Interested in starting a Hatha yoga practice? 10 tips to get started!

{"slug":"start-hatha-yoga-practice","recentPosts":[{"id":"cl8kb5f23jq1w0ciscs2h2bxw","slug":"benefits-of-yoga-for-pregnancy","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"What are the Benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy?","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Yoga for Pregnancy is excellent for stress relief, pain relief, and preparation for labor. Read more to understand the benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-27T14:42:36.767798+00:00","coverUrl":"kvvlqndsbow5dsckhw7i.jpg","content":{"text":"When you get pregnant, people come out of the woodworks with advice, remedies and old wives tales. Everyone’s got an opinion on how you should spend your pregnancy. But the one thing we know for sure is, yoga is great for mom and baby alike. If you’re curious about prenatal yoga, you’re in the right place. Let’s break down why this type of yoga is excellent for moms (and babies).\\nWhat is prenatal yoga?\\nPrenatal yoga was designed for women who are expecting. Rather than taking a regular class and having to worry about modifications or safety, this class is specifically designed for pregnancy. The practice can help women with common pregnancy aches and pains, ease hormonal and emotional stress and help women’s bodies prepare for birth and their postpartum journey. A regular yoga practice when pregnant has tons of amazing benefits!\\nBenefits of Prenatal yoga: \\nWe asked women who’ve done prenatal yoga while pregnant for their reviews, one said “ It’s excellent for stress relief, pain relief, and preparation for labor.” And they all said they’d recommend it to friends! \\nSo let's break down the benefits: \\nRelaxation : \\nPregnancy can be very stressful! But yoga will help you to relax physically, mentally and emotionally and create a safe, relaxing environment for birth. Prenatal helps you with coping and breath techniques for all stages of your pregnancy.\n\\nPreparation for birth : \\nFor first time moms, and even sometimes vets, labor can be scary. This practice will help you to learn birth techniques so you’re relaxed and ready to go!\n⁠\\nYoga can Help with Labor : \\nIn a 2015 study\\n, It was found that a regular yoga practice in the last 10-12 weeks of pregnancy can improve the mother's comfort during labor and help facilitate the labor process. The “yoga group” in this study on average was in labor two hours less than those who didn’t practice. Past your due date? Prenatal Yoga is also known to help induce labor\n⁠\\nCommunity : \\nYoga classes have always been known to help us build community but during pregnancy, it's so important to have a group of women who understand what you’re going through. Taking part in a prenatal class puts you in a group of women who get it. You’ll have a built in support system and maybe even first friends for your baby!\\nFrequently Asked Questions about Prenatal Yoga:\\nIs Yoga for Pregnancy safe?\\nYes. Yoga is generally considered safe during pregnancy. However, you should always consult your doctor & make sure you’re practicing with a teacher who understands the prenatal experience and can keep you safe. Our teachers are experts in yoga and are ready to help you on your journey. If you’d like to check out our offerings, you can get started today with a two week free trial! \\nWhen during pregnancy can you practice yoga?\\nDuring your first trimester, you can stick to your regular practice with some modifications. \\nYour second trimester is a GREAT time to start prenatal yoga! At this point, you’ll be starting to officially come into your “pregnancy body” and you’ll need to be practicing poses more specific to prenatal. The second and third trimester are considered the “prep period” for your body to prepare for labor. So it's a great time to keep moving and stretching in your new skin as you make room for the baby to grow! \\nWhat yoga poses should you avoid doing? \\nFor the most part, yoga is considered safe during pregnancy. You really only need to focus on any poses that put pressure on your abdomen. You should avoid any and all twisting poses, backbends and inversions.. \\nYoga for Pregnancy Poses you can perform at Home :\\nIt’s important to stay active during your pregnancy for both mom and baby! You should try to get in some sort of movement daily for at least 30 minutes. You can stick to low impact workouts or walks but if you want to do some yoga at home, it’s a great way to end your day. Yoga while pregnant can help with pain, help you sleep better and fight tiredness and fatigue. \\nHere are some poses you can practice at home to keep you moving! And as a bonus, most of these poses will also help your body prepare for giving birth!\\n1. Bound angle pose (Baddha Konasana) :\\n\\nBaddha Konasana pose will help you open your hips, releasing any pain in your back. It can also help to reduce swelling\\nHow it helps with labor: Opening the hips will help you to stretch the muscles needed to open the birth canal.\\n2. Cat-cow pose (Marjaryasana Bitilasana) :\\n\\nMarjaryasana Bitilasana pose release back and shoulder pain and also reduce pressure from the belly\\nHow it helps with labor: Back pain is a common occurrence during the birth process. This pose will help to keep your muscles limber and help to avoid muscle spasms and pain in your back during labor. \\n3. Yogi squat (Malasana) :\\n\\n\\nBeen sitting too long\\n? This is a great hip opener and will also release lower back pain. \\nHow it helps with labor: This pose will widen the pelvic floor making the birth easier,which may help to reduce injury during birth.\\nRemember, if you’re practicing at home, it’s always best to consult your doctor and make sure yoga is safe for your pregnancy.\\n\\nOther ways to practice self-care during pregnancy\\nBeing a mom is the hardest job in the world. And there are no days off. Starting with pregnancy, we feel out of control of our body, its growth and the way we feel. Remember to take time during this beautiful process to practice self-care so you can be present, happy and relaxed. \\nBook a prenatal massage :\n\n⁠⁠A prenatal massage is GREAT for mom and baby. It can help reduce stress and swelling without meds, help you to sleep and get your body ready for labor and delivery. \n⁠ \\nTake a bath :\n⁠\n⁠Taking a warm bath while pregnant can also help to reduce stress and lower your blood pressure. It’s a great way to relax and rest your growing body. If you’re feeling pain or swelling, it can be very beneficial to relax in a warm bath. \n⁠\\n\\nAyurveda for Pregnancy :\\n\n⁠\n⁠This week, MyYogaTeacher has a special Ayurveda event running where you’ll learn how to align with your best self through nutrition and health changes. This specific class is designed to help you have your most healthy pregnancy with nutrition guidelines for a mom and foods to help with baby's development! \\n\nYou can also choose to work 1 on 1 with an instructor of your choice through your MyYogaTeacher membership! Let us help you have your healthiest pregnancy possible! \\n\\nGet started today!\\n"},"category":[]},{"id":"cl8ka13l4ionz0ck2fe0pme7l","slug":"chronic-neck-pain-relief-yoga-poses","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Are you suffering with Chronic Neck Pain? 10 yoga poses to find relief!","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":null,"readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-27T14:11:15.683866+00:00","coverUrl":"rbh6duxy7hy3y207sg1c.jpg","content":{"text":"Do you suffer from chronic neck pain? Nearly 30-50% of adults suffer from recurring neck pain. \\nNeck pain can be a common occurrence for people who:\\nhave long commutes or sit at a desk all day\\nwho have issues with posture \\nwho have chronic sleep issues\\nOur neck and shoulders can also be a place where we may carry tension or pain due to stress. In any case, the good news is yoga can help you to relieve your neck pain and move on symptom free! \\nDaily changes you can make to avoid neck pain\\nStay in alignment. Keep good posture and try not to carry heavy bags on one side of your body. Also, if you sit at a desk and work on a computer, move your monitor to eye-sight so you’re not looking up or down. Need help finding your center? \\nWe can help here at MyYogaTeacher! \\n\\nStay active! It’s important to stay mobilized.  If you sit all day, take breaks to move around and give your body a break from being stuck in one position. Can’t take breaks at work? Try to go for a walk on lunch or maybe before or after your workday. \\nCheck your sleep environment. Make sure your mattress and pillows are still in good shape. Look into the best pillows for your sleep type or body. Getting quality sleep will help you avoid tossing and turning and can be your remedy to wake pain free. \\nIf you’re feeling like you need to move, starting with any slower yoga practice will help! Yin, hatha and restorative classes will all leave your body feeling relaxed, renewed and free of pain. Want to flow on your own? Here are our top ten poses to try! \\n10 Yoga Poses to relieve Chronic Neck Pain :\\n1. Easy seat with ear to shoulder stretch\\nThis pose releases your neck and shoulders and helps relieve tension and stress.\\nStart by sitting with your legs crossed and a straight back. Shoulders down. Bring your ear down to your shoulder. To deepen the stretch, bring your opposite arm overhead. \\n\\n\\n\\n2. Child’s Pose\\nReleases tension in the upper body including the neck and chest.\\nBring your knees as wide as the mat and sit into your heels. You can bring your chest to the mat and extend your arms forward or come to rest on a pillow or bolster. Try to hold this pose for up to 5 breaths. \\n\\n\\n\\n3. Downward facing dog\\nHelps to relieve neck pain by strengthening the upper body and releasing the spine. \\nStart by coming onto all fours. Check your alignment- make sure your shoulders are over your wrist, and your hips over your knees. Without changing the position of your hands and feet, push up and back to bring your heels into the ground. Relax your head, neck and shoulders down. \\n\\n\\n\\n4. Bridge Pose\\nReleases chest, neck, spine and hips.\\nLay down on your mat, bring your feet as close to your glutes as possible. Bring your hands to the sides of your body palms down. Push into the feet and hands while you lift your core and back to the ceiling. Try to relax and breathe here. \\n\\n\\n\\n5. Wide Leg forward fold\\nReleases spine, neck and back. If you’re in pain perform this stretch slowly, and come up one vertebrae at a time. \\nBring your feet as wide as you can, feet facing forward. Hinge at the hips and slowly bend forward and down towards your feet. You can hang here or grab yogi toe lock around your big toe. \\n\\n\\n\\n6. Cow face pose\\nStrengthens core and spine.\\nSit up tall and stack your knees directly over one another. Reach one arm back around your waist and one arm over your shoulder with your palms reaching towards one another. If you can, clasp your hands. If not, rest them on your back, you will still benefit from the pose. \\n\\n\\n\\n7. Sphinx pose\\nThis pose will help to physically open up the shoulders and neck. Looking side to side slowly is a great addition to the pose. \\nLie on your stomach and bring your hands next to your chest facing down. On your inhale press into the ground and lift your upper body. \\n\\n\\n\\n8. Thread the Needle \\nIncreases mobility and releases tension in the upper body. \\nCome on to all fours. Check your alignment, make sure your hips are over your knees, shoulders over your wrist. Reach one arm out to the side and thread it through the opposite side under your ribs. You can stay here or open up the opposite side by reaching the hand to the back or straight up and over. Make sure to do both sides. \\n\\n\\n\\n9. Legs up the wall\\nReleases tension and stress from the upper body by reversing blood flow. \\nFind a wall near your practice space and sit next to the wall as close as possible. Lower your head, neck and shoulders onto your mat, then roll onto your back and stretch your legs up the wall. You can stay in this restorative pose for up to 10 minutes. \\n\\n\\n\\n10. Savasana\\nSavasana releases any stress, lowers heart rate and calms the body. \\nCome onto your back on your mat, and release your body down. This is known as corpse pose because it is a full and final rest at the end of our practice. Release and let go of any and all tension. \\n\\n\\n\\nClasses to help relieve neck pain \\n\\nYoga fusion for joints \\n- This class will help you roll out your joint pain and stretch your tight limbs and joints. \\n\\nYoga for Back Pain\\n - Sometimes, neck pain can be caused by tightness in the spine. Experts say yoga helps soothe muscle pains. Try this class to strengthen and lengthen your neck and back for pain relief! \\n\\nYoga for Neck and Shoulder Pain\\n - Do you sit all day at work? Struggle with your posture? This class will help relieve upper body tension. \\n\nSo if you’re ready to make your neck pain a thing of the past, join us today. Our trial includes two free weeks of group fitness classes, one on one classes and so much more! \\nGet started on your yoga journey now!\\n"},"category":["yoga_poses"]},{"id":"cl8cuq5nnh5860biyek2vhu2w","slug":"reproductive-rights-for-women-yoga-workshop","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop - Supporting Women Through Yoga","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":null,"readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-22T09:28:27.679552+00:00","coverUrl":"dkjwcigamkavxe0yziwq.jpg","content":{"text":"Announcing MyYogaTeacher’s first ever Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop!\\nHere at MyYogaTeacher, we believe in the wisdom of women to make their own choices about their health. \\n\\nThat’s why we’re excited to offer the\\n Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop on October 2 from 9 AM - 11 AM PST (12 PM - 2 PM EST) for only $10!\\nIn the past, our community events have been free. So why are we charging a nominal fee for this one?\\nBecause ALL proceeds from the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop go to support the \\nCenter for Reproductive Rights\\n charity, a nonprofit organization, the \\nonly\\n global legal advocacy organization dedicated to advancing reproductive rights.