The Yoga rules

By Sarah Noelle Williams

The procedure of yoga poses are meant to enhance both the mind and body. It takes discipline, dedication, and daily practice to carry out these poses. But the prize is always worth the patience and hard work. One can certainly gain strength and better health with the regular yoga exercises or the Asanas. It can boost resistance and build up the mental awareness too. All it requires is for you to learn the poses and deliver it slowly as you manipulate your mind and body.

Warming-up before the actual yoga poses is very substantial in the activity. You need to do it before a session starts so that your physical health and built would be appropriate for the exercises. It can also help to put your body together for tougher poses that you might want to try later on.

The eye exercise is the primary step when warming up for the yoga poses. Just like the other muscles in the human body, the eyes must also be exercised once in a while to keep it clear and healthy. Normally, you only switch stare from left to right, with the littlest movement, then just turn your head when desiring to view a different angle. But what really toughens the eye muscles is when you move your eyes in all directions, without actually turning your head. This stops eyestrain and corrects eyesight too.

Most people usually place the pressure in their necks and shoulders. More often than not, it causes headaches, bad posture, and stiffness. However, doing the neck exercises are also recommended before doing the yoga poses to aid tension and develop flexibility. Simply maintain a straight spine and do them in a slow manner. Relax your neck and as your shoulders are facing forward, drop your head at the back then in front. After that, just keep your head up, then turn it to the right, then center, then to the left. Next, drop your head in front then roll it around in circles and do it again in the opposite direction. Now, raise your right shoulder then drop it and do the same with the left. Finally, lift both shoulders at the same time and bring them down.

Stretching the shoulders is also an excellent way to calm the tension and stress on the shoulders and upper back. It will require everyday practice for a few weeks before you start seeing the changes. In addition, the cat yoga poses are also necessary in the practice since they teach you to launch movement from your center and to harmonize your breath and movement - two of the most essential keynotes in yoga.

Even though yoga may seem a bit simple to look at, it is also a very powerful activity. The truth is, it can be harmful if the yoga poses are not done properly, more so if you do not perform warm-up exercises before a yoga class.

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