What I would do if I had to start my Yoga Practice again

If I had to go back to the beginning of my yoga practice and become a beginner again, here’s what I would do:

Set an Intention

Firstly, it’s important to get clear on your reason for wanting to start yoga. This will help to guide you in the direction to go in. For example, if my goal was to become more flexible, then I would set a target for how often I’d practice as well as the style I practice around this particular goal. This would look different to if my goal was simply to relax more where I’d opt more for restorative and meditative classes. Get clear on why you want to practice you and let that be your compass.

Start with the basics

I know how tempting it is to dive straight into a main class you stumble across at your local studio, but this can become very overwhelming. I highly recommend starting with a beginners programme whether online or in person. This is a great way to get comfortable with the basics of the practice so when you go to a main class you can feel comfortable on your mat and you’re less likely to cause any injuries.

Experiment

Once you’ve set the intention for your practice and are more comfortable with the basics, go out there and try different styles with different teachers to find the one you love. We usually always end up finding our favourite teacher and style, but see who and what resonates most with yourself and your intention. I didn’t enjoy my first class and it almost deterred me from going back as I thought this wasn’t for me, but then a friend convinced me to try her favourite yoga class and that’s what got me hooked!

Use Props

I remember my first class I taught with a particular sports team. They were all macho men who were used to being competitive in their field, however they had never done any yoga before and 80% of them could not touch their toes. So, I said if you can’t touch your toes use your yoga blocks instead, they all looked around to see who was doing it and the ego got in the way and they wanted to struggle instead. I of course changed my approach and made sure they used them, and when they did it became so much easier for them. My point here is, don’t let your ego stop you from getting more support in your class even if that looks like grabbing a block or a strap. These are your best friends in your yoga practice, especially as you begin.

Practice, Practice Practice

You’re not going to become an acrobat overnight, keep practicing and you will start to see the results you’re looking for. You will however, notice certain benefits right away such as a calmer mind, a sense of well-being and what I like to call that post class yoga high. Keep at it and fit it in when you can.

If you want to get started, I have a brand new FREE 5 day Intro to Yoga programme coming out on Monday 20th November. We’ll be diving into some of the classes I teach and giving you a little taste of what you can expect on the mat. This is a perfect way to dip your toe in to the world of yoga.

Want to try for yourself? Simply sign up here to our mailing list and receive the email with your access when we go live.