​Finding the best yoga videos is not as easy as you may think. Not all yoga videos are ideal for an effective home practice. In order to make sure you get the best yoga videos for your home yoga practice, here are a few things to consider:
 
Easy To Understand

First of all, a quality yoga video will be easy for you to follow. You should be able to understand what is being done, how the positions are achieved, how long you should hold each one, and how often you should do it. It should also be easy to follow into each subsequent move.
 
Secondly, videos should provide not only easy to follow instructions, but also easy to understand demonstrations. You should be able to, by watching, understand the basics of achieving each pose and each transition. You should also understand, from watching, the breathing patterns and focus. If you can understand the verbal instructions, but the demonstrations are unclear then your video is no better than a book on yoga.
 
Next, there should be easy modifications offered in the best yoga videos. Yoga can be difficult, so beginners to it may frequently need modifications to their practice so that they can better understand how to perform poses. No matter what your ability level may be, you want your video to be able to apply to you. Once you buy a video, it should be of use to you at every stage as you progress further into yoga. Choose a video that will grow with you.
 
Teaching Quality
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In a quality video, the yoga should be taught in a student centered manner. Though that seems like it should go without saying, you will see a number of yoga videos that are just a fancy way of showing off the instructor’s ability in yoga. Such videos do little if any good and in many cases may even be counterproductive for you. The idea of having the yoga video is to help your development, not to put you in awe of someone else’s level of flexibility or fitness.
 
Finding the best yoga videos can be easy when you have the tools above. Look for something you understand visually and orally, that you can use at any level, and that features a yoga teacher who explains the yoga poses clearly while staying student centered. When you find that you will have found the best of the best yoga videos for use at home and between private sessions or classes.

By practicing yoga regularly it may help in the treatment of high blood pressure, and may also help to lower blood pressure. Yoga asanas stable your blood pressure when it’s abnormally high. Asanas have favorable effects on the nervous system. By practicing certain yoga asanas you can not only lower your blood pressure, but also reduce the effects of hypertension on the other organs of the body.

There are a few categories of asanas which are recommended to lower blood pressure: forward bends, sitting poses, and some inversion poses.

Forward bends have the best effects on high blood pressure, so they can help you the most to lower your blood pressure. These exercises have a calming effect on the brain, the blood circulation to the brain is normalized, and they help you reduce the stress from the sense organs, things that lower blood pressure. So, the brain, the sympathetic nervous system and the sense organs are relaxed, the cardiac output and the pulse rate decelerate at the same time, and blood pressure stabilizes, so it lowers blood pressure when it’s high. Other asanas which have beneficial effects on the nervous system and help you lower blood pressure are Uttanasana (standing forward fold) and Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward-facing dog) , which have to be practiced with the head resting on props, so the blood circulates more freely into the aortic arch. These help you lower blood pressure.

Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose) and Virasan (Hero Pose) are some of the sitting asanas which can be practiced to get a lower blood pressure by the hypertensives, which in most cases are hard breathing. These poses eliminate the tension from the ribs and the intercostal muscles, so they help you to breathe with no difficulty, and lower blood pressure.
Other poses which may help to lower blood pressure are supine poses, like Supta Baddhakonasana which helps by relaxing the abdominal region, bringing overall calm to the body and nervous system.

Inversions asanas such as, Viparita Karanti (Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose) and Halasana (Plow Pose) revitalize the nerves, assure the control over the lungs and diaphragm, so if you practice these exercises constantly, you will get a lower blood pressure. Also useful are Shavasana and pranayama, which provide control over the automatic nervous system. As the senses and the mind are calmed, the blood pressure stabilizes, and in case of hypertension; leads to a lower blood pressure.
 

*The above information is meant for educational purposes only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always check with your physician prior to starting any yoga regimen.
 

With the increased interest people now take in yoga, it's no wonder that the market has been flooded with all sorts of products and accessories dedicated to yoga practice. Advertisements with the best yoga mat have become more than common; the so-called “best” mats often vary in price and quality. There are certain points to take into consideration if you are really set on buying the best yoga mat: the cleaning method, the way it stays on the floor after being rolled, whether it is sticky or not, its weight, life-span and even bio-degradable structure. So how do you begin to choose the best yoga may for yourself?

There are ways to find out whether the product you want to purchase is the best yoga mat you can get. In order to check the resistance of the mat to compression, pinch it between your fingers and compare it with other similar items. Then, focus on the resistance to moisture since there may be a lot of sweating during the yoga class. What is the traction of the mat when it is wet?  You can actually learn this by passing your hand over the mat surface after having wet it. All the details in the best yoga mat design should enable you to work the asanas undisturbed and comfortable.

Once you've purchased your yoga mat, it is good to learn how to clean it specifically based on the material. Some yoga mats become sticky when wet, while others cannot be squeezed, so, the question here is whether to use the washing machine or not. The mat label is the one to help you decide on the best way of cleaning your mat, as the manufacturer usually specifies such details. If there are no directions, then, that mat is definitely not the best yoga mat for purchase.
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For those more eco-conscious, choosing your yoga mat should be neither sticky nor PVC made, since these materials cannot be recycled. You may want to consider an eco-yoga mat that is bio-degradable once you no longer use it. The choice of the best yoga mats can also be influenced by the type and style of yoga you practice: Ashtanga yoga for instance requires thicker mats to absorb perspiration, whereas Hatha yoga works well with standard sticky mats. Understanding your style of yoga and your body's needs are the first steps to picking a mat that can best support you. Remember: it’s what takes place on the mat that matters most. See you on YOUR MAT!