\\nIn the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs Wade and on the day before the new term of the Supreme Court begins, we think this workshop is a perfect way to silently protest this new ruling through self-care and donations to an organization like the Center for Reproductive Rights.\\nThis will also be a time of healing and processing with a couple of awesome expert yoga instructors!\\nHow to join the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop\\nWhether you’re a member or not, \\nJust click this link and register \\nas you would any other group class! Simple as that.\\nIntroducing a very special guest yoga instructor coming just for this event!\n\\nMeet Harpinder Mann, RYT-500!\\n\\n\n\\nHarpinder is a yoga, meditation, mindfulness teacher, and decolonizing activist based in Los Angeles. She works with women of color who want to reclaim their power and intuition through the lens of a spiritual, joyful, and sustainable path. Her studies have spanned from reading the Japji Sahib since she was 3, to over 700 hours of yogic training within the traditions of Raja, Vinyasa, Kundalini, and Prenatal Yoga. \\nWe’re super excited to have her lead the beginning of the workshop. Afterwards, MyYogaTeacher yoga instructor, \\nTrupti Parikh\\n, will lead us in asanas, and a discussion session will follow.\\nAre you ready to experience a workshop where we solely focus on supporting and advocating for women’s health \\nwhile\\n improving our mental, emotional, and physical health?\\n\\nJoin us for the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop!\\n\\nTogether, we make a difference."},"category":["workshops"]},{"id":"cl8a9804vy5de0biznpg4ai2t","slug":"yoga-benefits-for-runners","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Yoga For Runners : Why Runners Should Incorporate Yoga Into Their Training?","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Adopting an active yoga practice to complement your running routine can have tons of benefits! Read now to learn more","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-20T13:50:56.406936+00:00","coverUrl":"tbdacuzob0fuqml8dyjd.jpg","content":{"text":"Training for a big race? Setting some goals you want to crush before the year ends? No matter what your reasons, yoga can be a great way to cross train for running from a 5k to a marathon! Running is great for your heart and body but can also be a huge strain on the muscles. Having an active yoga practice to complement your running routine can have tons of benefits! Let’s dive into how yoga can help!\\n1. Breathing\\nProper breathing and breath stabilization are both incredibly important principles in Yoga and Running. If you can practice proper breathing while running, you can maintain speed longer because you will take long deeper breaths to match your long strides, instead of short breaths which cause instability and speed decline.\\nPracticing Pranayama for runners - \\nAdding a pranayama breath practice before a run can help you to maintain focus as well as speed. Even if running is a release for you, and feels relaxing, Using breathwork to relax and focus can help you clearly see the physical and mental road ahead. Pranayama can also help if things are going off course on your run. If you need to regain control, you can come back to your breath and refocus. With these practices together, your run really can be a religious experience, or a way to relieve stress! \\nTo start a pranayama practice, all you need to do is focus on controlling your inhale and exhale. Start by standing tall and relaxed, or sitting tall and calm if you prefer. Close your eyes and focus inward. Start by breathing in for two and out for two. As you continue to grow your practice, you can  build up to breathing in for six and out for six. You can even play with pausing for two to four breaths in between your inhale and exhale. When you finally build a practice you’re confident with, you can start to set intentions and visualize your success. With this practice, you’ll begin to see your running dreams come true!\\n\\n2. Flexibility/Strength\\nIt would be great if in life, we only ever needed to do one thing to get to our goals. But in reality,just like we can’t have cookies for every meal, cross training for runners is essential to maintaining a long term healthy routine. While you could easily just add weight training or stretching a la cart into your week, yoga gives you more by going deeper and getting into those smaller, harder to access ligaments and tendons you might otherwise miss with strength training . Adding yoga into your running routine can reduce the risk of injury and help to maintain your goals. The more flexible your muscles are, the less likely they are to tense up or be stressed during running so you can move with more confidence and ease. Not to mention, it’s always great to look forward to a nice long stretch after a run. \\n\n3. Conditioning \\nWe all know running is GREAT for your cardiovascular health, can add years on to your life and keep your heart pumping at its best! But it doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or a veteran, running can make your body sore. Yoga is great for conditioning those tired and fatigued muscles without having to “take a day off” to rest. In between your runs or on conditioning days, you can take a class focused on your back or knee health, or even a class to open tight hips after a long run. There’s nothing the magic of yoga can’t do! \\n\n4. Balance/Posture\\nEven though running is a “walk in the park” compared to ballet where balance is concerned, you still need to do your best to focus on alignment while you move.\\nYoga can improve your running form by elongating the limbs so you cover more ground in less time. You'll be PR’ing in no time! Proper alignment is also important when running because as you increase your speed, the level of impact (and injury) becomes greater. Maintaining your body's alignment during movement assures you arrive at the finish line aliment free! Love a tree pose? Want to learn to fly into a warrior? Lots of yoga poses force you to balance on one leg, which helps you to build a unilateral movement practice much like the ebbs and flows you take while running. \\n5. Stress and Mental Clarity\\nFeeling stressed before a big run? Worried about your PR? Yoga can help! Focus your breathing and set an intention. You’ve got this!\\nFocus and clarity are so important when running so you can know where you’re headed and stay on track. Add your yoga practice in before training or race days and you’ll feel your worries melt away. According to scientists at \\nHarvard,\\n adding just minutes of yoga to your week can improve your outlook, slow down the body and decrease stress. You’ll find your body will be more relaxed, focused and ready to run for those goals when you release your tension with yoga. \\nGetting started:\\nSo what do you need to get started? Simple! Yourself, a mat, some water and a quiet space are all you need! Are you ready to add yoga into your running routine? \\nGet started with a two week free trial of our classes and one on one sessions!\\n\\nLet’s figure out where your yoga practice would serve you best! \\nDoing yoga BEFORE your run will help you to warm up your muscles and ligaments. By fully warming up your body before you hit the pavement, you decrease the chances of injury, help with an easier recovery and can improve your PR as you continue to train! \\nBest Yoga Poses to practice before a run :\\nHigh Lunge - This pose stretches the legs from top of the thighs down to the ankle\\n\\nWarrior II - Helps with focus and stamina. Great before heading out!\\n\\nSide angle bend - This stretch helps to stretch the side body and release any tension in the shoulders and spine. \\n\\n⁠Prefer to do yoga after your run? That’s a great option too! Yoga is great for recovery after a run! Finishing your running routine with a yoga stretch helps you to rebalance. You can stretch muscles or limbs that became tight during your run and strengthen anything  that may have become fatigued. You can also refocus and deepen your breath to reset for the next part of your day. \\nBest Yoga Poses to practice after a run :\\nButterfly Pose - a basic hip opener to ease into your stretch\\n\\nHalf Pigeon - A great pose for multiple alignments! Working through the psoas and hip flexors. Make sure to practice on both sides.\\n\\nHappy Baby - This pose is great for finishing up your hip opener extension while giving a nice massage to the back and stretching the soles of the feet.\\n\\nWant to take a class? Try some of our favorite classes for runners!\\n\\nYoga for Strength and flexibility \\n\\n\\nYoga for Knee Pain\\n\\n\\nYoga for Back health\\n\\nReady to join us for class? \\nGet started with a free trial now! \\n\\nRemember, with a great training plan for your runs, and an ongoing yoga practice you’ll be ready to run to your greatest finish line feeling and looking your best! Just like peanut butter and jelly, yoga and running are great together!"},"category":["fitness","yoga"]},{"id":"cl81n0o6wh1g80ajz2gpco553","slug":"yoga-at-home","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"How to Start Doing Yoga at Home","subTitle":"Everything you need to know for an at-home yoga routine","seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Get a beginner’s guide to starting yoga at home with tips and suggestions for setting up your own practice, including online yoga classes and private lessons.","readTime":null,"excerpt":"Learn how to perform yoga at home with this quick and easy guide","tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-14T13:07:13.39269+00:00","coverUrl":"cqivxw3vkrcihpumlny7.jpg","content":{"text":"There are lots of reasons for doing yoga at home instead of a yoga studio, some of which include distance, busy schedules, kids, financial concerns, and health issues. The good news is you can set up your own yoga practice at home, and still get all the benefits of a regular yoga routine — without the studio. It can also be a great way to integrate yoga into your life on a regular basis, and it’s easy to do in your own home.\\nCan Anyone do Yoga at Home?\\nAnyone can perform yoga at home, and you don’t have to be an advanced yogi to try. Even beginners can practice yoga in a home environment, all you need is adequate floor space, a few (optional) pieces of equipment, and guidelines for practicing the primary yoga poses. \\nIf you’re a beginner, it’s recommended to first learn from a certified yoga instructor, so you can progress with the proper technique and alignment to avoid injury. Thanks to online learning platforms like\\n MyYogaTeacher\\n, you can still practice yoga at home with the help of a qualified teacher.\\n11 Tips on How to Perform Yoga At Home\\nThe idea of starting a yoga practice in your very own living room can seem daunting or intimidating at first, especially if you’re accustomed to attending classes in a yoga studio. But with a little bit of preparation and creativity, you can set up your own yoga space and develop a mindful yoga routine that can benefit your life.\\nHere are some suggestions to help get you started:\\n1. Make Space in Your Home for Yoga\\nIt’s easy (and fun) to make your own yoga space, and you can design it as a temporary space or a dedicated one, depending on your needs. All you need is enough floor space to move around and stretch out the full length of your body — a little more than the length and width of your yoga mat. This can be your living or bedroom floor, your kitchen, or your backyard. Just make sure there isn’t any furniture or objects lying around that could get in your way or cause injury.\\n2. Decorate With Calming Accessories\\nYou can also create a comfortable and inviting space for yoga by hanging calming or inspiring artwork on the wall, lighting a candle or incense, and keeping a few house plants nearby for a pleasing atmosphere. The more you can tailor and dedicate your space for yoga, the easier it will be to motivate yourself to keep up a steady routine. Hanging a mirror in front of your practice space is also helpful in maintaining the correct alignment while performing postures.\\n3. Be Prepared With the Right Equipment\\n\\nYou’ll want to invest in a yoga mat, and it’s wise to also keep modifying props on hand — like blocks, bolsters, blankets, and a strap. If you’re just starting out and you’d like to improvise for props, you can use pillows, blankets, and other items around the house to suit your needs. Just make sure your props are sturdy, supportive, and nearby for when you need them.\\n4. Practice Regularly\\nThe best part about practicing yoga at home is it can be done any time you want. The challenge lies in your dedication and commitment to the practice even when your couch appears more inviting.\\n \\nAccording to this study\\n, it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to create a new habit. It’s important to be patient with yourself and identify guidelines for your practice that you can realistically follow through with. \\n5. Schedule Your Yoga Session\\nSet yourself up for success by committing to your yoga practice at a certain time of day, and for a specified number of days per week. It’s best to start out easy with goals that are achievable and progress as you gain momentum. For instance, if you’ve never been an early riser, don’t expect yourself to suddenly start practicing yoga at dawn. If that’s the case, try scheduling your yoga session for late morning, afternoon or evening, and keep your existing schedule in mind when planning a time that works for you.\\n6. Keep it Simple\\nRegardless of your experience or ability level, practicing yoga at home means watching out for your own safety. Make sure you have props handy for when you need them, and avoid overdoing it with strenuous poses. When it doubt, keep your routine simple. Even if you’re an advanced yogi, those basic, primary yoga poses are still an important part of a holistic yoga practice, and may be less likely to cause injury.\\n7. Listen to Your Body\\nThe best way to avoid getting hurt while practicing yoga at home is to listen to your body. If any posture causes you discomfort or pain, stop practicing it immediately — no matter how easy or difficult the pose. Don’t push yourself too hard, and remember to focus on your alignment. If you are unsure of how to execute a specific pose, try learning it from a certified instructor before performing it on your own at home.