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Dear FitSugar,
I recently decided that yoga would be something I'd like to try. I understand that taking a class to learn the basics is important and a good way to see if I would like it or not, but I am just terribly shy and would much rather start this practice at home. How should I go about starting my own practice? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
—Yogini in the Making Margaret
I totally understand being a little apprehensive about walking into a yoga class for the first time. So before you jump right in, I recommend renting or buying some beginner yoga DVDs. Try a couple different styles to see which one appeals to your needs.
To see a short list of my favorites and a few more pieces of advice just read more:
Shiva Rea — Radiant Heart Yoga: This Vinyasa-style DVD is extremely slow and gentle. It incorporates a lot of basic postures and touches on the spiritual aspect of yoga.
Beryl Bender Birch —The Practice: This incredibly patient instructor demonstrates and talks you through the poses of primary series in Ashtanga Yoga. This style of yoga is pretty fast paced and focuses on opening the hips, hamstrings, and lower back, so it's great for runners, skiers, and other active folks.
Power Yoga — Total Body (with Rodney Yee): A Vinyasa-style workout that's a little more challenging than the Radiant Heart DVD.
You can also check out these FitSugar videos: Sun Salutation A, Sun Salutation B, Fierce Sequence, Stretch Those Tight Hips and Hamstrings and Jump Through With Blocks.
Those are all great to start out with, and as soon as you feel comfortable, I suggest taking a beginning level class. You'll practice along with other people who've never tried yoga before, and the instructor will explain things thoroughly, demonstrate the pose slowly, and answer any questions you may have. You'll learn so much more from watching other people practicing and by listening to their questions. Plus the instructor will be able to let you know if you're doing the poses correctly (so you avoid injury). I hope this helps!
Sephora
theOutnet
Aminaka Wilmont
There are also yoga podcasts on i-Tunes. You might check out a five minute tutorial on a pose or something and see if you like it.
Good luck!
I just started doing a yoga video with my boyfriend this week.
1How about the videos on http://www.yogatoday.com/?
2I also recommend Yoga Today. They always have beginner classes available, and each instructor teaches a different style so you can get a nice variety. I've been using that website for over a year and it's awesome.
3That's an amazing website Lizzard214! Thanks so much! I'm defiantly going to try it!
4Whoa that site is awesome!!
5Thank you for your recommendations, fit! I have a few yoga videos, but they're too advanced for me. (And I too, am not comfortable, with starting in a class.) I'm netflixing.
6Great!
7Those suggestions were great for helping a beginner get started in yoga. I am very shy also, so I can sympathize, but don't be too afraid of going to an introductory class. The point of doing yoga is to focus on you and your well-being and not if someone is watching you. Don't worry if you can't do all the poses like everyone else in the class or about looking silly-- everyone else is doing the same silly thing too! Good luck and have fun!
8I do think you should try to get to an intro yoga class as soon as you can though, because it is definitely beneficial to have someone watch you and tell you if you are doing it wrong. The TV isn't going to start talking and say "hey, no, you are supposed to move your leg like this!"
9I totally understand not wanting to go to a class, this year I decided to practice yoga with a book instead of registering to a course (getting out of the house after work was getting too difficult and I often end up simply missing class to stay in; also classes around my house are too expensive for me).
But as everyone else said, I'd def recommend registering with a class at some point, or maybe starting with taking a class for some months and then keep practicing on your own. I'd done some yoga, tai-chi and qi-gong on and off some years ago (my dad's a qi-gong instructor, it helps!
), so I feel much comfortable working on my own with a book - I've noticed I automatically apply what I learnt about concentration and
especially how to breathe (even though I probably make tons of other mistakes). I think it might be easier to start yoga without the mistakes and then go on your own, instead of starting on
your own and then trying to get rid of your bad habits.
Also I was surprisingly happy of the atmosphere in my yoga class. I'm super shy, too, but really, no one pays attention to you. It's all about focusing on yourself more than how other people do their moves, and I think everyone is trying to relax and remember each move instead of looking at other people.
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