Want to get more serious with yoga, looking for guidance

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hello! For several years I have read about and practiced yoga here and there, always at home on my own. It was always hard to get into a routine because of our kids being young and because I really didn’t know where to start and the poses I did always felt so random, no rhyme or reason to it. Now that our kids are a bit older and I have more “me” time throughout the day, I want to get more serious about my yoga practice. I want to tone, strengthen, and relax my body and mind.

I’m not able to get to a yoga studio because of the distance, cost, and no one to watch our kids (husband works out of town a lot) so I’m looking for direction and advice for home practice where I can learn more. I don’t know much about the different styles of yoga, but I’ve read some books on Iyengar yoga. I like the idea of something slow and flowing, rather than something fast paced. I want to stretch and tone my body to be more flexible and stable. Also, my legs and back are very tense and tight (something I really want to focus on) and when I do stretches and poses I’m sore the next day. In the moment I don’t feel as if I’m pushing myself too far, I never push myself to the point of pain. Should I rest when sore, or keep on stretching those muscles? I don’t want to damage my muscles, but when I wait until they aren’t sore anymore they feel tighter than before.

I guess my goal is to slowly become more flexible and toned (4 kids takes a toll on your body :eek:), and I’m looking for help here. What I should be doing, what I should not be doing.

Thanks in advance! :slight_smile:

#2

Most of this has been covered elsewhere on this forum at length and in depth but… a teacher is a teacher.

Muscle soreness is to be expected especially when using muscles that are not otherwise being used and/or when using muscles that are used but using them more fully or to muscular fatigue. Soreness will go away and the timeline for that varies based on the living of the human in question. If one is still sore more than three days after the practice in question then it should be revisited for a deeper look.

Muscles do need time to repair and again that depends on the level of repair needed and the resources within the human being for said repair. Rest is nice. Most of us don’t get enough rest. For me personally I would try to vary my practice and not target that which is sore. To gently stretch that which is sore in the process is “okay” and I wouldn’t get too militant about it one way or another.

It’s difficult to tell any other person what not to do and what to do. An alignment-based practice (like the one you mentioned) is a sound start and the practice will grow with some dedication and patience. Be forewarned that most people fall off the wagon and spend only a short time doing anything at all. Yoga simply doesn’t have much low-hanging fruit.

Particia Walden has a nice beginner’s DVD. If you opt not to attend classes and stay in then this is certainly an option.

#3

To practice yoga at home requires some discipline. On the other hand, yoga is really effective only if it is done on a daily basis, which usually means you do it at home.
You could start with a 10 minutes program. Do it every day and enjoy it! These 10 minutes are just for you. After some time you will feel how good it is and you will be motivated to increase. A yoga posture should be comfortabel and stable. There should always be some effort and some stretching involved, but you have to be able to relax and enjoy it. Start with simple things, like Pawanmuktasanas, or any yoga for beginners that you would like to try. Make it a priority to do it daily and see what happens.

#4

I learned and practice at home on my own with DVDs. There are a plethora of beginner DVDs out there. I like Yoga Works Beginners AM/PM. It’s very good for a first time DVD and while it has a regular 45 minute practice it also has two shorter 10 minute practices. It has a very slow flow to it, good instruction. For a more Iyengar feel there is Suzanne Deason’s Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss. It’s pretty good for beginners, showing 4 different levels at the same time with yoga blocks.

Whatever you decide to do with yoga, enjoy!