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Yoga: A Beginners Journal

Updated: Aug 1, 2020

Let's talk about Yoga.

Photo grabbed from Unsplash


In our first fitness article, we have talked about how people have lost access to the gym since the pandemic, and so for this piece, we wanted to give the spotlight to a kind of exercise which is friendly to beginners, considerate to those who are lacking in workout equipment, and is doable anywhere, may it be your home or the gym.


Let's start this article by defining what Yoga is.


Based on our research, Yoga Basics states that practicing yoga is a mixture of spiritual techniques done in the hopes of integrating your mind, your body, and your spirit. These are done to achieve a state of enlightenment and be one with the universe. Yoga can seem intimidating to people, but if you go on your research to understand what it is, you will find that yoga is practical and scientific as it puts emphasis on our direct experiences and observable results.


In this 20 minute video, the robust, scientific, systematic explanation of yoga practice will be explained.

The beauty of yoga is that you only need your exercise mat, and yourself. We at Healtheneo believe that yoga is for everyone, whether old or young -- practicing yoga can help calm the mind and strengthen the body. 


You can find beautiful mats from Flow Fitique on Instagram.


For starters, let's talk about the proven benefits of practicing Yoga.


Here is a short and informative video explaining what happens to our bodies when we practice yoga.

Apart from the benefits discussed on the video, further research states that Yoga can help decrease stress and relieve anxiety. These can be achieved through the use of meditation in our yoga practice; the requirement of being present in the moment, and finding a sense of peace could help reduce a person's anxiety.


Here's an example of a meditation video that helps calm the mind and the body.

Another effective and shorter meditation video is this 5 minute meditation you can do anywhere.

It can help improve our breathing since the practice of yoga focuses on how you control your breath through a routine. This helps build endurance so you can keep your lungs and heart healthy.


Yoga can also relieve migraines. According to researchers, yoga may help stimulate the vagus nerve, shown to be effective in relieving migraines.


It can also increase strength as well since there are poses in yoga that are designed to increase your strength and build muscle.


Lastly, and more importantly, it can also help fight depression through decreasing levels of cortisol; a stress hormone that affects the levels of serotonin in our bodies which is the neurotransmitter that is often associated with depression.


Next, we should talk about yoga poses, because these are the building blocks of yoga.


We have found sources that we feel are reliable as a references for when you are doing your practice. First, is an article we found by the New York Times discussing each and every pose that you will need and use in your Yoga journey.


10 Yoga Poses You Need to Know by the New York Times

Poses you will find on this article:

  1. Child's Pose

  2. Downward-Facing Dog

  3. Plank Pose

  4. Four-Limbed Staff Pose

  5. Cobra Pose

  6. Tree Pose

  7. Triangle Pose

  8. Seated-Half Spinal Twist Pose

  9. Bridge Pose

  10. Corpse Pose

Next reference is a Youtube video. This will be helpful to those who need more visual guides as they try yoga poses.

Poses you will find in the video:

  1. Mountain Pose 0:12

  2. Tree Pose 0:44

  3. Downward-Facing Dog 1:06

  4. Triangle Pose 1:41

  5. Warrior I Pose 2:03

  6. Warrior II Pose 2:44

  7. Plank Pose 3:07

  8. Cat-Cow Pose 3:44

  9. Cobra Pose 4:09

  10. Chair Pose 4:25

Another one is from Yoga with Adriene, a very popular Yogi on Youtube. Unlike the previous references, she only discusses four essential poses for beginners, but she goes more in depth for every pose.

Poses Adriene talks about on this video:

She has other content such as Yoga for 30 Days, for people who want to follow a routine in their daily practice.


For those who are interested with Yoga and want an informative site that is dedicated to Yoga, visit Yoga Journal.

On Yoga Journal, they have a page dedicated for Yoga poses, which can be helpful to those who are just starting to familiarize themselves with the practice.

Photos grabbed from the Yoga Journal website.


You can also download Yoga Journal app for mobile phone for easier access.

Remember, these poses are the building blocks of a complete yoga workout. A few reminders are first, take them slowly and listen to your body. Pause if there are poses that you find challenging, and breathe. Next, do not expect yourself to get the poses immediately, but make sure you understand what the specific pose is asking from you. Lastly, do not forget to be kind to your body. Always be mindful of how you feel.


