Thinking of trying a yoga for beginners class and want to know what to expect? Before joining a yoga class, I think the most important thing you should know is – this is not a competitive sport! We practise yoga for mindfulness and carve out some personal time for ourselves; we do not compare ourselves with the person on the next mat… If you’d like to compare anything, try comparing your own progress and you’ll be content.
A yoga teacher’s top tips for beginners
I’ve been teaching yoga for nine years and practising it for 35 – I’ve seen lots of beginners become long-term lovers of yoga, and they all get something different out of it. So here is my advice to help you get the best out of your first classes…
Find your breathing rhythm
In yoga we breathe in and out through the nose, and in Vinyasa we try to maintain a certain pattern in time with the flow of poses, which improves the connection between the breath and the body. Each class begins with focusing the breath – we try to control it by slowing it down and trying to make each breath gentle, which can increase the carbon dioxide levels in the blood. Sometimes we play with the rhythm and hold the breath and then sip it in small intakes, or practise certain patterns. The most important thing about breathing during a yoga class though is, keep doing it! If you lose the rhythm – don’t worry, if you need to open your mouth and take a good deep breath – do it. Controlling the breath can induce a little anxiety if it’s too restricted, and we absolutely don’t want to do that!
Let your body take the lead
Not flexible? Just listen to what your body is telling you. Ideally you’ll feel a little discomfort but that should never be pushed into pain. I offer different levels of each move so you can challenge yourself, but every day is different so don’t be disheartened if you chose to go back a level. The most important thing is that you don’t need to be flexible to begin yoga – it’s about improving yourself over time, not being the best of the best.
Equipment
The most basic equipment you need for a beginners yoga class is clothing you can bend and stretch in and maybe tuck into your waist band (and warm socks for the end). You can borrow a mat, blocks and anything else you might need for class from me, just let me know when you book your free trial. You can read more about the gear you could buy in last month’s blog, ‘Getting back to basics with yoga and mat Pilates equipment’.
Practice and patience, not performance
Yoga is all about how each movement feels to you, not how it looks and not how it compares to anyone else – we all wobble a bit in balances, we all groan a bit in stretches and we all have to take a moment to shake it out and catch our breath every now and then. It takes time for your brain and body to learn new movements and coordination, so be kind to yourself and give it time.
Stay to the end, and come again!
Yoga classes always end with Savasana – lying down time. It’s our final moment to relax, allow the body to process what it’s just done for you and for you to connect with the ground. It’s an essential element of yoga and you should feel great after.
Join me in yoga for beginners every Monday
My yoga classes are Vinyasa style, or ‘flow yoga’. Vinyasa connects the breath to the movement while we go from one pose to another creating a meditative sequence of poses. You can think of it as meditation in movement. I’d love for you to join me for your first yoga experience – all classes are easily modified for every level of ability, and people’s needs change all the time, so there’s always someone doing something slightly different.
If you’d like to ask any questions about yoga, you can message me, or contact me via social media.
Looking forward to seeing you in class – Jayne 🙏