My Yoga journey started some two and a half years ago. Before Yoga I was a passionate runner, until the weather in Luxembourg conquered my motivation to run in the rain, as much fun as it was!
I started looking for other ways to stay fit, and Yoga felt like the best choice for me at the time. Thank God I made this choice! I started purely for the physical aspect, as I wanted to become more flexible and stronger. Well… even if you are into Yoga just for that in the beginning, I can assure you it won’t stay this way for long. The beginning was hard, as my body was not used to all those new movements. It was a constant struggle and frustration as I could not do or hold any complicated poses. And I thought I was fit!! Then something great happened. I started reading more about Yoga, the philosophy behind it (the Asanas or body positions are actually a very small part of Yoga). New concepts became clearer to me – practice with mindfulness, love your body, do not push your body where it does not want to go, conscious breathing and so on. Boy-oh-boy did this change my life! I was hooked and realized this was the practice I would devote my time to.
Yoga has taught me to love my body and myself more, it has connected me more to my true self and my body. It made me very conscious about the connectedness of everything that is around me. All changes in my life, including the food I eat, how I treat myself and the people around me actually started with my Yoga practice.
So I hope I have managed to convince you enough about the benefits of Yoga, so that you too would give it a try (if you haven’t already).
One of the most common things I often hear from my friends is that they cannot afford going to Yoga classes because they can be expensive. Let me tell you, you don’t necessarily have to go to Yoga classes to practice Yoga! I started my practice at home and I practiced for 6 months before I attended my first Yoga class in a studio. My teacher was quite happy with what she saw, and could not believe I have taught myself at home. The truth is I did not teach myself. There are so many great people that offer to teach and guide you through your initial and advanced Yoga practice in the comfort of your own home, using their Yoga classes posted online – FOR FREE!
One of those amazing Yoga teachers is Ali Kamenova.
I have started practicing with her over a year ago and she has transformed not only my Yoga practice, but my body too! This pretty lady can kick your butt in the most effective, yet gentle way and I absolutely love it! 🙂 Her Yoga style is dynamic and creative, combining elements of interval training! It’s a perfect combination to train your body and mind!
She has full Yoga classes for all levels and her calm voice will guide you through each pose, so if you are beginner it would be a great way to start. She has just uploaded a rocking beginner class, so make sure you watch her video below.
You will find her here on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/YogaIntervals19/featured
I am not saying you should completely skip your yoga classes in a studio. Having a teacher who will correct your poses is very important, as correct alignment in Yoga is key. I personally was scared of inversions in the beginning and could not imagine being able to perform a head stand alone. With my teacher’s guidance and presence I can now do it by myself and I am no longer scared of it. So the best combination is probably to do your Yoga at home on a regular basis and to make sure you go to a class in a Yoga studio every now and then. When practicing at home make sure you do it in front of a mirror in the beginning and constantly check your alignment!
I love my home Yoga with Ali, it really is the time I take to be just with myself to work on some of the poses, to stay in certain poses as long as I feel like it, and to meditate as long as I want. This is the privilege of the home practice, you go in your own rhythm, no one is pushing you and you are not competing with anyone.
One of the greatest things in Yoga is that you can do it everywhere! You don’t need special equipments; your body is your tool to achieve mental and physical fitness. All you need is a mat (sometimes not even that) and you are ready to flow!
Do you practice Yoga? Have you tried practicing Yoga at home? What is your experience with it?
Very nice blog. Really informative and helpful. Thanks for sharing this and keep up the good work. Very much appreciated.
wow Vesela is that you,
gorgeous
It is really amazing how Ali is changing so many lives.
Hello,
I have started practicing with Ali one month ago. I know exactly what you’re talking about! I used to do a lot of gymnastics when I was younger, but as I grew older I got injured more often. It felt like my body was worn out. I wanted to stay in shape, so I started running. 10 Km, 15Km, twice a week, three times.. It was never enough and eventually I overtrained again.. And then I stumbled on to Ali’s you tube lessons as I was searching for some stretching exercises for my injured hip. It felt like coming home! I am 42 now, but I am truly amazed how Ali’s class got my strength and flexibility back. Every week I take a guided class to check on my alignment and posture.
Thank you Ali! Greetings from Belgium.
