Everyone falls the first time they ride a bike. However, with a little bit of information and good old practice, you’d be up and riding in no time. This is very similar when it comes down to yoga. You’re probably going to commit quite a number of bloopers as you embark on your epic journey towards achieving the highest state of enlightenment.
This should never hold you back, though. And to make it so much easier, here’s a heads up on some of the common mistakes people make and how you can avoid them.
Airing Yourself Out
As basic as the concept of breathing sounds, it is an entirely different ball game when it comes to yoga. Trying to focus on each breath while staggering with your balance on tree pose or while mustering your last ounce of strength in Chatarunga can be quite the predicament.
However, every time you involuntarily withhold your breath, you miss out on the core benefit of yoga. Which is learning to control your breathing as a basic mechanism for controlling your mind and emotions.
Breezing Through The Poses
We all know how much yoga instills relaxation and divine inner peace. In fact, most would say that this is the perfect place to master control of your life by learning to slow things down. With that at the back of your mind, wouldn’t you say that speeding through the poses just beats the purpose of yoga in its entirety?
So, with every pose, remember to breathe and block out all other thoughts so you can focus on the task at hand. Do this, and you have officially embarked on the noble quest for a better life.
Embracing The “I Know It All” Attitude
One of the wisest things I’ve ever heard the funny Hollywood star, Jacky Chan, ever say in a movie is, “Empty your cup.” Now, what this means is that when you are in front of a teacher, you need to leave what you already know outside the doors of the class before you enter.
Place your trust in the teacher and follow his/her instructions to the letter. He/she knows what is best for you and will have arranged a proper progression for you to achieve that sassy inversion pose you’ve always wanted to nail. I mean, isn’t this what you’re paying your instructor for?
Feasting Before Your Session
Yoga poses put you through a number of positions that can really get your bowels turning. So the last thing you’d want to do is show up for class on a full tummy. Having to change gyms from the shame of deflating in public is not a fun thought.
Also, the food takes the much-needed blood supply from your muscles to your digestive system, depriving you of a productive session and recovery. But if you have to eat before class, a banana and some peanut butter spread on toast should be enough to keep you going through your session.
Going Bonkers With The H20
The adage Eastern wisdom designed the yoga sequencing to warm your body up from the inside out. Also, all the twisting, turning and inverting could make you a wee bit uncomfortable if you have water swirling around in your tummy. So gulping down a few gallons of cool water during the session is therefore not a very good idea.
Therefore, you may want to hydrate around an hour before class to avoid all the hassles. Alternatively, you could still carry your water bottle to class. Just make sure you take minimal, tiny sips throughout the session and that the water is at room temperature.
Too Much Strain On The Wrists
If I had a dollar for every wrist injury reported in a yoga class, I would be a millionaire by now. This is because a lot of the poses you will be doing will involve exerting your weight onto your hands on the floor. You’re going to need these techniques to keep your wrists safe:
- Push off the floor with your fingers, the bottom of your knuckles and palm
- Activate your core to stabilize your body and minimize strain to your wrists
- Activate your shoulders, back, and rotator cuff muscles to keep excessive weight off the wrists
- Use a comfortable yoga mat
Confusing Six Pack For Core
You will need to keep your core engaged for a lot of yoga poses. So it is essential to understand which muscles your core constitutes and what you should do to engage them.
Most people think that just by bracing their abs, they have engaged their core. Your core constitutes a lot more than just your abdominal muscles. It includes your diaphragm, pelvic floor, Heinie, and hip flexors as well.
So to properly engage your core, you need to squeeze your rear end, bring your pelvic floor up, while pulling your navel in towards your spine.
Wrap Up
There you have it, the ultimate 7 mistakes people make in yoga classes. If you have ever committed one of these, then you’re probably in a better position to improving your sessions by now. And if you know anyone who should read this post, don’t be shy to share. We would also love to hear from you. So do share your experiences and other mistakes in the comments section so we can all learn from them.
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About The Author
Annie Jones is the person behind BoostBodyFit. She started off a bit on the chubby side but went through a transformation. She looks and feels great.
Reference
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/01/yoga-moves-to-avoid-mistakes-fails_n_4137583.html
http://conscioushealth.net/pranayam-breathing-exercise-conscious-health-nahid-ameen/
https://breakingmuscle.com/fitness/5-fundamental-core-and-abdominal-exercises-for-beginners
