How to get better at yoga? 🧘‍♀️

[FollowYourOwnNorthStar]

I’ve dabbled at yoga in the past, but now a studio has opened up near my work, it is very convenient to go 3-4 times a week before work, so I am. However, I am not very good at it. I am both not flexible and also have a fat stomach, so I am really bad at it.

I am trying to lose weight (eating and other cardio exercise) but I want to keep doing yoga for the mental health benefits. I am assuming that as I lose weight and my stomach goes down, more of the moves will become doable for me, and as I keep doing yoga I will get flexible and better at it in general. This is my long term plan.

However, in the short term, it is dispiriting. Does anyone know any stretches or exercises or anything else I could do myself at home, that might increase my progress?

Thanks in advance.

I am both not flexible and also have a fat stomach, so I am really bad at it.

But you do it to get better at it! You just have to take it pose-by-pose, session by session day by day, week by week.

It can help to measure where you are now: a photo, or a record of what your flexibility is like (how far off the floor are your fingertips in a forward fold? for example) and then compare maybe every fortnight.

But it really is breath-by-breath.

What exactly do you mean you’re not good at it?

It’s not a competition. It’s all about how much benefit you get from it. You don’t have to be super flexible. The more you do, the more your flexibility will improve, and the stronger you’ll get. But don’t get obsessed with comparing what you can do with what others in the class can do.

I would recommend yoga with Adrienne on YouTube. There are short sessions you can do daily and you'll really see your flexibility/strength improve.

Yoga is all about the practice itself and not how good or otherwise you are at it. A good teacher should always offer 'options' on the poses / postures that are achievable if it's a multi level class. I noticed a real difference in what I could do after a week long yoga retreat where our teacher gave us some really good tips - here they are;

• for balancing poses, fix your gaze on an object or spot in front of you. Focussing on one spot really helps you keep your balance

• keep your core muscles and pelvic floor engaged as much as possible

• keep your hands and feet 'active'

• do 5 sun salutations at home every morning as soon as you get up. As times goes on increase this to 10, then 20 and so on. A basic sun salutation sequence can be found on YouTube

• focus on your breathing and make sure your tongue is sitting in the bottom of your mouth and not pushed up against your teeth or the roof of your mouth, this will let your jaw relax

Getting "good" at yoga isn't about flexibility. It can improve flexibility (although that fact seems to have passed my hamstrings by over the years ) As you practice, your strength and focus will improve. Being in tune with your body's limits is important, and learning how to perform the poses with good form and being well aligned. I had a yoga teacher that said that you knew you were improving when it felt like you were going backwards, so someone may be able to touch their toes and look like they are doing it well, but when they correct the alignment of their hips and have better form, the effect is that they don't seem to bend so far.

Videos are great for home practice but a class is best for developing your body's needs.