I been feeling a connection and a change in me. I discovered Yoga not sure how I think the universe lead me to it. I saw a book and I purchased it. From that time I knew that this was for me. I have put if off and not practiced but someone reason it keeps entering my life. I think I just found out why. Now I am totally committed to this relationship. Thank you for sharing how you got good at home. The only way I felt I could be good was through expensive classes and clothing. Now I feel its okay to just be me and go with the flow.
Your words “you can do yoga anywhere” really resonated with me. Thanks to yoga I’m able to destress + stay fit while in the hospital caring for my mom! I found Ali a few weeks ago and with her guidance I’m connecting with yoga + myself + my body in a whole new way. It is sustaining me through this heavy time + my mom gets a kick out of watching me practice. I can lose it all + find it all right on my mat.
Thanks you for sharing your journey. Very motivating!
-Emily
Emily this is so good to hear! I really believe yoga can help through difficult times, it really is a great tool to connect with your true self on a deeper level.Thank you for this touching comment and I hope your mom gets better soon! x
I have been practising yoga at home, I feel great and much more alert after each class, but I feel at times that it does not help in losing weight, is that true?
HI Jaclyn,
great yoga makes you feel this way! I personally find yoga is a great way to maintain my weight and tone my body. If you want to lose weight, you should focus more on yoga that makes you sweat and has cardio elements to it. Ali has great classes for weight loss. If it is not enough, combine your yoga practice with cardio training, such as running and swimming. Hope this helps! 🙂
Thanks for your prompt reply :). Have started Ali yoga workouts and boy I feel it’s almost like cardio. Still trying to get into some of the positions thou. How long did it take before you could jump into a headstand?
Great article, thanks for sharing! I am on my own path of discovering yoga and have been doing Ali’s yoga workouts for about six months. I do 3 or 4 of her different routines regularly. Because of my life situation, I can’t take yoga classes on a regular basis, so I am learning almost exclusively through Ali’s videos, and it’s working. I would be curious to hear about how you evolved with her workouts, which workouts or types of workouts you did early on, weekly routines, etc. You might want to consider writing a part two to this blog, perhaps outlining in some detail how you were able to advance with your yoga practice using these videos, I think it would be of great benefit to many.
Great idea Eric! I’ll write a part two with more details. 🙂 Thanks for your comment.
Can you advise on what kind of food would be best before we start our first Yoga class?
I will try and make sure all the food I have eaten has moved along the digestive tract far enough that the stomach is totally empty.
Hi Emily. It is important that your stomach is empty when you practice yoga. If you have just eaten something heavy or are still good full it might make you a bit uncomfortable, especially with the twisting or inversion poses…
I normally do my yoga at least two hours after I have eaten. If you are hungry though, you should eat something to make sure your blood sugar is not too low. Otherwise you might feel dizzy and light-headed. I would recommend you to eat bananas, drink a nice smoothie with chia or hemp seeds, or eat an avocado salad. A couple of dates 15-30 minutes before yoga work as well.
I have a favourite smoothie I love to make myself before yoga if I feel a bit hungry. I will post the recipe here soon! 🙂
Thank you very much for your quick reply. I love your blog! I will come back again to check what is your favourite smoothie before yoga 🙂
It has been exactly an year since I have been practicing yoga with Ali through her videos in India and I absolutely love it…I was into lot of running but the high I get out of YOGA with Ali was nothing that I had experienced before…I thank god everyday that he sent ALI for all of us like me who can benefit and learn yoga at our home and at our own pace…god bless her . You have written a wonderful article which echos exactly the same thoughts but in a much better way..Namaste.:)
Wow, it feels so good to read your comment! Her yoga style is amazing. I have never left the mat feeling bad after a session with her. It is a truly uplifting experience every time, and no wander it makes you feel “high” 🙂 Thank you for the kind words. Namaste
I also practice yoga with Ali at home. And just like you loved running – but I noticed that the competition and getting heavier and longer running workouts destroying my psyche and body. Now i recover balance. Thanks to yoga and Ali. Great blog! 🙂 I’m going to visit you 🙂 Greetings from Poland.
thanks ….have a great day…:)
Thanks for your comment! It is great to hear you found your balance, I feel the same way! 🙂 Greetings from Luxembourg!
Ali is the BEST 🙂
yes, she is 🙂
I love Ali’s teaching style!
I practice yoga at home with Ali Kamenova too. its great!:) I like like like it.
We should create an Ali Kamenova fan club! 😉
I practice yoga at home, I love it! Enjoyed your post 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 Keep up with your yoga practice!