\\n8. Take an Online Yoga Class\\n\\nBy far the best way to practice yoga at home is with an online class. This way, you get all the benefits of doing yoga at home in your own time, with the added help of an instructor who can make sure you’re performing poses safely and effectively. You can find\\n online group classes\\n for every type of yoga at\\n MyYogaTeacher\\n, with over 42 classes offered throughout the day. Private, 1-on-1 instructors are also available for at-home yoga, giving you plenty of options to get the right kind of training while still practicing in the comfort of your own home.\\n9. Squeeze in a Short Practice\\nThe beauty of an at-home yoga practice means you can squeeze in a quick session when you just have 20-30 minutes of time. Even short yoga routines are beneficial for your body and mind, and performing a few of the primary yoga poses on a daily basis will change your life for the better. Try incorporating the Sun Salutation flow series into your morning routine when you first get out of bed in the morning, or practicing some relaxing poses like Legs-Up-The-Wall or Savasana in the evening. \\n10. Switch it Up and Make it Fun\\nYoga doesn’t always have to be serious, and you can make your home yoga practice fun and spontaneous for you and your family. Practicing with your kids is a great way to help them learn mindfulness and self-awareness, while stretching and strengthening their growing bodies. You can also take your practice to the backyard to enjoy sunshine and good weather, or invite friends over to share in the experience. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box!\\n11. End Every Practice With Savasana\\nWhen practicing yoga at home, it can be tempting to skip important parts of the journey due to time constraints, distractions, or disinterest. If there is one element of yoga you should never skip, it’s Savasana, or otherwise known as Corpse pose. Always end your practice with 5 minutes of relaxation to help your body integrate the routine. Keep a blanket nearby to warm your body after it has cooled down, and consider an eye pillow to help you relax. Your body and mind will thank you as you move on to the rest of your day, having given yourself the gift of healthy movement to better your life."},"category":["yoga","therapy"]}],"randomPosts":[{"id":"ckyktoycwdpk80c697njqku5f","slug":"traditional-yoga-teacher-training-course","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"Will","pictureUrl":null},"title":"4 Reasons To Take a Yoga Teacher Training Course From Authentic Yoga Teachers","createdAt":"2022-01-19T00:44:38.302798+00:00","coverUrl":"hvuiybbjigcvmvyfc2jw.jpg","content":{"text":"While we completely understand the modernization of yoga, here at MyYogaTeacher, we wholeheartedly believe in the power and therapeutic effects of the traditional yoga techniques originally taught in Eastern yoga!\\nAnd while there is absolutely nothing wrong with Western yoga, we’ve found that students from all over the country (and the world) really value the experience and expertise of our authentic yoga instructors from the birthplace of yoga, India.\\nWith that in mind, many of you may be interested in becoming a yoga teacher yourself and not know how to choose the right yoga teacher training course to suit your needs. \\nOr maybe you \\ndon’t\\n want to become a yoga teacher but just have a desire to grow in your practice and enhance your life through yoga!\\nThere are\\n tons\\n of yoga teacher training programs out there to choose from, but they don’t all do a thorough job.\\nThis isn’t because the yogis who teach these courses are purposefully trying to “get one over” on their students (at least we hope not). It’s more so because they don’t have the experience, knowledge, and expertise that many authentic yoga teachers do!\\nIf you’re interested in learning more about MyYogaTeacher’s Teacher Training Courses, we’d love to have you! \\nCheck it out here!\\n\\nNot a MyYogaTeacher member? Whether you’re interested in teaching yoga, starting yoga, or growing in your yoga journey, MyYogaTeacher is a great place to do it!\\nWhen you sign up for a 1:1 membership with us you get:\\n\\n102 expert\\n, highly qualified yoga instructors to choose from\\nThe ability to switch instructors\\n or take classes with only your faves\\nAccess to unlimited group classes\\n, taught \\nlive\\nPersonalized instruction\\n and work out, diet, and lifestyle plans\\nTo be a member of a HUGE community\\n of happy yogis from around the world\\nYoga teachers who become friends\\n, who truly care about you!\\nIf you haven’t checked us out already, \\ngrab two free 1:1 sessions with your 2-week free trial here\\n!\\nNow, onto why it’s important to choose your yoga teacher training course wisely, and how learning from authentic yoga teachers is vital to your success as a yogi or a yoga teacher!\\n1. Advance your yoga practice\\nWhile almost any yoga teacher\\n training\\n course (TTC) is going to almost force you – in a natural sort of way – to grow in your yoga practice, it won’t be in the same way as if you’re learning from a traditional yoga instructor.\\nThe yoga classes you’ll take with a traditional yoga teacher in a TTC will be more strict, disciplined, and focused on building strength and perfecting (or attempting to perfect) your alignment.\\nHow can you teach someone about these things if you haven’t mastered some of them yourself?\\nThe counts to hold a pose will be long  and precise alignment will be taught and demonstrated. On the other side of that coin, you’ll also probably feel loved and supported, as traditional instructors truly do care about their students’ well-being, mental, physical, and emotional health.\\nThe main difference when learning yoga poses from an authentic yoga teacher from India and one from the Western world is that the East has had a plethora of master yogis over the 5000 years yoga has existed there, while yoga was only introduced to the West about 100 years ago. Traditional yoga teachers from the East learned about the culture, history, and philosophy of yoga, not just the physical aspects.\\nAnd we’re not sure any of the Western teachers could be considered masters.\\n\n2. Experience a traditional view of success\\nThe Western world’s view of success often has to do with the external. How we look, what possessions we have, the outside stimuli that makes us feel good.\\n\\nTraditional yoga\\n is much different! This ancient Eastern practice is focused on reaching spiritual enlightenment, becoming self-aware, being present. It’s about finding your peace from the inside out instead of the outside in. Oh, and this has nothing to do with religion as some people might have you to believe.\\nWhether you’re religious or not, anyone can practice yoga and experience the spiritual benefits the practice provides.\\nHaving a traditional view of success as a yoga teacher will help you demonstrate and teach your students how to find their own true peace and contentedness. In turn, this change in mindset will help them grow in their yoga practice and accomplish their goals!\\n3. Learn a more comprehensive approach to teaching yoga\\nAt the very basic level, taking a TTC with an authentic, traditional yoga instructor is going to make you more valuable to your own students!\\nTraditional yoga and yoga teaching often doesn’t begin with asanas (yoga poses) like Western yoga does. It may begin with breathing exercises, a meditation, or a life lesson. You also usually set an intention for your practice.\\nYou’ll learn about morals, ethics, purity, and how to develop – and help your students develop – a strong, consistent commitment to a yoga practice. You’ll learn how to meditate and how to lead a meditation. Different yogic breathing techniques and how they help different groups of people.\\nAnd because you’re learning from a long line of tradition and culture, you’ll learn about the history of yoga, various yoga poses, how they help cure illnesses, boost immunity, and how yoga is an excellent companion to conventional medicine.\\n4. Expert yoga teachers create expert yogis\\nWho wouldn’t want to learn from the best?\\nIf you wanted to be a doctor, you’d seek out the best colleges and universities that offer medical programs. If you wanted to be a professional athlete, you’d make sure you received top quality training from high end trainers.\\nBecoming a yoga teacher is no different. You don’t want to be mediocre. You want to provide your students with the highest quality yoga instruction and education as is humanly possible. Because you care about people!\\nYou want them to experience the benefits of yoga that you have!\\nWhen you take a TTC course from authentic Eastern yoga instructors, you are immersed in the traditional world of yoga. \\nAsanas (yoga poses) are only one of the traditional 8 yoga sutras you’ll probably learn about. The others are:\\nYama - deals with ethical standards and integrity\\nPranayama - regulation of breath\\nNiyama - about leading a moral life and doing good in the world\\nPratyahara - focuses on spiritual development\\nDharana - holding consciousness in one state of being\\nDhyana - creating a pure mind\\nSamadhi - the path to pure joy and enlightenment\\nThese are terms you’ll likely become very familiar with when taking a traditional-focused TTC from authentic yoga teachers.\\nAnd completion of the course isn’t the end of your teacher training journey! You’ll have all the tools you need, the community and access to yoga experts, to continue moving forward. \\nYou’ll have what you need to become the expert!\\nInterested in getting more info on MyYogaTeacher’s TTC with our beloved-by-members yoga instructor, Rohan?\\nWith the MyYogaTeacher 200-hour TTC, you won’t get pre-recorded trainings or an overwhelming amount of materials that you have to navigate alone!\\n \\nWith MyYogaTeacher 100% of your TTC is live. And you'll get access to incredible teachers with rare levels of experience and yoga education. Rohan himself has taught 17 in-person TTCs, 6 online TTCs, and managed 13 other TTCs!\\n \\nWe're not like those self-paced courses you'll find on the internet.\\n With a TTC from MyYogaTeacher, you're not paying for a series of videos \\n(that you can watch or not)\\n, a few live Q&A sessions \\n(that you can attend or not)\\n, and booklets or packets \\n(you can read or not)\\n.\\n With our \\nYoga Alliance certified\\n TTC, you'll get:\\n \\n✔️ 100% live instruction\\n✔️ A group chat with your teachers and classmates\\n✔️ A 150-page e-book\\n✔️ Recordings of each of your classes\\n✔️ A community setting that keeps you motivated and energized\\n When you enroll in our Yoga Training Course \\nCertification\\n, you’re not just saying yes to being a yoga instructor. Because some of you may not have that goal.\\n \\nYou’re saying yes to \\nYOU\\n.\\n \\nGet more info or sign up here!\\n\\n"}},{"id":"ckfqxov60014x0178pen9w4xk","slug":"why-i-started-myyogateacher","author":{"name":"Jitendra","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":"jitendra1.png"},"title":"Why we started myYogaTeacher","createdAt":"2020-01-18T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"image-1_37.png","content":{"text":"\\n\\n\\nHaving started 3 companies, I believe, there are two kinds of startup ideas.\\n\\nFirst, there are ideas that make intellectual sense – I mean ideas where you can think of a need, talk to customers and imagine a way to deliver a service in an economically viable fashion to address that need.\\n\\nBut myYogaTeacher is the second kind of idea. The ideas where you personally feel the need. These are ideas where you feel a sense of \\nmission\\n and you are compelled to pursue them because you feel that the universe and your entire life has been building up for you to bring the idea to reality.\\n\\nYou see – My name – Jitendra – is derived from Sanskrit and it means “one who has control of his senses.” For the most part, I felt I lived up to this but while running my previous startup I found myself miserable and losing control.\\n\\nOn the outside, I had it all together. I owned successful companies, had tons of friends and a great family. I had everything I wanted and worked so hard for … but despite all of that, I had thoughts running like trains in my head I could not control, I was not sleeping well, not exercising enough, counting the days to my next break and feeling like there was more to life. There was something that I was missing. You know what I mean?\\n\\nI felt sad and depressed pretty much every day. My eating habits were terrible and all my efforts to improve fell flat. My mind circled in unhealthy thought patterns that I just couldn’t stop.\\n\\nI didn’t feel good in my body, I didn’t feel good in my mind, and I didn’t feel good in my life.\\n\\nNow, I’m originally from India. Of course I had heard about Yoga since I was a child. Even here in America, Yoga is a big deal. A regular \\nYoga practice\\n creates peace, drastically increases health and well-being and can even help you to lose weight.\\n\\n[CTA-DEFAULT]\\n\\nThese were all the things I desperately needed.\\n\\nBut, despite knowing all that, I didn’t want to go to a yoga studio! I was out of shape, totally inflexible and just plain self-conscious.\\n\\nMy old friend, who lived in India and practiced Yoga everyday, said the best way to learn yoga was the classic Guru–shishya relationship that has been passed down for generations. To put this in modern terms (and to pass on the outdated “guru” idea), this meant having a connection with a teacher to learn from directly. A teacher who could get to know me and my unique struggles. My friend offered to find someone for me and I agreed.\\n\\nHe delivered!!!\\n\\nHe found me Pranjal, a yoga teacher with 8 years of teaching experience and 1,600 hours of certified teacher training! Yes, you read that correctly – a whopping 1,600 hours of training.\\n\\nBut, she lived in Pune, India and I was in California! So we decided to try practicing through video calls.\\n\\nI was skeptical – Yoga is a physical thing! Was she going to see me well? Would she be able to tell how I was doing and give me the guidance I needed? I was just starting out and was going to need A LOT of help.