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Finding a Good Yoga Class
You’ve decided to take advantage of the numerous health and mental benefits of yoga and you need to select a good yoga class. You must use caution and not just join any yoga class. As beneficial as yoga is, many people easily become injured because they aren’t in the right class, or because their instructor is rather careless. Here are some tips to help you choose the right yoga class for you.
First, you need a beginner’s class for yoga. You don’t just need a class that claims it is for beginners. Check with your local health club, or your local YMCA, to see if they have beginner’s classes available. If so, ask if you can sit in on a class for observation, without actually participating, to see if you want to join the class.
Sitting in on a class is important, as it gives you the opportunity to see how the instructor leads the class, how much attention the instructor gives to each individual participant and what is expected of you as well. When you are participating in the class, instead of observing, you may miss important details that would otherwise make you not want to take that particular class. Observe first – without participating.
Next, talk to the instructor. Find out what their credentials are. Ask about their experience. Ask if they’ve had any experience with specific health problems you may currently have. This person is going to be helping you to put your body in strange positions, and you want to be sure that they are qualified to do so, without injuring you. Find out if the instructor is a member of the Yoga Alliance, and double check their membership through the Yoga Alliance website as well.
At this point, if you are feeling pretty good about what you’ve seen, and what you’ve learned of the instructor, ask about an introductory class. Often, you can take one class, either for free or at an extremely reduced rate, without having to sign up for a long term commitment. This enables you to experience the class first hand, through participation.
Don’t expect it to be easy, and don’t expect to be able to do all of the postures on the first try. Yoga takes practice, and this is something that the instructor should explain to you as well. Just do the best that you can, and if you feel that something is actually going to cause you injury, do not do it – no matter what the instructor says. Only do what you are mentally and physically comfortable with doing.
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