weight. At the end of class, the flyer reciprocates by giving the base a Thai yoga massage.
What to expect: Fit yogis having a great time experimenting with new poses and types of yoga.
Who should do it: Anyone with a sense of adventure and a basic familiarity with yoga.
Who shouldn’t: People who groan when forced to team up with a partner or who don’t like to be touched.
More info: www.acroyoga.org
Play It Safe.
Yoga is one of the safer varieties of exercise, but it’s still possible to get injured.
If you have an injury or health condition, tell the instructor and ask if they have experience dealing with the issue.
Never do a pose that seems too difficult or that you don’t understand just to keep up in class. If you feel any pain, stop immediately.
When not to practice yoga. If you’re menstruating, are pregnant, or have high blood pressure and injuries to the knees, shoulders and neck, avoid certain postures and take special care in all poses
Modify the postures for your body. Instructions and pictures of yoga poses are a goal only. Experiment and explore different positions and alignment to make the posture work for your body and medical conditions.
Duration. Daily practice should be 15-90 minutes long and done 1-6 times per week, depending on your schedule, goals and ability. Practicing more frequently with shorter practice times will yield greater results than doing workouts less frequently with longer practice times.
Drinking and eating. Don't eat or drink right before a yoga practice, especially if you’re doing inversions or upside-down poses. Not only can a grumbling, digesting tummy be a big distraction, but digestion also requires extra blood flow to the stomach and intestines, redirecting blood away from the deep muscle tissues that yoga workouts target. Eat no less than 1-3 hours before and drink only small amounts of water before practice so you have energy. And, if possible, don't drink during your practice to avoid disrupting the flow.
Spice Things Up.
Yoga is so relaxing that many people find it enjoyable, even addictive. But if you’re finding yourself getting bored with your routine or skipping sessions, consider the following suggestions to make it fun again:
Try a new form of yoga. Each style of yoga offers a different experience, and experimenting with an unfamiliar one can make your practice more challenging. Even if you decide you prefer the one you’re already doing, you’ll learn something along the way.
Try a new instructor. A teacher may be highly qualified but still not be quite right for you. There may be someone else you “click” with better.
Go with friends. Many women find they have a more enjoyable experience with friends in the room, especially if you can unwind afterward over a cup of green tea. Just don’t give in to the temptation to chat during class, or you could miss out on the benefits of mental calmness.
Try outdoor yoga. Many areas offer classes in parks, gardens, or other beautiful outdoor setting. Being in nature can add an extra dimension of enjoyment to your yoga practice.
Learn from your experience. In an era of constant distractions, that sense of being “bored” with yoga may really indicate discomfort with relaxing and quieting your mind. But the meditative aspects of yoga are just as much a skill as the physical aspects. Keep up with your practice, and you may find yourself discovering a renewed ability to let go of the need for constant buzz and chatter.
What's Your Yoga IQ?
Over the last decade yoga has become a household item. It's not just a New Age enigma anymore. Yoga classes are offered just about everywhere — from gyms to community centers. As the health benefits of yoga and meditation become more apparent, more people are jumping on the yoga bandwagon.
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