\\n\\nBut Pranjal was amazing!\\n\\nShe helped me build the strength and \\nflexibility\\n to perform the postures really well. She guided me towards realistic goals. I could feel and notice the improvement in each session.\\n\\nThe flexibility, strength and ability to meet challenging postures in my yoga practice was spilling into my mental health as well.\\n\\nI was happier, calmer and able to make healthier decisions (and stick to them). I was losing weight and the stress from building my businesses practically vanished. I still get stressed but I don’t take it home with me.\\n\\nAfter a few months, I felt ready to go practice in a yoga studio…\\n\\nWhat. A. Disappointment!!!\\n\\nAfter all the 1-on-1 personal attention I was getting from Pranjal, it was a bitter experience to finally feel ready to practice in public. The teacher had no time to focus on me.\\n\\nYeah, she would do (MAYBE) one correction during the class. But nothing more. She didn’t KNOW my body the way Pranjal did. She didn’t help me to set goals or work toward them. She didn’t change the pace of the class when I felt ready to\\n\\nIn the group classes, I was just another one of 30 people the teacher needed to keep track of.\\n\\nAfter a few classes of that, I sprinted back to Pranjal!\\n\\nBut something was off…with all my tech skills and entrepreneurial spirit, I needed to share this with other people. I knew there were tons of people too busy to go to a studio, too shy to practice in front of others. People who need and want the 1-on-1 personal attention that will help them to progress, heal, and grow fast!\\n\\nI knew there were so many people out there ready and waiting for yoga to transform their lives.\\n\\nWith a team of amazing people, I started myYogaTeacher to improve physical and mental well being of the entire planet. To help empower you to take positive steps forward in your life. And even to heal the symptoms of pain and illness that we’ve seen yoga heal.\\n\\nSound’s big, doesn’t it?\\n\\nIt’s a bold mission, but I also know that our teachers have the power to make it a reality for every one of our students. So I brought together a team of awesome engineers to start working on myYogaTeacher.\\n\\nBut, most importantly, I hired a group of scouts in India to find the best yoga teachers in the country.\\n\\nAfter 8 months of hard work, it’s time for the big test! We launched recently and I am so excited to see this venture grow. I value all of my businesses, but helping people improve their physical and mental health through a personal connection to one of the best \\nYoga teachers\\n of the East is close to my heart.\\n\\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\\n\\nI genuinely hope you try and enjoy your time with myYogaTeacher. We would sincerely love to hear from you. Email us, call us or chat with us through the app.\\n\\nYour friends in growth, health and wellbeing!\\n"}},{"id":"ckk5m1owg00so0a76k1exoz8o","slug":"yoga-poses-for-back-pain","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"5 Yoga Poses for Back Pain to Add to Your Practice","createdAt":"2021-01-20T15:58:10.193164+00:00","coverUrl":"yoga_poses_for_back_pain_1.png","content":{"text":"If you're dealing with back pain, you're not alone. More than 16 million adults experience persistent or chronic back pain according to Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute. Healthcare costs and indirect costs resulting from this pain total upwards of $12 billion per year. Fortunately, there are ways to relieve back pain with yoga!\\n\\nIn this article, we're going to share five yoga poses for back pain that you can do throughout the day as well as a short practice you can add to your daily routine. For even better results, sign up for a two-week free trial of our \\nYoga for Back Pain program\\n where you'll get three free one-on-one sessions with our expert yoga instructors as well as group classes focusing on yoga for back pain and core strengthening. Plus, you'll have access to 30+ other daily yoga classes!\\n\\n5 Yoga Poses for Back Pain You Can Do Throughout the Day\\nExperts recommend incorporating yoga poses into your daily life for the best results. This doesn't mean that you have to spend 90 minutes every day on a comprehensive yoga practice. Even getting up once an hour and doing some stretching or a yoga pose will go a long way towards minimizing or even eliminating your back pain.\\n\\nOur bodies are meant for motion, after all. Given that many of us spend our days at a desk, taking short breaks to regularly change position and get some movement into our lives will not only make our bodies feel better but will also \\nimprove our mental outlook\\n. Here are five poses you can add to your day to relieve back pain with yoga.\\n\\n1. Cat-Cow Pose\\n\\nCat-cow pose offers a gentle spine stretch and is a great way to start off your workout or yoga practice. This pose helps increase flexibility and stretch out your neck, shoulders, and torso.\\n\\nTo perform this yoga pose, start in a tabletop position. On the inhale, let your stomach drop and lift your sit bones upward and bring your chest forward. Your gaze should be slightly elevated. On the exhale, arch your back, bring your belly button towards your spine, and shift your gaze to your knees. Move through these two positions 5–10 times.\\n\\n2. Child's Pose\\n\\nChild's pose is a delightfully relaxing yoga pose that can help you stretch out your wrists and ankles, thighs, neck, and lower back. Plus, it helps alleviate stress.\\n\\nStart from a kneeling position with your bottom resting on your feet. Spread your knees wide, keeping your big toes touching, and bend your body forward with your arms stretched out over your head. Rest your forehead on the floor or a yoga block and keep your arms extended. Rest in this pose for up to 5 minutes.\\n\\n3. Downward-Facing Dog\\n\\nDownward-facing dog helps strengthen your back and shoulders while alleviating back pain and sciatica.\\n\\nStart in a tabletop position. Press your hands firmly into the ground while tucking your toes and lifting your knees off the ground, pressing your sit bones towards the ceiling. Feel free to keep a slight bend in your knees and your heels off the floor if that feels best for you. Focus on lengthening your back and keep your head in line with your upper arms with your chin slightly tucked. Hold this position for 1–3 minutes.\\n\\n4. Bridge Pose\\n\\nBridge pose will help strengthen the glutes and abs as well as the muscles along your spine. This pose can also help correct your posture.\\n\\nStart on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, in line with your knees. Your arms will stay at your sides. Raise your hips and pelvis off the floor, squeezing your glutes to press them towards the ceiling. Continue raising your hips until your shoulders and feet are supporting your body. Hold this position for a few seconds before gently rolling your torso down to the ground, ending with your hips. Repeat 10–15 times for up to 3 sets.\\n\\n5. Standing Forward Bend\\n\\nStanding forward bends help stretch out your spine and just feel really good. Be sure to initiate the movement from your hips and not your lower back.\\n\\nStart by standing with your feet together or hip-distance apart. Keeping your knees slightly bent, fold your upper body forward and over your legs (moving from your hips). Place your hands on the ground in front of you or on yoga blocks. As you inhale, lengthen your spine and open your chest. On the exhale, bring your torso forward again, keeping your back straight. Repeat as desired.\\n\\nYoga Asanas for Back Ache: A Complete Practice\\nYoga is a beautiful and beneficial practice. Not only is yoga great for your mental wellbeing but it can help you stretch and strengthen areas of your body that are largely ignored by most workouts. As such, yoga, when done correctly, is a wonderful solution to both preventing injury and healing from injury.\\n\\nHere is a short yoga practice you can do to relieve back pain. To get even more benefit, sign up for a two-week free trial of our \\nYoga for Back Pain program\\n!\\nWind Release Pose Flow:\\n Start on your back with your hands on or behind your knees and your arms straight. Exhale and draw your knees towards your chest. Inhale and return to the starting position. Repeat 6 times then hold your knees to your chest for 6 breaths.\\nReclining Bound Angle Pose:\\n Start on your back with your knees out to the side and the soles of your feet together. Slightly tuck your pelvis toward your bellybutton and lengthen the lumbar spine. As you exhale, slowly bring your knees toward one another. Repeat several times, increasing the number of exhales and breaths it takes to bring your knees together.\\nBridge Pose:\\n Start out on your back with your feet hip-distance apart and flat on the floor. Inhale and bring your hips up towards the ceiling, engaging your glutes and abs. Inhale at the top then slowly roll back down to the ground, keeping the abs engaged. Repeat several times.\\nCat-Cow & Child's Pose Flow:\\n Start in a tabletop position. Inhale into cat pose and exhale into cow. At the bottom of the exhale, push back into child's pose. Take a breath in child's pose and on the next inhale come back into tabletop position. Repeat several times.\\nCrocodile Pose:\\n Lay on your stomach with your forehead resting on your hands. Feet can be apart or together. Start taking large, deep breaths. On each inhalation, bring space into your back. On the exhales, relax the muscles along your spine and low back.\\nCobra Pose (Arm Variation):\\n While laying on your stomach, place your hands under your shoulders. On the inhale, stretch and lengthen your spine while moving into cobra. Exhale your forehead back to the floor. Repeat 3 times, staying in the final cobra pose for 3 breaths.\\nChild's Pose:\\n From a kneeling position, spread your knees wide while keeping your big toes touching. Bend forward, resting your head on the ground in front of you or on a yoga block or bolster. You can stretch your arms out in front of you or leave them along your sides. Breath into your lower back. Stay in child's pose for up to 5 minutes.\\nLegs Up The Wall Pose with Bolster:\\n Use a bolster or folded blankets until you sacrum and bring your legs up a wall or onto a chair. Spread your arms wide to the side. On each exhale, allow your body to feel heavier and heavier. Stay here as long as you'd like.\\nMountain Brook Pose:\\n This is a restorative yoga posture. Place a weighted blanket or something comfortably heavy on the abdomen (or chest, if it's comfortable). Breathe deeply using your diaphragm for several minutes.\\nCorpse Pose:\\n Lie on your back, letting your feet and arms fall out to the side. Breath normally and relax in this position for as long as you'd like.\\nRelieve Back Pain With Yoga\\nBack pain is a common problem for millions of people. Yoga can help with this. A regular yoga practice can help you stretch and strengthen your body, reducing the risk of injury from your workout and helping to prevent, reduce, or eliminate back pain.\\n\\nA 2-week free trial of myYogaTeacher's \\nYoga for Back Pain program\\n is the perfect way to get started on your path to a healthier, happier back. You'll get access to our expert yoga instructors—including three free one-on-one sessions—along with unlimited access to group classes like Yoga for Core Strengthening, Gentle Yoga, Yoga for Back Pain, Chair Yoga, and a whole lot more!"}}],"relatedPosts":[{"id":"cl8kb5f23jq1w0ciscs2h2bxw","slug":"benefits-of-yoga-for-pregnancy","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"What are the Benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy?","createdAt":"2022-09-27T14:42:36.767798+00:00","coverUrl":"kvvlqndsbow5dsckhw7i.jpg","content":{"text":"When you get pregnant, people come out of the woodworks with advice, remedies and old wives tales. Everyone’s got an opinion on how you should spend your pregnancy. But the one thing we know for sure is, yoga is great for mom and baby alike. If you’re curious about prenatal yoga, you’re in the right place. Let’s break down why this type of yoga is excellent for moms (and babies).\\nWhat is prenatal yoga?\\nPrenatal yoga was designed for women who are expecting. Rather than taking a regular class and having to worry about modifications or safety, this class is specifically designed for pregnancy. The practice can help women with common pregnancy aches and pains, ease hormonal and emotional stress and help women’s bodies prepare for birth and their postpartum journey. A regular yoga practice when pregnant has tons of amazing benefits!\\nBenefits of Prenatal yoga: \\nWe asked women who’ve done prenatal yoga while pregnant for their reviews, one said “ It’s excellent for stress relief, pain relief, and preparation for labor.” And they all said they’d recommend it to friends! \\nSo let's break down the benefits: \\nRelaxation : \\nPregnancy can be very stressful! But yoga will help you to relax physically, mentally and emotionally and create a safe, relaxing environment for birth. Prenatal helps you with coping and breath techniques for all stages of your pregnancy.\n\\nPreparation for birth : \\nFor first time moms, and even sometimes vets, labor can be scary. This practice will help you to learn birth techniques so you’re relaxed and ready to go!\n⁠\\nYoga can Help with Labor : \\nIn a 2015 study\\n, It was found that a regular yoga practice in the last 10-12 weeks of pregnancy can improve the mother's comfort during labor and help facilitate the labor process. The “yoga group” in this study on average was in labor two hours less than those who didn’t practice. Past your due date? Prenatal Yoga is also known to help induce labor\n⁠\\nCommunity : \\nYoga classes have always been known to help us build community but during pregnancy, it's so important to have a group of women who understand what you’re going through. Taking part in a prenatal class puts you in a group of women who get it. You’ll have a built in support system and maybe even first friends for your baby!\\nFrequently Asked Questions about Prenatal Yoga:\\nIs Yoga for Pregnancy safe?