Environment

The space should be quiet, and ideally used only for yoga. (Can be a section of any room)
Place a mat, blanket or towel on the floor.
The temperature should be moderate – not too cold and not too hot.
The room should have fresh air but not windy or cold.
Sunrise and sundown are desirable times for yoga (although any time works!)

Preparation

Wear light comfortable clothing.
A bath or shower before is good for limberness -wait at least 20 minutes after
practicing before bathing)
In the morning wash, urinate and move the bowels before practice.
Practice before eating or wait two hours after a meal.

Physical Practice (asanas)

Do not practice if there is a fever or deep wounds. Consult a teacher if there is an illness.
Spend five to ten minutes warming up/stretching before beginning practice.

Do not force your limbs into a difficult position. In time your body will open. We are after sensation not pain!

Beginners should hold each asana for 3-5 breaths. After about three months of regular practice this can be increased to 5 to 10 breaths.

Always inhale and exhale through the nostrils unless specified otherwise. Focus on making the breath slow and smooth.

At any time you need a rest come into child pose or shavasana (corpse pose)
Finish asanas with shavasana for five to ten minutes.

How often to practice.

The rule of thumb for how often to practice is simple: It is better to practice for short durations regularly than to practice once a week for a long time. In other words it is better to practice 4 times a week for forty-five minutes then to practice one day for two hours.

With that being said some people get what they need from practicing just a couple of times each week while other practice five or six times a week. It varies from person to person. On average though you will get the most benefit from your practice with average of four sessions per week. The length of time of each session depends on your experience with yoga, time constraints, level of fitness, and motivation. A good idea is to have a journal to keep track of your practice with information such as date, how long you practiced, what you practiced, how you felt during and after your practice, what thoughts came to mind during practice, how you felt later in the day as well as the next day, which postures were challenging and which were felt good.

General framework for your session

Always begin your practice with easy movements and build towards the more difficult postures ending with a cool down. Imagine a bell curve: at the beginning of the bell curve is a moment of centering. As you move up the curve there are warm-ups, then opening postures which help to build heat/ flexibility/strength and at the top of the curve are the most challenging postures. Moving down the other side of the bell curve are cool down postures followed by Shavasana.

Here is a template that you can use to create your own practice session:

Theme or focus (more on this below):

Centering:
Warm-ups:
Opening postures
Challenging postures:
Cool down postures:
Shavasana:

Which postures to practice.

Sometimes it is fun to have a practice without any preconceived notion of what to do and just see what comes out. Sometime it is desirable to tune into your body and see what your body is asking for. Other times youll want to plan your session as indicated above. It is during these session that having theme will be helpful. Some classical themes include: backbends, forward bends, twists, balance postures, standing postures, seated postures, inversions, restorative postures, hip openers, shoulder openers, strength building postures, groin openers, hamstring openers, and postures that build energy. Linking postures together (vinyasa) is yet another way to create a practice. In the Iyengar system we focus on linking alignment cues from posture to posture. Of course you may have specific health reasons that you are working with for which it would be best to consult a qualified yoga teacher to help create a practice. I encourage you to be creative come up with your own themes and see how it is. It has been said that in yoga you are both the scientist and the experiment!

In my book Beginning Yoga: A Practice Manual I offer 20 different practice sequences to guide your home practice as well as a chapter on how to set up a home practice.

In evolutionary and biological terms, a small waist signifies youth and vitality. But doing endless workouts of crunches alone will not allow you to achieve that Venus-like waist of your dreams. You will need to supplement specific waist-orientated exercises with ones from various disciplines.

Specifically you will need to work the inner girdle of muscles – commonly known as the core muscles – with slow abdominal exercises that work very deep into these muscle groups.

While usually associated with building flexibility, some specific exercises from yoga-based workouts also target the underlying core muscles around the waist.

In simple terms, by requiring you to move – and hold – your torso muscles as a unit. Rather than isolating your abdominal muscles as you do in crunches, yoga poses help to lengthen your overall torso, creating a feeling that is both centered and strong.

