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Yoga and Nutrition: Tips & Articles

Tips for Beginning Your Yoga Practice

by Annie Kay MS RD RYT

Thinking of adding yoga practice to your lifestyle? Lucky you! Often the first exposure of yoga is a profound experience (but for those who have a poor first match, a decidedly not-so-profound experience). Here are some tips for what you can do before you take your first yoga class to increase your odds of having an enjoyable and beneficial experience.

1. Know yourself. Your age, fitness level, and relative interest in physical or spiritual development will all influence your best class choice. If you are 50 and out of shape, a level 2 Ashtanga class may be stressful enough to turn you away from yoga forever, while a gentle Kripalu class may start you on the path to actually enjoying the Ashtanga class once you have some experience under your belt.

2. Start slow. Choose a class that seems easy and doable first, and then progress to more strenuous styles or more advanced classes after you have learned a few basics. Many studios offer a series of basic classes.

3. Learn a little yoga lingo. If you are young and fit, more active styles of yoga may be a great introduction to the practice. These include Ashtanga, Bikram, Vinyasa, and Power styles. If you are older or less physically active, you might begin with Kripalu, gentle Hatha (usually a blend of styles ), Viniyoga, or another gentler style. Yin yoga and Slow-flow yoga tend to be deep and meditative with long holdings. If you enjoy an intellectual approach, you may enjoy the Iyengar style with its precise alignment and detail. Kundalini yoga features chanting and song, lots of fiery breathing, and postures which can be scaled up or down to match your physical ability. Ananda, Shivananda, and Integral yoga tend to feature spiritual development more than postures, but you will usually hear some yoga philosophy in any style of yoga, depending on the background and preferences of your teacher.