Yoga Tutorial
Since Monday, I’ve been practicing yoga every day this week! It feels awesome. I put together a quick video of a few yoga poses which I love and wanted to share.
These yoga poses are basic beginner moves. Some of you, such as Maggie (The Salad Girl) and Clare (YogiClareBear), are very advanced and do yoga on a regular basis – these are moves you will have mastered ages ago! Others of you, who may only have tried yoga a few times (or maybe never before!), could find these moves difficult. And clearly from the way my face gets redder as I attempt each of these moves, I’m a beginner 😀 (Also, I highly recommend wearing long yoga pants while you’re practicing. They hide your feet so that you can totally pretend that your heels are flat on the ground in downward-facing dog!)
It all depends on where your flexibility is at. It might take a lot of practice, but everyone can master these moves if they keep at it.
Enjoy!
Do you practice yoga? What are some of your favourite yoga poses?
Enjoyed the video, Sagan! I’ve done yoga on and off 🙂 I have always like the experience.
I don’t like to stretch, even with doing more than most as a martial artist.
I like that laddered bookshelf you have. I’ve always appreciated libraries and those high shelves and sliding ladders 🙂
I know, laddered bookshelves are the coolest thing ever! True story: recently when I was feeling down, I started making a list of all my accomplishments. One of the top things was “you have bookshelves with a ladder, therefore you are awesome”. Hehe. Books are happiness.
Thanks for the video, Sagan! As I’ve gotten older, I find that yoga is a good strength training exercise I can do without really hurting myself — have a lot of neck/shoulder stuff going on if I try to use weights. I know it’s not usually thought of as strength training but it is for me as I hold planks when I’m going down and do other things like that.
I love downward dog as it really stretches me where I need stretching.
You’re right, there’s absolutely a strength training componenet to it. I’m trying to focus less on heavy lifting these days and more on using my own bodyweight… it can be just as powerful and effective for our physical health.
As soon as I saw the title of this post, I got excited. Yay! More videos, please. And I have never seen that “one leg in the air body twist” thing. I will (cautiously-safely) try it.
The one leg in the air with the body twist thing is one of my favourites – it looks weird but it stretches you out really well!
There shall be more videos 😀 I really need to get around to finding a camera or video camera for myself to tape these videos… my iPhone does a decent job, but it’s not exactly the best quality in the world 😉
Yoga is not just learning how to stand on our head but is, as Swami Satchidananda taught, actually learning how to stand on our feet.
I started doing yoga not long ago, I really recommend this piece @huffpost http://tinyurl.com/29zta7m
Hope it helps 😉
Enjoyed the video, you explained the yoga poses well. I did a review of cardio exercises on my blog recently (how to fit active exercise in without running everyday) but agree yoga also has a place in a good exercise routine – I just need to do it more often.
http://www.everydayreviewer.com/maintain-a-healthy-weight-without-running-everyday/
In terms of my favourite yoga poses, I like the bicycle pose – here’s the best description I could find:
http://www.banyanbotanicals.com/yoga/pitta/bicycle.html
I don’t do yoga.. but now, watching your video, I think I do it & did not even know it! I do some of those moves as part of my stretching! 🙂
You are so cute!
Consolation: I’ve been doing yoga since 1983 and my heels still don’t touch the floor in Downward Dog. I still get stretch from it, though.
Sagan, this is so very useful!
I’m slowly going back to being a bit more active, and the doctors have recommended lots of yoga and stretching. Aside from the minimal energy expenditure, those disciplines are good for re-conditioning the atrophy muscles.
Thank you so much for taking the time to put this vide together!
My favorite pose is always changing! Right now it is savasana.
Loved the video! I don’t really do yoga, but that was inspiring – and seemed doable enough.
You consider me advanced!? I’m humbled. Your video is great Sagan. I feel like there is really no such thing as “advanced” poses. Physically yes, some are more challenging, but they are all equally challenging and important in their OWN ways. My favorite posture is downward dog, and hip opening stretches. I also really love triangle and humble warrior right now.
I must say too that the goal of downward facing dog is not to get your heels all the way to the mat, just as the goal of a forward fold isn’t to touch the earth. The goals of the poses are to fit the persons body in a balance that works with that body and spirit. So to truly “master” a pose is, in my (very humble and not advanced) opinion, to do the posture in alignment and mindfulness of your own body with the “goal” of creating more space in the body for breath and light and life.
And THAT is why you are a true yogi! I love your thoughts on how to master a pose – that makes so much sense.
It’s really neat to see the body change the more that we focus and practice.
You look so great in that video! I’ve never done yoga – I often think I’d hurt myself or fall on my face!
Hi there! I could have sworn I’ve visited your blog before but after browsing through a few of the articles I realized it’s new to me. Anyhow, I’m certainly pleased I came across it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back regularly!