What are the basic rules for a yoga practice?
- You want to have an empty stomach during a yoga session, leave at least 2 hours after having a main meal. Digestion of food requires energy, and when you exercise after a meal, your energy goes to the muscles you’re exercising and the body can’t digest the food properly. However if you have a high metabolism it is fine to have a light snack if you need that energy boost to get through your practice.
- Wear comfortabe clothing that you can move freely in and have the correct equipment with you if you need them (mat, blocks, belt, blanket ect).
- Drink plenty of water, keep hydrated.
- Relax the mind and body. Start the practice with a short relaxation or breathing exercise to focus your attention inward bringing you to the breath and the practice ahead.
- Before any strenuous asanas, warm up first with gentle asanas and joint moments, warm the wrists!
- While doing your asana practice perform the practice with full awareness, kindness and care to your body and your mind, monitor your critical voice and accept your limitations, these will change from day to day and that’s okay.
- Moving in and out of poses is just as important as the pose itself so try and keep the breath flowing with ease at all times. Initiate the pose mindfully, maintain the pose mindfully and release from the pose mindfully. Most injuries come from people collapsing out of a pose or releasing too fast.
- Always take time for savasana or meditation after your physical practice, this is when the body really goes to work and you reap the full benefits of your practice. Give yourself at least 10 minutes or more if you have the time.
Do I need to bring anything to class?