\\nYes. Yoga is generally considered safe during pregnancy. However, you should always consult your doctor & make sure you’re practicing with a teacher who understands the prenatal experience and can keep you safe. Our teachers are experts in yoga and are ready to help you on your journey. If you’d like to check out our offerings, you can get started today with a two week free trial! \\nWhen during pregnancy can you practice yoga?\\nDuring your first trimester, you can stick to your regular practice with some modifications. \\nYour second trimester is a GREAT time to start prenatal yoga! At this point, you’ll be starting to officially come into your “pregnancy body” and you’ll need to be practicing poses more specific to prenatal. The second and third trimester are considered the “prep period” for your body to prepare for labor. So it's a great time to keep moving and stretching in your new skin as you make room for the baby to grow! \\nWhat yoga poses should you avoid doing? \\nFor the most part, yoga is considered safe during pregnancy. You really only need to focus on any poses that put pressure on your abdomen. You should avoid any and all twisting poses, backbends and inversions.. \\nYoga for Pregnancy Poses you can perform at Home :\\nIt’s important to stay active during your pregnancy for both mom and baby! You should try to get in some sort of movement daily for at least 30 minutes. You can stick to low impact workouts or walks but if you want to do some yoga at home, it’s a great way to end your day. Yoga while pregnant can help with pain, help you sleep better and fight tiredness and fatigue. \\nHere are some poses you can practice at home to keep you moving! And as a bonus, most of these poses will also help your body prepare for giving birth!\\n1. Bound angle pose (Baddha Konasana) :\\n\\nBaddha Konasana pose will help you open your hips, releasing any pain in your back. It can also help to reduce swelling\\nHow it helps with labor: Opening the hips will help you to stretch the muscles needed to open the birth canal.\\n2. Cat-cow pose (Marjaryasana Bitilasana) :\\n\\nMarjaryasana Bitilasana pose release back and shoulder pain and also reduce pressure from the belly\\nHow it helps with labor: Back pain is a common occurrence during the birth process. This pose will help to keep your muscles limber and help to avoid muscle spasms and pain in your back during labor. \\n3. Yogi squat (Malasana) :\\n\\n\\nBeen sitting too long\\n? This is a great hip opener and will also release lower back pain. \\nHow it helps with labor: This pose will widen the pelvic floor making the birth easier,which may help to reduce injury during birth.\\nRemember, if you’re practicing at home, it’s always best to consult your doctor and make sure yoga is safe for your pregnancy.\\n\\nOther ways to practice self-care during pregnancy\\nBeing a mom is the hardest job in the world. And there are no days off. Starting with pregnancy, we feel out of control of our body, its growth and the way we feel. Remember to take time during this beautiful process to practice self-care so you can be present, happy and relaxed. \\nBook a prenatal massage :\n\n⁠⁠A prenatal massage is GREAT for mom and baby. It can help reduce stress and swelling without meds, help you to sleep and get your body ready for labor and delivery. \n⁠ \\nTake a bath :\n⁠\n⁠Taking a warm bath while pregnant can also help to reduce stress and lower your blood pressure. It’s a great way to relax and rest your growing body. If you’re feeling pain or swelling, it can be very beneficial to relax in a warm bath. \n⁠\\n\\nAyurveda for Pregnancy :\\n\n⁠\n⁠This week, MyYogaTeacher has a special Ayurveda event running where you’ll learn how to align with your best self through nutrition and health changes. This specific class is designed to help you have your most healthy pregnancy with nutrition guidelines for a mom and foods to help with baby's development! \\n\nYou can also choose to work 1 on 1 with an instructor of your choice through your MyYogaTeacher membership! Let us help you have your healthiest pregnancy possible! \\n\\nGet started today!\\n"}},{"id":"cl74jtlu93yyq0ak0ti37gc8g","slug":"yoga-practice-for-women","author":{"name":"Divya","teacherMytSlug":"divya-1","pictureUrl":"divya-1.jpg"},"title":"The Importance of a Yoga practice for Women","createdAt":"2022-08-22T09:21:21.098639+00:00","coverUrl":"llizejqjzzeaxaxii2ey.jpg","content":{"text":"Why adding Yoga to your routine can make you feel like your most calm and confident self.\\nWe all know women have a lot on their plate. With all the things we have to get done in a day, it’s hard to remember to add taking care of ourselves to the list. We sometimes find time for a trip to the gym, a podcast episode or a quick walk between our to-do list, but the benefits of taking even 10 minutes to do yoga or a meditation can carry us through stressful days, help us sleep better or relieve pain and anxiety. Let’s break down why yoga is so important to the feminine being.\\nYoga is important for your mental health\\nA consistent yoga practice promotes relaxation, reduces anxiety and stress and can aid in mental clarity and a calm mind. Yoga is a great way to end your workday or transition from work back to your home life. If you have a high stress job, or you’re spending your day with kids, taking just five to ten minutes to breathe and stretch can put you in a clearer mindset to switch roles or tasks with ease. For example, Pranayama, the practice of focusing your breath takes only a few minutes and can help you adjust or focus your breathing, mind and heart. Pranayama is the yogic practice of focusing on breath. In Sanskrit, prana means \"vital life force\". In stressful situations, we can always come back to our breath. This is especially a great practice for women, as we tend to be a “lifesource” for our families.\\nLet’s find the right poses to ease your mind!\\nSuggested Poses for stress relief:\\nStanding Forward Fold :\\n\\nThis pose releases tension in the neck and back and is a physical and mental “letting go”\\nEasy Seat :\\n\\n Gentle hip opener, relieves physical and mental exhaustion.\\nChilds Pose : \\n\\nReleases the Nero and lymphatic systems.\\nSuggested Poses for anxiety relief:\\nHead to Knee forward bend :\\n\\nCalms the mind.\\nBridge pose : \\n\\nReduces anxiety and fatigue.\\nCamel Pose : \\n\\nBoost Energy.\\nSuggested Poses to calm the mind:\\nLegs up the wall : \\n\\nLegs up the \\nwall \\nallows your body complete relaxation.\\nCorpse Pose :\\n\\nQuiets your system and lowers your blood pressure\\nCat Pose :\\n\\nHelps to relieve stress and calm the mind.\\nYoga is important for your physical health\\nYou can find little ways to add yoga into your life every day to keep your body in tip top shape! You can add yoga to the end of your workout to lower your heart rate or choose it as a workout on “low impact” days. Believe it or not, yoga can actually take the place of strength training and cardio programs if you take the right classes! \\nMyYogaTeacher has so many options to support your active lifestyle! Yoga can improve flexibility, strength and even help with range of motion. So if you’ve got goals, we’ve got a class to fit them! \\n A normal yoga practice can keep your hormones in check and help with menopause and menstrual symptoms. Not feeling well? Tired? Yoga can also aid in normal digestion or help you maintain a healthy sleep cycle.\\nNow that you know yoga can help your physical body, let's find the right styles for you!\\nFor flexibility – If you’re trying to improve flexibility, you’re in luck! Most styles of yoga are GREAT for stretching and flexibility. If you’re looking to just stretch, we’d recommend a \\nrestorative \\nor \\nyin yoga class.\\n\\nFor Pain relief- If you’re in pain, try a focused Yin Yoga class for your injury or ailment. We have some great choices! Just use the search feature on our website! There are classes that are as specific as \\nyoga for knee pain \\nor yoga for digestion!\\nFor Strength – If you’re a warrior who loves to sweat, Vinyasa is your go to style. Try this low impact style that’s sure to raise your heart rate faster than any treadmill run. Are you a more advanced Yogi?\\n Try a Power Yoga\\n class!\\nYoga is important for your emotional wellbeing\\nMost yogis believe that yoga is a mind, body and soul practice meaning that it’s not just for fitness or for mental clarity, but it’s a life experience that can add joy and comfort to your everyday life. For most of us, the practice of yoga is what we take back to our lives long after we leave the mat.  \\nYoga can improve your energy-\\n A study done by Oxford\\n, found that a yoga practice and yoga breathing can restore your energy better than any other visualization or relaxation practice.\\nYoga helps connect the mind and body- While our mind and body are always physically connected, Yoga makes us stop, think and question that connection. It trains us to concentrate on our breath and connect our thoughts to one body part, or move at a time. Which helps us to increase focus.\\nAnd last, but certainly not least, yoga is great for socialization! Group fitness classes help us to make friends, or find friends who share our common interests or goals. Who doesn’t love taking a class with their friends? And with our site, you can take class together from the comfort of your own homes!\\nReady to fit yoga into your life? Let’s find a way to make it work for you!\\nWhen can you fit in yoga if you have a busy schedule? Unlike a traditional studio or gym, Our website makes it easy for you to fit yoga in when it works for you! Classes run live from 6am to 9pm. And you can take classes at home, on vacation or even at work on your lunch break. You can take your practice anywhere with our \\nvirtual options\\n. Don’t think you can commit to a live class? Watch your recordings later on your own time! \\nAre you a stay-at-home mom? Do you feel like you can’t get away for a workout? Do it with them! Make yoga time a part of your family’s routine to either start or end the day. We even have kid’s classes you can take together! \\nTry one today!\\n\\nNot a fan of group fitness? Maybe you prefer to workout alone or have specific goals you want to meet. Our\\n one on one option\\n is great for deepening your practice or working directly with an instructor to meet your goals on your timeline! \\nSo whichever reason speaks to you, even with all the things you have to do for your family or work, You can always make time for yoga and add more joy to your life with a yoga practice. Where there’s a will there’s a way. All you need for yoga is your body and a commitment to yourself! Make the time to start your practice today! Your body will thank you!\\n\\nReady to get started? Grab a free trial!\\n"}},{"id":"ckfqz0aq801yj0136gps4jqeb","slug":"yoga-gave-me-everything","author":{"name":"Shivayogi","teacherMytSlug":"shivayogi-1","pictureUrl":"Shiva-1.jpg"},"title":"Yoga Gave Me Everything","createdAt":"2019-11-14T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"Shiva-1.jpg","content":{"text":"from Shivayogi \\n\\nMy name is Shivayogi, but I don't know why my parents named me that. When I decided to enter into the world of Yoga, my parents actually stood against me. They were not confident in my decision. I turned away from 16 years of education and came to an unfamiliar city to follow this passion. \\n\\nMy \\njourney\\n started as a fitness trainer, completing certificates in Pilates, strength and conditioning and Strong by Zumba. I worked in a well-established gym called Chisel in Bangalore. Finally, I entered into the beautiful ocean called YOGA by enrolling in a Hatha and \\nAshtanga\\n Vinyasa certificate program in the Yoga capital of the world: Rishikesh, India.\\n\\nI fell in love with \\nyoga\\n.\\n\\nYoga is so so beautiful, monumental and soul-bearing and I adore it. Since completing that certificate program, I have worked with more than 50 multigyms in Bangalore and conducted more than 1,000 group classes. Each week, I teach everything from workshops to personal one-on-one classes and styles including hatha, \\nvinyasa\\n, power and even \\nacroyoga\\n!\\n\\nMy experience, training and love for this practice enable me to teach confidently.\\n\\nYoga gave me \\nconfidence\\n. Yoga gave me health.Yoga gave me a sound mind in a sound body.\\n\\nIn short, \\nyoga\\n gave me everything.\\n"}}],"blogContent":{"id":"cl7zwz24chnlt0biyk8wtb0cj","slug":"start-hatha-yoga-practice","author":{"name":"Namrata Khandelwal","teacherMytSlug":"namrata-2","pictureUrl":"namrata-k-pro.jpg"},"title":"Interested in starting a Hatha yoga practice? 10 tips to get started!","createdAt":"2022-09-13T08:10:21.940734+00:00","updatedAt":"2022-09-13T08:10:21.940734+00:00","coverUrl":"kwfhavtczeih1sjadbhk.jpg","seoDescription":" Looking to develop a Hatha Yoga practice but don’t know what style or where to begin? Read the article and get started!","content":{"text":"Are you new to yoga? Looking to develop a practice but don’t know what style or where to begin? Hatha yoga is a great choice for beginners looking to build a routine or veterans looking to deepen their practice of breathing and flexibility.\\nFirst things first, What is Hatha Yoga?\\nHatha yoga is a form of gentle yoga made up of poses and breath work and often starts or ends with a meditation. This type of practice can be challenging because in most traditional Hatha classes, poses are held for 30 seconds to a minute. \\nStyles of Hatha Yoga that we offer at \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n:\\nHatha Yoga - This practice focuses separately on each asana. Focusing on connecting each asana with the breath and deepening each pose. This practice allows for breaks between poses and is more gentle and slow paced. \\nHatha Vinyasa - Known as a flow class, adding in the vinyasa makes the practice a little more fast paced. The poses are more linked together and the movement is connected to your breath work. \\nWhat are the benefits of a Hatha Yoga Practice?\\nThere are many benefits to building a hatha yoga practice. On the surface, for your physical health, hatha can increase flexibility, strength and balance!  Hatha is proven to fight signs of aging and  help with joint or muscle pain and improve blood flow!\\nWhen you turn your practice inward, it can also deepen your sleep and with the addition of the breathwork, your practice can also help you cope with anxiety or depression symptoms. \\nHatha is a great place to start your yoga journey because you can take your time to get familiar with the poses and learn to connect them to your breath.  