Choosing a yoga class or style can be overwhelming as there are many, many different kinds available. But as a beginner, the options are easy to narrow down to find one that’s going to be just right for you. To make the process of choosing yoga classes as easy as possible, we rounded up the best yoga for beginners’ info on the internet.
Match your fitness level
You’ve heard of hot yoga? Yeah. Don’t go there just yet. Hot yoga is a demanding, exhausting form of yoga performed in a room heated to over 100 degrees. It’s a great detox, and you’ll feel like you’ve really had a workout, but for a beginner, it’s not the best introduction. It’s certainly something to aspire to if you’re interested later in trying a more demanding yoga style, but as a beginner, becoming acclimated to the culture and language of yoga is a better first step.
Know what you are looking for
What do you want from a yoga class? Stress relief? Strengthening? Increased flexibility? Deciding what it is you hope to gain from a new yoga practice can help you determine what to look for in an instructor or studio. Many yoga studios and fitness facilities offer several different types of yoga classes, some just for beginners, and these are the best places to look for support.
Watch online yoga videos
Not all yoga needs to be done in a studio, though, and one of the benefits of a new practice is that you can find many helpful videos on the internet to introduce you to different styles before you choose a studio or class. If your life is way too full of stress and tension, a meditative yoga practice may be your prescription for a healthier life. From there, building strength, improving balance, and increasing flexibility is an easy transition. You’ll find most of these types of classes offered in fitness centers and yoga studios everywhere. Yoga with Adriene is a super popular YouTube channel, but you can find a lot of good free beginner-friendly yoga videos online. You can decide to follow the video at your own pace and pace within your own body. Some videos offer many different poses for each row, but the order in which the poses are explained is also important.
Choose your yoga teacher wisely
When you’re ready to choose a class or instructor, you should be very picky. Yoga is intensely personal and can affect a person in profound ways, often in very emotional and spiritual ways. Your instructor and your classmates need to provide an environment in which you feel comfortable to be affected this way. A good instructor will be encouraging, not demanding the same result from every participant, patient, confident, and obviously at peace with herself. This is the kind of person from whom you will be able to learn and grow in your practice and your personhood. And that is the ultimate goal of yoga.
Take a class
Take the first step – it’s always the hardest, but with a plethora of yoga styles to choose from and the drive to make yoga a part of your life, that first step will seem like the best decision you ever made. Like everything, your first yoga class should be for you and your needs. When you join a class, ask the teacher what you’re doing and what you will feel after taking a class. Find a teacher that can support and encourage you to experience yoga but not dictate how you want to experience it.
Do not let your yoga aspirations overshadow you. Yoga is a lifestyle, not a passion or obsession. Your real passion, for fun and enjoyment, lies in other areas of your life.
