How to find the yoga class that suits you
Ever been to a yoga class, came out and thought “that’s the last time i’ll do that…”
A lot of people do, finding the right pace, teacher, and vibe from your yoga class can be difficult. So in this blog, I am going to give you some tips on how to find the class that best suits YOU.
Just a PSA - it’s totally okay to move between teachers, classes and studios. Yoga is an exploration of the self, so you will get different experiences within different environments and you should be encouraged to chop and change until you find the right one 🥰
Why are you going to yoga?
Everyone has different reasons, all of which are valid. But you need to understand why you go to your yoga classes so you can find the class that aligns with your “why” the most.
Are you going to heal from a past injury?
Are you going to delve into spirituality?
Are you going to practice mindful movement and find stress relief?
Are you going for a social event?
Are you going to find stillness and practice meditation?
There are so many reasons why you might be going to yoga, try to get an idea as to why and then you can start to explore the different styles that best align with you.
The endless styles of yoga…
It can be quite overwhelming hearing all this yoga language and not understanding what it means. So let me break it down for you:
Hatha - Arguably the most well known and traditional style of yoga. It combines postures with breathing and meditation. A great all rounder.
Ashtanga - Much more structured, a set of sequences that are practiced with discipline, very physically demanding.
Power - A modern interpretation of yoga, fitness focused. More of a workout class.
Bikram - A sweaty yoga session performed in a hot room. Intense but unique experience.
Iyengar - Focuses on correcting alignment and posture.
Kundalini - A spiritual/energetic practice.
Yin - Restorative and restful practice.
Somatic - Movement therapy that helps improve mind-muscle connection.
These are only a few of the styles on offer in the world of yoga, but often the most popular. Try to pick one that best aligns with your “why”. For example, if you want yoga to be your time to relax - don’t pick Bikram…
Things to look out for in a teacher
Even as a teacher, this can be a hard pill to swallow, but not every teacher and student connect and that’s okay. I can’t tell you what kind of teacher you will like, but I CAN tell you some big red flags to look out for:
1) They shouldn’t publicly embarrass you.
2) They shouldn’t belittle your injuries or worries about the practice.
3) They shouldn’t ignore you during class
4) They shouldn’t push you to the point of physical pain or discomfort
5) They shouldn’t make you feel “less than” in any way.
Another point to note is that you should trust your gut, if they don’t do anything necessarily bad, but you just didn’t vibe with them - then listen to that instinct and find a new class.
Hope this post helps and remember - trying new classes is a good thing. You should practice new things, embrace “failing” and “being the newbie”.
I can’t tell you what yoga class to go to, but I PROMISE you - there is a class out there waiting for you ready to welcome you with open arms🤗🩷✨
