| If you're new to yoga, you might not know what to | | | | whole series up front. |
| expect when you walk in the doors of a beginner's | | | | Take a look at your level of commitment, your |
| yoga class for the first time. You might not even know | | | | schedule and your budget and decide whether a |
| how to start in choosing a beginner's yoga class to | | | | drop-in or a series class is better for your needs. |
| attend. Here's a "how to" checklist. | | | | 3. Make sure the teacher has adequate training. |
| 1. Nail down your goals and find the right style for you. | | | | Yoga is now a significant contributor to sports injuries. |
| Everyone comes to yoga for different reasons. | | | | This can be attributed to two things: students pushing |
| Sometimes these differences are slight, other times | | | | themselves too hard for perfection and inadequate |
| they're vast. | | | | training of instructors. |
| For instance, are you interested in an intense physical | | | | Don't be shy in asking your potential instructor about |
| workout to throbbing music, or are you on more of a | | | | their background. There are certifications for teaching |
| spiritual path towards (quiet) enlightenment? Are you | | | | "gym yoga" that an instructor can get in a long |
| attracted to yoga because of its health benefits, and if | | | | weekend. A three day training is just enough to make |
| so, is it physical or emotional health you are most | | | | someone dangerous. That's not to say that some of |
| interested in? | | | | the people who start with such certifications don't turn |
| Are you interested in the philosophy and rich traditions | | | | out to be excellent instructors by dedicating |
| of yoga, or are you on the other extreme and wouldn't | | | | themselves to practice and increasing their knowledge |
| be caught dead reciting a mantra? | | | | over the course of months and years. |
| Whatever your personal needs and proclivities, there's | | | | There are of course people who teach yoga with no |
| a yoga for you. If several flavors of yoga are offered | | | | formal certification whatsoever, and though it might be |
| in your area, do your research online or in the library to | | | | difficult for these teachers to get liability insurance, |
| find which style would be the best fit for you. | | | | there's nothing illegal about it. Keep in mind that yoga is |
| Once you know what it is you're looking for, you can | | | | a spiritual tradition thousands of years old, and the idea |
| set some goals. Call the teacher of the beginner yoga | | | | of giving someone a certificate for learning a few |
| class you're considering and ask if your expectations | | | | poses and breathing techniques would have been an |
| are reasonable. | | | | odd idea indeed even seventy years ago. It is one |
| 2. Choose a drop-in or series beginner yoga class | | | | thing to wake up one morning and decide to teach |
| A drop-in yoga class allows you to pay-as-you go. | | | | yoga with little to no experience. It is quite another to |
| There will likely be some turnover week to week as to | | | | teach after living for years under the tutelage of a |
| which students show up for class. The teacher is likely | | | | master yogi who just doesn't believe in certificates. |
| to keep this class on the mild side, because students | | | | As a general rule, seek out yoga teachers with at the |
| will be at such differing ability levels. | | | | very least 200 hours of training. In the United States |
| This may be just what you're looking for if you just | | | | there's an organization called the Yoga Alliance that |
| want a taste of yoga but don't want to buy an | | | | offers a registry of teachers who attended training |
| expensive package of classes. This may also be a | | | | programs that meet certain standards. Someone can |
| good choice for you if your schedule won't allow you | | | | have the Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) designation |
| to attend a class every week. Keep in mind there are | | | | from the Yoga Alliance and still be a crummy teacher, |
| significant drawbacks. | | | | but usually RYTs are a safe bet. |
| One, because the class is ongoing, you will never get | | | | 4. Look into additional costs of the yoga class. |
| to start at "the beginning." You may be a little lost at | | | | Sometimes there are additional costs involved in taking |
| first while you learn the culture of the class. Also, | | | | a beginner's yoga class besides the registration fee. |
| drop-in beginner yoga classes tend to be repetitive. | | | | You may need to buy your own yoga mat, strap, or |
| A series yoga class is different in that you buy a set | | | | other props, for instance. In some classes you may |
| number of classes and each class builds on what you | | | | need to buy certain books for study or even special |
| learned in the previous week. A good series class is | | | | clothing of a certain color. |
| repetitive only in that there is some review each time, | | | | It is important to know what the related costs are up |
| but then the teacher introduces new material. | | | | front so that you and your bank account won't |
| You can learn much more much faster in a series | | | | encounter any surprises later on. |
| class, but again there are drawbacks. First, if you miss | | | | I hope this checklist will help you find a beginner's yoga |
| a class it may be difficult to make up the material that | | | | class that's right for you. |
| you missed. Also, you will be asked to pay for the | | | | |