Archive for category Yoga for Beginners

Breathing Techniques Incorporated in Beginners Yoga for Pregnant Women

Posted by Maya in Yoga for Beginners on September 18, 2011

Breathing is an activity which is essential to every living being because it is the only indication that the being is alive. Explained in simple terms, breathing involves inhalation of oxygen which is referred to as breathing in and exhalation of carbon dioxide which is referred to as breathing out. Being an activity which is basic to life, breathing forms the basis of many asanas in beginner’s yoga for pregnant women in the sense that much of the benefits derived from the particular asana depends on the efficiency with which the breathing technique is performed.

Breathing in beginner’s yoga for pregnant women is referred to as pranayama, a Sanskrit word comprising of two parts, prana meaning life and ayama meaning control. It is the pranayama on which many of the yogic asanas and chakras are based and there are seven such breathing techniques which should be regularly followed by beginners as well as expecting mothers so as to benefit the most. Yogic breathing is characterized by three phases namely inhalation or puraka, exhalation or rechaka and retention of breath or kumbhaka. While the actual ratio of the three aspects is 1:4:2, it need not be adhered to strictly by the beginners as well as the expecting mothers, the latter being advised to completely avoid holding of breath.

Beginners yoga

For performing these breathing techniques, one must either sit erect on a mat or alternatively sit in a comfortable chair which cushions and props all around. The seven breathing techniques are named as sukha pranayama, bhramari or bee breathing, sitkari or teeth pressing, bhastrika or vigorous breathing, kapalabhati or cleansing breathing, sitali or tongue breathing and anuloma-viloma or alternate nostril breathing. The practitioner might well keep the fact in mind that none of these breathing techniques will come naturally and that the only way of mastering them is to practice regularly with dedication.

The practice of sukha pranayama in the beginner’s yoga for pregnant women requires the practitioner to concentrate on his breathing for a few minutes at a stretch, give a gap and then concentrate again due to which this exercise causes a significant improvement in the concentration of the practitioner and also relieves hypertension. Bhramari pranayama entails emission of the bee sound and is practiced with the intention of strengthening one’s heart, lungs as well as vocal cords. Regular practice of this pranayama along with the anuloma-viloma pranayama is particularly recommended to pregnant women since they have a number of health benefits. Some asanas like sitali pranayama for tongue breathing and sitkari pranayama or teeth pressing should be performed by the expecting mother only after consultation of the doctor and under expert guidance.

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Benefits of Yoga As Experienced by Pregnant Women

Posted by Maya in Yoga for Beginners on March 20, 2011

Yoga is sought by many pregnant women as an option for ensuring a safe and comfortable delivery and the popularity of this concept can be adjudged by the fact that nowadays there are many programs which specifically advertise as teaching yoga for pregnant women. There was a time in the past when pregnancy and exercise were considered as being ideal partners which went hand in hand for a hassle free delivery but this was soon replaced by the concept of yoga and pregnancy during the later years when people started having more faith in the healing power of yoga.

yoga for pregnant women

The superiority of yoga as compared to exercise during pregnancy was also established due to the fact that there were times when the performance of strenuous exercise caused severe complications during pregnancy while women who practiced yoga always had a more peaceful tenure. But a noteworthy point which must be kept in mind in this regard is that yoga for pregnant women is a specialized stream which would prove to be beneficial only when learnt and performed under the able guidance of an expert. Since pregnancy entails the gradual swelling of abdomen as it advances, it is only an expert of this branch who would be aware of the modified poses constituting yoga for pregnant women in which the growing abdomen is well accommodated.

The mantra of yoga and pregnancy is a gentle way in which the body can be kept active as well as supple without bearing too much strain which might have a disastrous consequence on one’s pregnancy. Apart from enabling the practitioner to stretch gently and indulge in self exploration, yoga for pregnant women has the following benefits:

Yogic breathing and pranayam helps to overcome nausea as well as morning and evening sickness to a considerable extent which in turn prevents frequent mood swings from taking place.
Having performed yoga throughout the three trimesters under the guidance of an expert, the woman can feel the benefit in form of muscular relaxation in the cervix and birth canal thus causing the pelvis to dilate and making the process of labor easier.
Yoga for pregnant women greatly enhances the level of energy in women which in turn enables them to remain calm and focus on the daily activities.
Yoga during the third trimester plays an instrumental role in relieving fluid retention and reducing the occurrence of cramps thus making this crucial phase much more comfortable than it otherwise would have been.

Women not only accrue benefits from yoga during their pregnancy but after delivery as well as practicing yoga during the post natal phase helps to restore the original shape of the body and reduces breast discomfort as well.

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10 Tips – Yoga for beginners

Posted by Maya in Yoga for Beginners on July 7, 2010

Having its roots firmly established in the ancient mystical Indian culture, yoga is one of the oldest forms of exercise which teaches its practitioner to make optimum use of a combination of movement, breath, posture, relaxation and meditation as a recipe for leading a healthy, balanced and stable life. It is owing to these reasons that even pregnant women are recommended to practice yoga so that they are able to make good use of the yogic principles during what may turn out to be one of the most decisive phases of their lives.

The decision to learn yoga leads an individual to enroll for classes which teach beginner’s yoga for pregnant women since many of the fresh students belong to a category who are going to attempt yoga for the first time in their lives. In such a situation, it is imperative for the individual to be cognizant of certain guidelines which are applicable to beginner’s yoga for pregnant women and hence should be adhered to with sincerity. Some of these guidelines are listed as follows:

Morning is the most appropriate time for practicing yoga because it is the time of the day when the practitioner is fresh, calm and composed and hence is able to perform the various body movements with ease and vigor. This is the reason as to why most of the yoga classes are held in the morning and the practitioners told to attend without having consumed a heavy meal.
Beginner’s yoga for pregnant women may be usually learnt in classes or at home but irrespective of the medium of learning the practitioner must ensure that the chosen venue must fulfill the requisites of being calm, quite, well ventilated and free of dust and distractions.
While attending regular classes with the intention of learning beginner’s yoga for pregnant women, one must clear one’s bowels, nostrils and throat and consume a glass of lukewarm water every time prior to attending a yoga class.
The progress curve of learning should be methodical and systematic wherein one commences the learning process with easy and relaxed stretches and then gradually proceed to more complicated asanas.
An important point which needs to be kept in mind is that beginner’s yoga for pregnant women is undertaken with the intention of feeling energized and calm and hence the slightest sign of fatigue, weariness and depression should be taken as an indication for discontinuing the course immediately.
The breathing accompanying the yoga should be long and deep and most of the inhalation and exhalation should be carried out through the nose and not through the mouth unless specifically mentioned.
Every class of beginner’s yoga for pregnant women should be interspersed with a number of breaks particularly after a strenuous exercise schedule so that then entire session is relaxed and comfortable.
Beginner’s yoga for pregnant women should always be accompanied by a balanced diet but over eating and eating stale food during this phase should be steadfastly avoided.
Every yoga session must be commenced with a proper warming up session for a few minutes subsequently followed by yogic asanas.
Any such program must be undertaken with confidence only if the practitioner nurses an urge and willingness to undertake it and not by being forced into it by someone.