When enquiring about yoga classes, questions and concerns surrounding flexibility, fitness, and strength are the most common.
In this article, we take a look at these questions so you can understand more about my classes, what yoga is, and what it isn’t.
Can You Do Yoga Even If You’re Not Flexible?
Yes, you can do yoga even if you’re not remotely flexible. In fact, I’d argue that if you do regard yourself as inflexible, that’s a really good reason alone to do yoga—to help improve your mobility.
A lack of flexibility isn’t why you don’t go to yoga—it’s why you do go to yoga.
That being said, your level of comfort and enjoyment in a yoga class does depend somewhat on the teacher and the yoga classes they’re designing and running.
For example, if you experience a limited range of motion, you might not enjoy a demanding vinyasa flow or ashtanga class in which you’re highly likely to be guided through a string of intricate yoga poses.
You might, but there also might be other types of yoga classes better suited for your enjoyment.
Each yoga class and yoga teacher is different—and every yoga tradition has its own unique techniques, principles, norms and practices.
It’s important to speak to the yoga teacher running the classes that you wish to attend, to inquire about the type of yoga classes that they run, and what they entail—to check if there’s some synergy and resonance there for you.
My classes aim to be accessible for all body types, and all levels of experience—from beginner and intermediate practitioners to experienced practitioners.
Whichever style of yoga I teach, I focus on the holistic range of yoga practice, and prioritise the breathwork (pranayama), energetic work and meditative (dhyana) aspects of the practice over demanding yoga poses (if they compromise the former).
My classes aim to work on nervous system regulation, emotional regulation, and support mental health. Naturally, with regular practice, you’ll develop and improve flexibility, strength, and fitness because a huge part of your yoga practice is asana (yoga poses), but the physical side of the practice is not centre stage.
If you’d like to learn more about the best yoga props to use in your yoga classes that can help to improve your practice, check out my article here.
Do You Have To Be Fit To Start Yoga?
No, you don’t have to be fit to do yoga. I would argue, that if you aren’t fit, that’s an even better reason to start practising yoga—because not only will you improve your mindfulness, mental health, and nervous system regulation, but you’ll also build upon your physical health and fitness too.
There are many different facets of yoga practice such as pranayama (breathwork and energy work), concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana), asana (yoga poses), bandha (energy locks), and mudra (energy seals) and more.
For many of them, such as concentration and meditation, fitness is not an immediate requirement of practice.
However, that being said, good fitness does improve your yoga practice—which is why yoga asana, diet, lifestyle, and caretaking of the physical body are part of a holistic yoga practice.
Good fitness improves your seated meditation posture, and ability to breathe fully and deeply, it cleanses and activates the physical and energetic body in preparation for meditation, and improves cognitive function for concentration techniques.
But good fitness and strength is not a requirement to start yoga, it is something that you naturally build within the practice as you go along.
Like flexibility, below-average fitness is not a reason not to go to yoga—it is a reason to go to yoga.
With consistent practice, over time you’ll develop in fitness, muscle strength, core strength, and increased flexibility due to the physical activity and yoga postures in your classes.
How Difficult Is Yoga For Beginners?
This depends on quite a few things, and each yoga practitioner is different. Some might find aspects challenging that others don’t, and they might also find other aspects easy that other practitioners find a challenge.
We are all unique in our practice and connection to yoga.
But in general, it is safe to assume that there will be some level of difficulty, or a learning curve, when starting something new, such as yoga.
Some other huge factors that can influence how you feel in your first classes or months of practising yoga—are the yoga teachers that you choose to practice with along with their traditions of yoga and the difficulty of their classes.
For example, most beginners to yoga will find strong vinyasa flows and ashtanga yoga quite a challenge, some might even find them off putting because they can involve a high level of fitness, flexibility, and strength.
Strong vinyasa flow and ashtanga yoga classes can be overwhelming for beginners unless specifically made accessible by the teacher.
Whereas if you start your yoga journey by attending classes designed for beginners, or classes that are slightly more gentle in nature, you are way more likely to find the classes challenging but enjoyable.
If you want to learn how to set up your home yoga studio for the best yoga classes, check out my article here.
Conclusion
You don’t need to be flexible, fit or strong to start yoga. You develop these strengths and skills along the journey of your yoga practice.
Your experience of yoga does depend greatly on the yoga teacher you choose to practice with, and the yoga traditions that they teach.
Speak to your yoga instructor prior to your class to voice any questions or concerns that you may have and to see if you feel you’re attending the right class.
Try multiple different classes with different teachers so you can get a good feel for the different approaches to teaching and yoga. Through this curious and playful exploration of yoga traditions and teaching styles—I’m confident you’ll find a class that suits your needs!
If you have any questions about my classes, retreats, workshops and courses, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
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