By Faye Martins
In this contemporary era, yoga has become an incredibly popular form of exercise to help promote physical and mental health. In order to ensure that one gets the most out of this physical activity, it is important to get some basic information regarding yoga student safety. With this idea in mind, there are four tips Yoga teachers can implement to ensure that students do not harm themselves while participating in activities at your Yoga studio. Feel free to use the list below as a handout for your students.
Yoga Student Safety Tips
1. Warm-up.
Warming up before you begin your yoga exercises is extremely important for several reasons. One of those reasons includes the fact that warming up slowly increases the heart rate such that the moderate or intense cardiovascular activity that follows is not overwhelming to the mind and body. In short, the warm up prepares the body for the workout to come.
2. Stay Hydrated.
Another strategy that yoga students should implement to make sure that they do not harm themselves while engaging in the physical activity is to remain hydrated. If an individual becomes dehydrated while completing yoga exercises, she or he could faint and/or experience a plethora of other physical problems such as dizziness. Additionally, many people sweat when doing yoga exercises, and this reality can result in a loss of important nutrients. Thus to prevent both dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, be sure to drink liquid prior to exercise and during the yoga workout if necessary. To make sure that you get in the habit of doing this, make a point to bring a water bottle with you to each yoga workout session you attend.
3. Be A Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic Learner.
Yet another strategy that should be implemented to ensure yoga student safety is the activation of the student's visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning abilities during the exercises. When in a yoga class, many if not most teachers will provide instructions for exercise in two ways-telling the class which move to perform and showing them by performing the physical movements. To prevent injury, the yoga student should listen carefully to the instructions, watch the teacher perform the movements, and listen to his or her body once the movements are performed to detect if the positions are causing physical strain or pain. By being a visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learner, yoga students can preclude themselves from experiencing unnecessary pain and soreness.
4. Cool Down.
One aspect of yoga exercise that many students tend to overlook is the importance of the cool down. Yet in many ways, the cool down might be considered one of the most important components of a yoga class. For example, the cool down provides the yoga student's heart rate to return to normal gradually, thereby preventing a sudden drop that could cause bodily discomfort. Additionally, doing a cool down that results in the slow and steady decrease of one's heart rate also prevents blood from pooling in the lower extremities. For these reasons, be sure to complete a cool down after your yoga exercise to ensure safety.
Conclusion
As many fitness experts know, yoga exercises can promote physical and mental health while also facilitating agility and a sense of calm. To be sure that you get the most out of the physical activity, be sure that you engage in the exercises safely. By implementing some or all of the strategies listed above, you will greatly decrease the likelihood of experiencing unwanted, unnecessary pain and/or injuries.
1. Warm-up.
Warming up before you begin your yoga exercises is extremely important for several reasons. One of those reasons includes the fact that warming up slowly increases the heart rate such that the moderate or intense cardiovascular activity that follows is not overwhelming to the mind and body. In short, the warm up prepares the body for the workout to come.
2. Stay Hydrated.
Another strategy that yoga students should implement to make sure that they do not harm themselves while engaging in the physical activity is to remain hydrated. If an individual becomes dehydrated while completing yoga exercises, she or he could faint and/or experience a plethora of other physical problems such as dizziness. Additionally, many people sweat when doing yoga exercises, and this reality can result in a loss of important nutrients. Thus to prevent both dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, be sure to drink liquid prior to exercise and during the yoga workout if necessary. To make sure that you get in the habit of doing this, make a point to bring a water bottle with you to each yoga workout session you attend.
3. Be A Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic Learner.
Yet another strategy that should be implemented to ensure yoga student safety is the activation of the student's visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning abilities during the exercises. When in a yoga class, many if not most teachers will provide instructions for exercise in two ways-telling the class which move to perform and showing them by performing the physical movements. To prevent injury, the yoga student should listen carefully to the instructions, watch the teacher perform the movements, and listen to his or her body once the movements are performed to detect if the positions are causing physical strain or pain. By being a visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learner, yoga students can preclude themselves from experiencing unnecessary pain and soreness.
4. Cool Down.
One aspect of yoga exercise that many students tend to overlook is the importance of the cool down. Yet in many ways, the cool down might be considered one of the most important components of a yoga class. For example, the cool down provides the yoga student's heart rate to return to normal gradually, thereby preventing a sudden drop that could cause bodily discomfort. Additionally, doing a cool down that results in the slow and steady decrease of one's heart rate also prevents blood from pooling in the lower extremities. For these reasons, be sure to complete a cool down after your yoga exercise to ensure safety.
Conclusion
As many fitness experts know, yoga exercises can promote physical and mental health while also facilitating agility and a sense of calm. To be sure that you get the most out of the physical activity, be sure that you engage in the exercises safely. By implementing some or all of the strategies listed above, you will greatly decrease the likelihood of experiencing unwanted, unnecessary pain and/or injuries.
Faye Martins, is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. See Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga.
1 comment:
Yoga exercises can promote physical and mental health but always should keep in mind the safety tips while practicing yoga.
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