Your goal when practicing any form of yoga is to increase your sense of control, reality, intuition and overall awareness of self, according to "Canadian Medical Association Journal." While yoga is a form of exercise, it differs from other forms of exercise in many ways. The harder or faster you perform the movements, or more pain you feel, during a yoga session does not constitute a successful workout and may in fact cause harm. It is therefore important to take a gentle approach with your yoga practice.
Gentle for Your Back
Many yoga poses involve spine twists. It is important to ease gently into these poses. With a gentle approach, you will safely learn your body's limit. Over-twisting can cause more harm than good. This will not only affect your back but can put you at risk for sciatica. Be gentle to your back by countering all back poses; follow an arching pose with a pose that includes rounding your spine in the opposite direction.
Gentle for Your Joints
Gentle yoga practice can keep shoulders, hips, knees and ankles safe, and help release stored up toxins. Avoid hyperextension in your joints by maintaining awareness of moving gently from one pose to another. Repeated hyperextension can cause injury to ligaments and effect other parts of the body. Swift movements or leaning too deeply into a pose can also cause harm to joints. Use a mirror to observe proper joint alignment.
Gentle for Your Muscles
Yoga poses help build muscle by isolating muscle groups and holding them in positions that strengthen them. With these poses also come flexibility and elongation of the muscle group. Use caution and be gentle with your body when moving into these positions. Forcing too much of a stretch can cause you to strain or pull a muscle. Demanding too much of a muscle group can also lead to fatigue, which can prevent you from finishing your session.
Gently Recovering from Injury
Be certain to consult a physician before practicing yoga if you are recovering from an injury. It is particularly important to be gentle and patient with your yoga practice while you recover. If you are not able to do many poses, return to your breath and focus on breathing. This, too, is yoga, as Yoga Journal confirms. Use supportive yoga props like bands and blocks to assist your practice.
Being Gentle through Pranayama
Pranayama is rhythmic breathing. Breathing is considered one of the most important aspects of a successful yoga practice, according to Cornell University. Yoga is built on the idea that through proper breathing techniques, you are able to bring oxygen to your brain and cells, and promote healing and wellness for body, mind and spirit. Your breath is the basis for any positive, successful attempts for change, according to Yoga Journal.
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