Yoga Challenge for Beginners and Athletes Alike

 

It's time to do some yoga and stretch out those muscles and release tension and body sores! Did you know stretching actually heals and helps lengthen your spine? It's also good for keeping balance and ensuring your spine is correctly positioned for a more confident and healthy you!

Yoga is for people who want to venture into mind and body practice and make it a part of their lifestyle. It’s for those who want to find balance in their day-to-day routine, body, and thoughts and want to have a different perspective on being connected. If you want to try it for yourself, here is a yoga challenge you can try! 

What you need

Grab your yoga mat. It’s important to have the right support for your body. Make sure to have a yoga mat that is comfortable and durable, one where you can cozily balance and try your poses. Yoga blocks are another great piece of equipment to help you with your poses if it’s too difficult for you. It’s great for both beginners and experts. Have those prepared and you’re good to go!  

 

How to do it

Here are four poses you can do repeatedly. Throughout the activity, make sure to check your form, engage your core, move at your own pace, and mind your breathing. Just enjoy and take it slow. You may do some further research on each pose on YouTube or the Web to make sure you're executing them well. Don't be stressed if you can’t copy the exact form. Remember that this too is something you can practice until you perfect it. 

1. Cat Pose 

How: Lift your head, relax your shoulders away from your ears, and gaze straight ahead. As you exhale, round your spine outward, creating a U shape in your back. Release your head toward the floor, breathe in and out deeply, and engage your core and your body. Make sure that you're exercising and stretching your back and arms. 

Benefit: This massages the spine and stretches your back and neck, increasing mobility and circulation of spinal fluid. This also strengthens the muscles to prepare you for the downward dog pose. 

2. Cow Pose 

How: Start from all fours, on your yoga mat, make sure your wrist is in the right position. Unlike the cat pose, invert your back to make the opposite U in your back and stretch your upper back. Inhale and exhale deeply. 

Benefits: This pose improves focus, coordination, and mental stability. The cat/cow pose improves blood circulation between the vertebrae of your spine and helps in relieving back pain and stress.

3. Child's Pose 

How: Rest on your knees. Kneel on your yoga mat, resting your buttocks against your heels.  Bow forward, then slowly lower your upper body, chest onto your thighs. Make sure to stretch your arms and deeply inhale and exhale as you return back to the starting position. 

Benefits: Relaxation. Along with deep breathing exercises, the child's pose can calm your mind, reducing anxiety and fatigue. Second, blood circulation. This pose increases blood circulation to your head.

4. Downward Dog Pose 

How: Get down on all fours. Start on the floor with your hands shoulder-width apart, with your shoulders above your wrists. Lift your knees. Next, tuck your toes against the mat or ground, using that leverage to extend your legs, then lift both knees into the air, making your way to slowly walk and stretch all parts of your legs till you extend. Hold, breathe deep, and release. 

Benefits: Doing this pose stretches the lower body including hamstrings, calves, and ankles and improves posture. 

How Garmin can help

Practice yoga with Garmin Lily. With this wearable, you can connect your body and mind. It’s a smartwatch that offers features that will help you build a better routine and track your health. It also comes with online yoga practices you can try via the Garmin Connect app. It’s perfect for yogis because its features are aimed at helping people find balance in their everyday life and at the same time nurture their health.

You can practice anytime, anywhere with Garmin Lily. It's the perfect partner for a beginner yogi like yourself!