Dynamic yoga is a creative style of hatha yoga, based on the principles of Ashtanga and Iyengaraon, is considered physically quite complex. Proper breathing control is necessary to create a continuous flow of poses. Dynamic yoga is based on bandha (internal energy locks). This form of exercise is quite safe if you listen carefully to your body. This in itself may require some practice. One must learn to recognize when the body goes out of balance or when it is too stressed, and always change postures as necessary.
Breath control
An integral part of the practice of dynamic yoga is the synchronization of body movements with the rhythm of breathing. This allows you to recharge your batteries, focus and avoid muscle tension. When performing dynamic yoga exercises, it is necessary to synchronize the beginning and end of each breath with the same stages of a specific movement. The breathing rhythm must remain steady and smooth at all stages of each pose, which means that you should concentrate on breathing and consciously control your breathing in and out. This skill is better known as pranayama, or breath control.
To stretch your body in the practice of asanas, you need to learn how to stretch or lengthen inspirations.
Alignment
Proper body alignment is crucial in the practice of dynamic yoga. Body weight should be evenly distributed and grounded on the floor. It must be kept in balance in every pose. It is important to sit and get up right at the beginning of each exercise. By stretching, you can create more space between the vertebrae, providing freedom of movement. To fully support it, it is necessary to use all the muscles of the body, which must learn to work in harmony with each other.
Basic Rules
You can not do dynamic yoga on a full stomach. This can lead to unpleasant consequences. It is better to wait two to three hours after a meal before starting to do dynamic yoga complexes.
You need to choose the time on the day when no one will interrupt or distract: during classes, you need to fully concentrate on the practice of asanas.
It is important to feel comfortable. Clothing that is worn during dynamic yoga classes should “breathe” and not constrain movements. A cotton kit is best for this.
It is advisable to practice in a quiet, clean, warm environment. The wooden floor is perfect for this. However, if its surface is slippery, it is advisable to use a gymnastic mat.
Practice Features
When doing dynamic yoga, it is important not to go beyond the capabilities of your body. If a certain position causes tension of the whole body or its part, it is better to abandon it.
A pose performed using force can be very harmful and, as a rule, leads to excessive pressure on another part of the body to compensate. For example, if you cannot reach the floor with your left hand in parivritta parshvakonasana, then you can bend your hands in a prayer position.
In addition to changing the position of your body, additional equipment can also be used to avoid stress when doing difficult poses. For example, blocks can be very useful, helping to balance in standing poses, if you can’t reach the floor with your hand. If the sitting position limits movement when bending forward, a folded towel or blanket can be used to sit on. It will also prevent harm to the lower back. If in some positions you cannot connect your fingers, you can try using a strap.
Special circumstances
If you have any kind of injury or illness, you should be very careful not to strain this area of the body when doing dynamic yoga. For example, with a neck injury, it is advisable to avoid poses that require its load, for example, sarvangasana. You should not perform them without the guidance of a qualified teacher. It is equally important to be careful in the presence of back injuries. In this case, it is best to practice with the teacher until suitable exercises that can be performed taking into account the specific injury are selected.
In the event that the hamstrings are poorly stretched and it is difficult to straighten the legs, you can bend them, paying special attention to the symmetry and alignment of the limbs in each position.
During pregnancy, dynamic yoga is better not to practice.
Relaxation
It is very important to rest when necessary, and not bring yourself to a state of exhaustion. If you need to rest between poses, it’s good to use a balasana (a child’s pose). At the end of each program, it is best to relax in savasana (corpse pose). Its use, among other things, improves meditation skills.
Dynamic Yoga for Beginners
At the initial stage of training, it is advisable to use a set of exercises.
- Balancing on one leg. To perform this exercise, you need to transfer the body weight to the right leg and pull the left knee to the chest. Fold all 10 fingers in front of the left shin and straighten; lower your shoulders, look forward at one point. Bend the foot of the raised leg so that all the muscles are tense. Breathe deeply and hold this pose for 5-10 breaths. Run the same on the other leg.
- Pose "cat-cow" standing. After you have mastered the balance on one leg, you can proceed to the next exercise. Take a deep breath and slowly look up, spreading your chest. Exhale and slowly look down, pulling the chin to the chest, rounding the upper back. Movements need to be performed slowly to maintain balance, repeat the exercise 5-6 times, then lower the left leg and perform it with the other leg.
- "Warrior". This is one of those poses that takes effort to complete. It is necessary to make a wide attack forward. The toes of the hind legs are directed forward, in the direction of the position. The front leg must be bent so that the knee and ankle are at the same level, and the thigh is parallel to the floor. The same-named hand is stretched forward over the leg, the other back. Watch follows the middle finger. It is recommended to maintain position for one minute, then perform on the other leg.
- In the pose of a warrior, you can add a little movement. On inhalation, straighten the front leg, while raising your arms, joining your palms above your head. On exhalation, return to the previous position. Repeat the movement 5-10 times for each leg.
- The pose of the "bridge". This is a great way to stretch your chest, neck and spine, strengthening your buttocks and back. First you need to lie on your back, bend both legs at the knees, put on the width of the hips and parallel to each other, and stretch your arms along. Then slowly raise your hips. The neck should be extended and the chin away from the chest. Slowly transfer the weight to the right leg and lift the left up. Hold in this position for 5-10 breaths, repeat the exercise on the other leg.
- In order to add more dynamics to the bridge pose, you need to raise one leg up, lower the hips to the floor, then lift them back. Repeat five times on each side.