I've taken up yoga over 5 years ago and in some ways I still consider myself a beginner. In those 5 years I have found out a lot about different yoga styles, philosophy, picked up a yoga lingo, etc. And yet, when going to a new yoga class with an unfamiliar teacher, yoga style or different level, I sometimes freak out. So if that happens to me, how do those who've never done any yoga feel?...
When people ask me what I do and I answer 'I'm a yoga teacher', often a response I get is 'so you can twist yourself like a pretzel' or 'you're very flexible then' or 'I prefer LBT/running/zumba - more physical forms of exercising; yoga isn't for me', etc... As you can see, there's a lot of stereotyping involved. My answer is always the same - you have to try different teachers and yoga styles before you can confidently say that yoga is or isn't for you.
I won't bog you down with the different styles of yoga that there are; suffice to say that some styles are much more relaxing and meditative while others are much more dynamic and energetic. There's truly a style out there that suits every personality, fitness goal and gender (yes, yoga is suitable for guys too)!
When I first came face to face with yoga, it was purely out of boredom at the gym. I was lucky that the teacher happened to be amazing. I didn't care so much about the style, as I had no clue at that point that there were different styles, but I fell in love with it and never let go.
If you're a yoga virgin, I suggest you give it a go too - start easy, maybe with a beginner's class, although it's definitely not a pre-requisite to attending a yoga class!
When people ask me what I do and I answer 'I'm a yoga teacher', often a response I get is 'so you can twist yourself like a pretzel' or 'you're very flexible then' or 'I prefer LBT/running/zumba - more physical forms of exercising; yoga isn't for me', etc... As you can see, there's a lot of stereotyping involved. My answer is always the same - you have to try different teachers and yoga styles before you can confidently say that yoga is or isn't for you.
I won't bog you down with the different styles of yoga that there are; suffice to say that some styles are much more relaxing and meditative while others are much more dynamic and energetic. There's truly a style out there that suits every personality, fitness goal and gender (yes, yoga is suitable for guys too)!
When I first came face to face with yoga, it was purely out of boredom at the gym. I was lucky that the teacher happened to be amazing. I didn't care so much about the style, as I had no clue at that point that there were different styles, but I fell in love with it and never let go.
If you're a yoga virgin, I suggest you give it a go too - start easy, maybe with a beginner's class, although it's definitely not a pre-requisite to attending a yoga class!