Yoga FAQThe Yoga FAQ page will answer some of the most common questions I am asked. Many people simply disregard the idea of yoga as something they can't do, when actually if they knew a little more about how to adapt it into their workout the benefits could be wonderful.
Yes, anyone can “do” yoga. Yoga is all about practice. Everyone needs to start somewhere. Yoga benefits everyone, not just flexible people. Those people might not have been flexible when they started. You can start with chair yoga or a gentle yoga class. We won’t get you into a position that you can’t get out of. All you need to do is listen to your body and adjust the poses to fit you. There are modifications for any pose. Yoga FAQ 2. What should I wear to a yoga class? Wear comfortable clothes that will move with you. Clothing that is too big might get tangled, clothing too tight will inhibit your movements. Stretchy but comfortable is good. Yoga GAQ 3. Do I have to take my shoes and socks off? I recommend practicing yoga in bare feet. There are several reasons for this. Avoiding slipping and injury is the first reason. When you step into a yoga pose I want you to feel the floor and not slide. I want you to be in control of how far out and how steady your feet are and you can’t do either with socks. Also, when you are in balance poses your feet need to be planted securely. The second reason is that there are a kajillion tiny nerve endings in your body. The ones underneath your feet are stimulated in most of the poses. And the reflexology aspect is that different parts of the body are stimulated when different parts of the feet are. It is simply more beneficial for you if you practice in bare feet. Yoga FAQ 4. Should I eat before a yoga class? No. You should eat at least 2 hours before a yoga class. You should be working your whole body including your internal organs in a class. When you are twisting and bending you really don’t want a lot of food in your stomach. If you are starving before a class, eat something light like a piece of fruit. Yoga FAQ 5. I don’t like exercising in front of other people. How can I practice yoga? First, we start out with very dim lighting so it is difficult to see the other people anyway. Secondly, the classes I teach are always multi level. This means there are always beginners mixed in with the intermediate and advanced students in each class. I try to stress that each pose should fit each person so no two people should look alike in any pose. Yoga is not a competition of flexibility. If you are completely uncomfortable you can either practice at home or find some private yoga instruction. There are many, many great videos that you could buy, and sometimes you can get them at your local library to try. This would be the less costly option as private yoga lessons can be pricey. Yoga FAQ 6. How can I make sure my yoga instructor is qualified? You can ask the instructor directly for his or her credentials, or you can ask whatever establishment he/she teaches in. Yoga Alliance is an international accrediting organization that many yoga instructors belong to, but it is not a requirement to belong to Yoga Alliance to instruct. Many exercise certifying organizations now include a yoga teacher training course, and there are some on-line courses as well. A certification and your comfort level are the two most important credentials. If you feel comfortable with them, you will be more apt to relax into your poses. When trying classes (many places will offer a free first class) if you are uncomfortable for any reason it is perfectly okay to walk out. You don’t need to explain. Yoga is all about you. Yoga FAQ 7. What are your qualifications? I am a 200 hour certified yoga instructor through Aura Wellness Center and a member of Yoga Alliance. I am also certified through NESTA (National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association) in Sport Yoga and Pilates. I hold certifications from AAAI/ISMA in older adult and youth fitness and I am an ACE (American Council on Exercise) personal trainer. Yoga FAQ 8. Which type of yoga should I try? Hatha yoga is s general yoga term that includes several other forms. Hatha yoga can be anything from a gentle yoga class to an intense power yoga class. Astanga Yoga or Power yoga – sometimes called Vinyasa yoga – is an energizing practice of breath connected movements. Sun salutations are often used for warm-up and throughout the class to keep the breath flowing. This is a strength building, flexibility enhancing, detoxifying class. The warmth in the body generates sweat, which detoxifies the muscles and organs. Iyengar Yoga is more about alignment than moving from one pose to the other. The focus is on the alignment of each pose with variations depending on how far each individual can get into each pose in the correct alignment. There are typically less poses in this type of class and they are typically held a little longer. Bikram Yoga or Hot Yoga is practiced in a room typically heated to 95-100 degrees or hotter. There are generally 26 postures practiced in the same order. The heat combined with the poses produce sweat to detoxify your body and the warmth also allows your muscles to relax and lengthen more. This is an intense form of yoga and it probably should not be where someone new to yoga would start. Kundalini Yoga focuses on freeing up energy in the lower body. The visual is often a serpent rising up your body to release energy. The breath connection is an important aspect in this practice. There is more repetition than holding of the poses here. There are more variations but many teachers combine several forms into their classes. A general Hatha yoga instructor can be influenced by any form of yoga that he or she has practiced. The idea is to bring body awareness into your mind. If you practice a bunch of poses but you are thinking about what you need to do in work tomorrow you are simply exercising. If you bring your focus inside and connect your mind and your breath to your movements, then almost any exercise can be called yoga. To answer the question after I rambled on about all of this….. you should try a yoga class where you feel comfortable. Read about the different styles that are offered close to you and pick a gentle one to try out. If you don’t like it, try something else. Yoga FAQ 9. What form of yoga do you teach? I teach a variation of Hatha yoga styles. I lean towards poses that can be adjusted to any body rather than poses that require strict alignment. I teach gentle yoga, a mix of yoga and pilates (core strengthening exercises) and power yoga. I have also taught yoga with weights, partner yoga classes and Family Yoga including parents and their children. I hope to soon be teaching Chair yoga, children’s yoga, and youth yoga. Yoga FAQ 10. I started exercising and was told that I needed to work on flexibility. Or I have been practicing my sport but I don’t really cross train. Will yoga help me? Absolutely. When you first join a gym, you might be asked to do a baseline fitness test to determine your starting point and so that you can measure your progress. It is important to have a well rounded exercise plan that includes strength building, cardiovascular and flexibility. Yoga is the perfect complement to your other exercises and can even balance out overused muscles. If you are a one sport athlete you could be off balance as you practice the same exercises over and over to enhance your sport. Yoga can balance out underused muscles and stretch tight areas.
Yoga FAQ 11. What do you do with the email list from your subscribers? Will you sell my email address? Will I get tons of spam mail? Never. Your email address is secure in my database program and it will only be used to send you updated information from this website. You will receive a confirmation email, simply confirming that you want to receive the newsletter and you can opt out AT ANY TIME. Click here to move from Yoga FAQ to Basic Yoga Pose information.
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