Yoga for Beginners. Easy Guide to Get Started

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1 Yoga for Beginners Easy Guide to Get Started

2 TOP 10 YOGA TIPS Hey y'all! My name is Lauren, and I'm a practicing yogi and co founder of Avocadu.com. I ve got some awesome tips to share with you! My first couple of months with yoga were frustrating to say the least. I had a lot of ups and downs, but it really felt like more downs than ups. I bought a program, and it turned out it wasn t right for me. I wondered if yoga was just too much work, and I should just give up. I had to take a few steps back and work on some of the fundamentals of the practice. As soon as I began focusing on the right things, EVERYTHING changed. I saw results, and FAST. I hope these tips help to inspire and encourage you on your yoga journey as they have for me. 1. Have a plan. Don t try to do everything at once. You ll see slower progress if you try to work on your back, hips, hamstrings, arms, and shoulders EVERY single day. It s also important to do this so that you don t overwork your muscles or injure yourself. There s nothing worse than waking up to find out that your ENTIRE body is so sore that you can t work on ANYTHING that day. It s good to do a little work in all areas every day, but try to schedule certain days of longer practice on one particular muscle group. 2. Find a program you like, and stick with it. There are a lot of programs out there for strength, flexibility, handstands, backbends, etc. Some are for beginners, and some are not. Read reviews and ask questions about a program before you begin, and try to find a program that you feel is right for you. I recommend starting with a BEGINNER program that has ALL of the basics before you start focusing on handstands, backbends, or any other pose in particular. Lauren McManus

3 3. Listen to your body. 4. Focus. TOP 10 YOGA TIPS Follow the guidance of experienced yogis when learning how to get in and out of poses, because it is usually the safest and easiest route. That being said, if something else FEELS wrong to your body, lay off and try something different. People have different abilities and limitations when it comes to their strength and flexibility, so listen to your body above all. Do what feels right for you. Concentrate on what you are trying to accomplish, and what you need to do to get there. Paint the picture in your head before you try to do it. When you are in the pose, focus on how you feel and how you can adjust to make the pose look and feel better on your body. This matters enormously when doing inversions like forearm stands and handstands. If you throw yourself upside down and hope for the best, it will take you much longer to learn. Take your time and concentrate. 5. Breathe. Always breathe deeply. Whether you re getting into a pose, adjusting in the pose, or resting. This will help you stay calm and focused on what you re doing. It will remind you to listen to your body. When stretching, try to push a little further with every deep exhalation. 6. Take pictures. There is no better way to track your progress or critique your form than using photos or videos. It can be difficult when learning on your own, because you don t have someone there to tell you what you re doing wrong. Set the timer on the camera on your phone or take videos. Post your progress photos on Instagram. It s humbling, and you will not only inspire others, but attract others to respond with their tips and struggles as well.

4 7. Use a strap. 8. Find your "thing". TOP 10 YOGA TIPS A yoga strap is a great tool for beginners for certain poses like king pigeon, forearm stands, backbends, and dancer. It allows your body to begin to get used to working the specific flexibility needed for certain poses. It s helpful, because most of us are practicing on our own and don t have a friend or teacher there to help us. Try to move your hands a little farther down the strap every day. What do you love most about yoga? Why did you start? Is it the handstands? The backbends? The relaxing feeling you have when you practice deep breathing? Focus on what you love most about your practice, and let that thing motivate you. Make your practice YOURS. Try a lot of different poses, and you ll notice that some just feel right. 9. Don't get discouraged. It s really easy to look at the progress of others who have had years or even just months of practice and see that they appear to be SO far ahead of you. It can be discouraging when your inspiration turns on you, and you feel like you are never going to get there. You will have days when you feel like you ve made no progress and feel that it will take YEARS to achieve a certain level of flexibility. Forget that. Work at it everyday, and you WILL see progress. Again, take photos every week or every month. Look back at them when you are feeling discouraged. 10. Treat yourself to some awesome yoga pants. Sometimes, it s just about feeling GREAT in a new pair of yoga pants. If that gives you the motivation to go out and hit your mat everyday, then so be it! Make a goal that you can treat yourself to a new pair of yoga pants for every milestone that you set (for example: headstand, forearm stand, handstand). I swear yoga pants have magical powers. They certainly make me feel more fun, free, and confident!

