Yoga For Beginners Plus 4 Moves To Feel Long & Lean Now
Yoga isn't just a cult of Lululemon-wearing, downward dogging, hand standing, "OM" chanting yogis. The meditative practice establishes a deep mind/body connection which increases flexibility and sculpts a strong, toned physique.
But if you're a yoga newbie (and ever seen Eat Pray Love), the practice can be a bit intimidating. Don't worry, you don't have to quit your job and study at an ashram to reap the benefits of yoga. Heck you don't even have to own a yoga mat!
Park City, Utah-based yoga instructor Sarah Tomson Beyer (who also has a master’s in physical therapy and founded the chic apparel line meSheeky!) developed Flowmotion® to appeal to non-traditional yogis and newbies alike.
“Flowmotion is a progressive approach to flow yoga, offering urban elements, the freedom to color outside the lines and a way to practice that serves the modern-day yogi,” Sarah says. “With a bona fide knowledge base of the biomechanics and anatomy of the body, I am able to offer the creative style of yoga I love so much–in a safe, therapeutic environment. It is dynamic movement rooted in a legitimate foundation,” Sarah says.
If you’ve been yoga-curious and don’t know where to begin, Sarah shares these 4 simple, but effective poses that build strength and flexibility (while sculpting a hot bikini bod), yet are designed especially for yoga novices.
1. Yoga Squat
Squats are functional and therapeutic. They will open your hips, release your lower back and strengthen your hips, thighs, abdominals and spine
1. Stand at the front of your mat with your feet the width of your mat. Make sure your feet are parallel, all ten toes facing forward.
2. Inhale your arms over your head. As you exhale, slowly bend your knees and lower your hips down into a squat.
3. Take your hands together at your heart and press your elbows into the inside of your knees. The leverage from your arms will help open your knees wider (pictured). With your knees over your ankles, try to let your hips be heavy.
4. Pull your belly in and up to support your hips and back. Have a tall spine; imagine you are leaning back against a wall. 5. Breathe here for 5-10 breaths.
5. Try to keep a straight spine and rise back up to standing. Repeat 3x
2. Side Lunge
A variation on a forward lunge; side lunging will strengthen your inner thighs, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings and spine if performed repeatedly. If you hold the position, it will stretch your inner thighs, groin and hamstrings.
1. Stand on your mat facing the left with your feet about 3-4 feet apart. Bend into your left leg gently and lower your hands to your left thigh for balance.
2. Keep your right leg straight and your left heel on the floor. Lower your hips until they are the height of your left knee.
3. Once you are stable, you can reach your arms out to each side (pictured). If your left heel can stay in contact with the ground, lower closer to the floor. Breathe here for 5-10 breaths
4. Slowly shift to the other side. Repeat 3-5x
3. Downward Dog
A classic “home base” position that is used in many styles of yoga. Down Dog is also very effective for an all-in-one stretch; it opens your shoulders, back, hamstrings, calves and Achilles. It also builds very functional strength in your upper body; shoulders and spine extensor muscles, as well as your core and thighs.
1. Come into a plank position (like the “up” position of a push-up) on your mat to establish the proper distance for your hands and feet in Downward Dog. Have your hands shoulder width and your feet hip width. Stack your shoulders over the wrists.
2. With straight arms, push back to make an ‘A’ shape with your body (pictured).
3. On the exhale, press your chest towards your thighs, let your head drop towards the floor, press your sit bones up to where the ceiling meets the wall, and press your heels towards the floor.
4. Press the floor away with your hands so that all the weight does not sit in your wrists. If your heels do not touch, you may bend your knees. Try to keep a flat back. Breathe here for 10-15 breaths
4. Rolling
To build upper body and core strength, you can make the static Downward Dog position more dynamic by rolling in and out of the pose.
1. From Downward Dog; look up towards your belly button, lift your heels, press the floor away with your hands and round your back (pictured). Engage your core to round your back and support your spine.
