How to Incorporate Yoga Into Your Fitness Training Program?

Answer 1

In the past few years, yoga has entered the mainstream. Gone are the days of crunchy, granola-eating yogis. Today, yoga is represented by trendy clothing at LuLuLemon, state of the art yoga studios and celebrity yogis such as Madonna. Wondering how you can incorporate yoga into your traditional workout routine? Beginning a yoga program is easy and is a great addition to any fitness regimen.

If you are new to yoga, begin slowly. Start with a goal of one hour of yoga practice per week. During the first few weeks of your practice, it is important to train with a professional yoga teacher. A teacher can guide you through yoga basics and ensure that your body alignment is correct. Although yoga is a very safe exercise, it is important to maintain proper form to get the most of every movement and to ensure that no injuries occur.

During your first weeks of yoga, do not expect to be an expert. Even if you can run marathons and complete triathlons in your sleep, yoga is a different type of exercise that requires slow, concentrated poses. Give yourself time to learn the practice and give your body time to acclimate itself to the new movements.

As you become more familiar with yoga, step up the time and intensity of your sessions to one and one half hours two or three times per week. Yoga can be practiced any day of the week; you can practice the same day as cardio or strength training or on days off. As you progress through your yoga practice, attempt more challenging poses with the aid of a teacher. The full benefit of yoga is realized when you are able to continually challenge yourself through increasingly difficult poses and stretches.

Once you are comfortable with the yoga poses, you can take your practice home. This will allow you to fit yoga into your schedule if you are tight on time. Yoga can be practiced at any time of the day in small increments or in longer sessions. Continue your practice in the classroom and at home to reap the full benefits that yoga has to offer.