Yoga Tips to Avoid the 7 Common Mistakes

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It’s no secret that yoga is perhaps one of the most popular activities there is. And given so many health benefits: for both your body and mind, it’s not really surprising! Some people choose yoga to relax after a long stressful day, while others do it to feel more confident about their bodies, especially if they plan to sign up to some of the best online dating sites to find love.

No one was born an expert in anything. Everything we do takes practice, and yoga is no exception. When you’re a novice, there are bound to be some issues and mistakes, yes, even if you’re fit. Why? Because this is an activity that demands flexibility, balance, and yes, training. Thus, many people might adopt wrong poses, which could end up causing pain and injury.

That is why today, we’ve decided to share with you 7 of the main yoga mistakes people make and give you some helpful yoga tips for beginners so that this wonderful activity would bring you only joy!

Yoga Mistakes You Should Avoid

Holding Your Breath

This is the most common yoga mistake among beginners. Most students try to pose appropriately while maintaining their balance as they hold their breath, which is quite a feat. When you hold your breath while doing yoga, you create stress and tension because you prevent the free flow of energy. This makes it impossible for you to maintain a proper pose.

So, if you find yourself holding back your breath in the middle of yoga exercise, it means you are too harsh on your body. Take a break, breath in and out several times, and carry on when you feel your body is relaxed and tension-free. This is among the best outdoor yoga tips as you fill your lungs with fresh air and have ample space to practice your moves.

Not Using Supporting Props

When practicing at a yoga studio, your instructor will have prepared props for you. They help you achieve the right pose and avoid pain and injuries. So if you are looking for yoga tips for beginners at home, props are the first thing your need to prepare.

Before starting any yoga pose, you need to ensure that you have the props as they assist you in taking the right pose and targeting the right part of your body. They also help protect you from injuries while achieving deeper postures.

Some of the things you can use as props include blankets, straps, or yoga blocks. Props are handy if you have issues with your wrist, knees, ankles, and feet.

Cupping Your Hands When You are Pressing on the Floor

Some yoga poses such as planks, handstands, and downward-facing dog requires the support of your hands. And when you adopt the wrong posture, you may injure your wrists due to uneven weight distribution.

You correct it by first flattening your palms on the floor, then spread out your fingers. Then press down with equal pressure to support your body and avoid slipping.

Mountain Pose

Mountain pose is the most crucial yoga pose as it keeps us aware of our bodies and improves posture and confidence. Most people tend to adopt a lazy stance whereby the shoulders are slumping, and the upper back is rounded when they stand up. And most do not keep their core engaged.

Apply these hot yoga tips and tricks to ensure that you are adopting the right pose.

Stand with your feet together and press your big toes together
Lift your knee caps and straighten your legs to strengthen your leg muscles
Tuck in your tailbone, but don’t arc your back
Suck in your belly towards your tailbone and engage the core
Relax your shoulders and allow your hands to hang on your sides naturally
Ensure your neck is elongated and your ear, hands, and ankles are parallel
Breath smoothly and evenly

Tree Pose

Tree pose is an advancement of mountain pose. People often place the foot on the knee, leading to a knee injury since it’s challenging to maintain balance. So how do you correct this mistake?

You can start by placing your left foot on your ankle, or upper inner thigh
Press your left foot into your right foot thigh and press your thigh to your foot to give you stability
Keep your leg straight and don’t lock the knee
If it’s your first time, you stand by the wall for support

Yoga

Downward Dog

One of the best yoga tips for weight loss is to try the downward dog yoga position! By doing it, you’re engaging your core, straighten your spine, and align your hands and legs for the correct posture.

Most people with tight hamstrings make the mistake of arcing their back, leading to back problems. If your hamstrings are tight, you can warm up first to loosen up or slightly bend you need to avoid putting pressure on them.

Alternatively, instead of bending down, you can use props such as a chair or a block. This will help exercise your hamstring, and with time, your flexibility will improve, making it possible to do a downward dog without bending your knees nor using props.

You also risk injuring your wrist if you place more weight on your hands, so aim to have 60% of your weight in your feet and 40% in your hands. And spread out your fingers and press down on the floor firmly to avoid slip-ups. This is also among some of the best yoga headstand tips as proper posture strengthens your hands, spine, and core, making it possible to do this pose.

Warrior 2 Pose

How to properly do a warrior pose is a good yoga tip for weight loss as it ensures that you engage your whole body. It helps in strengthening your legs, opening up your hips, and expanding your chest. It is an excellent pose to practice balance and stability.

The mistake most people make is having a short stance such that most of the weight is put in the front legs, thus putting pressure on the knees. Or not having the knee aligned with your extended arms. So how do you take on the right pose?

Take a wider stance, put your right foot forward about four feet ahead, and ensure that your foot and toes are pointing forward.
Bend your knee and ensure it is above or slightly behind the ankle.
Relax your shoulders and open your arms wide open and ensure they are parallel to the floor.
Open your chest.

Final Thoughts

As you see, there are many reasons why you should do yoga. This is a perfect way to improve flexibility, tone your body, and accelerating weight loss since you use a lot of energy. The good thing is you can practice at home with the help of youtube videos or subscribing to yoga classes with a coach.

However, while practicing at home is convenient, you risk making some of the yoga mistakes discussed in this article. The upside is we’ve given you hot yoga tips to correct these mistakes and adopt the proper posturer.

Have you ever made any of the yoga mistakes we’ve discussed? Would you mind telling us how you corrected it and your progress so far?

By Robert Faulkner
who is a family and child psychologist. He has been working with couples of different ages and wants to share his thoughts about relationships with you. Robert’s hobby is traveling inside the UK and abroad. He has visited more than 15 countries, including the USA, Spain, France, the Netherlands, etc. One of Robert’s biggest dreams is to take a photo on the top of Everest.

Member since October, 2021
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