5 Great Reasons to Start a Yoga Course

I am into the sixth week of the 32 week course which I have started as a part of my Yoga goal for this year and till now it is going on quite well. I am doing this course at home as per the sequences prescribed by Shri BKS Iyengar. Starting this course has been an eye opener for me.

Till now I used to practice as per what I read and what I wanted to experiment and improve at that point of time. For example for some point of time I used to concentrate more on forward bends and then for some period of time I used to go for leg strength poses. Though I would make progress on those poses, but as a whole I was not making great progress.

This year I was thinking on what should be my Yoga goal and it is then that I decided to go for the 32 week course. Though I am still into the initial phase of the course I can already see the benefits of committing to a course and would highly recommend everybody to join a course.

What comprises a Yoga Course
Usually a Yoga course would be combination of various poses. A course of Yoga is composed of a sequence of poses which need to be practiced one after another. In some of the courses the sequences are altered and some poses are inserted or removed based on the level the participant reaches. The sequence goes on becoming tougher as the course advances till it reaches a particular level.

In some other courses the sequences remains the same during the entire course, though the participant is expected to improve on the poses with practice like in Bikram Yoga. Each course has a different objective and you should ask the instructor about the course in details before you start. Whichever course you take, it is guaranteed to benefit you.

Here are 5 great reasons to start a Yoga Course

1. Gain Rapid Health Gains
   When you start the course the benefits would be visible with in a week and it will increase rapidly. The courses are usually designed to include various elements of Yoga including yoga poses, breathing exercises and relaxation.
   
   The practice is done in a relaxed manner in most of the courses, and it will make you physically stronger, increase your immune system and stress free. If you have any physical ailments you will make rapid progress towards overcoming those. Be sure to tell your instructor about your illness so that some poses can be avoided which can cause complications.


2. Make Faster Progress
   When you practice without any tangible goals you will not make any substantial progress. When you have a goal you would make more progress in 3 months compared to what you can struggle to make in a year. I have seen this happen to myself also. Although I have been practicing many of the poses in this course for years, including the same poses in this course has helped me make more progress the poses within this short time.


3. Increase Focus and Motivation
   There a lot of times when you will not feel like practicing, and we look for motivation. When you join a course it proved the right motivation to practice. Most of the times you will look forward to the practice. For those who practice at home, a course gives you focus to stick to a particular sequence and the practice is more organized. This will ensure faster progress.


4. Practicing in Correct SequencesPracticing in a correct sequence is very important and more beneficial. When correct sequence s followed the organs and muscles which are used in one pose are relaxed in the next pose. This increases the progress and benefits compared to when you do it in incorrect sequence and reduces the chances of injury.


5. Expands Your Horizon
   You get a broader view of the practice instead of a localized experience. The mind, brain and the body experiences a different experience when we practice an organized sequence. This will increase your awareness of the body and mind and help you understand the relation between body and mind. When we have that awareness we can deal with stresses of life in a better way and take more intelligent approach to solve them.

My Current Schedule
I would like to share my practice sequence with you for the sixth week. My current schedule is mixture of Poses which increase Strength, stamina, flexibility, and relaxation of primarily the lower region of the body.

This sequence is same for fifth, sixth and the the seventh weeks, which means this routine is same for three weeks. The reason of keeping 3 weeks for the sequence is to provide enough time for developing strength and perfection in the pose. Though three weeks is not sufficient enough time to build perfection, it gives a good start. While practicing, you should strive to reach as much near to perfection as is possible by you. It will take time but that should not be used as an excuse of not progressing.

At present I am following the routine mentioned below. It is divided into two sets. The first set comprises of eight standing poses and the second set comprises of six remaining poses. I practice first set for two rounds and the second set for one round.

Set 1 - Two Rounds
Tadasana (Tree Pose)
Utthitha Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
Utthitha ParsvakonasanaVirbhadra Asana I (Warrior Pose I)
Virbhadra Asana II (Warrior Pose II)
Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose)
Parsva Uttanasana (Sideways Facing Forward Bend)
Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend)

Set 2 - One Round
Urdhava Prasarita Padasana (Upward Extended Feet Pose)
Navasana (Boat Pose)
Ardh Navasana (Half Boat Pose)
Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand Pose)
Halasana (Plough Pose)
Ujjyai Pranayama in Shavasana (Corpse Pose)

I will write in more details regarding the way I practice in the coming posts and the various techniques which can help in the practice. This week was challenging and fun. I am looking forward to the seventh week's practice and would be sharing the details of my experience once I am through that.

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