Week one of my month long daily Yoga challenge

I have made it a priority to incorporate regular yoga practice, recognizing the multitude of benefits it offers for both the mind and body. The transformative effects of practicing yoga have played a significant role in my well-being, prompting me to kickstart this new year with a daily yoga challenge. 

This series is with "Yoga with Uliana" she's a fantastic Yoga instructor, I love her classes, and she has dozens of sessions available on her Youtube channel.

By embracing this challenge, I aim to deepen my connection with yoga and further its rewards. If you too are seeking to embark on a similar path, I hope my journey serves as a source of inspiration, motivating you to embark on your own yoga practice. 

Let this new year be an opportunity to cultivate wellness, and may you find the inner drive to embrace the transformative power of yoga in your own life.

Day One:

Screenshot from the yoga video on You

The first day of this year's Yoga series is titled Day 1 WELCOME - 15 min Full Body Yoga Stretch | 30 Day x 15 minute Everyday Yoga series.

It's a gentle class that includes poses that guarantee full-body stretch with standing forward bends and low lunge stretches.

Uliana encourages us to set intentions for this journey, mine was: being present.

This practice includes cross-legged and tabletop positions in addition to standing forward bend and low lunge stretches. 

Day Two:

The second day of this Yoga series is titled Day 2 MOVE - 15 min Full Body Yoga Routine | 30 Day x 15 minute Everyday Yoga Series.

It's a 15-minute yoga practice that includes stretching and strengthening the entire body.

I felt energized after doing this class, If you plan to do this session, please have a folded blanket or a towel to support your knees in tabletop and other kneeling positions.

Day Three:

The third day of my Yoga month-long challenge is titled Day 3 LET GO - 15 min Yoga To Release Tension In The Upper Body | 30 Day x 15 minute Everyday Yoga.

This Yoga session is suitable for beginners and people who want to release tension from the upper body.

All the poses in this class are seated and focus on relieving tension in the neck, shoulders, upper back, and wrists. 

I was feeling some aches in my shoulders and this Yoga video reduced them, I will repeat this practice when I need to improve my upper body mobility.

Uliana shows us how we can adjust some poses to be more suitable to our fitness levels.

Day Four:

The fourth day of this amazing Yoga series is titled Day 4 RELEASE - 15 min Lower Body Yoga Stretch | 30 Day x 15 minute Everyday Yoga Series.

This session focuses on the lower body and it made me feel so good, it released all the tension and made me feel a bit more flexible.

The poses target the lower back, hips, legs, ankles, and feet.

It's okay if you notice that one side of your body is more flexible or stronger than the other side, I noticed a difference too between my right and left sides.

This class started with lying on our backs in a supine position then seated and kneeling positions, and it ended with a relaxing child's pose.

Day Five:

The fifth day of the month-long Yoga challenge was definitely challenging but I enjoyed it and I'm proud that I made it.

This Yoga session is titled Day 5 BUILD strength - 15 min Full Body Yoga Flow | 30 Day x 15 minute Everyday Yoga Series.

It's the first strengthening practice of this Yoga series.

Uliana wrote "while many people associate yoga primarily with improving flexibility, it is actually an excellent way to build strength throughout the entire body without the need for any special equipment. "

The goal of this class is to improve balance and lower body strength in standing poses, work on the upper body and core strength through downdog and plank variations and strengthen the back with locust and cobra poses. 

I found the locust and cobra poses are the most difficult part of this practice.

Day six:

On the sixth day of this Yoga series,  the session works on improving balance and strengthening the lower body.

This Yoga practice begins with a series of half-sun salutations and standing poses to warm up the body.

This class is titled Day 6 STRONG & STABLE - 15 min Yoga For Balance And Strength | 30 Day x 15 minute Everyday Yoga.

Make sure to relax your shoulders and breathe deeply so your body knows it's safe and allows you better balance and more flexibility.

This Yoga class pushes your limits so please remember to modify any pose as needed, you can lean on a chair or on a wall to feel more stable.

Some of the poses can be difficult but by the end of this Yoga practice, you'll feel stronger.

Day seven:

The first week of the month-long Yoga challenge is completed, with a slow-flow class designed to stretch and strengthen the entire body.

This Yoga session is titled Day 7 SLOW FLOW - 15 min Yoga For Strength & Flexibility | 30 Day x 15 minute Everyday Yoga Series.

It begins with a standing asana sequence to warm up the muscles and get the blood flowing.

Then Uliana guides us through various poses to target different areas of the body.

Today's Yoga practice ends with seated and reclined poses.

I enjoyed this session and I'm excited that I reached the first week of my daily Yoga goal.

Important tips if you're starting your Yoga journey:

Don't compare yourself with others (we all have different levels of fitness and flexibility) 

Focus on your breathing (it gives a sense of comfort and safety for your body)

Be patient (don't rush the process and allow yourself to enjoy this journey)

Listen to your body (don't be too harsh on yourself, adjust the poses to be suitable for you, or skip any pose that is too much for your body, and find something to lean on for balance)

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