New To Yoga: Looking For Help

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hi everyone,

I’m a complete novice to Yoga but would like to start attending my local Ashtanga class on a regular basis. Is there any advice that you can give me for starting out?

Although my class is a beginners, I’m anxious that I don’t really know much in the way of Yoga Theory and don’t know how I should be breathing or whether I’m doing the poses correctly. It is quite fast paced, and I’ve found myself thinking that I would like someone to take me aside and show me some of the movements in a slower way so I can see how it’s done properly. I’ve only been a few times - and really enjoying it! - so I’m not sure whether this is normal and things just fall into place with practice or if I maybe need to do an Introductory course first to grasp the basics. I’m also concerned about getting into bad habits, but the instructor seems to think I’m doing fine so far, so maybe it’s me just wanting to do too much too soon!

Any advice would be really appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read all this too!

TIA.

#2

Hey Twinkle Toes, welcome aboard! I think in your shoes I would approach the teacher and ask for some help. Its pretty tough to give you that kind of advice over the Net. Maybe you could look for a Hatha class too? Slower and less “power” yoga to start. Good luck!

#3

[QUOTE=Alix;16672]Hey Twinkle Toes, welcome aboard! I think in your shoes I would approach the teacher and ask for some help. Its pretty tough to give you that kind of advice over the Net. Maybe you could look for a Hatha class too? Slower and less “power” yoga to start. Good luck![/QUOTE]

Wow, thanks for the super quick reply, Alix, much appreciated. I think you’re right. Maybe the beginners Ashtanga class is still a wee bit too much for a novice like myself. Another yoga studio near where I live offers a 10 week Introductory class, so perhaps I might be better off with that. However, my current Yoga teacher told me I was a ‘natural’ and I feel amazing after doing it - just don’t want to lose that feeling by switching to something else, if that makes sense!

#4

Hi TT-
You have to trust your teacher. If he/she says your doing great, most likely your doing great. Stay the course. If you don’t trust your teacher, then go somewhere else. If you don’t trust the new teacher, then it’s probably you and not your teachers (you need to trust yourself).

If you have to satisfy a need for added instruction as a beginner: ask your teacher if he/she offers private instruction or consult books, dvd’s etc…

Good luck with whatever direction you go!

#5

The current practice you have chosen IS a rapidly moving asana sequence. Obviously things that move fast(er) are exponentially more difficult to grasp as their speed increases. However, the sequence will be something you repeat over and over and you will, over time, become familiar enough with that such that you can begin to work on refinements. That presumes you have not imprinted mal-alignment into your consciousness, body, and poses in the interim.

I advise new students to begin a foundational practice then take up a “faster” practice once they can protect themselves in posture.

But each person has their unique path that (should) serve their life purpose (svadharma).

#6

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I have decided to enrol in a foundation yoga course so that I’m comfortable with the basics and will then take it from there. :smiley: Meanwhile, I will continue to attend the current Ashtanga class for the next few weeks until the foundation course starts. Hopefully will pick up more along the way and become more accustomed to breathing/poses etc.