Yoga Tips for Beginners

There's a reason yoga is one of the most widely practiced forms of exercise on the planet. Once you try it, you won't want to stop!

Get a mat you love

Finding something that matches your style is important, so invest in a yoga mat you won’t mind looking at for up to an hour or longer at a time. Read reviews to make sure you don’t get a mat that is described as “slippery”. You want something with good grip, not too thin (1/8 inches or more in thickness), and in your price range. You don’t have to shell out a fortune for a good mat—amazon has competitive pricing, you just have to look!

Relax your mind

Some of the best benefits of yoga aren’t even physical – they’re mental. That’s right, studies show that people who do yoga have better concentration, lower levels of anxiety and depression, improved memory, and feel overall happier than those who don’t. Don’t forgetto focus on your mind, not just your body, when you’re doing your practices. I promise you, you’ll feel a million times more relaxed after even just thirty minutes of yoga.

Start with youtube videos or single session classes before commiting to a membership

Most places offer free trials of their classes, so you can dip your toes in before purchasing a full membership. So much of yoga depends on the instruction, aka how you like the teacher, the environment, and the style of yoga. You might hate bikram (hot yoga), but love vinyasa flow. You might feel cramped at one studio, but love the close-knit feel of another. Try a variety to see what you like, before locking yourself into classes, to ensure that you get the most out of your practice.

Don’t give up

Don’t let all the yoga-master moms perched in insane yoga poses fool you–yoga is hard. It forces you to move, bend, stand, and balance in ways you might not ever have done before. It can sometimes be frustrating. The key is to stick it out until you see improvement The feelings of easing into a pose you’ve never succeeded in before (even if it’s just touching your toes for the first time) is addictive. You’ll want to keep pushing yourself to get better and better, you just have to give it a little bit of time.