{"id":26908,"date":"2014-08-12T11:14:40","date_gmt":"2014-08-12T15:14:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=26908"},"modified":"2016-07-14T16:01:03","modified_gmt":"2016-07-14T20:01:03","slug":"benefits-of-yoga-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/benefits-of-yoga-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Reap the Benefits of Yoga, Starting Now"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There\u2019s more to yoga than just getting to class, doing a few flow sequences, and being done with it. Unlike some forms of exercise, a yoga practice requires much more than just going though the motions. \u201cIt\u2019s what sets yoga apart from other disciplines,\u201d says Colleen Saidman Yee<\/a>, internationally acclaimed yoga instructor and creator of the new DVD Calorie Killer Yoga<\/i><\/a>. \u201cYoga tones from head to toe, but focuses on training the mind.\u201d And Colleen\u2019s yogi husband, Rodney Yee<\/a>, agrees, saying that in the beginning, the practice honed in on the mind. \u201cWe\u2019ve turned it into physical fitness,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s fine if that\u2019s the doorway for most people to find yoga, but it\u2019s much more than that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Learn how to get more<\/a> from your practice \u2014 inside and out \u2014 with these tips from Colleen and Rodney.<\/p>\n

A Mindful Practice <\/b><\/h3>\n

While you may have heard the term, you\u2019re not alone if you aren\u2019t sure what \u201cmindfulness\u201d means. About 2,500 years ago, when the practice was just beginning, the sole focus was on the mind. Recently, it has become more about getting physical fitness and getting a workout in. And while that\u2019s OK for students to do, being present, mentally present, can make all the difference when it comes to a yoga session. \u201cA good teacher will keep your mind there,\u201d says Colleen. She and many other instructors use breathing to bring students\u2019 minds back<\/a> so they can reap the many benefits that come with focus. \u201cWhat they come in and get on their mat for, isn\u2019t what they leave with,\u201d says Rodney. \u201cThey could come in for spirit and leave a vegetarian or come in just to get in shape but leave feeling more in tune with their thoughts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reaping the Benefits of Yoga<\/b><\/h3>\n

It can take time to start seeing breakthroughs in your practice. But these fundamentals can help get your journey underway.<\/p>\n

1. Drop the distractions.
<\/b>It\u2019s easy to get so caught up trying to focus that you begin to get frustrated with yourself when you can\u2019t turn your mind off. \u201cA main tool is to try not to push anything away,\u201d says Colleen. \u201cAccept where you are and in that acceptance something softens.\u201d Keep in mind that you\u2019re not trying to get rid of any thoughts but rather make space for everything so that you feel a sense of relaxation. \u201cScience is proving now that there is no such thing as multitasking, but that you might just be jumping from one thing to another,\u201d says Rodney. \u201cTry bringing yourself back to the activity at hand and dedicate time to your practice. \u201c<\/p>\n

2. Just breathe.
<\/b>Why is breathing such an essential part of yoga? The process is both voluntary and involuntary, but by focusing on it, you can give it power. \u201cYour mind wants something and by giving it breath, it\u2019s not chatter or a to do list,\u201d says Rodney. \u201c[The breath] satisfies the mind by giving it something that isn\u2019t verbal.\u201d Plus, by listening to the breath, you allow it to calm you down. \u201cIt becomes a source of meditation<\/a> to calm the mind and the physiology of the whole body \u2026 and be present in your practice,\u201d says Colleen.<\/p>\n

3. Tune out the crowd.
<\/b>What, you don\u2019t enjoy when someone accidently kicks you in the face during a vinyasa or a sweaty armpit ends up right next to your face? A crowded room can be the pits (literally) for some students. So why not just leave? \u201cI actually think this is when you get your deepest practice,\u201d says Colleen. \u201cNot only do you have the support of everyone being there with you, but with a small space and lots of breathing and sweating around you, you\u2019re forced to go into your own space on your own mat and bring your senses inward.\u201d According to Rodney, you really can benefit by stepping out of your comfort zone and sticking it out. \u201cYou get this influence of energy, like someone playing solo music versus a huge symphony \u2014 it\u2019s a completely different beast.\u201d<\/p>\n

4. Maintain consistency.
<\/b>Like anything in life, the more often you do yoga, the quicker and better it all soaks in. \u201cIt\u2019s sort of this everydayness of something, so it\u2019s not special but ordinary,\u201d says Rodney. \u201cBeing ordinary, it seeps deeper into the fiber of your being and you don\u2019t have to try so hard.\u201d The more frequently you practice, you won\u2019t have to think about it as much as it will become routine. And this type of practice will help you advance in yoga. \u00a0<\/p>\n

5. Acknowledge your progress.
<\/b>\u201cSome people can have this dynamic \u2018aha\u2019 moment in their first class and then search the rest of their life to get that back,\u201d says Colleen. But the bigger picture benefits can be just as meaningful. \u201cOut in the world if you\u2019re having an argument or someone cuts you off on the highway, you can stop and notice your breath or your feet and you can hone in on those sensations. It\u2019s incredibly powerful.\u201d And the more you practice, it sets the groundwork for you being able to reach those moments of zen (especially when they are much needed) more often.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a strange philosophy that more is always better, says Rodney. \u201cEven though we know that\u2019s not true, we\u2019re stuck on it.\u201d So what happens when you finally unplug and experience that sensory withdrawal to help recharge your batteries? \u201cEverything is more accessible and clear,\u201d says Colleen. \u201cIt\u2019s the most beneficial thing you can do for productivity, relationships, basically everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Remember that yoga is about regaining quality, not just adding quantity to your practice. \u201cBe attentive to that,\u201d reminds Rodney. \u201cOtherwise, you\u2019ll get to the end of life and think \u2018Why did I always have my glass at full tilt?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

To better your yoga practice, head to <\/i>DailyBurn.com<\/i><\/a> to personalize your routine at home, in the gym, or on-the-go. And to take class with Colleen or Rodney check out <\/i>Yoga Shanti<\/i><\/a> in New York City or Sag Harbor, New York.<\/i><\/p>\n

Originally posted on April 11, 2014.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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Don’t just go through the motions. Learn how to reap the full benefits of yoga with these tips from master yogi Colleen Saidman and Rodney Yee.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":30596,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,6,19],"tags":[289,173,229,103,341,343,100,286],"class_list":["post-26908","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exercise","category-fitness","category-yoga","tag-exercise","tag-meditation","tag-mindfulness","tag-motivation","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise","tag-workout","tag-yoga"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26908","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26908"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26908\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30596"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26908"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26908"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26908"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}