It’s good for the body and the mind!\\nHere are 10 tips to get you started with a Hatha Yoga Practice:\\nKnow your why - Before you start to build your practice, it’s important to establish why you’re coming to your mat. Is your reason for physical health, mental health or maybe just to press pause on your day and breathe? Each flow can be personalized for whatever brings you to your mat each day.\\nBe a student! - Take a class with us so you can learn how to flow on your own. Sometimes before you fly solo, you need a co-captain. And if you never decide to fly on your own, we're happy to have you here with us! Our teachers are the best and we think you'll love their classes!\n⁠\n⁠Check out these three Hatha classes we love!\n⁠\\nHatha for Beginners\\n\n⁠\\nHatha Yoga Intermediate\\n\n⁠\\nHatha Vinyasa\\n\\nLearn to breath - In this practice, you'll be holding in poses and breathing into the space you create. The traditional breath practice for a hatha yoga class is\\n Ujjayi breathing\\n otherwise known as victorious breath. This breathing practice is often used in yoga because it forces you to slow down and focus on your breathing and its connection to your movement. \\nChoose your asasas - While Hatha is usually a gentle practice, there is no right or wrong way to build your Hatha flow. The goal is just to focus and move your body! All you need is a minimum of three to five poses to get started! Start by reviewing the poses you know and then when you’re ready, add more as you grow.\\nPractice your pause - once you know what asanas you’d like to practice, grab a stopwatch! Work on holding each pose for 30 seconds, then 45 seconds, then a minute. Don’t forget to breathe into it. And if you can, try to find space and deepen into each pose as you practice more. \\nFind a way to beat the mental fatigue - Don’t give in to the voice in your head that says you can’t do this.  Holding the poses can be difficult at first. Have a little grace and try your best not to give up. Practice your mantras to keep you going. Our favorite? Your stronger than you think!\\nBuild a meditation practice - When building a meditation practice, it’s important to figure out what you need from it. Do you need mantras to help you keep going? Do you need to visual what's coming? Or do you need to focus inward on your breath and the current moment. Remember, there’s no wrong answer. Play with this practice. Add it to the beginning, then the end and see where it serves you. Can’t settle in for quiet reflection? Try journaling instead. \\nBe benevolent to yourself - In Hatha yoga, one of the most important practices is the principle of non-violence (ahimsa) this means do no harm to yourself or to others Try to go through your life being kind to yourself on and off your mat. For more on this practice, check out \\nthis article\\n by Yogauonline\\nRead the text- Like a lot of Yoga, hatha isn’t just based on a movement practice. In fact, there are two connected texts to teach you the foundations of this practice. \\nHatha Yoga Pradipika \\n- a 15th century Sanskrit manual on the practice and style. \\nSiva Samhita\\n - from the hindu perspective breaking “yoga” the practice, down into five parts.\\nTrack the progress of your practice - Once you’ve developed your practice, there is no ‘ end' in yoga, we can only keep coming back to deepen or extend our practice. That’s why it’s a “practice” because there is no perfect. You can always adjust. Some days you’ll need more, some days less. But all the days…you'll need yoga. \\nFive poses to get started with Hatha Yoga:\\n1. Childs Pose\\nFocus on your third eye here. Move your head from right to left to massage your forehead.\\n\\n\n2. Cat Pose\\nBreath into your spine as you arch your back away from the floor. Relax your neck.\\n\\n\\n3. Down Dog\\nFocus on lengthening your heels into the floor and pushing your hips towards the back of the room. \\n\\n\\n4. Forward Fold\\nSurrender into this pose. Reach your palms towards the floor and deepen your stretch with every exhale.\\n\\n\\n5. Savasana\\nRelax your entire body into the ground. Release all the tension and slow your breath. \\n\\n\nNow that you have the tools you need, you’re ready to go! Find where your practice fits best and get ready to feel relaxed and enlightened! If you’re doing hatha for physical health, try adding the practice in after another workout or at the end of your day. \\nLooking  to build a practice for relaxation or to wind down from your anxiety? Try starting your day with practice and a cup of green tea! \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n has tons of options available to you! See you on your mat! ","html":"<p>Are you new to yoga? Looking to develop a practice but don’t know what style or where to begin? Hatha yoga is a great choice for beginners looking to build a routine or veterans looking to deepen their practice of breathing and flexibility.</p><h2>First things first, What is Hatha Yoga?</h2><p>Hatha yoga is a form of gentle yoga made up of poses and breath work and often starts or ends with a meditation. This type of practice can be challenging because in most traditional Hatha classes, poses are held for 30 seconds to a minute. </p><p>Styles of Hatha Yoga that we offer at <a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\">MyYogaTeacher</a>:</p><ul><li><div>Hatha Yoga - This practice focuses separately on each asana. Focusing on connecting each asana with the breath and deepening each pose. This practice allows for breaks between poses and is more gentle and slow paced. </div></li></ul><ul><li><div>Hatha Vinyasa - Known as a flow class, adding in the vinyasa makes the practice a little more fast paced. The poses are more linked together and the movement is connected to your breath work. </div></li></ul><h2>What are the benefits of a Hatha Yoga Practice?</h2><p>There are many benefits to building a hatha yoga practice. On the surface, for your physical health, hatha can increase flexibility, strength and balance!  Hatha is proven to fight signs of aging and  help with joint or muscle pain and improve blood flow!</p><p>When you turn your practice inward, it can also deepen your sleep and with the addition of the breathwork, your practice can also help you cope with anxiety or depression symptoms. </p><p>Hatha is a great place to start your yoga journey because you can take your time to get familiar with the poses and learn to connect them to your breath.  It’s good for the body and the mind!</p><h3>Here are 10 tips to get you started with a Hatha Yoga Practice:</h3><ol><li><div><p>Know your why - Before you start to build your practice, it’s important to establish why you’re coming to your mat. Is your reason for physical health, mental health or maybe just to press pause on your day and breathe? Each flow can be personalized for whatever brings you to your mat each day.</p></div></li><li><div><p>Be a student! - Take a class with us so you can learn how to flow on your own. Sometimes before you fly solo, you need a co-captain. And if you never decide to fly on your own, we&#39;re happy to have you here with us! Our teachers are the best and we think you&#39;ll love their classes!<br><br>Check out these three Hatha classes we love!<br><a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-for-beginner-level-by-abhishek\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-for-beginner-level-by-abhishek\"><u>Hatha for Beginners</u></a><br><a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-intermediate-level-by-shikha\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-intermediate-level-by-shikha\"><u>Hatha Yoga Intermediate</u></a><br><a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-vinyasa-intermediate-level-by-bharath\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-vinyasa-intermediate-level-by-bharath\"><u>Hatha Vinyasa</u></a></p></div></li><li><div><p>Learn to breath - In this practice, you&#39;ll be holding in poses and breathing into the space you create. The traditional breath practice for a hatha yoga class is<a title=\"https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/ujjayi-breathing#how-to-do-it\" href=\"https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/ujjayi-breathing#how-to-do-it\"><u> Ujjayi breathing</u></a> otherwise known as victorious breath. This breathing practice is often used in yoga because it forces you to slow down and focus on your breathing and its connection to your movement. </p></div></li><li><div><p>Choose your asasas - While Hatha is usually a gentle practice, there is no right or wrong way to build your Hatha flow. The goal is just to focus and move your body! All you need is a minimum of three to five poses to get started! Start by reviewing the poses you know and then when you’re ready, add more as you grow.</p></div></li><li><div><p>Practice your pause - once you know what asanas you’d like to practice, grab a stopwatch! Work on holding each pose for 30 seconds, then 45 seconds, then a minute. Don’t forget to breathe into it. And if you can, try to find space and deepen into each pose as you practice more. </p></div></li><li><div><p>Find a way to beat the mental fatigue - Don’t give in to the voice in your head that says you can’t do this.  Holding the poses can be difficult at first. Have a little grace and try your best not to give up. Practice your mantras to keep you going. Our favorite? Your stronger than you think!</p></div></li><li><div><p>Build a meditation practice - When building a meditation practice, it’s important to figure out what you need from it. Do you need mantras to help you keep going? Do you need to visual what&#39;s coming? Or do you need to focus inward on your breath and the current moment. Remember, there’s no wrong answer. Play with this practice. Add it to the beginning, then the end and see where it serves you. Can’t settle in for quiet reflection? Try journaling instead. </p></div></li><li><div><p>Be benevolent to yourself - In Hatha yoga, one of the most important practices is the principle of non-violence (ahimsa) this means do no harm to yourself or to others Try to go through your life being kind to yourself on and off your mat. For more on this practice, check out <a title=\"https://yogauonline.com/yoga-practice-tips-and-inspiration/ahimsa-use-yogic-principles-practice-nonviolence\" href=\"https://yogauonline.com/yoga-practice-tips-and-inspiration/ahimsa-use-yogic-principles-practice-nonviolence\"><u>this article</u></a> by Yogauonline</p></div></li><li><div><p>Read the text- Like a lot of Yoga, hatha isn’t just based on a movement practice. In fact, there are two connected texts to teach you the foundations of this practice. <a title=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatha_Yoga_Pradipika\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatha_Yoga_Pradipika\"><u>Hatha Yoga Pradipika </u></a>- a 15th century Sanskrit manual on the practice and style. <a title=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva_Samhita\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva_Samhita\"><u>Siva Samhita</u></a> - from the hindu perspective breaking “yoga” the practice, down into five parts.</p></div></li><li><div><p>Track the progress of your practice - Once you’ve developed your practice, there is no ‘ end&#39; in yoga, we can only keep coming back to deepen or extend our practice. That’s why it’s a “practice” because there is no perfect. You can always adjust. Some days you’ll need more, some days less. But all the days…you&#39;ll need yoga. </p></div></li></ol><h3>Five poses to get started with Hatha Yoga:</h3><h4>1. Childs Pose</h4><p>Focus on your third eye here. Move your head from right to left to massage your forehead.</p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=width:600,height:400/tfiXCn1ERgygRE3kPO4U\" alt=\"Childs Pose\" title=\"Childspose.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" /><h4><br>2. Cat Pose</h4><p>Breath into your spine as you arch your back away from the floor. Relax your neck.</p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=width:600,height:400/OIrqGC3OQN2sef4eMZeO\" alt=\"Cat Pose\" title=\"Cat.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" /><p></p><h4>3. Down Dog</h4><p>Focus on lengthening your heels into the floor and pushing your hips towards the back of the room. </p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=width:600,height:400/Ikk08ztXTba3H0JA5CIT\" alt=\"Down Dog Pose\" title=\"downdog.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" /><p></p><h4>4. Forward Fold</h4><p>Surrender into this pose. Reach your palms towards the floor and deepen your stretch with every exhale.</p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=width:600,height:400/94M7yUBXSk2qtA6rfiHI\" alt=\"Forward Fold\" title=\"Forwardfold.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" /><p></p><h4>5. Savasana</h4><p>Relax your entire body into the ground. Release all the tension and slow your breath. </p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=width:600,height:400/qn2RUYaSQw6h5JwmSeyo\" alt=\"Savasana\" title=\"savasana.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" /><p><br>Now that you have the tools you need, you’re ready to go! Find where your practice fits best and get ready to feel relaxed and enlightened! If you’re doing hatha for physical health, try adding the practice in after another workout or at the end of your day. </p><p>Looking  to build a practice for relaxation or to wind down from your anxiety? Try starting your day with practice and a cup of green tea! <a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup\">MyYogaTeacher</a> has tons of options available to you! See you on your mat! </p>"},"category":["yoga_poses","yoga"],"utmCampaign":null,"utmMedium":null,"utmContent":null,"utmSource":null,"utmTerm":null,"utmSearchString":null,"imageHyperlink":[]},"loading":false,"blog_content":[{"type":"HTML","value":"<p>Are you new to yoga? Looking to develop a practice but don’t know what style or where to begin? Hatha yoga is a great choice for beginners looking to build a routine or veterans looking to deepen their practice of breathing and flexibility.</p><h2>First things first, What is Hatha Yoga?