Points To Be Followed Before Learning Yoga
Author: Sharon Hopkins

Once you have decided to practice yoga for better living and
spiritual health, you need to take care of the following points
so as to prevent injuries to your physical self:

• Physical condition of the individual: usually, it is
recommended that people with normal health do yoga practice.
But if you are suffering from some physical problems and are
using yoga to cure it, you need to follow certain precautions
since performing yoga practices without proper precautions may
lead to harmful effects on the body. This is because the
internal organs like the heart, lungs, kidneys etc. are
involved and may get harmed if you do not practice yoga
properly. Hence it is recommended that you follow the yoga
techniques under expert guidance.

• Right advice: it is important for you to get the proper
instructor to teach you the yoga techniques. Usually, people
who choose the profession of a yoga teacher do not understand
the scientific basis behind the yoga practice and just impose
their opinions and likes and dislikes on the students. They
bring an element of mystery, charge exorbitant fees and
introduce rites and rituals which are not a part of yoga.

• Age and sex: yoga can be practiced by anybody irrespective of
age and sex. However it is important to note that certain yoga
techniques should not be followed under certain circumstances.
Women, who are pregnant or menstruating, should avoid the poses
which lay a great stress on the abdomen. Children below eight
years should not practice any yogic technique but yogic
breathing should be introduced only after twelve years. Very
young and old should avoid the poses with the intense twists.
After a certain age, avoid strenuous practice but you can
practice pranayam, dhyana and simple postures.

• Place and surroundings: The place for yoga should be well
protected from, animals, rodents and insects. If you choose the
indoor room, keep it well lit and it should be airy. If you
choose the outdoors, the surroundings should be quiet. But
avoid the outdoors if it is cold, rainy or very hot.
The ground chosen should be plain and flat.

• Time: Morning is the ideal time for practice since it
incorporates regularity, but evening time can also be chosen
since the body is already warmed up. Your stomach should not be
completely full. So if you have had a meal, you can perform yoga
after five hours.

• Diet: Take simple and nutritious diet. Do not overeat. Keep
chillies and spices to the minimum. It is not important to be
vegetarians but do not eat more than your body's requirements.


• Interval: it is advisable to be regular but if for some
reason like a lot of work in office or sickness or any other
reason you need to skip a day or two, it is fine. But once the
reason is over, go back to your original routine. Avoid taking
long and frequent gaps.

• Clothing: Choose light and loose fitting clothes. If you live
in a hot climate, you can opt for the sleeveless shirt or a
vest. However, in temperate climate, your clothing should offer
protection against the cold weather but at the same time, they
should not hinder your movements.

• The seat: Always perform the yoga practice on a mat or a
carpet but never on an uncovered floor.

• The order of different techniques: When you are combining
different techniques like surya namaskar, weight training etc.
with yoga, keep a rest period of fifteen minutes between the
two. Within the yoga practice, start off by postural
techniques, followed by breathing techniques and the techniques
of mental concentration in the mentioned order.


About The Author: Kevin Pederson is the webmaster of Yogawiz
http://www.yogawiz.com ,where you can find loads of information
on basics of yoga, , asanas and poses and yoga precautions that
aim towards harmonizing your mind, body and soul.