Yoga For Dummies
Overview
Stretch, strengthen, and start your yoga journey with this approachable guide
Yoga For Dummies teaches beginners the fundamentals of Yoga—correct posture, breathing techniques, meditation practices, and beyond. It’s also a helpful resource for established yogis who want to focus on foundations. Whoever you are, you’ll enjoy the proven mental and physical health benefits of this ancient practice. Improve cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure, increase your flexibility and balance, reduce stress, and more! Let Dummies help you get the most out of your yoga routine. This edition includes updated photos, new mindfulness meditations, new routines, and easy-to-follow instructions for mastering core yoga poses and building a regular practice.
- Discover the ideas and philosophy behind the ancient practice of Yoga
- Learn correct techniques and alignment for basic and more advanced poses
- Practice sequences of yoga poses for a full-body workout that builds strength and flexibility
- Reap the benefits of mindfulness meditation and yogic breathing exercises
Yoga For Dummies provides beginner-friendly instruction and expert guidance so you can enjoy the health and peace of mind that yoga brings.
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About The Author
Larry Payne, PhD, is an internationally renowned Yoga teacher and back specialist. He is the founding president of the International Association of Yoga Therapists and the co-founder of the Yoga curriculum at UCLA’s School of Medicine and Loyola Marymount University. Brenda Feuerstein is founder and director of Traditional Yoga Studies, a company that promotes authentic Yoga teachings and research.
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yoga for dummies
CHEAT SHEET
Yoga is an ancient practice that still provides numerous benefits today to the people who practice it regularly. Some people are scared off by certain myths they’ve heard about Yoga, but in truth, there’s no reason why anyone can’t and shouldn’t practice it.If you’re new to Yoga, finding a class and a teacher that fits your needs is crucial.
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Yoga offers a complete body and mind workout, with a complement of benefits you rarely find elsewhere. Yet as Yoga has become more popular, Yoga-related injuries have also become more common. With the proper intention and attitude, you can keep your Yoga practice safe and injury free.
Not everyone knows that some popular styles of Yoga originated from the training routines of athletic youths who preformed acrobatic Yoga shows around India.
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Yoga can be a very rewarding experience. Because it is sometimes difficult to see the benefits of your efforts immediately, here are ten tips for growing your Yoga practice into a sturdy, fruit-laden tree.
Understand Yoga
Even if you seek only physical benefits from Yoga, try to take time to learn about its rich philosophical and spiritual foundations.
These yogic postures for the abs use slow, conscious movement, proper breathing mechanics, and the use of sound. Conscious breathing, especially the gentle tightening of the front belly on each exhalation, can encourage and then sustain the strength and tone of the abdominals. The use of sound further enhances this kind of breathing.
These yogic postures for the abdominal muscles incorporate a team approach that values slow, conscious movement, proper breathing mechanics, and the use of sound. The emphasis here is on the quality of the movement rather than sheer quantity.
Exploring push-downs
Push-downs strengthen the abdomen, especially the lower abdomen.
Since Yoga came to the West from its Indian homeland in the late 19th century, it has undergone various adaptations. Broadly, you can look at yoga in four overlapping approaches.
As a method for physical fitness and health maintenance
As a body-oriented therapy
As a comprehensive lifestyle
As a spiritual discipline
The first two approaches are often categorized as Postural Yoga; it contrasts with Traditional Yoga, which generally encompasses the last two approaches.
Getting the hang of breath and movement in Yoga takes a bit of work when you tackle them separately, and combining them successfully can be even trickier. Here are some tips on handling both.
How much should I move and how long should I hold?
We note the number of repetitions and how long to hold them in all our recommended programs.
Many myths and misconceptions surround Yoga and Yoga practice, scaring off many would-be practitioners. The following list debunks some of those myths and gives you the real story so you can confidently add Yoga to your day.
Yoga is only for double-jointed people. Yoga is for everyone, and you can tailor it to your individual needs.
Yoga enthusiasts come to the mat seeking a variety of rewards: to gain strength, increase flexibility, manage stress, or adopt a more peaceful way of life. Whatever your reasons for turning to Yoga, you want keep a few considerations in mind to get off to a good start.
Set clear goals for yourself. Decide exactly what you want to accomplish (flexibility, fitness, better health, inner peace, and so on).
Lucid waking is the art of being present in the moment, of living with mindfulness throughout the day, which is what Yoga is first and foremost about. When you’re lucid during your waking hours, you’re penetrating the illusions and delusions of ordinary life with the searchlight of full awareness.
