There are many people who might be considering yoga classes but may not want to invest in a class. Not everyone who has never done yoga in their life is convinced of its effectiveness and it can be difficult to shell out the money just for a test. Some may feel like they are looking for a more vigorous workout, while others may feel a bit embarrassed at the idea of trying a new form of exercise among a group of strangers. As such, you may want to test some of the positions on your own before fully committing. There is nothing wrong with that and free yoga poses may be the answer you are looking for.
There are many reasons why free yoga poses would be made available to the public. There are those who have taken great joy from practicing yoga and want to share their experiences with others. In some cases, yoga studios may want to showcase their teaching experience and methods through certain online step-by-step poses. Whatever the reason, free yoga poses are a great resource that should not be allowed to go to waste.
If you are curious about yoga as a way to regain, increase, or maintain your fitness levels, free yoga poses are the best way to acclimate to the process. These poses can be made available to the general public on DVDs, books, or even small clips on the Internet. The free yoga poses provided are usually the most basic and easiest of the poses, and would be among the first an instructor would teach if you were in a face-to-face yoga class.
The fact that these typically fall into the beginner category allows the prospective student to start practicing on their own and test the waters before joining a full-time yoga class. These postures can include the meditation postures like Padmasana (lotus pose), Ardha-Padmasana (half lotus pose), Vajrasana (lightning bolt pose). They are also popular:
o Shashankasana (rabbit pose),
or Singhasana (lion pose),
o Ardha-Matsyendrasana (the half spinal twist),
o Chakrasana (the wheel pose)
o Gomukhasana (cow face pose)
or Dhanurasana (the bow pose).
Once the asanas are practiced regularly, it is possible to begin to benefit from the effects they have on the body and mind. These include a clearer mind, greater alertness, greater agility, better digestion, and better emotional health. Some people feel that the increased benefits of simply practicing any pose at home are enough to help them achieve their fitness goals, while others feel that expert instruction is needed to advance to the next level. Some rare people may even choose to abandon yoga altogether in favor of some other exercise method.
While exercising, always remember to stay within your limits. A good yoga session should leave you calm with your muscles relaxed and loose, ready to move on to the next stage of your day. If you are in pain, are overly tired, or feel stiff after a workout, you may need to choose poses with a lower level of difficulty or reduce the time you stay in one position.
Ideally, yoga practice should be done under the guidance of an instructor, to prevent injury from improper muscle movements and to maximize the benefit you can get from a particular pose. For this reason, although certain more complex positions such as Mayurasana (peacock pose) and Sheershasana (head pose) may be available as free yoga poses, it is not advisable to attempt them without considerable experience and expert guidance.