Posted on September 22nd, 2011

Question: I'm a little new to this.  I did hatha yoga years ago, not much recently.  After trying out a few different things, I've really found something I love - Kundalini yoga. Is Kundalini yoga safe for relative beginners?  I also tend to have tense neck and shoulders.  Sometimes I modify the movements by stepping and not jumping.  I've heard about Kundalini yoga being dangerous and that made me a little worried.  So far it's helping with my stress and insomnia, and I love it  Also, does Kundalini help with core toning?
Thanks! 

Answer:  Thank you for your question.  Kundalini is definitely a dynamic yoga practice and depending on the specific asanas, sequences, and/or breathing exercises, it can provide tremendous core toning.  We first encourage you to make sure you have no health concerns or injuries that could make Kundalini yoga could be contraindicating.  We always recommend consulting a qualified health professional before doing any yoga if you have concerns.  Some key health concerns to address would be high blood pressure, circulatory issues, respiratory issues, low blood pressure, joint injuries or conditions, and pregnancy.

For beginners, we recommend the following with starting Kundalini:
*Kundalini can have quick movements and transitions in twists, forward bends, and back arching ... please consider slowing the pace to your comfort level as well as to your level of body awareness.

*Kundalini involves extensive breathing patterns - listen to your body - modify and rest as needed (and even omit any holding of breath) - never feel obligated to do the entire exercise - and let your body adapt to the exercises gradually and progressively.

*For deep and/or quick forward bending, consider having bent knees to allow the motion to properly come from the hip joint and not the lower back – this can greatly reduce the incidence of lower back injury.

*Think small and modified at first - doing light versions of the exercises at first can offer great benefits still while allowing you to readily observe how your body responses – feel how your body responds during and after the practice.

Expert Q & A provided by My Yoga Online teacher and Co-Founder, Kreg Weiss.

Tags: Kundalini, Yoga Tips, Yoga, Wellness, Kreg Weiss, Yoga for Beginners, health, yoga injury, yoga expert

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