Get Started with Yoga: A 19-Minute Flow for Beginners
When it comes to discovering the right movement practice for you, trying out different options is key. Beginner classes, routines, and explanations can be excellent ways to ease into a new activity.
If you’ve ever been curious about yoga, the latest episode of Good Moves is tailored especially for newcomers. In just 19 minutes of beginner-friendly full-body poses, you’ll feel relaxed, inspired, and gain a better understanding of what yoga entails. Guided by the supportive instructors Paris Alexandra and Alicia Ferguson from BK Yoga Club, you’ll be taken through a series of basic yoga poses, encouraging you to maintain a “beginner’s mindset” throughout.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs of the Indian government, yoga is an ancient practice centered around establishing a sacred connection between the mind and body. While physical fitness and health benefits can be derived from regular practice, the physical postures, or asanas, are just one aspect of the eight pillars of yoga, which include meditation, breathwork, and attitudes towards our environment. It’s crucial to recognize that despite its common portrayal as a fitness regimen, yoga holds significant cultural and spiritual importance for many worldwide.
“Yoga is about aligning oneself with the universe,” states the website of India’s MEA. “Yoga transcends any specific religion, belief system, or community; it has always been viewed as a tool for inner well-being.”
As per the Mayo Clinic, the wellness advantages are plentiful. Yoga can enhance strength, balance, and flexibility, potentially alleviate stress and physical discomfort, and relax the nervous system, leading to improvements in sleep, mood, and other physical symptoms.
This beginner yoga sequence begins with a comfortable seated position—adapted to your needs—reaching your arms overhead to each side and then forward. Throughout, Alexandra and Ferguson encourage you to stay present in the moment and practice slow, deep breathing intentionally. They also emphasize that the routine should feel good for you, offering various modifications of the stretches in the video—whether standing, seated, or on your knees—to enhance your comfort.
You’ll be introduced to classic yoga poses like cat-cow, child’s pose, and sun salutations before returning full circle to the initial seated position. The instructors use optional yoga blocks, but if you don’t have any at home, you can use books or skip them altogether.
Feeling intrigued? Roll out your mat and start this serene introduction to a beloved movement practice.
