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Beginner Yoga

Finding yoga classes, choosing the right eco friendly equipment, and what to expect for beginner yoga!

Deciding that you want to start doing yoga is the first step. It's easy to get stuck here, but don't be intimidated! Here is everything you need to know about beginner yoga to ease into enjoying the pleasures and benefits of yoga fitness.  Yoga for beginners is new and exciting, so embrace your new found passion!

1. Yoga Equipment: Choosing the right yoga supplies is important for the beginner.

Knowing the proper yoga equipment to use is important, and we have made the process easy for you. 

2. Yoga Classes: Yoga fitness can be beneficial to your mind, body and soul, and a class is the perfect place to learn.

Yoga fitness classes eliminate injuries you might sustain from working out on your own. Because proper execution of yoga exercises is important, its a good idea to sign up for a yoga for beginners class; which gives you the opportunity to have a professional evaluate and correct your form. Taking a yoga class helps you stay consistent with a regular schedule as well.

For most beginners, yoga aficionados believe a hatha class would be most appropriate. This is a basic style which teaches you stretches for yoga, breathing exercises, relaxation, and meditation. Hatha is usually slow paced, so if you are an active person who likes to move around more, look at other types of yoga that may better suit you. Once you've got the basics down, you can always try something fancier later.


Other ways to find yoga fitness classes

  • Look in your local yellow pages for yoga studios
  • Gyms offer beginners yoga classes, and more advanced classes
  • Check social networking site for yoga groups (i.e. MySpace, MeetUp, Twitter)
  • Ask colleagues who may be familiar with yoga
  • Visit our resources page 

3. Learn the right stretches for yoga at your level.

Now that you have found the type of yoga that fits your needs and chosen the proper environmentally friendly yoga equipment, we suggest that you enroll in a class until you are comfortable performing stretches for yoga on your own.

Free Online Yoga Resources

5. What if I have no access to yoga classes?

That's perfectly ok! If you don't have time to attend beginner yoga classes, then try our BEGINNER PACKAGE which includes the eKO LITE MAT, a yoga mat bag, and an instructional yoga DVD. Yoga can be done at home or any setting you prefer, such as in a park. Yoga DVDs are a great source to guide you through a nice session in the comforts of your home.

6. What to Expect

You may think your teacher calls out moves randomly or just to torture you (Split pose, anyone?), but there’s a method to the madness. “Good instructors carefully follow a sequence so the body is prepared for each subsequent pose and injuries are avoided,” says Cyndi Lee, founder of OM Yoga Center in New York City. According to Lee, a typical class goes through the following steps:

  1. Centering
  2. Warm Up
  3. Sun Salutations
  4. Standing Poses
  5. Balancing Poses
  6. Inversions
  7. Backbends
  8. Twists
  9. Seated Poses
  10. Shoulders Stand
  11. Savasana
  12. Closing

Yoga Poses

Dos and Dont's of Yoga

DON'Ts...

  • DON'T eat for two or three hours before class.
  • DON'T drink water during class, but have some before and after.
  • DON'T wear shoes or socks during class.

DOs...

  • Review yoga etiquette so you feel comfortable.
  • Tell the teacher it's your first class (you probably won't be the only one). Ask for help if you need it.
  • Look around and follow what other students are doing
  • Familiarize yourself with some beginners' yoga poses beforehand.
  • Come back in a few days for your next class!

As a yoga beginner, you'll want to focus on The Five Fundamental Principles of Yoga: proper relaxation, exercise, proper breathing, diet, and meditation. Once you've grown accustomed to these core principles, you'll find that you've developed a newfound and deeper appreciation for even the most minuscule aspects of yoga.

Make sure you have the right equipment for the job! Having the right gear will not only help you stay in the game longer by preventing injuries and helping you maintain the best possible form, but also potentially help you save our planet.

For every Jade mat purchased, you help plant a tree! When you buy a Manduka mat, part of your purchase is donated to an organization dedicated to educating others about living a sustainable, eco-friendly lifestyle! If you are unsure of what kind of mat you need for your particular class, check out our MATchmaker below or read one of our many articles to learn how to pick out your perfect mat!


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