Think of your torso as a long vessel through which numerous muscles interact to keep you looking lean. Your transversus abdominis, the deepest abdominal muscle, works with the others to hold in your lower belly. Your erector spinae, the muscles that attach on your spine, straighten your posture and can make you feel (and appear) taller, while your rectus abdominis and obliques are the strong and flexible muscles that allow your limbs to move freely.

Yoga is a way to escape from everything and go into your own little world it will help you to forget all the things that are stressing you for a short while. Yoga will help make a positive change in your life. There are many things that yoga can help you with like depression, many medical problems etc. Yoga is an on going treatment you have to stay with it to get anything out of it. You cannot do it today and accelerate to get the full benefits out of it.

What are some of the things yoga will help me with?
Yoga can and will help you with many things. You have to get with it and do it in order to get the full benefits out of yoga however. Yoga can help with breathing, so if your not breathing right, yoga will teach you how to get in control of your breathing. Yoga will help you learn how to control your mind as well as your breathing, of you have asthma it can help, carpal tunnel, depression, lower back pain, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis of the knees, memory problems, heat disease, high blood pressure, will help you lose weight, will also help the elderly or someone that has balance trouble keep balance. So see it will help in many ways. This will make you feel a lot better inside and outside.

How would I learn how to do yoga?
You can go to your family doctor they should be able to tell you how you can get enrolled in a program. If they cant do nothing then you might want to try to go to your local library they may have some information on how to get enrolled as well, or you may want to go on line and see what you can find out. They have classes all over so you should be able to get enrolled but there are films and books to teach yourself as well.

Can yoga hurt me?
Yoga can hurt you if you dont know what your doing or you do too much of it at once that is why you need to talk to your family doctor before you start anything new that is stressful to your body. You have to take these kinds of things slow its just like exercising you have to build yourself up. You cant run right into it and expect full benefits from it. It does not work that way. It takes time and obligation before you will see any changes in your body or mind.

When learning to do yoga just take your time and be conscious to it learn all you can learn cause it will help you deal with many health issues. You may have just dont try to do it all at once and make sure you call your family doctor to make sure it ok to do it. Then try to find a good group. Groups are always easier for some one that way you have some support to turn to if you have any problems. If you cant afford gym payments, then try asking family and friends to join you. You can start your own home gym at home. At local dollar stores, you will find videos for one buck. Use the videos to gain skills in exercise and yoga.

Yoga is an interesting exercise, since it helps you to build muscles and reduce stress. Yoga will help you loose weight; feel better, and so on. Yoga gives you many options in improving your overall personal life.

1. Talk to your doctor and explain what type of yoga poses you intend to practice. Show your doctor pictures of the poses for illustration. Your doctor may rule out specific poses if you have high blood pressure, glaucoma, a history of retinal detachment, or heart disease. Make sure you follow your doctors recommendations.

2. Find a yoga class that best fits your abilities. Talk to prospective teachers, and decide whether of not you can handle a program before you sign up. Its very important to take it one step at a time. Try a few beginner classes before you attempt more vigerous classes. Don’t move ahead too quickly. Allow your body to adjust to your exercises.

3. Listen to your body and be aware of your physical abilities. You don’t want to hurt yourself. Make sure the instructor understands your level of experience and any limitations you may have. Dont allow anyone to push you ahead too quickly. Remember, this is supposed to be fun and relaxing.

4. If you cant find a class that meets your needs, you can always practice yoga at home. There are many books, programs, and tapes available to help you get started. Search for the best products on the Internet and read reviews. Talk to others for recommenations.

5. Why not try private lessons? You can book some one-on-one sessions with a teacher in your area. Most yoga instructors offer private classes or can help you design your own program. This is a good way to get started. You can always take group lessons or practice at home after youve had private lessons and learned the basics.

6. Find a yoga buddy. Its nice to practice with someone and it will help reduce injuries. Its also a great way to keep up your enthusiasm and interest.

7. Eat lightly before practice. Wait at least two hours after meals before yoga class or practice. An empty stomach is best, but dont let yourself get too hungry to think. You won’t be able to focus on the poses or enjoy yourself during the relaxation or meditation exercises.

Now it’s time to grab your mat and a towel and get the most out of your yoga exercises.