Which yoga poses should I incorporate into my morning routine?
August 14, 2011 8:30 PM Subscribe
I really want to incorporate yoga into my morning routine - but I don't know how to start, or which poses to follow?
I took a beginner's yoga class a few months ago. I loved it; it really helped alleviate my lower back pain and always made me feel energized. Since the class stopped, however, so did my yoga practice. I've tried to remember all the poses I learnt once I get on the mat, but I always forget. For those who practice yoga - are there set poses that you follow? Would using instructional DVDs be helpful, and if so, are there instructional DVD's for beginners that someone can recommend? Any suggestions are most welcome!
I took a beginner's yoga class a few months ago. I loved it; it really helped alleviate my lower back pain and always made me feel energized. Since the class stopped, however, so did my yoga practice. I've tried to remember all the poses I learnt once I get on the mat, but I always forget. For those who practice yoga - are there set poses that you follow? Would using instructional DVDs be helpful, and if so, are there instructional DVD's for beginners that someone can recommend? Any suggestions are most welcome!
There is a good beginner DVD called am/pm yoga. That has a morning and evening routine that are easy to follow.
posted by saradarlin at 8:46 PM on August 14, 2011
posted by saradarlin at 8:46 PM on August 14, 2011
I absolutely love the Yogamazing podcasts. Through itunes they are free but I think you can buy the dvd from the website here. I really love these podcasts because they are easy and short and there are a ton that are focused on beginners. Plus the guy who does them is a huge dork who makes bad jokes, but is also very helpful and good at showing the poses (it's a video podcast) and explaining the right ways to do them. He also does this thing where they focus on something different each class, like "yoga for rock climbers" or "yoga for the lower back" sometimes it is cheesy and weird (ie "yoga for golfers") but usually he figures out really good poses to strengthen and utilize the muscles for that particular theme.
posted by ruhroh at 9:06 PM on August 14, 2011
posted by ruhroh at 9:06 PM on August 14, 2011
A commenter on another Ask question mentioned yogayak.com and I've been doing some of their classes. There seems to be a wide range of classes from beginner to expert and the lengths of the classes vary as well.
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 9:23 PM on August 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 9:23 PM on August 14, 2011 [2 favorites]
Seconding Sun Salutation. I have found that for myself a whole sequence of positions isn't good because in the morning I'm cold and not awake and tend to overstretch and hurt things.
posted by Namlit at 12:23 AM on August 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Namlit at 12:23 AM on August 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
Sun Salutation, but step through lunge instead of jumping and for half of the lunges make them revolved (or toss in a warrior series with some revolved stuff, or do seated twists).
posted by anaelith at 4:10 AM on August 15, 2011
posted by anaelith at 4:10 AM on August 15, 2011
Yoga Journal has free podcasts available on line -- including a 20 minute wakeup routine and a bunch of additional ones that focus on different areas/sets of poses. I've found the wake up routine to be just right, and then if I have energy and time I do another more challenging set.
posted by Cocodrillo at 5:18 AM on August 15, 2011
posted by Cocodrillo at 5:18 AM on August 15, 2011
Best answer: You can also buy a book or check out in a library. Sometimes I made little cheat sheets with small drawings of asanas in sequence, but lately I've been able to remember everything I want to do. Once you start doing a series of poses for a few weeks, you will find that you remember more asanas as you go along.
I do all kinds of asanas in the morning and evening - I don't feel the need to differentiate by time of day. Shoulder stands, headstands, sun salutations, crow, armstands, paschomottanasana, bridge, the one where you have to pull the stomack all the way it and swish it from one side to another, the 3 bandhas, breath exercises, planck (regular and reverse), forearm stand..
It's important to keep doing the same set of maybe 7-10 asanas to keep improving in them; in other words, don't do an asana for a week and then drop it for another one just because you're bored with it, try to stick with it to see gradual improvement.
The only difference that in the morning my legs are much less flexible and some asanas can't go as far as usual.
In my experience, the only important thing about yoga exercise is to spend as much time on them as you can get yourself to. Don't worry too much about which asanas you do or whether you do them right -- they'll improve naturally with practice as you go along.
posted by rainy at 5:34 AM on August 15, 2011
I do all kinds of asanas in the morning and evening - I don't feel the need to differentiate by time of day. Shoulder stands, headstands, sun salutations, crow, armstands, paschomottanasana, bridge, the one where you have to pull the stomack all the way it and swish it from one side to another, the 3 bandhas, breath exercises, planck (regular and reverse), forearm stand..
It's important to keep doing the same set of maybe 7-10 asanas to keep improving in them; in other words, don't do an asana for a week and then drop it for another one just because you're bored with it, try to stick with it to see gradual improvement.
The only difference that in the morning my legs are much less flexible and some asanas can't go as far as usual.
In my experience, the only important thing about yoga exercise is to spend as much time on them as you can get yourself to. Don't worry too much about which asanas you do or whether you do them right -- they'll improve naturally with practice as you go along.
posted by rainy at 5:34 AM on August 15, 2011
I forgot to add that if you meditate, the best time for it is right after the asanas.
Do try the plough asana if you haven't - it's awesome.
posted by rainy at 5:52 AM on August 15, 2011
Do try the plough asana if you haven't - it's awesome.
posted by rainy at 5:52 AM on August 15, 2011
Yep, I used to literally roll out of bed and do Sun Salutation series.
posted by P.o.B. at 1:08 PM on August 15, 2011
posted by P.o.B. at 1:08 PM on August 15, 2011
This video is a 28-minute abbreviated "Ashtanga Primary Series." I just did it yesterday - it's really good if you have a little experience but are still pretty new. It has sun salutes A and B, most of the main standing positions like "triangle," and some of the seated poses.
posted by dnash at 2:33 PM on August 15, 2011
posted by dnash at 2:33 PM on August 15, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by padraigin at 8:33 PM on August 14, 2011