Lucid dreaming, a special state of consciousness in which you retain a degree of self-awareness while dreaming, is somewhat an extension of lucid waking.
Starting anything new can feel overwhelming, but choosing the Yoga class that fits you is easy when you take time to evaluate your Yoga needs. So how do you know the right class when you see it?
When you visit a Yoga center or classroom, pay attention to your intuitive feelings about the place. Consider how the staff treats you and how you respond to the people attending class.
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To see and experience firsthand the power of PNF in the context of Yoga, grab yourself a partner and follow these instructions for The Yoga Miracle. You can achieve a deeper stretch than normal with this exercise.
Lie on your back, with your left leg bent and your left foot on the floor; your right leg is up in the air and slightly bent.
The risk of injury in Yoga is small, especially when compared with other sports. With wise practice, you can avoid injury entirely. After all, you're practicing Yoga to feel better in your body and mind — and perhaps to both heal old injuries and prevent new ones in the course of your daily life.
Here you find pointers for avoiding injury in the three areas most common areas Yoga affects: the lower back, the hamstrings, and the knees.
This Yoga exercise is for people who suffer from insomnia but have an active imagination. Instead of watching your mind weave tale after tale when you can’t sleep at night, why not recruit your imagination for the purpose of falling soundly asleep? Here’s how.
If you’re claustrophobic, this exercise may not necessarily work for you.
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In Hatha Yoga, breathing is just as important as the postures. How you breathe when you’re moving into, holding, or moving out of any given posture can greatly increase the efficiency and benefits of your practice. Think of the breath as mileage plus. The more you use breathing consciously, the more mileage you gain for your health and longevity.
Sometimes you have only 15 minutes, but even 15 minutes of Hatha Yoga can put you back on an even keel and refresh you. When you opt for a 15-minute program, you need to be specific about your goals. Consider some of the more common uses for a short routine:
A quick general conditioning program
A stress-reduction and relaxation program
A preparation program for Yoga breathing or meditation
General conditioning
For the purposes of general conditioning, choose the following categories and do them in the order listed.
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Yoga can be helpful for your well-being and your abs. A variation of navasana, the extended leg slide-ups is a Yoga exercise that strengthens both the upper and lower abdomen, as well as the neck.
If this pose bothers your neck, support your head by putting both hands behind it. If the problem persists, stop.
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, at hip width.
This short Yoga routine focuses on the areas of the body that you want to strengthen as you prepare your body for giving birth. Make sure you have consulted your physician to be sure you have no special circumstances before beginning any prenatal exercise routines.Mountain posture: TadasanaOne of the benefits of the mountain posture during pregnancy is that it directs your attention to your posture during this period when your weight and balance have gradually but steadily changed.
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The asymmetrical forward bend Yoga posture stretches each side of the back and hamstrings separately. The Sanskrit word parshva (pronounced pahr-shvah) means “side” or “flank,” and this posture indeed opens the hips, tones the abdomen, decompresses the neck, improves balance, and increases circulation to the upper torso and head.
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The Sanskrit word ardha (pronounced ahrd-ha) means “half.” This Yoga posture is beneficial in many ways. The half standing forward bend strengthens your legs, back, shoulders, and arms, and improves stamina.
Start in the mountain posture and, as you inhale, raise your arms forward and then up overhead, as in the standing forward bend.
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The Sanskrit word parivritta (pronounced pah-ree-vree-tah) means “revolved,” which makes perfect sense with this Yoga posture. You can compare the action of twists, including the reverse triangle, on the discs between the spinal vertebrae (intervertebral discs) to the action of squeezing and then releasing a wet sponge: First you squeeze out the dirty water, and then you sponge up the clean water.
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The Sanskrit word uttana (pronounced oo-tah-nah) means “extended,” and this Yoga posture certainly fits that bill. The standing forward bend stretches the entire back of the body and decompresses the neck (makes space between the vertebrae). When a person stands in an upright posture, the cervical spine and the neck muscles work hard to balance the head.
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In Yoga, the Sanskrit word utthita (pronounced oot-hee-tah) means “raised,” and trikona (pronounced tree-ko-nah) means “triangle.” The latter term is often mispronounced as try-ko-nah. The triangle posture stretches the sides of the spine, the backs of the legs, and the hips. It also stretches the muscles between the ribs (the intercostals), which opens the chest and improves breathing capacity.
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Before its perversion in Nazi Germany, the svastika served as a solar symbol for good fortune. It has the same meaning in Yoga. The term is made up of the prefix su (“good”) and asti (“is”) — hence, “It’s good.”
