Aww, here we are talking about yoga.

You’re probably like me (before practicing yoga and reaping the benefits) asking yourself the following questions:

Does it really work?

Will I get bored?

Is it for me?

At least those were the questions I asked myself and others and honestly the best way to find out is to experience it for yourself.

I started my very first yoga class late last year (2019) and I was blown away, especially after taking a hot yoga class.

what exactly is Yoga?

First thing to understand is that the word ‘Yoga’ means DISCIPLINE.

Yoga is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India.

There are different variations of ‘discipline’ you can use to your advantage.

These types of ‘discipline’ include the following:

*Yin Yoga

*Hot Yoga

*Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga

*Etc.

For the sake of this blog post I will only speak on Hot Yoga and Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga (which can also be hot yoga).

My experience with Hot Yoga was an experienced that surprised and shocked me at the same time. At the gym that I go to, the class is Hot Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga.

The room is dark and the temperature is like summer weather times 3! Yes its hot s**t in there. I’m sweating just typing about it.

Anyway, as you lay down on a yoga mat you are serenaded with the sounds of calm music. I consider soft bell sounds calm and soothing.

The instructor instructs you through out the entire 45-minutes with a few pauses in between sentences.

About 15-minutes into the yoga routine you’re body begins to sweat at least mine did.

By the end of the class after doing some unusual poses you are dripping wet and feel like you’ve ran a marathon.

After your ‘sweat’ session you will feel the following:

*More mental clarity

*Relaxed muscles

*Improved cardio vascular circulation

So now that you have an idea of what yoga is, let me give you some tips.

Tip #1

Stretch, stretch stretch!

Yoga is supposed to help you become more flexible but stretching before the practice is very important to help prepare those limbs and muscles.

Tip #2

IF you are going to do yoga at a gym, bring your OWN mat. Even though the gym I attend provides mats, there have been too many sweaty bodies on the mats. If you don’t have one use plenty of towels and place on the mat so your body is touching the towels and not the yoga mat.

Tip #3

Hydrate! I can’t stress this enough, you are going to be sweating a lot (at least in hot yoga) and you will need to replenish the H20 in your body that you ‘lose’ while doing your yoga routine.

Tip #4

Have an open positive mind-set.

Honestly, you will not have patience doing yoga if you go in with it expecting the worse. Yoga is just as much about having a sound mind just as it is about having a sound body.

I hope this post helped you in some way and opened your mind to it a little more if you’ve been hesitating.

Let me know your experience with Yoga.