How To Find Yoga Classes for Beginners

Thinking about whether or not to get into yoga? That’s always the first step in deciding on a new lifestyle habit. When you opt to enter the wonderful world of yoga, here are a few tips to get you started on enjoying yoga’s many benefits:

1. Pick your yoga. There is a great deal of yoga types out there, from hatha to bikram. Each of them has their own signature style, and you’ll want one that matches your personality and needs. You’ll also want to find one that you’ll be physically fit enough for.  Go through the Internet and research the various styles. A quick Google search for "yoga types" will open up a few links to pages that detail the differences to each type. If all else fails, try looking up the Wikipedia entry for "yoga." Hatha and vinyasa class are usually recommended for beginners, and are useful in stepping to the more advance types.
2. Find a class to go to. Once you’ve decided on a type of yoga, go out and find one in your area. You’ll find flyers lying about town, often at community centers, gyms, health and nutrition stores, and in alternative newspapers. You can also check out health magazines for listings. Some yoga websites have helpful features that show you how to find yoga classes in your area. Things to consider when picking out a class are location, schedule, and level of expertise. You’ll want one that’s relatively close to home for a more relaxed experience. You’ll also want one that will fit your schedule, preferably a class that’s held after work or school. Since you’re just starting out, pick a class that has a beginner’s level of expertise. You want to ease yourself into the habit, not shock your system with yoga.
3. Bring the essentials. As a beginner, you’re not expected to bring anything but the comfortable clothes on your back. Yoga is a relaxing way to pursue a healthy lifestyle, so things are kept simple at the beginning. Once you start getting serious about yoga, you can bring a yoga mat for your comfort. If weight loss is a concern of yours, you can also try specialized yoga bodysuits to help you sweat the extra weight off.
4. Expect this. In most yoga classes, you’ll be asked to set up a mat (most yoga studios let you rent if you don’t own one) facing the teacher’s mat. Give yourself some allowance for space, just so you don’t end up bumping into your neighbor. While waiting for the class to start, you can either sit cross-legged or meditate, or do some light stretching.

The teacher will then start the class with either the chanting of "om," breathing exercises, or short meditation. You’ll continue with some warm-up poses before going to the more advanced ones. The class will end with some stretching and relaxation. You may find your body feeling a little sore from the exercise, but you’ll eventually get used to it.