If you’re thinking about starting yoga but don’t really dare yet, this article is ideal for you. You always hear about people who fell in love with yoga after their first yoga class and immediately became enthusiastic yogis, but don’t worry if it wasn’t like that for you!
It wasn’t love at first sight for me either. It took me years to get excited about the practice. There were several reasons for this: I didn’t find the right teacher for a long time; I thought the whole thing was only fun if you were a contortionist, so to speak, and a few other things.
To make it a little easier for you to get started with yoga, I’ve put together my top 5 tips that will help you enjoy it even if you’re a complete newbie.
1. Define your Why
Be absolutely clear about why you want to start yoga. Knowing exactly why or what you’re doing something for will help you stick with it, even if your motivation wanes. And there are many reasons to start with yoga: Maybe you want to feel better physically, gain more strength and flexibility. Or you want to bring calmness into the monkey mind. Or maybe the acrobatic-looking poses on Instagram have awakened your athletic ambition. No matter what it is – stand by your goal and keep it in mind during low-motivation times.
2. Don’t be too proud
By that I mean: don’t be ashamed to go to beginner classes and use as many tools as you need. Blocks, straps & co. were made for just such purposes. They lengthen your arms or shorten your legs if you’re not yet agile enough to hold some poses comfortably. Modify even without aids and fully embrace where you are at in your practice. If you barely reach your knees in forward bend, so be it. Yoga is not a sport – it’s not about what a posture looks like, but only about how it makes you feel. And you can feel the positive effects right from the start if you get involved.
3. Be willing to experiment
Yin Yoga is too slow for you? Then try Hatha Yoga. You don’t like holding asanas for a long time? Then go to a vinyasa class. The yoga in your gym reminds you too much of gymnastics? Then find a yoga studio near you. Can’t warm up to the class leader? Then attend a parallel class. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different styles, teachers, and locations until you find the offering that best fits your why.
4. Find a yoga buddy
Maybe there’s someone in your circle of friends or family who would also like to start yoga. Team up. Getting started together is a lot less intimidating and it’s easier to stick with it.
5. Prefer on-site classes
Yes, it’s certainly very tempting to fire up a YouTube video of just 20 minutes at home and practice in your own bedroom first. However, especially as a beginner, you should hold off on that (for now). Why? First of all, it’s safer. You will be introduced to many positions that you are not familiar with. If you practice at home, there is no one there to correct you. In the worst case, you will practice for a long period of time with incorrectly set up positions and you will not do your body any good – on the contrary. Until you are more confident in your practice, it is a great advantage to be guided and corrected by someone. This will help you prevent injury and gain a deeper understanding of the exercises from the beginning. There’s also the fun factor. It is simply different to practice in a room with several people. And it’s not uncommon to make new contacts in the process.
Were these tips helpful for you? Is it difficult for you to define your why or to find a suitable style? Then feel free to write me – I’m happy to help!