</h2><p>Hatha yoga is a form of gentle yoga made up of poses and breath work and often starts or ends with a meditation. This type of practice can be challenging because in most traditional Hatha classes, poses are held for 30 seconds to a minute. </p><p>Styles of Hatha Yoga that we offer at <a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\">MyYogaTeacher</a>:</p><ul><li><div>Hatha Yoga - This practice focuses separately on each asana. Focusing on connecting each asana with the breath and deepening each pose. This practice allows for breaks between poses and is more gentle and slow paced. </div></li></ul><ul><li><div>Hatha Vinyasa - Known as a flow class, adding in the vinyasa makes the practice a little more fast paced. The poses are more linked together and the movement is connected to your breath work. </div></li></ul><h2>What are the benefits of a Hatha Yoga Practice?</h2><p>There are many benefits to building a hatha yoga practice. On the surface, for your physical health, hatha can increase flexibility, strength and balance!  Hatha is proven to fight signs of aging and  help with joint or muscle pain and improve blood flow!</p><p>When you turn your practice inward, it can also deepen your sleep and with the addition of the breathwork, your practice can also help you cope with anxiety or depression symptoms. </p><p>Hatha is a great place to start your yoga journey because you can take your time to get familiar with the poses and learn to connect them to your breath.  It’s good for the body and the mind!</p><h3>Here are 10 tips to get you started with a Hatha Yoga Practice:</h3><ol><li><div><p>Know your why - Before you start to build your practice, it’s important to establish why you’re coming to your mat. Is your reason for physical health, mental health or maybe just to press pause on your day and breathe? Each flow can be personalized for whatever brings you to your mat each day.</p></div></li><li><div><p>Be a student! - Take a class with us so you can learn how to flow on your own. Sometimes before you fly solo, you need a co-captain. And if you never decide to fly on your own, we&#39;re happy to have you here with us! Our teachers are the best and we think you&#39;ll love their classes!<br><br>Check out these three Hatha classes we love!<br><a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-for-beginner-level-by-abhishek\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-for-beginner-level-by-abhishek\"><u>Hatha for Beginners</u></a><br><a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-intermediate-level-by-shikha\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-intermediate-level-by-shikha\"><u>Hatha Yoga Intermediate</u></a><br><a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-vinyasa-intermediate-level-by-bharath\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-vinyasa-intermediate-level-by-bharath\"><u>Hatha Vinyasa</u></a></p></div></li><li><div><p>Learn to breath - In this practice, you&#39;ll be holding in poses and breathing into the space you create. The traditional breath practice for a hatha yoga class is<a title=\"https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/ujjayi-breathing#how-to-do-it\" href=\"https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/ujjayi-breathing#how-to-do-it\"><u> Ujjayi breathing</u></a> otherwise known as victorious breath. This breathing practice is often used in yoga because it forces you to slow down and focus on your breathing and its connection to your movement. </p></div></li><li><div><p>Choose your asasas - While Hatha is usually a gentle practice, there is no right or wrong way to build your Hatha flow. The goal is just to focus and move your body! All you need is a minimum of three to five poses to get started! Start by reviewing the poses you know and then when you’re ready, add more as you grow.</p></div></li><li><div><p>Practice your pause - once you know what asanas you’d like to practice, grab a stopwatch! Work on holding each pose for 30 seconds, then 45 seconds, then a minute. Don’t forget to breathe into it. And if you can, try to find space and deepen into each pose as you practice more. </p></div></li><li><div><p>Find a way to beat the mental fatigue - Don’t give in to the voice in your head that says you can’t do this.  Holding the poses can be difficult at first. Have a little grace and try your best not to give up. Practice your mantras to keep you going. Our favorite? Your stronger than you think!</p></div></li><li><div><p>Build a meditation practice - When building a meditation practice, it’s important to figure out what you need from it. Do you need mantras to help you keep going? Do you need to visual what&#39;s coming? Or do you need to focus inward on your breath and the current moment. Remember, there’s no wrong answer. Play with this practice. Add it to the beginning, then the end and see where it serves you. Can’t settle in for quiet reflection? Try journaling instead. </p></div></li><li><div><p>Be benevolent to yourself - In Hatha yoga, one of the most important practices is the principle of non-violence (ahimsa) this means do no harm to yourself or to others Try to go through your life being kind to yourself on and off your mat. For more on this practice, check out <a title=\"https://yogauonline.com/yoga-practice-tips-and-inspiration/ahimsa-use-yogic-principles-practice-nonviolence\" href=\"https://yogauonline.com/yoga-practice-tips-and-inspiration/ahimsa-use-yogic-principles-practice-nonviolence\"><u>this article</u></a> by Yogauonline</p></div></li><li><div><p>Read the text- Like a lot of Yoga, hatha isn’t just based on a movement practice. In fact, there are two connected texts to teach you the foundations of this practice. <a title=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatha_Yoga_Pradipika\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatha_Yoga_Pradipika\"><u>Hatha Yoga Pradipika </u></a>- a 15th century Sanskrit manual on the practice and style. <a title=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva_Samhita\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva_Samhita\"><u>Siva Samhita</u></a> - from the hindu perspective breaking “yoga” the practice, down into five parts.</p></div></li><li><div><p>Track the progress of your practice - Once you’ve developed your practice, there is no ‘ end&#39; in yoga, we can only keep coming back to deepen or extend our practice. That’s why it’s a “practice” because there is no perfect. You can always adjust. Some days you’ll need more, some days less. But all the days…you&#39;ll need yoga. </p></div></li></ol><h3>Five poses to get started with Hatha Yoga:</h3><h4>1. Childs Pose</h4><p>Focus on your third eye here. Move your head from right to left to massage your forehead.</p>\n            <picture>\n              <source \n                type=\"image/webp\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:webp/compress/resize=width:600,height:400/tfiXCn1ERgygRE3kPO4U\" \n                alt=\"Childs Pose\"\n                title=\"Childs Pose\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <source \n                type=\"image/jpg\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/resize=width:600,height:400/tfiXCn1ERgygRE3kPO4U\"\n                alt=\"Childs Pose\"\n                title=\"Childs Pose\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <img \n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/resize=width:600,height:400/tfiXCn1ERgygRE3kPO4U\"\n                alt=\"Childs Pose\"\n                title=\"Childs Pose\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n          </picture>\n        <h4><br>2. Cat Pose</h4><p>Breath into your spine as you arch your back away from the floor. Relax your neck.</p>\n            <picture>\n              <source \n                type=\"image/webp\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:webp/compress/resize=width:600,height:400/OIrqGC3OQN2sef4eMZeO\" \n                alt=\"Cat Pose\"\n                title=\"Cat Pose\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <source \n                type=\"image/jpg\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/resize=width:600,height:400/OIrqGC3OQN2sef4eMZeO\"\n                alt=\"Cat Pose\"\n                title=\"Cat Pose\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <img \n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/resize=width:600,height:400/OIrqGC3OQN2sef4eMZeO\"\n                alt=\"Cat Pose\"\n                title=\"Cat Pose\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n          </picture>\n        <p></p><h4>3. Down Dog</h4><p>Focus on lengthening your heels into the floor and pushing your hips towards the back of the room. </p>\n            <picture>\n              <source \n                type=\"image/webp\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:webp/compress/resize=width:600,height:400/Ikk08ztXTba3H0JA5CIT\" \n                alt=\"Down Dog Pose\"\n                title=\"Down Dog Pose\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <source \n                type=\"image/jpg\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/resize=width:600,height:400/Ikk08ztXTba3H0JA5CIT\"\n                alt=\"Down Dog Pose\"\n                title=\"Down Dog Pose\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <img \n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/resize=width:600,height:400/Ikk08ztXTba3H0JA5CIT\"\n                alt=\"Down Dog Pose\"\n                title=\"Down Dog Pose\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n          </picture>\n        <p></p><h4>4. Forward Fold</h4><p>Surrender into this pose. Reach your palms towards the floor and deepen your stretch with every exhale.</p>\n            <picture>\n              <source \n                type=\"image/webp\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:webp/compress/resize=width:600,height:400/94M7yUBXSk2qtA6rfiHI\" \n                alt=\"Forward Fold\"\n                title=\"Forward Fold\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <source \n                type=\"image/jpg\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/resize=width:600,height:400/94M7yUBXSk2qtA6rfiHI\"\n                alt=\"Forward Fold\"\n                title=\"Forward Fold\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <img \n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/resize=width:600,height:400/94M7yUBXSk2qtA6rfiHI\"\n                alt=\"Forward Fold\"\n                title=\"Forward Fold\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n          </picture>\n        <p></p><h4>5. Savasana</h4><p>Relax your entire body into the ground. Release all the tension and slow your breath. </p>\n            <picture>\n              <source \n                type=\"image/webp\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:webp/compress/resize=width:600,height:400/qn2RUYaSQw6h5JwmSeyo\" \n                alt=\"Savasana\"\n                title=\"Savasana\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <source \n                type=\"image/jpg\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/resize=width:600,height:400/qn2RUYaSQw6h5JwmSeyo\"\n                alt=\"Savasana\"\n                title=\"Savasana\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <img \n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/resize=width:600,height:400/qn2RUYaSQw6h5JwmSeyo\"\n                alt=\"Savasana\"\n                title=\"Savasana\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n          </picture>\n        <p><br>Now that you have the tools you need, you’re ready to go! Find where your practice fits best and get ready to feel relaxed and enlightened! If you’re doing hatha for physical health, try adding the practice in after another workout or at the end of your day. </p><p>Looking  to build a practice for relaxation or to wind down from your anxiety? Try starting your day with practice and a cup of green tea! <a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup\">MyYogaTeacher</a> has tons of options available to you! See you on your mat! </p>"},{"type":"CTA","value":"[CTA-DEFAULT]"}],"isSlugACategory":false,"searchCategory":"start-hatha-yoga-practice","showPopUp":false,"popUpType":null,"showedPopup":false,"windowWidth":null,"ctaPath":"signup","redirectURL":"#","ctaContent":[{"id":"ckxrz2i14tov40c25g1dpicsg","name":"[CTA-DEFAULT]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. 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Read the article and get started!","content":{"text":"Are you new to yoga? Looking to develop a practice but don’t know what style or where to begin? Hatha yoga is a great choice for beginners looking to build a routine or veterans looking to deepen their practice of breathing and flexibility.\\nFirst things first, What is Hatha Yoga?\\nHatha yoga is a form of gentle yoga made up of poses and breath work and often starts or ends with a meditation. This type of practice can be challenging because in most traditional Hatha classes, poses are held for 30 seconds to a minute. \\nStyles of Hatha Yoga that we offer at \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n:\\nHatha Yoga - This practice focuses separately on each asana. Focusing on connecting each asana with the breath and deepening each pose. This practice allows for breaks between poses and is more gentle and slow paced. \\nHatha Vinyasa - Known as a flow class, adding in the vinyasa makes the practice a little more fast paced. The poses are more linked together and the movement is connected to your breath work. \\nWhat are the benefits of a Hatha Yoga Practice?\\nThere are many benefits to building a hatha yoga practice. On the surface, for your physical health, hatha can increase flexibility, strength and balance!  Hatha is proven to fight signs of aging and  help with joint or muscle pain and improve blood flow!\\nWhen you turn your practice inward, it can also deepen your sleep and with the addition of the breathwork, your practice can also help you cope with anxiety or depression symptoms. \\nHatha is a great place to start your yoga journey because you can take your time to get familiar with the poses and learn to connect them to your breath.  It’s good for the body and the mind!