See general instructions about yoga practice.
Makarasana
Lie on your belly, bring arms forwards, fold hands at elbows and place them near your head. Keep your forehead on your hands and relax your neck. Spread your legs with soles facing upwards and outwards. Try to touch your entire body to the ground and relax your legs and every other part of your body. Close your eyes with face down towards the floor. Do not strain your muscles and keep on breathing normally in this comfortable position (crocodile pose). Concentrate your mind. Bring legs together, unfold hands and come back to the original position after adequate relaxation.
Shavasana
Lie on your back and spread legs apart with relaxed feet. Place hands a little away from your body with palms facing upward. Keep fingers a bit flexed and spread a little apart. Tilt your head on one side and close your eyes. Breathe normally and focus your attention on your body. Make a deliberate attempt to relax every part of your body from head to toe. Concentrate on breathing while relaxing your entire body. Breathing becomes slower as the body relaxes. A focused mind without any thoughts and a relaxed body without any strain lead to a soothing state of total relaxation (corpse pose). Try not to sleep. Make up your mind to release the asana after adequate relaxation. Open your eyes, straighten your neck, bring your legs together and get back to a sitting position with the help of one hand.
General instructions about exercise
Do exercises in fresh, pleasant environment.
It is better to exercise on empty stomach (morning/evening).
Do not eat anything for about an hour after exercise. Sips of water or other fluids are allowed.
Wear comfortable cotton clothes during exercise.
Use proper footwear during exercise. Use of sports or canvas shoes recommended.
Breathe in and out normally from nose. Avoid mouth-breathing.
Concentrate on your exercise and exercise slowly. Never exercise hastily; do not jerk your joints.
Rest for a minute or so if you feel fatigue.
Concentrate on the joint or muscle group for which you are exercising.
Learn exercises, especially those for shoulder, from a physiotherapist.
One should feel relaxation of muscles after exercise. Increase in pain after exercise may indicate wrong method. Stop exercise and meet your physiotherapist again in such situation.
Be relaxed and maintain proper posture during exercise. It is good to look into a mirror during initial days of exercise.
Maintain a posture for about 10 seconds and return back slowly to resting position.
Start low - for some minutes - and increase your work-out gradually.
Exercise one sided limbs at a time initially. Simultaneous exercise for both limbs will be possible after some days.
Exercise twice each day. Regularity is of utmost importance.
Look for a friend if exercising alone gets boring. Exercise accompanied by music is quite entertaining.
Balanced diet is also necessary appropriate benefits of exercise. Meal timings should be strictly adhered to. Consult a dietitian for reducing weight.
General instructions for yoga practice
Yoga postures should be practiced in a clean and fresh surrounding. Do the asanas on a soft and clean mattress. Use clean, light, loose and minimum clothing.
Do the asanas in morning or evening on empty stomach. Eat light food half an hour after completing practice.
Warm-up, in the form of Soorya-namaskar is desirable prior to asanas.
All movements should be gentle and controlled. Do not jerk your body. Do not over-stretch. Do not use any force to overdo.
Watch your breathing. Breathing should be easy and natural. Exhale while you bend forwards and inhale while bending backwards. Never hold breath.
One should be comfortable in any asana. Do whatever little you can. Do not try to overstretch to attain a pose as given in pictures. Trembling during asana implies overdoing.
Steadiness is of utmost importance. Period of staying in a single pose will increase with practice. Try to contract only those muscles that are required for a particular pose while relaxing all other muscles.
Draw your mind away from your body and concentrate on breathing on attaining desired pose.
Select and practice a few asanas and try to master them.
There should not be any pain, fatigue or sweating during asanas. Do a resting asana if any of these appear. One should feel enthusiastic after a yoga session.
45 minutes of yoga practice each day is desirable. Pranayama may also be done for a few minutes. Regularity is the key to success.