Intro to Yoga: Foundations for a strong yoga practice

Sun Salutations are the foundation of a vinyasa class, this sequence links poses together while building heat and strength. Here we'll look at a traditional Sun Salutation A along with Sun Salutation C, which is a modified version of A and a great option for those new to the practice and still building strength. We'll also explore other modifications so we can build proper form.

Check out the second video in this lecture for more yoga exercises to build arm and core strength.

If you've ever been in a yoga class and actually heard people breathing, they were probably practicing Ujjayi. Sometimes called victorious breath, it can be empowering but it's also always optional.

Balance poses can be a practice in patience. Take time to warm-up your feet and ankles and prepare to move slow and take propped or modified variations of poses. Building strength for balance will help us avoid injury and create a stronger foundation for these challenging, but rewarding postures.

Balancing requires focus. Often we use a soft gaze called dristi to visually connect with a steady, non-moving point. We use a similar practice to help us meditate. Dharana is a concentration practice where we narrow our focus to one point; body, breath or intention. It's the step before meditation, where we sit in pure awareness.

The physical practice of yoga is just one part of the practice. As we learned during balance poses, the ability to focus doesn't just impact our poses, it helps our brains disrupt unproductive thought patterns and brings us closer to enlightenment.

Nearly 80 percent of Americans will experience back pain. It doesn't have to be this way! Stretching and strengthening your back and core can heal and prevent back pain. But back work has to be done properly—too many people complain that yoga actually hurts their backs! This video can help you figure out which poses benefit your body, what to avoid, and, of course, how take backbends safely.

Core exercises are often treated as optional, but they can be a great benefit to your practice. A strong core gives us stability, which means a stronger practice. Core strength should be built up slowly.

Floor stretches, often simple seated folds, are sometimes taken in place of core work or in addition to it. Like core work, floor stretching benefits the foundation of our bodies by releasing the legs and back.

From desk jobs to walking and running, life isn't always kind to our hips. And our hips are an important part of our foundation, tightness here can impact the back, knees and other parts of the body. That's why hip openers are often a favorite for many yoga practitioners. Here we'll learn how to practice them safely.

Inversions are a calming way to wind down our yoga practice. They put us in a great position to relax and be present for savasana. But, like with many yoga poses, learning how to take them properly doesn't just keep us safe, it maximizes the benefits of the postures.