Baby Steps: The Secret to Building a Yoga Practice
When you finally make up your mind to start “doing” yoga, it can be tempting to just dive headfirst into challenging classes filled with advanced asanas (the physical postures in yoga). If you’re like me with many of my goals in the past, I would tend to set huge, lofty goals, and go gangbusters, 150% all-in right out of the gate… only to quickly peter out and quit. Does this sound familiar to anyone? I think it’s something many of us do. But this is a method that is sure to lead to burnout and/or injury. If we are intentional and start on a smaller scale, we can set ourselves up for a sustainable practice and a fulfilling, life-long journey.
The key is baby steps! To borrow a quote from Richard Dreyfuss’ character in that good old American classic film, “What About Bob,” baby steps are “small, reasonable goals you set for yourself one day at a time. One tiny step at a time.” Or we can think of it in terms of Desmond Tutu’s analogy of how we eat an elephant… one bite at a time. We need to take the time to build our practice from the ground up, through thoughtful progression.
Realize that there is more to a Yoga Practice than Movement
A yoga practice is so much more that a series of poses on a yoga mat! In the study of yoga, we learn how to live a meaningful life and are provided with a path to enlightenment. In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra we learn that there are eight limbs of yoga. Asana, or the poses, is just one of the eight. The practice of yoga is multi-faceted, and through other modalities such as pranayama (breathwork) and meditation, we can build our practice and grow not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually as well. We will not only learn how to live a healthy and meaningful life, but also how to tune into our own spiritual nature and purpose.
Build your Foundation
To build your foundation and refine your technique, you will want to start with simpler postures and take the time to learn the proper positioning and alignment for your unique body and mobility. As you build this proprioception (awareness of your body in space) and muscle memory, you can safely advance to more challenging postures and movements. Taking your time means you can build muscle and flexibility incrementally and reduce the risk of injury.
Where to Start
So how do you start? WHERE do you start? Many yoga studios offer classes that cater to beginners, where you will learn the foundations to build a safe and sustainable practice. This is the best way to begin. You can find great instructors at yoga studios both in-person and virtually. At a beginner level class, you will be introduced to the poses slowly and guided through how to properly position your body in each pose. You will learn to recognize when something doesn’t feel right and how to avoid injury. And some of the yoga lingo that can sound so foreign to us when we first start practicing yoga will be interpreted and explained. I had practiced yoga for several years before I finally learned what “ujjayi” breath actually was and how to do it properly! Which leads me to my next point: If something doesn’t make sense, don’t hesitate to ask questions! I promise, your yoga teacher is more than happy to help. Our whole purpose for teaching is to share the benefits and gifts of yoga with the world!
Learn that a Yoga Practice is both ON and OFF the Mat
Finally, starting small allows you to immerse yourself in the present moment. You will learn to become the “witness” by paying attention to the thoughts in your mind, your breath, and the cues your body is giving you. This mindful approach on the yoga mat will not only enhance the effectiveness of your practice but will also translate into all other areas in your life as well. This deliberate and patient approach to building your yoga practice will set the stage for healing in mind, body, and spirit, and provide you with a pathway toward finding contentment, joy and peace.