Credit: Photograph by Adam Latham
The svastikasana improves the flexibility of the hips, knees, and ankles and also strengthens the back.
Sitting postures are good for Yoga beginners. Cultural habits inspire most Westerners to sit in a chair when they meditate, so floor sitting is usually something folks have to work up to with practice. Over time, your asana practice can help you build comfort with sitting on the floor for exercises. Your ear, shoulder, and hip are in alignment, as viewed from the side.
According to Yoga master Patanjali, a posture must be “steady” (sthira) and “easeful” (sukha). The basic Yoga sitting position is called, appropriately, the easy/easeful posture (sukhasana); Westerners sometimes call it the tailor’s seat. Beginners should start their floor sitting practice with the easy posture.
The mountain posture is the foundation for all the standing postures in Yoga. Tadasana aligns the body, improves posture and balance, and facilitates breathing. The classic version isn’t recommended for beginners because it can be more difficult and risky at times.
Stand tall but relaxed, with your feet at hip width (down from the sits bones, not the outer curves), and hang your arms at your sides, with your palms turned toward your legs.
Partner Yoga exercises require a certain amount of touching and trust in your partner, so be sure you are comfortable with your partner. The partner suspension bridge is a Yoga partner exercise that decompresses the entire spine, provides traction, and stretches the hamstrings. It also builds strength in the arms and shoulders.
The Yoga partner teeter-totter exercise decompresses the lower back and builds strength in the arms and shoulders. You start as you would in the suspension bridge and add a flourish.
Face your partner standing, and hold on to one another’s wrists with corresponding right and left hands.
Begin to bend forward, and walk backward until you’re both parallel to the floor.
The Sanskrit word siddha (pronounced sidd-hah) means both “perfect” and “adept.” In Yoga, an adept isn’t just a skillful practitioner, but an accomplished master who has worked to attain inner freedom.
Many Yoga masters in bygone eras preferred this posture and used it often in place of the lotus posture.
Credit: Photograph by Adam Latham
The siddhasana improves the flexibility of your hips, knees, and ankles, and strengthens the back.
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The thunderbolt posture is one of the safest sitting postures for Yoga students with back problems. Vajrasana increases the flexibility of your ankles, knees, and thighs; improves circulation to the abdomen; and aids in digestion.
Use the following steps to practice this posture:
Kneel on the floor and sit back on your heels; position each heel under the buttocks on the same side, and rest your hands on the tops of your knees, with your elbows bent and your palms down.
The wisdom of Yoga not only brings you inner peace and balance — it also can guide you to eat in a healthful fashion for yourself, your global neighbors, and the planet. This list offers you suggestions to a healthful approach to food and eating, organized by a handful of essential Yoga principles.
Do no harm: Ahimsa
Ahimsa focuses on nonviolence and nonharming.
As you travel through yogic postures, you begin to build awareness of the communications taking place between your body and mind. Do you feel peacefully removed from the raging storm of life around you, comfortable and confident with your strength, range of motion, flexibility, and steadiness? Or are you painfully noting the slow passage of time, sensing a physical awkwardness or strain in your movements?
The human species prides itself on its use of tools, and Yoga’s growing popularity in the Western world has spawned an industry of Yoga-related props — gear that can be complicated and costly. But useful props can be as simple as items lying around your house. Usually, a couple blankets, a strap, a chair, and a wall for support is all you need.
Sound, which is a form of vibration, is one of the means by which Yoga harmonizes the vibration of your body and mind. In fact, the repetition of special sounds is one of the oldest and most potent techniques of Yoga.
Try this technique in conjunction with conscious breathing. A good way to start is to use the soft-sounding syllables ah, ma, and sa.
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Meditation is a part of Yoga that often goes unpracticed in Western cultures. As with Yoga, correct posture is important for meditation. This seven-point checklist can help you develop good sitting habits:
Back: Your back position is the single most important physical feature of your meditation. Your back should be straight but relaxed, with your chest open and your neck free.
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In Yoga, as in life, function is more important than form. The function, not the form, of the posture gives you its benefits. Beginners, in particular, need to adapt postures to enjoy their function and benefits right from the start.
One useful adaptive device is called Forgiving Limbs. With Forgiving Limbs, you give yourself permission to slightly bend your legs and arms instead of keeping them fully extended.
