A Practical Guide To Yoga Classes For Beginners

You’ve heard that yoga is great for you and you’d like to give it a try, but you’re not sure where to start. We get questions from new people all the time about yoga classes for beginners. There are a few key things that will help you to bring yoga into your life.

People try yoga classes for beginners for a variety of reasons. Maybe it’s physical, emotional, mental or all of the above. Setting aside time each week for breath and movement is a great choice for your health and longevity. The following will answer all of your questions so that you can get started right away.

Get Started with Yoga Classes for Beginners

Make an Appointment With Yourself

One of the great things about yourBuddhi is that we have a large library of classes with different teachers, class lengths and levels. Without a doubt, there is something for everyone, anytime and anywhere.

First decide how much time you can reasonably dedicate to yoga classes each week. You will start to feel a difference in your mood, sleep, strength and flexibility if you do yoga at least two times per week, and three makes an even bigger impact. However it’s important to start with attainable goals to keep your momentum going.

We have classes that are 20, 40, 60 and 75 minutes long. Longer is not necessarily better. What is best is choosing a class length that you are able to complete. It’s better to do a full 20 minute class rather than stopping a 60 minute class halfway through. So choose what you know you have the time and attention for.

If you stick with it, eventually you’ll find yourself wanting longer classes. So start with shorter classes once or twice a week and make your way towards the longer sessions more often. After a while, you’ll get into a nice steady rhythm. If you miss a few days, you’ll find yourself needing your yoga and you won’t be able to live without it!

Begin with Slow Flow

Even if you are extremely athletic, we recommend starting with our beginner yoga classes. These classes are called beginner and slow flow. The beginner classes are slightly easier than the slow flow but overall, they are both appropriate for people brand new to yoga.

The beginner yoga classes on yourBuddhi take more time to teach students how to properly utilize the breath. Breathing is almost always through the nose during yoga. This may seem simple but can be difficult at first. The more you do it, the easier it becomes.

Learning how to control the breath through the nose during movement will carry over into your day to day life. Your awareness of the breath increases and you’ll automatically start to slow it down during stressful moments. This is one of the many reasons yoga helps to reduce stress during class and in all the moments in between them!

Beginner and slow flow classes introduce and break down fundamental yoga poses. Explore different instructors on the site because all of them will teach the poses in slightly different ways. There are no “right” or “wrong” way to do a yoga pose. Once the joints are aligned in a safe way, breathing deeply and feeling your body in the pose will teach you an enormous amount. You’ll also improve your body awareness and you synchronize your breath and movement.

Create a Yoga Space In Your Home

Designating an area to do yoga is a nice way to more deeply commit to a consistent practice. It doesn’t have to be big, and you may need to move furniture each time you roll out your mat. But keep the mat and props (we recommend two blocks, a strap, a blanket and even a bolster) together so it’s easy to get going.

Simple rituals to accompany your yoga practice helps to make this time feel even more sacred and special. Take a bath before or after, light a candle, and/or choose some plant medicine to anoint yourself with before and after the yoga class. These added rituals are like flipping a switch in the nervous system saying “okay, it’s time to chill out and let go of everything.” Starting with a few deep nose breaths also does the trick, so keep it as simple or as ritualistic as you’re feeling on any given day. As Patthabhi Jois, the fonder of Ashtanga Yoga says, “do your practice, and all is coming.”

I’m Ready to Start with Beginner Yoga Classes!

You can begin on our classes page. Filter by time and type (beginner and slow flow) when you first start. Try different instructors and click the favorite button on the classes you like the most so they’re easy to access. No one ever says “I wish I hadn’t done yoga today.” It’s always a good idea, and setting aside time for it is an easy step on a path to a healthier lifestyle on all levels.