Yoga Newbie Mistakes
Are you brand new to yoga? If so, you might be making some common mistakes, from when and how to practice yoga, to the moves themselves. By avoiding these mistakes, you will be more inclined to continue practicing yoga, and can also avoid unnecessary injuries.
Common Mistakes Made by Yoga Newbies
Doing Advanced Yoga Moves Too Quickly
This is probably one of the biggest mistakes people often make when they are just starting out with yoga. If you have only done yoga a few times, you are probably not ready for advanced moves like inversions. Trying to do a handstand is not a good idea before you can comfortably do a downward facing dog. One must learn how to sit on a bike before they can ride it. Start slow and gradually do more advanced moves as you get stronger and increase your flexibility.
Long, Advanced Yoga Sessions
Not only should you not do moves that are outside your current skill level until you have practice, but you should try to avoid lengthy or intense yoga sessions in the beginning.
As you are getting used to the basic yoga practice, you might not want to enter a hot yoga session. These are often very intense with high temperatures and lots of sweat, so your body may not quite be prepared for the yoga poses when you are dealing with the temperature. You should also keep your yoga classes fairly short in the beginning until you get more comfortable with the poses.
Doing Yoga Poses Incorrectly
The other common mistakes with yoga newbies tend to be due to the poses themselves. Every pose has a correct way and incorrect way to do them, but here are some of the more common ways poses might be done wrong:
Mountain Pose – The mountain pose is a simple standing pose, which is exactly why many people do it incorrectly. You do not want to stick your butt out too far, as this is going to cause quite a bit of back pain. Instead, focus on a completely flat back and buttocks by engaging your abdominal muscles.
Chaturanga – With the chaturanga pose, a common mistake is when the shoulders dip and the butt is up toward the ceiling.
Downward Dog – Many people try to do the downward dog either at an awkward angle with the head and upper back, or they attempt to do a plank, when in fact your buttocks should be up and head down.