If your body-mind is slow to wind down to get its well-deserved rest, here’s a potent technique to entice Mr. Sandman to visit you. Yogic Sleep is a powerful relaxation technique that you can do when you gain some control over the relaxation response. When practiced successfully, this technique can be as restorative as sleep — except that you remain fully aware throughout.
If shallow or erratic breathing puts your well-being at risk, the complete yogic breath is your ticket to excellent physical and mental health. If you do no other Yoga exercise, the complete Yoga breath — integrally combined with relaxation — can still be of invaluable benefit to you. It’s your secret weapon, except that Yoga doesn’t advocate the use of force.
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Hatha Yoga includes various methods of breath control, all of which belong to the more advanced practices and traditionally follow extensive purification of body and mind. Some Western teachers have incorporated these methods into their beginner classes, but they’re best at the intermediary to advanced levels.
What’s essential to Yoga? Just body, breath, and mind. Yoga is incredibly portable. Wherever you may find yourself, you have your body and your breath. And with those elements present, you can calm your mind and create the union that is Yoga. What follows are simple Yoga practices you can do on the go, without having to pack any props.
Yogic breathing is a healthy practice for relaxation. Think about the many times you’ve heard someone say, “Now, just take a couple of deep breaths and relax.” This recommendation is so popular because it really works!
Pain clinics across the country use breathing exercises for pain control. Childbirth preparation courses teach Yoga-related breathing techniques to both parents to aid in the birthing process.
The simplest, yet most difficult, of all Yoga postures is the corpse posture (savasana, from shava and asana, pronounced shah-vah sah-nah). This posture is the simplest because you don’t have to use any part of your body at all, and it’s the most difficult precisely because you’re asked to do nothing whatsoever with your limbs.
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This Yoga relaxation technique utilizes your power of imagination. If you can picture images easily in your mind, you may find the exercise enjoyable and refreshing. For this exercise, you need a chair and a blanket (if necessary). Allow 5 minutes.
Sit up tall in a chair, with your feet on the floor and comfortably apart, and your hands resting on top of your knees.
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When your energies flag in the afternoon, try the following Yoga exercise as a great stress buster. You can practice it at home or in a quiet place at the office. Just make sure that you aren’t interrupted. For this exercise, you need a sturdy chair, one or two blankets, and a towel or an eye pillow. Allow 5 to 10 minutes.
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When your body is warmed up, you can move into what are referred to as the main postures, the central part of the Yoga routine. Interspersed among the main postures are compensation postures, which allow your body to come back into balance after each main posture and prevent discomfort and injury.
Standard asanas
The main postures are the standard asanas you find featured in the classical Yoga texts and modern manuals.
If you want to enjoy deep sleep or you’re experiencing insomnia (but you don’t want to count sheep), the following Yoga exercise can help you. Many people don’t make it to the end of this relaxation technique without falling asleep. For this exercise, you need the following props: a bed or other comfortable place to sleep, two pillows, and one or two blankets.
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Regular Yoga practice is a perfect antidote for the stresses of everyday life that can strain the upper back and neck. Think about all the activities you do during the course of the day that have you hunched over, with your shoulders tensed and raised up to your ears, and your head jutting forward. Is this you while sitting at your computer or driving in your car?
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Partner Yoga can be a rewarding experience with a trusted partner. It can also serve to add variety and, sometimes, difficulty to an otherwise normal routine and is the ultimate way to learn from another Yoga practitioner.
Hugasana
Hugs teach people how to give and receive. And if that’s not enough, research suggests that touch (and what is a hug, if not touch?
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Partner Yoga postures can be a unique way to experience Yoga with another person. You can mix and match these exercises and add them into your normal routine for a change.
Partner table pose
The partner table pose stretches the upper back and shoulders, relieving neck tension. It also stretches the hamstrings.
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Partner Yoga can be a unique experience and addition to your normal Yoga routine. Just remember, partner Yoga requires touching and trust with your partner. So choose your partner wisely for the best experience.
Partner tree pose
This simple-looking posture brings a bounty of benefits. It creates stability and balance, improves concentration, opens the hips, and strengthens the ankles.
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Partner Yoga is a new way to add some flavor to your normal routine. This can be a rewarding experience. However, remember that you should feel comfortable with your Yoga partner.
Seated straddle pose
This pose improves hip and hamstring flexibility and stretches the entire back, as well as the arms and shoulders.
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Partner Yoga can be a good way to integrate new techniques into your own traditional routine. Try the following exercises for a little extra challenge for you and your Yoga partner.
Partner seated twist
The partner seated twist rejuvenates the spine and stimulates the abdominal organs and digestion.
