Yoga for beginners-basic knowledge, tips & yoga exercises

Ob als tägliche Routine, Me- Time oder als Workout – Yoga ist vielseitig und flexibel und passt sich an Dich, Deinen Körper und Deine Bedürfnisse an. Du willst mehr darüber erfahren was Yoga überhaupt ist & wie es wirkt, welche Arten es gibt, ob jeder Yoga lernen und praktizieren kann, wie oft man Yoga machen sollte und ob man mit Yoga abnehmen kann? Wir haben uns mit Lisa unterhalten, die Yogalehrerin ist. Sie gibt uns als Expertin spannende Einblicke in die Welt des Yogas. Außerdem hat sie eine erste Yoga-Einheit für Dich mit 5 verschiedenen Yoga-Übungen, damit Du direkt loslegen kannst.

Highlights

Yoga ist eine vielseitige Praxis, die Körper, Geist und Seele harmonisiert und von Entspannung bis hin zu kraftvollen Übungen reicht.
Es gibt zahlreiche Yoga-Stile wie Hatha, Vinyasa und Yin, die für unterschiedliche Bedürfnisse geeignet sind.
Anfänger können leicht einsteigen, und regelmäßige Praxis hilft bei Flexibilität, Muskelaufbau und mentalem Wohlbefinden.

What is yoga?

I would always like to answer this in one sentence "short & sweet", but I realize every time that it's not that easy. You have to go into a little more detail. Yoga is an Indian philosophical teaching that is thousands of years old. It is about harmony and unity of body, mind and soul. Yoga is much more than "just sport". The asanas (physical exercises), which are mainly known under the term "yoga", are only one part of a total of eight areas. Breathing exercises, meditation, deep relaxation, healthy nutrition, patterns of behavior and belief towards myself and others - all of these are part of yoga.

How does yoga work?

The beauty of yoga is that it can be used individually. Sometimes we need to relax, recharge our batteries and calm down, in which case yoga serves as a place of retreat. Other times we want to work out and move vigorously, in which case yoga can serve as a source of strength. Yoga is very flexible and we can adapt it to our needs by choosing the type of yoga.

What types of yoga are there?

There are many different types of yoga, such as Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Yin Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Jivamukti Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Iyengar Yoga and Bikram Yoga. These individual types of yoga differ in the way they are practiced. Some are calming, others are more spiritual, while some are strenuous and athletic, or a mix of the two. I think the most common types of yoga are yin, hatha and vinyasa yoga. At least that's how it was for me. I knew the types of yoga before my training. Yin yoga is very relaxing and meditative, the individual asanas (postures) are held for several minutes so that you can relax completely and the practice also has an effect on the fascia and internal organs. Hatha/vinyasa yoga is more dynamic, the postures flow into each other, are often referred to as "flows" and the yoga style definitely has a work-out character. You work up a sweat, you definitely need strength in your body and yes, you can actually get sore muscles from yoga! Give it a try. In conclusion, there is no one right type of yoga. Yoga is versatile, flexible and adapts to you, your body and your needs.

Can anyone learn & practice yoga?

YES! Anyone can learn and practise yoga. The versatility of yoga makes it so easy for us to choose a suitable type of yoga according to our individual physical needs and state of health. Some people think that they cannot practise yoga due to pain or illness. But there is also yoga for such areas, even special yoga therapies that make it possible for us to practise yoga and thus also alleviate complaints.

How often should you do yoga?

Of course, it always depends on your own goals and intentions. What do I want to achieve through yoga? Do I want to become more flexible? More relaxed? Build muscle? Or simply take some time for myself? The more often and longer you practise yoga, the more intensive and long-lasting the results will be.

There are different yoga sessions - from short videos (20-30 minutes) to 45 minutes (more common in fitness studios) to 90 minutes. I think a regular yoga class is great because it can help you to integrate yoga into your everyday life and make it a regular part of your routine. If you practice a little at home once or twice a week in addition to a regular class, then this is definitely a very good start and who knows, maybe the desire to "practice yoga more and more often" will come naturally.

How is a yoga class structured?

There are different approaches here. The way I know and do it myself is to start with a short relaxation, followed by pranayama (breathing exercises). This is followed by a warm-up and the individual asanas (physical exercises). At the end of the class, there is either a guided meditation or a deep relaxation.

We have filmed a short yoga session for you together with Lisa so that you can gain some initial yoga experience straight away. You can find the video and the description of the individual exercises further down in the blog post. Great, isn't it?

