Yoga for beginners

Amanda82691
Amanda82691 Posts: 298 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Anyone have any tips for someone beginning yoga!?

I am incredibly un-flexible and I feel like a goof always doing the poses wrong when I am trying. I don't have a way to always see myself in a mirror. I try my best though. I just picked up piyo and I am beyond excited to try it. It's a combination of pilates and yoga for those who are not familiar. But besides piyo I would love to get more into yoga. Any tid bits or advice for beginners at home?

Replies

  • katkins3
    katkins3 Posts: 1,359 Member
    You may find beginner classes at a community center or YMCA. They have what they call beginner classes at my gym, but I tried them and asked if they had a pre-beginner class!
    You tube has many yoga videos. I like Yogamazing.
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,137 Member
    Don't worry about how you look, we all feel a bit goofy sometimes when you're contorted into a pose. Even though I've been doing yoga for ages, I do NOT look Instagram-worthy. :wink:

    If you can afford it I think you should go to a couple of beginner classes in a studio, just to ensure that you're learning the correct alignments. Only go as far into the pose as you can, don't push yourself to take the more advanced versions - it takes time! My yoga instructor always says "honour where your body is at today and take what is available to you" - i.e. don't force yourself into a backbend just because someone else is and it looks cool.

    You may find getting some basic props helpful - a strap and block can help you be comfortable as you work towards being more flexible. I have super tight shoulders so often use a strap because I can't join my hands in different binds. You can get them cheaply online. Here's an article which explains how they can be helpful http://www.bostonmagazine.com/health/blog/2014/02/21/common-yoga-props/

    Most of my yoga is done in a studio but I also follow a few youtube channels for when I want to do a home practice. Try Lesley Fightmaster and Yoga With Adriene.
  • debubbie
    debubbie Posts: 767 Member
    The Yoga Journal website had a 21 day Yoga Challenge for beginner's a couple of years ago and you can still find it online sometimes on YouTube. They had different videos for different body parts and did a great job explaining the poses and where you should be feeling the stretch at.

    Also you may want to invest in a few cheap ($5-10) full length mirrors from Wal-mart to help you see if you are performing the moves correctly.
  • cmt12345
    cmt12345 Posts: 64 Member
    Yes I agree, I think if you are able to go to a legit yoga studio at least once or twice to try a beginner class it can help you greatly with proper alignment and benefiting the most from your workout. I LOVE yoga, and of all the things I could go on and on about, I'll say two things. 1- there are SO many different types of yoga and teaching styles that there is a style of yoga out there for literally everyone; you just have to be willing to try all different kinds till you find what fits best for you. 2- never compare yourself to others. Your yoga practice is your own, and because it is often not seperated by levels, you might see people doing advanced practices, but that's ok. When you are first starting out, look at it as inspiring rather than discouraging :)
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