Sit on the floor in a comfortable position, back to back with your partner.
You can find a wealth of Yoga resources for further study and practice. This list recommends a few yoga-related books, DVDs, and more worth taking a look at.
Get a Leg up with Yoga Props
Your own forgiving limbs and the walls of your house are props enough for Yoga practice. Still, a little help from a block, bolster, cushion, strap, or blanket can provide additional ease, and props are essentials for certain restorative practices.
Yoga practice in the teenage years is so much more than an exercise program. Yes, it provides an energy outlet and a way to build muscle and flexibility — both important in their own right. But Yoga practice also provides an entry point for a healthful and balanced perspective on life and self that can remain for a lifetime.
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You should probably take a short break from Yoga after pregnancy. Many traditional cultures honor a period of rest for the newly delivered mother, to give her time to recover from childbirth and bond with her newborn. This break typically lasts about 4 to 6 weeks; in Spanish, it’s known as la cuarentena, or “the 40-day quarantine.
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Any physical exercise requires adequate warm-up, and Yoga is no exception. Warm-up exercises increase circulation to the parts of your body you’re about to use and make you more aware of those areas of your physical self. What’s different about the Yoga warm-up (called preparation postures) is that you do it slowly and deliberately, with conscious breathing and awareness.
Yoga can help with the strains of daily life. Daily life entails a lot of forward bending: putting on a pair of pants, tying shoelaces, picking things up from the floor, working at your computer, gardening, playing sports, and so on.
A forward bend closes the front of the torso, shortens the front of the spine, and rounds the back.
Okay, you’ve decided to try Yoga. What’s the next step? Safest is to set your sights on a suitable Yoga class or teacher instead of plowing forward as a strict do-it-yourselfer. Although you can explore some basic practices by reading about them, a full-fledged, safe Yoga routine really requires proper instruction from a qualified teacher.
Taking a gentle approach to Yoga during pregnancy can be just what the doctor ordered. It may be just what the midwife ordered as well because it helps you cultivate a sense of confidence in your own body and your ability to give birth. Of course, each woman needs to consult her physician, just to be certain she doesn’t have any high-risk conditions that require special precautions.
Meditation is an important part of Yoga. Think of your meditation as a tree that you must water every day — not too much and not too little. Trust that, one day, your nurturing will bring the tree to bear beautiful blossoms and delicious fruit.
Consider these vital tips to help you set the stage for a meditation routine:
Practice regularly.
The Sanskrit word used in Yoga for relaxation is shaithilya, which is pronounced shy-theel-yah and means “loosening.” It refers to the loosening of physical and mental tension and effort — all the knots that you tie when you don’t go with the flow of life. These knots are like kinks in a hose that prevent the water from flowing freely.
Partner Yoga is a joyful practice that brings two people together to create a new posture. In contrast to what’s referred to as assisted Yoga, in partner Yoga, each person gives support and receives benefits as the two create a posture together. When you and your partner try this, you discover and enjoy one of the requirements and lessons of partner Yoga: dialogue and clear communication.
When you choose a Yoga class you think can work for you, you may be nervous about actually taking the plunge and heading to your first session. Here are some tips that will answer your questions about what to wear and take, as well as how to stay safe (and in the good graces of your classmates) as you begin your group Yoga journey.
Midlife, as the word suggests, refers to the middle of life. With a little extra help from Yoga, it’s not, as some people think, “The End,” but rather a new beginning. Yoga helps you navigate the physical and emotional changes associated with midlife and allows you to age gracefully, healthfully, and actively.
Yoga is an ancient practice that still provides numerous benefits today to the people who practice it regularly. Some people are scared off by certain myths they’ve heard about Yoga, but in truth, there’s no reason why anyone can’t and shouldn’t practice it.If you’re new to Yoga, finding a class and a teacher that fits your needs is crucial.
All these Yoga postures help you release your lower-back tension, aided by support from either a prop or the floor. The magic is in the execution of these ancient postures to suit your body, as you simply breathe and allow yourself to surrender to the moment and release your stress.
Knees-to-chest posture
The knees-to-chest posture relieves tension in the lumbar spine and calms your nervous system.
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No matter what anybody else tells you, yogic breathing typically occurs through the nose, during both inhalation and exhalation. For traditional yogis and yoginis, the mouth is meant for eating and the nose for breathing. Here are at least three good reasons for breathing through the nose:
It slows the breath because you’re breathing through two small openings instead of the one big opening in your mouth, and slow is good in Yoga.
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