2. Carry this motion forward towards a plank position.
3. Return back to Downward Dog and press your chest towards your thighs, sit bones up and heels down.
4. Roll forward and up on the inhale, press back on the exhale. Repeat 5-7x
Read More: Self
But if you're a yoga newbie (and ever seen Eat Pray Love), the practice can be a bit intimidating. Don't worry, you don't have to quit your job and study at an ashram to reap the benefits of yoga. Heck you don't even have to own a yoga mat!
Park City, Utah-based yoga instructor Sarah Tomson Beyer (who also has a master’s in physical therapy and founded the chic apparel line meSheeky!) developed Flowmotion® to appeal to non-traditional yogis and newbies alike.
“Flowmotion is a progressive approach to flow yoga, offering urban elements, the freedom to color outside the lines and a way to practice that serves the modern-day yogi,” Sarah says. “With a bona fide knowledge base of the biomechanics and anatomy of the body, I am able to offer the creative style of yoga I love so much–in a safe, therapeutic environment. It is dynamic movement rooted in a legitimate foundation,” Sarah says.
If you’ve been yoga-curious and don’t know where to begin, Sarah shares these 4 simple, but effective poses that build strength and flexibility (while sculpting a hot bikini bod), yet are designed especially for yoga novices.
Squats are functional and therapeutic. They will open your hips, release your lower back and strengthen your hips, thighs, abdominals and spine
1. Stand at the front of your mat with your feet the width of your mat. Make sure your feet are parallel, all ten toes facing forward.
2. Inhale your arms over your head. As you exhale, slowly bend your knees and lower your hips down into a squat.
3. Take your hands together at your heart and press your elbows into the inside of your knees. The leverage from your arms will help open your knees wider (pictured). With your knees over your ankles, try to let your hips be heavy.
4. Pull your belly in and up to support your hips and back. Have a tall spine; imagine you are leaning back against a wall. 5. Breathe here for 5-10 breaths.
5. Try to keep a straight spine and rise back up to standing. Repeat 3x
A variation on a forward lunge; side lunging will strengthen your inner thighs, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings and spine if performed repeatedly. If you hold the position, it will stretch your inner thighs, groin and hamstrings.
1. Stand on your mat facing the left with your feet about 3-4 feet apart. Bend into your left leg gently and lower your hands to your left thigh for balance.
2. Keep your right leg straight and your left heel on the floor. Lower your hips until they are the height of your left knee.
3. Once you are stable, you can reach your arms out to each side (pictured). If your left heel can stay in contact with the ground, lower closer to the floor. Breathe here for 5-10 breaths
4. Slowly shift to the other side. Repeat 3-5x
A classic “home base” position that is used in many styles of yoga. Down Dog is also very effective for an all-in-one stretch; it opens your shoulders, back, hamstrings, calves and Achilles. It also builds very functional strength in your upper body; shoulders and spine extensor muscles, as well as your core and thighs.
1. Come into a plank position (like the “up” position of a push-up) on your mat to establish the proper distance for your hands and feet in Downward Dog. Have your hands shoulder width and your feet hip width. Stack your shoulders over the wrists.
2. With straight arms, push back to make an ‘A’ shape with your body (pictured).
3. On the exhale, press your chest towards your thighs, let your head drop towards the floor, press your sit bones up to where the ceiling meets the wall, and press your heels towards the floor.
4. Press the floor away with your hands so that all the weight does not sit in your wrists. If your heels do not touch, you may bend your knees. Try to keep a flat back. Breathe here for 10-15 breaths
To build upper body and core strength, you can make the static Downward Dog position more dynamic by rolling in and out of the pose.
1. From Downward Dog; look up towards your belly button, lift your heels, press the floor away with your hands and round your back (pictured). Engage your core to round your back and support your spine.
2. Carry this motion forward towards a plank position.
3. Return back to Downward Dog and press your chest towards your thighs, sit bones up and heels down.
4. Roll forward and up on the inhale, press back on the exhale. Repeat 5-7x
Read More: Self
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