5 TOP YOGA POSES So I chose these poses for a variety of reasons. They are of course beginner level poses, but they are also some of the most fundamental poses in yoga. In other words, there are many variations and advances to these poses. They all work different muscle groups, and developing strength and flexibility in these poses will help you progress quickly in your practice. Try holding every pose for at least 30 seconds and deepening the stretch when you can. Repeat the poses at least 3 times, and make sure to switch sides when you re in a pose that focuses on one side of the body at a time. 1. Standing Half Forward Bend This pose isn't just about "touching your toes." The key is keeping a FLAT BACK. Try it in front of the mirror. At the point where your back begins to bend, stop and hold the pose. Point your butt up towards the ceiling as high as you can while you're stretching. Try to keep working towards the ground while keeping a flat back. 2. Downward Facing Dog Stretches: Hamstrings, Shoulders Stretches: Hamstrings Your heels won't likely touch the ground, but that should be your end goal and how you stretch. Again, keep your back is flat as possible. It will flatten out over time as you develop more flexibility.

6 TOP 10 YOGA TIPS 3. Upward Facing Dog Stretches: Chest, Back, Shoulders Make sure your hips and legs are entirely off the ground. Only your palms the tops of your feet should be touching the ground. Keep your gaze lifted and try to sink your hips lower as you pull your chest up towards the ceiling. 4. Warrior I Stretches: Hips, Back, Shoulders Your forward knee should be at a 90 degree angle with the ground, and your back foot should be sideways, not tucked under. Sink lower to bring the stretch in your hips, and tilt the arms back farther to increase the stretch in your back. Transition to Warrior II, below. 5. Warrior II Stretches: Hamstrings, Shoulders Try moving into Warrior II from Warrior I in one fluid motion by lowering your arms out to the sides and moving the torso. The feet should remain in the same stance as Warrior I. Transition into Warrior III. 6. Warrior III Stretches: Hamstrings, Shoulders Ready to test your balance? From Warrior II, bring your arms forward and try to get your body in a straight line and parallel to the ground, except for your standing leg, which should be perpendicular to the ground. Snap a photo It's harder than it looks!

7 TOP 10 YOGA TIPS 7. Pigeon Stretches: Hips, Back The goal is to eventually have your bent knee at a 90 degree angle, but it requires a tremendous amount of hip flexibility. Another variation is to lay your chest flat on the floor in front of you for a deeper stretch on the other hip. Try both. 8. Plank Stretches: Core, Shoulders Yes, the plank is popular in yoga too! Remember to keep your core tight the entire time you're in this pose. A common exercise in yoga is to round your back in plank pose and bring your knee to your forehead and back down. Give the abs an extra squeeze with every knee forward. 9. Chaturanga Stretches: Arms, Core This is the "yogi pushup." Keep your upper arms parallel to your chest. To really work your arms, try holding it for seconds. To modify: keep your knees on the ground. This is the best pose for building arm strength. 10. Triangle Stretches: Hamstrings, Shoulders, Obliques Try to keep your chest stacked and not lean forward. Do this by trying to keep the chest out and both arms perpendicular to the ground. To modify: let your bottom hand rest on your thigh or a yoga block.

8 TOP 10 YOGA TIPS Thank You! Thanks for reading! I wanted to part with a few great resources that can really help you on your yoga journey! If you're looking for a great program for beginners, make sure to check out the Yoga Fat Loss Bible for Beginners that I wrote with my boyfriend and business partner, Alex Nerney. Together, we run the website, Avocadu.com Alex is a certified personal trainer and fat loss expert, and I'm the health nut and practicing yogi! This program has everything you need to get started and more, including: 50 Fat Burning Yoga Poses Complete Flexibility Guide 12 Week Workout Plan Meditation Guide And so much more! Click here to check it out! Lastly, I'd love to connect with you on Instagram! If you haven't seen it already, that's where I post all of my personal yoga photos, tips, and tricks. I'd be happy to share my story and take part in yours as well! Click the image below to see my account and follow it for my latest yoga content! Lauren McManus

9 DISCLAIMER This book is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice of physicians. The reader should regularly consult a physician in matters relating to his/her health and particularly with respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention. You are liable for any injuries or ailments received from this program, even though we suspect you will have none!