\\nHere are 10 tips to get you started with a Hatha Yoga Practice:\\nKnow your why - Before you start to build your practice, it’s important to establish why you’re coming to your mat. Is your reason for physical health, mental health or maybe just to press pause on your day and breathe? Each flow can be personalized for whatever brings you to your mat each day.\\nBe a student! - Take a class with us so you can learn how to flow on your own. Sometimes before you fly solo, you need a co-captain. And if you never decide to fly on your own, we're happy to have you here with us! Our teachers are the best and we think you'll love their classes!\n⁠\n⁠Check out these three Hatha classes we love!\n⁠\\nHatha for Beginners\\n\n⁠\\nHatha Yoga Intermediate\\n\n⁠\\nHatha Vinyasa\\n\\nLearn to breath - In this practice, you'll be holding in poses and breathing into the space you create. The traditional breath practice for a hatha yoga class is\\n Ujjayi breathing\\n otherwise known as victorious breath. This breathing practice is often used in yoga because it forces you to slow down and focus on your breathing and its connection to your movement. \\nChoose your asasas - While Hatha is usually a gentle practice, there is no right or wrong way to build your Hatha flow. The goal is just to focus and move your body! All you need is a minimum of three to five poses to get started! Start by reviewing the poses you know and then when you’re ready, add more as you grow.\\nPractice your pause - once you know what asanas you’d like to practice, grab a stopwatch! Work on holding each pose for 30 seconds, then 45 seconds, then a minute. Don’t forget to breathe into it. And if you can, try to find space and deepen into each pose as you practice more. \\nFind a way to beat the mental fatigue - Don’t give in to the voice in your head that says you can’t do this.  Holding the poses can be difficult at first. Have a little grace and try your best not to give up. Practice your mantras to keep you going. Our favorite? Your stronger than you think!\\nBuild a meditation practice - When building a meditation practice, it’s important to figure out what you need from it. Do you need mantras to help you keep going? Do you need to visual what's coming? Or do you need to focus inward on your breath and the current moment. Remember, there’s no wrong answer. Play with this practice. Add it to the beginning, then the end and see where it serves you. Can’t settle in for quiet reflection? Try journaling instead. \\nBe benevolent to yourself - In Hatha yoga, one of the most important practices is the principle of non-violence (ahimsa) this means do no harm to yourself or to others Try to go through your life being kind to yourself on and off your mat. For more on this practice, check out \\nthis article\\n by Yogauonline\\nRead the text- Like a lot of Yoga, hatha isn’t just based on a movement practice. In fact, there are two connected texts to teach you the foundations of this practice. \\nHatha Yoga Pradipika \\n- a 15th century Sanskrit manual on the practice and style. \\nSiva Samhita\\n - from the hindu perspective breaking “yoga” the practice, down into five parts.\\nTrack the progress of your practice - Once you’ve developed your practice, there is no ‘ end' in yoga, we can only keep coming back to deepen or extend our practice. That’s why it’s a “practice” because there is no perfect. You can always adjust. Some days you’ll need more, some days less. But all the days…you'll need yoga. \\nFive poses to get started with Hatha Yoga:\\n1. Childs Pose\\nFocus on your third eye here. Move your head from right to left to massage your forehead.\\n\\n\n2. Cat Pose\\nBreath into your spine as you arch your back away from the floor. Relax your neck.\\n\\n\\n3. Down Dog\\nFocus on lengthening your heels into the floor and pushing your hips towards the back of the room. \\n\\n\\n4. Forward Fold\\nSurrender into this pose. Reach your palms towards the floor and deepen your stretch with every exhale.\\n\\n\\n5. Savasana\\nRelax your entire body into the ground. Release all the tension and slow your breath. \\n\\n\nNow that you have the tools you need, you’re ready to go! Find where your practice fits best and get ready to feel relaxed and enlightened! If you’re doing hatha for physical health, try adding the practice in after another workout or at the end of your day. \\nLooking  to build a practice for relaxation or to wind down from your anxiety? Try starting your day with practice and a cup of green tea! \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n has tons of options available to you! See you on your mat! ","html":"<p>Are you new to yoga? Looking to develop a practice but don’t know what style or where to begin? Hatha yoga is a great choice for beginners looking to build a routine or veterans looking to deepen their practice of breathing and flexibility.</p><h2>First things first, What is Hatha Yoga?</h2><p>Hatha yoga is a form of gentle yoga made up of poses and breath work and often starts or ends with a meditation. This type of practice can be challenging because in most traditional Hatha classes, poses are held for 30 seconds to a minute. </p><p>Styles of Hatha Yoga that we offer at <a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\">MyYogaTeacher</a>:</p><ul><li><div>Hatha Yoga - This practice focuses separately on each asana. Focusing on connecting each asana with the breath and deepening each pose. This practice allows for breaks between poses and is more gentle and slow paced. </div></li></ul><ul><li><div>Hatha Vinyasa - Known as a flow class, adding in the vinyasa makes the practice a little more fast paced. The poses are more linked together and the movement is connected to your breath work. </div></li></ul><h2>What are the benefits of a Hatha Yoga Practice?</h2><p>There are many benefits to building a hatha yoga practice. On the surface, for your physical health, hatha can increase flexibility, strength and balance!  Hatha is proven to fight signs of aging and  help with joint or muscle pain and improve blood flow!</p><p>When you turn your practice inward, it can also deepen your sleep and with the addition of the breathwork, your practice can also help you cope with anxiety or depression symptoms. </p><p>Hatha is a great place to start your yoga journey because you can take your time to get familiar with the poses and learn to connect them to your breath.  It’s good for the body and the mind!</p><h3>Here are 10 tips to get you started with a Hatha Yoga Practice:</h3><ol><li><div><p>Know your why - Before you start to build your practice, it’s important to establish why you’re coming to your mat. Is your reason for physical health, mental health or maybe just to press pause on your day and breathe? Each flow can be personalized for whatever brings you to your mat each day.</p></div></li><li><div><p>Be a student! - Take a class with us so you can learn how to flow on your own. Sometimes before you fly solo, you need a co-captain. And if you never decide to fly on your own, we&#39;re happy to have you here with us! Our teachers are the best and we think you&#39;ll love their classes!<br><br>Check out these three Hatha classes we love!<br><a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-for-beginner-level-by-abhishek\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-for-beginner-level-by-abhishek\"><u>Hatha for Beginners</u></a><br><a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-intermediate-level-by-shikha\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-intermediate-level-by-shikha\"><u>Hatha Yoga Intermediate</u></a><br><a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-vinyasa-intermediate-level-by-bharath\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-vinyasa-intermediate-level-by-bharath\"><u>Hatha Vinyasa</u></a></p></div></li><li><div><p>Learn to breath - In this practice, you&#39;ll be holding in poses and breathing into the space you create. The traditional breath practice for a hatha yoga class is<a title=\"https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/ujjayi-breathing#how-to-do-it\" href=\"https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/ujjayi-breathing#how-to-do-it\"><u> Ujjayi breathing</u></a> otherwise known as victorious breath. This breathing practice is often used in yoga because it forces you to slow down and focus on your breathing and its connection to your movement. </p></div></li><li><div><p>Choose your asasas - While Hatha is usually a gentle practice, there is no right or wrong way to build your Hatha flow. The goal is just to focus and move your body! All you need is a minimum of three to five poses to get started! Start by reviewing the poses you know and then when you’re ready, add more as you grow.</p></div></li><li><div><p>Practice your pause - once you know what asanas you’d like to practice, grab a stopwatch! Work on holding each pose for 30 seconds, then 45 seconds, then a minute. Don’t forget to breathe into it. And if you can, try to find space and deepen into each pose as you practice more. </p></div></li><li><div><p>Find a way to beat the mental fatigue - Don’t give in to the voice in your head that says you can’t do this.  Holding the poses can be difficult at first. Have a little grace and try your best not to give up. Practice your mantras to keep you going. Our favorite? Your stronger than you think!</p></div></li><li><div><p>Build a meditation practice - When building a meditation practice, it’s important to figure out what you need from it. Do you need mantras to help you keep going? Do you need to visual what&#39;s coming? Or do you need to focus inward on your breath and the current moment. Remember, there’s no wrong answer. Play with this practice. Add it to the beginning, then the end and see where it serves you. Can’t settle in for quiet reflection? Try journaling instead. </p></div></li><li><div><p>Be benevolent to yourself - In Hatha yoga, one of the most important practices is the principle of non-violence (ahimsa) this means do no harm to yourself or to others Try to go through your life being kind to yourself on and off your mat. For more on this practice, check out <a title=\"https://yogauonline.com/yoga-practice-tips-and-inspiration/ahimsa-use-yogic-principles-practice-nonviolence\" href=\"https://yogauonline.com/yoga-practice-tips-and-inspiration/ahimsa-use-yogic-principles-practice-nonviolence\"><u>this article</u></a> by Yogauonline</p></div></li><li><div><p>Read the text- Like a lot of Yoga, hatha isn’t just based on a movement practice. In fact, there are two connected texts to teach you the foundations of this practice. <a title=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatha_Yoga_Pradipika\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatha_Yoga_Pradipika\"><u>Hatha Yoga Pradipika </u></a>- a 15th century Sanskrit manual on the practice and style. <a title=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva_Samhita\" href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva_Samhita\"><u>Siva Samhita</u></a> - from the hindu perspective breaking “yoga” the practice, down into five parts.</p></div></li><li><div><p>Track the progress of your practice - Once you’ve developed your practice, there is no ‘ end&#39; in yoga, we can only keep coming back to deepen or extend our practice. That’s why it’s a “practice” because there is no perfect. You can always adjust. Some days you’ll need more, some days less. But all the days…you&#39;ll need yoga. </p></div></li></ol><h3>Five poses to get started with Hatha Yoga:</h3><h4>1. Childs Pose</h4><p>Focus on your third eye here. Move your head from right to left to massage your forehead.</p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=width:600,height:400/tfiXCn1ERgygRE3kPO4U\" alt=\"Childs Pose\" title=\"Childspose.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" /><h4><br>2. Cat Pose</h4><p>Breath into your spine as you arch your back away from the floor. Relax your neck.</p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=width:600,height:400/OIrqGC3OQN2sef4eMZeO\" alt=\"Cat Pose\" title=\"Cat.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" /><p></p><h4>3. Down Dog</h4><p>Focus on lengthening your heels into the floor and pushing your hips towards the back of the room. </p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=width:600,height:400/Ikk08ztXTba3H0JA5CIT\" alt=\"Down Dog Pose\" title=\"downdog.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" /><p></p><h4>4. Forward Fold</h4><p>Surrender into this pose. Reach your palms towards the floor and deepen your stretch with every exhale.</p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=width:600,height:400/94M7yUBXSk2qtA6rfiHI\" alt=\"Forward Fold\" title=\"Forwardfold.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" /><p></p><h4>5. Savasana</h4><p>Relax your entire body into the ground. Release all the tension and slow your breath. </p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=width:600,height:400/qn2RUYaSQw6h5JwmSeyo\" alt=\"Savasana\" title=\"savasana.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" /><p><br>Now that you have the tools you need, you’re ready to go! Find where your practice fits best and get ready to feel relaxed and enlightened! If you’re doing hatha for physical health, try adding the practice in after another workout or at the end of your day. </p><p>Looking  to build a practice for relaxation or to wind down from your anxiety? Try starting your day with practice and a cup of green tea! <a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup\">MyYogaTeacher</a> has tons of options available to you! See you on your mat! </p>"},"category":["yoga_poses","yoga"],"utmCampaign":null,"utmMedium":null,"utmContent":null,"utmSource":null,"utmTerm":null,"utmSearchString":null,"imageHyperlink":[]},"recommendations_group_class":[{"session_uuid":"e3ba2602-9750-46f0-b853-a894e9caae79","student_uuid":"e327c088-feba-44f5-97f0-1a7db39ebc4f","teacher_uuid":"9baef6d5-26f6-494d-9be0-11d4eba4cb02","teacher_name":"Shikha Sood","teacher_first_name":"Shikha","teacher_slug":"shikha-1","teacher_photo":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dgerdfai4/image/upload/v1592996958/teacher/photos/siqyumjrhufzdwx1gvcl.jpg","group_session_name":"Hatha Yoga","group_session_description":"Hatha translates to Sun Moon (Ha = sun; Tha = Moon) and each class is designed to evoke an integration of opposites. 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