Starting a Yoga Practice – Hugger Mugger

Although we don’t always like to admit it, we humans are creatures of habit. Our intentions and actions are often guided by our own habits and the conditioning of the culture as a whole. This applies to most things we do, even at the beginning of a yoga practice.

For example, fall is back-to-school time. We often get the bug of “getting back to business” when the leaves start to change. The other time of year when we are called to re-evaluate and start something new is the start of a new year. Either way, there will likely be many new students starting a yoga practice at these times.

Starting a yoga practice: some tips for finding the right class

So how do you find a yoga class that’s right for you? Here are some tips:

Ask your friends

Larger, better-funded studios have much more advertising power than smaller studios and teachers, so they are easier to find. They may also have great teachers, but huge classes don’t suit everyone. Ask your friends, relatives and work colleagues where they like to practice, as well as the professors and classes they like. They will probably have a good idea of ​​what you might like.

Start small

When you’re starting out, avoid huge classes. You may have to do a little research to find smaller, more personalized courses, as the people teaching these courses may not have the resources to advertise as widely as larger studios. But it’s worth looking for a smaller class, at least to start. Training with a healthy alignment is important, both in the short and long term. Healthy alignment helps you avoid injury now, but it also helps you practice in a way that will be sustainable for years to come. Smaller classes allow the teacher to be more attentive to each individual.

Try different teachers and studios

It’s okay to go to a studio right around the corner from your home or work, but be prepared to step out of your comfort zone a little. Your neighborhood studio may not be a perfect fit. Keep looking. There are many types of yoga and many types of teachers these days. Below is a list with brief descriptions of some of the most popular yoga styles.

Equip yourself

Although many studios have props you can use, it’s really nice to have your own yoga mat. Here is a guide to choosing the best mat for your practice. If you plan to practice at home, you will need not only a mat, but also blocks, a strap, blankets, and possibly a bolster. Here are articles that can help you decide which blocks and bolsters are best for you.

Do your research

Nowadays, the training and experience of yoga teachers is ubiquitous. New and young teachers may be inspiring with their enthusiasm for teaching, but they may not have developed the sense of possible misalignments like that of a more experienced teacher. Again, try different teachers, and once you find a few you like, there’s nothing wrong with continuing with more than one teacher.

Types of yoga

Hatha Yoga

Hatha Yoga is the basis for most styles of yoga in the United States. Physical practice and awareness of breathing are essential to the practice of Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga classes will generally be gentler and more meditative.

Hot yoga

Do you like heat, specifically 105 degrees? Hot Yoga might be for you. Many Hot Yoga practices follow Bikram Choudhury’s series of 26 poses. (If a studio is named Bikram, you can expect to practice this series.) Other Hot Yoga studios also practice other poses. Here are some tips for starting a Hot Yoga class.

Iyengar Yoga

Iyengar Yoga was formulated by BKS Iyengar, a teacher who lived in Pune, India from 1918 to 2014 and taught around the world. Iyengar’s well-known emphasis on alignment inspired him to invent yoga props: blocks, straps, blankets, sandbags and bolsters. Iyengar Yoga is the practice that inspired the creation of Hugger Mugger in 1986.

Restorative yoga

BKS Iyengar originated restorative yoga, but former senior Iyengar teacher Judith Hanson Lasater has taken this style of practice to the next level. The restorative practice uses props such as blankets and bolsters to support your body in deep relaxation. (Restorative yoga is not the same thing as what is often called “Restorative”, which is often a slightly less active version of Vinyasa Yoga (see below).)

Kundalini-Yoga

Yogi Bhajan introduced Kundalini Yoga to the world in 1968. Kundalini practices include postures, breathing techniques, chanting, and meditations to awaken the kundalini energy that originates at the base of your spine and winds through your chakras (energy centers).

Ashtanga Yoga

K. Patabhi Jois, an Indian teacher who lived from 1915 to 2009, developed Ashtanga Yoga. He and BKS Iyengar studied yoga with the same teacher as BKS Iyengar when he was a teenager. Ashtanga is a “flow” practice based on four series of poses of increasing intensity. Practitioners move from one pose to another.

Vinyasa yoga

Vinyasa is based on Ashtanga Yoga. It is also a fluid practice, where practitioners move quickly from one pose to another. Vinyasa practices such as Power Yoga are often done in a heated room to increase intensity.

Yin Yoga

Yin Yoga is one of the most relaxing styles of yoga and includes seated, supine, or supine poses in very long holds, ranging from 45 seconds to two minutes or more. Longer holds aim to stretch connective tissues such as tendons, fascia and ligaments to create greater flexibility.

Keep looking for a class until you find a teacher that really resonates. There are so many different teachers and practices today. If you don’t like your first class, keep looking. Chances are there is a yoga teacher or studio in your community that will inspire you to love yoga.

About Charlotte Bell

Charlotte Bell discovered yoga in 1982 and began teaching in 1986. Charlotte is the author of Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life: A Guide for Everyday Practice, and Yoga for Meditators, both published by Rodmell Press. Her third book is Hip-Healthy Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Guide to Protecting the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Pain (Shambhala Publications). She writes a monthly column for CATALYST magazine and is the editor-in-chief of Yoga U Online. Charlotte is a founding board member of GreenTREE Yoga, a nonprofit organization that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte plays oboe and English horn in the Salt Lake Symphony and the folk sextet Red Rock Rondo, whose DVD won two Emmy Awards.