While the fall offers plenty of great benefits, it’s also undoubtedly the beginning of the more stressful time of the year, as people are scrambling to prepare for the holidays, ensure their travel plans are secure, and help the kid adjust to the new school season.
Whether you’re planning on spending time with family or traveling over the holidays—there is a lot to do to make sure everything is ready on time. Whether you’re trying to make sure you’ll have the space needed to accommodate everyone, or you’re trying to lock down your flight and hotel arrangements.
If you feel you need a break from the impending stress, yoga could be a great outlet. Below are some tips for yoga beginners.
Wear the Right Attire
This isn’t to say you need to spend hundreds of dollars on some new yoga pants. However, you’ll want to make sure when you show up to class, you’re wearing comfortable, flexible clothes.
Gym clothes are the best, as they often provide the most maneuverability and usually are made out of more yoga-friendly materials such as spandex and/or polyester.
There is no rule that you can’t wear cotton, but if you tend to sweat a lot, you’ll find yourself soaked in sweat by the end of the workout—especially if you decide to try hot yoga—with cotton clothes.
Don’t Overexert Yourself
One of the common problems yoga rookies experience is trying to keep up with the instructor or other people in the class. One of the great things about yoga is, even though it’s frequently done as part of a group, it’s an individual activity—there’s no reason to try and compete with what the other people in the class are doing… or the instructor (chances are if they’re instructing the class they’ll be in pretty good shape anyway).
If you want to get the most out of your yoga experience, it’s important to listen to your body—don’t try and keep up with what everyone else is doing; just take things at your own pace.
Hydration, Hydration, Hydration
One of the most underrated aspects of attempting yoga is hydration. Given the fact that you’re going to be bending and stretching and contorting yourself into positions you wouldn’t normally attempt, you’re going to want to be properly hydrated.
If you forget to drink water throughout the day, or during the session, you’ll likely find your muscles cramping up as you attempt a certain position—something that can be extremely painful depending on which muscle it is (hamstring cramps are among the worst and are a risk for people who don’t drink enough water).
Don’t Worry About Others
Let’s face it, some positions you’re attempt during yoga aren’t the most flattering… especially for those who are trying it out for the first time. However, if you focus on how you look and what people are thinking of you and your ability to properly create the positions, you’ll lose out on one of the best benefits of yoga—the ability to clear your mind.
When first starting out, it’s important to remember that most people are in the same boat, and, those who are doing it properly, won’t even be able to judge what others are doing—they’ll be too busy focusing on their own breathing and movements.
