Yoga practitioners everywhere bring their own unique style and passion to their workouts, and that is what makes yoga great, the ability to customize a workout to your own individual needs. As you become more experienced, it will be easier to identify which styles best suit you. For beginners, yoga workouts typically consist of trying to maintain a variety of asanas, or postures, and as your skill level increases, you move into vinyasas, which is a flow or sequence of postures. The following warm-up routine is geared towards preparing yoginis for that next challenge.

Regardless of your experience, warming up before any kind of workout is recommended, and of course, the more strenuous the workout, the more you need to warm up. For beginner yoginis, 3-5 different stretches targeting the major parts of the body (neck, arms, legs and back) should be sufficient. These movements should be executed slowly and deliberately since this is just a warm-up. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Leg Stretch – Begin by lying on your back with legs bent, feet flat on the ground. Your head should rest comfortably on the ground. Use a pillow if needed. Raise either leg as if you were trying to touch the ceiling with your foot. Use both hands to grab behind your leg where you can comfortably reach, and gently pull your leg toward your torso.

• The Hoola Hoop Stretch – Plant your feet about shoulder width apart with knees slightly bent, your arms hanging loosely, and begin moving your hips as if you were trying to hoola hoop. Another useful visual is to imagine you were inside a giant barrel that is as tall as you are. You are trying to move your hips around the inside of the barrel without actually touching it. Make clockwise and counter-clockwise circles about 12-15 times each. This stretches your hips and lower back.

• Dog and Cat Stretch – This particular stretch is very similar to the yoga asana. Begin with the “table pose”, or as I like to call it, the “baby crawl” pose. Your back should be as parallel to the ground as it can be, with your head facing the ground. Exhale as you arch your back and slowly drop your head. Then, inhale as you allow your midsection to drop, and raise your head, looking towards the sky without overextending your neck. Focus on deepening your breathing as you alternate between each pose 10-12 times.

• Wood Chopping - Similar to the asana of the same name, this can be an intense warm-up depending on your physical conditioning, so check with a physician before doing this if you have any eye or heart conditions or high blood pressure.

Plant your feet about shoulder width apart with knees slightly bent. Place either hand in the other, inhale and raise your arms over your head as if you were wielding an axe. If you are comfortable, continue pushing your arms back until your hands are behind your back and your back starts to bend backwards slightly. Again, only go as far back as you are comfortable. Then, exhale as you begin to brings your arms back forward. As your hands pass over your face, bend at the waist, and continue moving downward as if you were chopping wood, with your hands and arms moving throught the space between your legs. Repeat this motion 12-15 times. You will find that as you are doing it you will be able to bend further in both directions as your body loosens up. This stretches you arms, back, and your upper leg, or hamstring, area.

• Neck Rolls - This should be a gentle stretch, particularly if you have any head, neck or spine issues.

Begin by standing comfortably, feet shoulder width apart, and head upright. Exhale while dropping your head forward, moving your chin toward your chest. Inhale as you return to the starting position. Repeat this 10-12 times. Another neck roll variation is a side to side stretch where you start in the same position and alternate between looking directly over your left and right shoulders. This stretch may be deepened by applying gentle pressure just above the ear opposite the direction you are looking. For example, if looking to the left, apply pressure with your right hand just above the right ear.

Each of these stretches targets a major part of the body, but there are literally dozens of stretches you could do to prepare you for a revitalizing yoga workout. Once you get a solid routine down, you should spend 5-15 minutes warming up prior to every workout. Best of all, these can all be done from the comfort of your own home. Be sure to come back for Part II of A Yoga Workout for Advanced Beginners: Asanas in Action!