The popularity of yoga is ever-increasing, and more and more studios are opening up throughout the country. Classes are filling up fast, too. While this is great news for instructors, it’s not ideal for yogis. Mass-market yoga classes often skim through the basics and don’t provide enough groundwork for new yogis. Those who prefer not to practice in large groups feel a little out of place, too. If you’re one of them, you should consider taking private yoga classes instead. Private yoga classes allow you to work on the poses and stretches that make sense for you on your schedule and at your own pace. These private sessions allow you to ease into yoga in a safer manner, with proper alignment and a clear focus on your goals and needs.
If you're pregnant and looking for ways to relax or stay fit, you might be considering prenatal yoga. But did you know that prenatal yoga might also help you prepare for labor and promote your baby's health? Before you start prenatal yoga, understand the range of possible benefits, as well as what a typical class entails and important safety tips.
When you’re brand new to yoga, it can feel intimidating and be difficult to know exactly where and how to get started. Our Yoga for Beginners guide was created specifically for you—to give you all the tips, guidelines, and recommendations you will need to start a successful yoga practice. To ensure your success, we highly recommend you read this entire page before attempting any yoga.
What to wear to barre class depends a lot on your personal taste. It’s important to be comfortable during an exercise, so you shouldn’t feel the need to impress anyone with your barre outfit. Choose clothes that will allow you to focus on the exercise.
This yoga uses stretching, physical movement, breathing and other practical yoga techniques to help you achieve strong abdominals, back and improved posture. Often run a shorter class and can practice with the use of tools such as back straps, blocks and balls. Playing on the theory that everything works from the core out, it will focus on areas such as the abdominals, obliques, diaphragm, pelvic floor and back muscles.
Restorative yoga is a restful practice that is all about slowing down and opening your body through passive stretching. If you take a restorative class, you may hardly move at all, doing just a few postures over the course of an hour.