Yoga, when practiced on a regular basis, offers a range of physical and mental health benefits, from enhanced flexibility and mental clarity to stress reduction. All of these benefits combined contribute to an increased feeling of well-being, which explains why yoga is so popular in Australia just as much as in the rest of the world. If you too have decided you want to start doing yoga, here is all you need to know to take the next step and begin to enjoy the amazing health benefits of practicing yoga.
Decide on a Yoga Type
As many types of yoga classes are available out there, you will need to do a little research to find a yoga type that most suits your personality and state of physical fitness. Practicing the wrong yoga type will not only make you stressed out anytime you are supposed to be at the yoga studio, but will also lead to many side-effects health-wise. Search through the internet and learn more about the different yoga styles available to see which one is your best suited practice. For most beginners, the basic styles such as iyengar, hatha and vinyasa are the most appropriate with slower techniques and poses to master. Of course once you acquire proper breathing and stretching, you can always try something more fancier later, such as kundalini yoga.
Yoga Equipment
On the first day, it’s hard to know exactly what you will need to buy. Nowadays, since the yoga market is full of a variety of different products it can be quite confusing, but the good news is you don’t need most them. In fact, all you need to begin is a good yoga mat, comfortable clothing, and a yoga strap.
Yoga Mat
A yoga mat helps you define your personal space as well as creating traction for your hands and feet, so you can perform your poses without slipping – especially as you get a little sweaty in the case of hatha yoga. Plus it provides a bit of cushioning on a hard floor. While many yoga studios provide mats, the problem with them is lots of people use them and you can’t be sure how often they are cleaned. That’s why owning your own mat is a good idea. When it comes to yoga mat Australia offers a great variety, ranging in different materials and amount of thickness. According to yoga mat Australia experts, it is extremely important that you choose a mat for your specific body requirements. For that, you will need to consider the thickness of the mat, the material it is made of and its texture and stickiness characteristics.
Comfortable Clothes
During your practice, you should wear comfortable and breathable clothing designed for yoga. While you may be tempted to wear a regular T-shirt, in some yoga poses with bending, your head comes below your hips which can cause a regular shirt to slide down. For pants, any exercise pants with a bit of stretch will do the work, though women prefer to wear leggings. Women are also recommended to wear sports bras, but if you don’t have one for your first class, don’t let that stop you.
Yoga Straps
In yoga, there are poses you may not be able to accomplish as a beginner. This especially goes for certain asanas that require a great deal of stretching. Yoga straps can be particularly helpful if your hands do not reach each other (e.g. during cow face arms and reverse prayer) or if you need to hold onto your feet but cannot reach them (e.g. bow pose).
Find a Class
You can rely on online resources to find your ideal yoga class. You can also check specialised newspapers or magazines for listings. Pick a yoga studio that is close to your home or work, so you won’t have the excuse of skipping a class because the studio is too far.
