It’s very important for someone embarking on a yoga practice to learn how to do the postures correctly and with proper form and alignment. Yoga is done in a relaxed way but that doesn’t mean that people who want to start doing it can do it whichever way they want to. Here are some common mistakes beginners make when they start yoga.

• Taking the wrong class : This is the first mistake beginners make. Whenever we start a new class, it is always a good idea to start from the basics, beginners class. Taking an advanced class right away is not going to help the beginners. I have seen people taking private lessons and once they learn proper poses and alignment, then they join proper classes.

 

•  Getting to know the instructor : If you’re going to a class, make sure to get there early enough to talk to the teacher in advance. It is always helpful if you let the instructor know about your health issues, restrictions or your purpose behind joining the class. This way you would be able to gain the most from the class.

 

• Standing in the wrong spot : Choose a right spot so you can watch the more advanced students in front of you without getting lost or passed over by the instructor. Don’t start at the back thinking that you are new and you will disturb others.

 

• Clothing matters : In any exercise, appropriate clothing is very important. Yoga is not fast like aerobics but it also requires proper clothes. It’s best to wear form-fitting, supportive clothing that isn’t too restrictive so you can still breathe. I prefer wearing either Yoga pants and a proper fitted t-shirt. It allows me to stretch and bend comfortably.

 

• Being insecure : You don’t have to feel inferior just because you are new in the class. Remember, you are doing it for yourself. Yoga isn’t about being super bendy or performing flexibility, it’s about connecting your mind with your body through your breath.

 

• Coming to the class with a different mindset : Many newbies come to the class with a different mindset. They feel they are mostly going to do meditate, or will be doing some asanas. But Yoga classes are not just about meditation.

These are some of the mistakes, I feel, beginners make when they start Yoga class. The most important thing about Yoga is to regulate breathing and doing it for yourself.

This post is a part of Blogchatter Project Season 2