Can you lose weight with yoga?

If you opt for the sporty and dynamic version of yoga, you can definitely lose weight with yoga. The intensity and frequency of the yoga sessions as well as a balanced and healthy diet also play a role. Yoga also helps to increase our body awareness and well-being.

Is yoga during a juice cleanse suitable?

Funny, today I was practicing with my juice cleanse started today. So I actually do it personally so that during the juice cleanse I practise calm and relaxed yoga (yin yoga style). My focus is on relaxing and stretching my body. This means that I can relax my body during the juice cleanse super and not challenge it even more. Yoga with moderate exertion can have a positive effect on a juice cleanse-experience because it activates the cardiovascular system and metabolism, thereby optimally supporting the body's reset. Once again, this shows how flexibly yoga can be integrated into our everyday lives.

You want to change something and a healthier & more conscious you achieve? With a juice cleanse you can make your diet healthier in the long term and, together with yoga, you can start a more conscious lifestyle. Get your 3,5 or 7 days juice cleanse.

Yoga session with Lisa

The exercises:

1st Downward-Facing Dog - Adho Mukha Svanasana

Come into a 4-legged stance and stand on the tips of your toes
Make sure that your wrists are under your shoulder joints
Press your hands firmly into the mat and spread your fingers out wide
Make sure your knees are under your hips
Then move your buttocks towards your heels and push yourself up into Downward-Facing Dog
Stretch your arms and back out and let your head hang down loosely
Bend your knees if necessary and feel the stretch in the back of your legs
Feel the position of the child, sit on your heels and stretch your arms out either relaxed beside your body or forwards

2. warrior I - Virabhadrasana I

Take your right leg forward and come into a deep lunge
The left leg is extended
The pelvis points forwards (briefly place your hands on your hips and check the position)
Sit deep into Warrior I by sliding your right knee over your right ankle
Bring your arms up over your sides and stay in this powerful pose for a few deep breaths
Then come back down onto the mat with your hands, take your right leg back and run out briefly in Downward-Facing Dog
Then switch sides and come forward with your left foot into Warrior I

3. twisting pose - Ardha Matsyendrasana

Sit on the mat
Stretch out your left leg and cross your right leg over your left leg
Bend your lower leg
Make sure your pelvis is straight and your back is long
Hug your right knee with your left arm and place your right hand behind you in a relaxed position
Look over your right shoulder
Stay in this position for a few deep breaths and try to gain length in your back with each inhalation and sink a little deeper into the twist with each exhalation
Come forward again with your right arm and switch sides: cross your left leg over your right leg, ...

4th Sphinx - Ardha Bhujangasana

Come into a prone position via the 4-foot stance
Press the back of your feet, the front of your legs and your pelvis firmly into the mat
Place your elbows under your shoulders and rest your forearms & palms on the mat
Straighten up as you inhale and expand your chest, pulling your shoulder blades together on your back
Stay in this position for a few deep breaths
Then lie down and retrace the exercise
If you wish, you can rock your pelvis slightly to the right and left at the end of the exercise

5th tree - Vrksasana

Stand on the mat and shift your weight onto your right leg
Place the left foot either on the ankle, the calf or the inside of the thigh
Press the sole of your foot and your standing leg firmly against each other for more stability
Pull your belly button inwards - active core
Fix a point in front of you on the floor or on the wall to keep your balance better
Bring your arms up over your sides as you inhale and bring them together in front of your chest as you exhale
Stay in this position for a few deep breaths and maintain your balance
Lower your left knee as you exhale and briefly retrace the exercise
Then switch sides: shift your weight onto your left leg, ...

6. back roll - as a final exercise to give your body a little massage

Sit on the mat, straighten your legs and place your hands on the backs of your knees
Then slowly roll backwards over your back
Make sure that you do not roll over your neck, but only up to your shoulder blades
Come to the seat at the end

Nutritionist

Developed on a scientific basis by Dr. Ulrike Fischer, who holds a doctorate in nutritional science.

Highlights

Yoga ist eine vielseitige Praxis, die Körper, Geist und Seele harmonisiert und von Entspannung bis hin zu kraftvollen Übungen reicht.
Es gibt zahlreiche Yoga-Stile wie Hatha, Vinyasa und Yin, die für unterschiedliche Bedürfnisse geeignet sind.
Anfänger können leicht einsteigen, und regelmäßige Praxis hilft bei Flexibilität, Muskelaufbau und mentalem Wohlbefinden.