Yoga for Beginners
Need to Know
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By Kerci Marcello Stroud
If you're looking for a way to tone your body while calming your mind, yoga may be the perfect fitness routine for you. This 5,000-year-old workout involves moving in and out of a series of poses, positions and postures while focusing on breathing techniques -- and chanting a few "oms" along the way. Yoga will improve your flexibility and strengthen your core muscles while banishing stress and tension. Can't twist your body into a pretzel? No need to worry. With several different styles and levels of yoga available, beginners will have no problems finding a yoga workout that works for them.
Checklist
- Cost: Classes $15 and up, DVDs $10 and up
- Time Commitment: Three to five times a week, 30 to 90 minute sessions recommended.
- Location Limitations: None. You can do yoga anywhere you can lay down your mat.
- Special Equipment Required: Yoga mat.
- Potential Pitfalls: N/A.
- Boredom Rating: Low. Beat boredom by trying different yoga styles.
- Potential Injury Risk: Low as long as you stick with routines that match your fitness and yoga experience level.
- Level of Fitness Required: Beginner. Start with simple poses and, before you know it, you’ll be balancing on one foot -- or your head!
- Calories Burned (based on a 150 pound woman exercising at a moderate intensity for 30 minutes): 100 to 300, depending on the type of yoga you chose.
- Body Parts Worked: The core -- abs and lower back
- False Myths: You have to be super flexible to practice yoga. Simply not true, yoga is friendly for all levels of flexibility, from beginner to advanced.
Fitness A - Z
- 15 Minute Workout
- Abs
- Arms
- Arm Exercises
- Back Toning Tips
- Back Exercises
- Bad Technique
- Butt-Firming Exercises
- Dancing
- Fitness Myths
- Flat Ab Moves
- Glutes
- Indoor Cycling