For Yoga videos that are made specifically for beginners, here are the few that people have enjoyed and are worth practicing.


For starters, we have Yoga with Adriene's:

"Yoga for Complete Beginners! Adriene welcomes all levels - complete and total beginners to start here! Hop on the mat and start to build the foundation of your own yoga practice with this 20 minute home workout video! Enjoy, stay mindful and find what feels good." - Adriene

If you want to participate in the practice of Yoga for a month straight, complete with guide and an instructor, Yoga with Adriene has designed a 30 day routine for everyone who are interested.


Here is Day 1 and all the rest of the videos are on Youtube as well.

For those who are targeting a specific body part, here are a few Youtube videos that we recommend.


If you want to focus on your upper body, here is a video by Yoga with Adriene that targets your neck, shoulders and upper back.

If you want to lose belly fat through yoga, here's a video by Your Yoga Gym.

If you want to target your lower body, such as your hips and lower back, you should try this video by Adriene from Yoga with Adrienne.

Lastly, if you want to do Yoga in the mornings to start your day right, here is a video from Kassandra,


More than any benefit that we have stated above, we believe that everyone should try yoga because at the end of the day, yoga's goal is to make us all feel better. It offers self-reflection -- emphasizes the practice of kindness towards yourself and to others, it reminds you of self-compassion, self-awareness, and the importance of growth.


We wish you all luck in your practice.


Note: The Healtheneo team are not made up of fitness experts. This article is based on research. Sources will be noted at the bottom of the article.


Websites and Articles:


Yoga 101: The Basics. Retrieved July 21, 2020, from https://www.yogabasics.com/learn/yoga-101-an-introduction/


Yoga for Everyone. Retrieved July 21, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/guides/well/beginner-yoga


13 Benefits of Yoga That Are Supported by Science, Link, R. (August 2017) Retrieved July 21, 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/13-benefits-of-yoga


Why Do People Do Yoga, Wei, M. (2017 December) Retrieved July 21, 2020, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-people-do-yoga_b_7758984?


Yoga Journal:


Youtube Videos:

Laura Plumb. (2016, November 16). The Science of Yoga. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIbR7odQklk&t=1000s


TED-Ed. (2020, June 18). What yoga does to your body and brain - Krishna Sudhir. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8kV4FHSdNA&t=45s


The Honest Guys - Meditation - Relaxation. (2015, March 24) Mindful Meditation Guided 10 Minutes. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p_yaNFSYao


Goodful. (2019, September 4). 5-Minute Meditation You Can Do Anywhere. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inpok4MKVLM


Ventuno Yoga. (2016, April 26). Beginners Yoga Series: 10 Most Important Yoga Poses for Beginners. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fky9YEwDUvw


Yoga with Adriene. (2013, November 21). Yoga Poses for Beginners -- Where to Start?. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI-BbATfLXo

Yoga with Adriene. (2013, November 13). Yoga for Complete Beginners - 20 Minute Home Yoga Workout. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7AYKMP6rOE&t=1s


Yoga with Adriene. (2015, January 1). Day 1 - Ease Into It - 30 Days of Yoga. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBu-pQG6sTY


Yoga with Adriene. (2019, February 10). Yoga For Neck, Shoulders, Upper Back - 10 Minute Yoga Quickie. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3-gKPNyrTA&t=1s


Your Yoga Gym. (2014, November 16). 10 Minute Yoga Workout Lose Your Belly Fat Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_nK89g-69w


Yoga with Adriene. (2018, March 11). Yoga For Hips & Lower Back Release. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho9em79_0qg&t=1s


Yoga with Adriene. (2013, November 13). Yoga for Complete Beginners - 20 Minute Home Yoga Workout. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7AYKMP6rOE&t=1s

2 Comments

Janella M.
Janella M.
Jul 29, 2020

Here's to me trying yoga in the coming days! Will try one of the videos you shared! :)

Like
Angela Andres
Angela Andres
Jul 21, 2020

Off to buy a yoga mat!

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