​The practice of yoga can be beneficial to your mind, your muscles, and even internal functions like your digestive system. With so many benefits, it is no wonder that yoga’s popularity is on the rise. Before you begin, however, it is a good idea to have the right information to help you succeed and get the most out of the experience. Take these yoga tips into account as you begin your physical, mental, and spiritual journey.

Practice Makes Perfect

Practice your positions often. Yoga offers many benefits to your mind, body, and spirit, and these benefits may be maximized with regular practice on your own in addition to your classes and with your teacher. As a beginner, it is especially important that you practice so that you may see and feel the benefits early on. With yoga, the frequency with which you work on your positions is as important if not more so than the length of the practice sessions. Try to find a few minutes each day to do a little bit of yoga.

Make sure that you practice your poses correctly. Most anything you read, watch, or listen to about yoga will tell you to practice often, but one of the yoga tips that sometimes get skipped is that you must practice right. Make sure that each practice session extends you. Do not practice only your best poses, but also work on poses you struggle with as well. Such a practice will be more productive and give you the feeling of self-assurance that you seek with yoga.

Maximizing Your Potential

One of the more important tips for beginners is to let go of your ego. In order to fully maximize your yoga experience, you must forget about such things as impressing your teacher and classmates. One of the central ideas of yoga is self-study. To fully study yourself, you must try not to compare yourself to the teacher or other students, but instead, you should strive to maximize your own learning and improvement during each class and practice session.

Finding Yourself

During practice, remember what is important. The depths of your poses are not nearly as important as how deep you delve into yourself. In yoga, you learn about your inner attention. Be sure to use that attention when practicing and when with your instructor to get the most out of your poses even if you cannot get deeply into them physically.

Finding the Right Teacher

No number of yoga positioning tips can compete with having the right teacher. When selecting a yoga teacher, make sure you find someone with whom you feel comfortable. Your instructor should have good knowledge and work through compassion and respect for you as a person. No matter how many books you read or videos you watch, you will never get the feedback and encouragement that you will with the right teacher.

As a beginner in yoga, there are undoubtedly times that you feel a bit lost. That is okay. Hopefully, though, with these tips you will have an idea of what you need to do to feel more successful in your yoga experience. Yoga is not a religion, but in some ways it does become a way of life, and by following these tips you can start your journey toward that way of life on the right foot.

The word Setu Bandha comes from the Sanskrit word “Setu” which means Bridge; and Bandha meaning contraction or bind. Hence, when we try this pose our body looks like a bridge.
Setu Bandhasana is a great to pose that can help solve any number of ailments. From developing strength in your core and glutes (which helps alleviate low back pain) to opening the chest. Bridge Pose is an excellent beginning backbend which is a versatile pose to help learn proper alignment and strengthening for more advanced back bending poses. There are so many variations for this pose that anyone can practice it.

Getting into bridge pose
Lay on your back, bend your knees at ninety degrees and place your feet flat on the floor, hip width apart and parallel. You may choose to have a folded blanked under your shoulders to support your neck. Arms are by your sides with your palms facing down. As you exhale, press your inner feet and arms actively into the floor, and your pelvis up toward the ceiling. Slowly lift the buttocks off the floor.  Be sure to keep your legs parallel and not let your knees splay apart.

To take the pose deeper, you can roll your shoulders and chest open, and clasp your hands under your pelvis and extend through the arms to help you stay on the tops of your shoulders.

Lift your buttocks until the thighs are about parallel to the floor. Keep your knees directly over the heels, but push them forward, away from the hips, and lengthen the tailbone toward the backs of the knees. Lift the pubis toward the navel. Don’t move your head from side to side, but gently lift your chin way from the sternum slightly and open your chest by pressing the shoulder blades into the floor. This will allow you to press the top of the sternum toward the chin. Keep firming the outer arms, broadening the shoulder blades, and lifting the chest.

Hold the pose for 30 seconds or a minute if you can, and release with an exhale, rolling the spine one vertebrae at a time onto the floor.

Caution:
Those having injuries to the neck, shoulder and spine should not practice this pose.

Pregnant women should always consult a doctor in the last 6-9 months of pregnancy before practicing Bridge pose to avoid any complications.

Always consult a doctor first before beginning any exercise regimen, including yoga.

Savasana, also spelled Shavasana or Shivasana, means corpse pose. For many, Savasana may seem to be one of the easiest asanas, but that is not the case. Even though it may look very simple and non-beneficial, it’s actually the most important pose in yoga practice. It is the asana which gives you the opportunity to completely relax. As you lie down it makes you aware about your body and how each part of your body plays a very important role in your life.

As you go along meditating it relaxes each nerve of your body and improves your respiration which creates the areas for energy and vitality. It benefits mentally as well as physically, which helps in focusing your positive energy for a greater good. Mind and body should not waiver while in this asana. Full concentration is required and it may prove to be useful in times when you need it the most. A motionless mind and body helps you reach the level of optimum relaxation. Listening to a soothing voice or some chants may also help you reach that meditated level. 

Benefits:
The respiratory and circulatory system is cleared and opens to a more refreshing life. The overworked muscles tend to relax when you are in this asana. Every system in the body relaxes which gives them the breathing space to conserve energy and be more useful later on. It is very beneficial for people who are heart patient as well as suffering from blood pressure. It helps in improving your stress level and may also relieve you from slight depression. Minor problems like headache, fatigue and insomnia may also be reduced.
 
One of yoga’s most profound teachings is to cultivate a state of surrendering to the Divine. In Savasana, we get to practice this. Every time we lie in Savasana, we experience a feeling of letting go, accepting what is, and surrendering to the present moment. It’s a great time to cultivate this relaxed and enlightened state of being.