Yoga Advice From a Wanna-be Yogi
Life and stress go hand-in-hand, but recently the amount of stress we’re all enduring has increased.
What’s the best way to deal with it? Well, there’s tons of options.
Exercise more often
Practice breathing techniques
Reduce your caffeine intake
Journal
Today, let’s talk about yoga and the stress relieving benefits it has to offer all of us!
Yoga is a wonderful option for bringing together awareness of your mind and body. It requires you to be still at times and move at others. It helps you connect to your breath and synchronize your movement to it. AND yoga has been associated with some amazing benefits!
The head and heart behind Cochell Fitness LLC. I decided to pursue online training so I could help ‘ex’ athletes everywhere fall in love with training again.
Before we dive in… scroll up and take a look at the title of this blog. If “YOGA ADVICE FROM A WANNA-BE YOGI” didn’t give it away, here’s my disclaimer a little more clearly… I am NOT certified yoga instructor! There are MANY other highly qualified individuals out there who offer online classes, videos and descriptions of postures and flows. One of my favorites is Yoga With Adriene linked here. At the end of this blog post I list out a sequence I practiced this morning. This sequence comes from “The Yoga Minibook for Energy and Strength” by Elaine Gavalas linked here.
Research has linked consistent practice of yoga to lowered levels of depression and anxiety. Evidence has shown significant increases in serotonin levels (sometimes called the ‘happy hormone’) which helps aid in mood stabilization and feelings of well-being.
Entering the tranquil state that yoga provides, inhibits the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the ‘fight-or-flight‘ response (known as the stress response). The centers of the brain that control fear, aggression and rage also become inhibited. This causes a decrease in anxiety, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and cardiac output. Yoga has also been shown to stimulate the reward centers of the brain that creates a blissful mental state. All of these things create a calmer, more relaxed mental state.
Consistent yoga practice has been shown to significantly improve sleep, too! Studies show a decrease in the amount of time it takes individuals to fall asleep, an increase in number of hours slept and feelings of being well-rested upon waking up.
Besides these benefits, yoga helps improve strength, balance and flexibility.
Different kinds of yoga postures produce different benefits.
A few of them are:
These are just a few options when it comes to yoga…
There are yoga poses for tons of other things including asthma, digestion, headaches and pregnancy!
And don’t forget that there is more than one style of practicing yoga. Here’s a list of a few of the most common kinds and a short description:
Hatha: generic term for yoga classes, think of it as the umbrella that all others fall under
Ashtanga: rigorous, follows a specific sequence of poses, poses are linked to movement similar to vinyasa
Bikram: a sequence of 26 poses, followed in the same order, also practiced in a heated room
Hot yoga: Similar to the Bikram style but with some kind of change, practice occurs in a heated room
Restorative: rejuvenating, designed to utilizing props to aid you in passive poses where you exert little effort
Vinyasa: fluid movement, typically a more intense style of practice, smooth transitions from one pose to the next
You might be thinking, “Everything’s closed. How do I do a yoga class if I have no idea what I’m doing?” Have no fear! Most yoga studios are offering online classes via Zoom. A google search of your area and the style of yoga you’re looking for should turn up a few results.
If you’re ready to dive into yoga RIGHT NOW but don’t know where to start,
here is a list of poses I practiced this morning in a vinyasa flow style. Enjoy!
WARM UP (3 cycles through)
Mountain pose (5 breaths)
Forward fold (5 breaths)
High lunge - right (3 breaths)
Plank (3 breaths)
Cobra (3 breaths)
Down-dog - pedal feet (3 breaths)
High lunge - left (3 breaths)
Forward fold (5 breaths)
Mountain pose (5 breaths)
Flow (3 cycles)
Mountain pose (3 breaths)
Forward fold / Standing half forward fold (3 breaths)
Plank (1 breath)
Chaturanga (1 breath)
Upward-facing dog (3 breaths)
Down-dog (3 breaths)
Warrior 1 - right (3 breaths)
Warrior 3 - right (3 breaths)
Deep lunge - right (3 breaths)
Plank (1 breath)
Down-dog (3 breaths)
Warrior 1 - left (3 breaths)
Warrior 3 - left (3 breaths)
Deep lunge - left (3 breaths)
Forward fold (3 breaths)
Mountain pose (3 breaths)
Mountain pose (5 breaths)
Advanced flow (3 cycles) 1 breath in each pose moving with your breathing
Mountain pose
Forward fold
Standing half forward fold
Plank
Chaturanga
Downward-facing dog
Three-legged downward-facing dog - right
Knee to nose - right (3x)
Warrior 1 - right
Exalted warrior - right
Warrior 3 - right
Deep lunge - right
Plank
Downward-facing dog
Three-legged downward-facing dog - left
Knee to nose - left (3x)
Warrior 1 - left
Exalted warrior - left
Warrior 3 - left
Deep lunge - left
Forward fold
Mountain pose
As a cool down I cycled through my warm-up again, taking my time in each pose and ending in child’s pose.
I hope you all are finding ways to stay happy, healthy (physically and mentally) and positive in this time. I have no doubt that incorporating yoga into your week would be a great addition and help you relieve some stress!
Comment below and let me know :
Do you practice yoga?
What’s your favorite style/pose?
If you don’t, will you start now?
Thanks for dropping by today! I hope you’re leaving this post having learned something new and understand how it can be beneficial to you on your unique fitness journey. If there’s a topic you’re interested in learning more about, please leave me a message here so I can add it to my list!
Cochell Fitness strongly recommends that you consult with your physician before engaging in any exercise program. Cochell Fitness is not a licensed medical care provider and represents that it has no expertise in diagnosing, examining or treating medical conditions of any kind, or in determining the effect of any specific exercise on a medical condition. Understand that if you practice the poses or sequence listed above, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these actives and assume all risk of injury to yourself.
REFERENCES
Azami, Milad, et al. “The Effect of Yoga on Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in Women.” International Journal of Preventive Medicine, vol. 9, no. 1, 2018, p. 21., doi:10.4103/ijpvm.ijpvm_242_16.
Cook, Jennifer. “Find Your Match Among the Many Types of Yoga.” Yoga Journal, 28 Aug. 2007, www.yogajournal.com/practice/not-all-yoga-is-created-equal.
Cook, Jennifer. “Find Your Match Among the Many Types of Yoga.” Yoga Journal, 28 Aug. 2007, www.yogajournal.com/practice/not-all-yoga-is-created-equal.
“Find the Perfect Yoga Sequence For You.” Yoga Journal, 12 Apr. 2017, www.yogajournal.com/practice.
Gaiam. “A Beginner's Guide to 8 Major Styles of Yoga.” Gaiam, www.gaiam.com/blogs/discover/a-beginners-guide-to-8-major-styles-of-yoga.
Woodyard, Catherine. “Exploring the Therapeutic Effects of Yoga and Its Ability to Increase Quality of Life.” International Journal of Yoga, vol. 4, no. 2, 2011, p. 49., doi:10.4103/0973-6131.85485.