Whether you are young, old, fat, skinny, a stressed executive or a builders’ labourer, an expectant mum or a pimply teenager, there is a style of yoga to suit you.

I can’t tell you how many times people have said to me, “I’d love to try yoga, but I’m not flexible enough.” This belief is just one of the misconceptions that stop people trying.

If you want to try yoga but don’t know where to start, or you’ve tried a class but didn’t like it there’s a few things to consider.

Finding a yoga class can be a little like buying a car. There are a lot of options out there and it’s not easy to know where to start. If you wanted to buy a car chances are you wouldn’t walk into any car yard and buy the first car that you saw. Instead you would probably do some initial research, read some car magazines, and then go to a particular dealership that sold the car you were interested in. You would speak with the salesperson and test drive the car. You would probably ask yourself questions like: Is this the car I want? Does it suit my needs? Is it sporty enough? Will the family fit in? Do I want a manual or automatic, air-conditioning and CD player or roof racks and cup-holder? Can I afford it?

Be specific about what you want to get out of it
Many people’s perception of yoga is that it involves stretching and not much else. A yoga class can be anything from a gentle, relaxing session to a rigorous, heart-pounding work out. Some classes include chanting and others may include a meditation session or a massage. In all classes, yoga will bring a powerful connection between mind and body that you won’t get from any other form of physical exercise, except for energetic practices such as Tai Chi and Qi Qong.  Regardless of how strenuous the session is, you’ll leave feeling energised. 

Ask your teacher before you enrol if the class will meet your specific needs such as stress release, injury rehabilitation, fat loss or general toning.

Yoga can also be the perfect antidote for breaking your habits. For example, if you are an active person who does a lot of physical exercise and has a high-stress job, a gentle, passive class may be the best thing to bring you a sense of peace and calm. On the other hand, if you are generally relaxed and don’t do a lot of physical exercise, it may be more appropriate for you to try a more strenuous form of yoga. Bear in mind though, that there are no hard and fast rules.

 Measuring the results
With anything we try, we expect to see results, mostly sooner than we are willing to wait!

Often you will notice changes on an energetic level after one class. In fact the ‘buzz’ of energy moving around your body is what hooks a lot of people into yoga. But just like weight training and cardio fitness programs, you need to do at least 12-15 sessions before you notice significant changes on a physical and emotional level. Ask your teacher what changes you can expect.

Be realistic
It’s important that you take into account factors such as your fitness level, medical history and current injuries before starting yoga. Enrolling in a rigorous astanga class when you have just had a knee or shoulder reconstruction may not help your recovery. You may want to try a certain yoga style because you read that Geri Halliwell and Madonna attributed their amazing bodies to yoga, but they may have been training for months to get to a level of strength and flexibility before starting. The astanga primary series, for example, may take years to achieve and many yoga teachers will never master some of the more difficult poses in this series.

Time
When is the best time of day to do yoga? The answer is the time that suits you best. Yoga classes vary from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours and are generally held early morning, mid-morning, lunchtimes or evenings. In some forms of yoga, particularly the Japanese styles, the class will vary significantly depending on the time of the day. 

Yoga can also be a great way to meet people, or for those who want you can learn a practice you can do in your own time whenever and wherever you are. The most important thing is to shop around to find the style, school and teacher that suit you. You’ll find most schools have introductory classes at competitive prices.

Styles of Yoga
There are many styles of yoga. Here are some of the most common.
Hatha – gentle, relaxing style with the focus on breath control, flexibility and alignment
Asthanga – strong, dynamic form with a set sequence to build strength and flexibility
Iyengar – a gentler style focusing on posture and alignment using props (yogi bondage gear!)
Japanese (Oki, Ki, Ryoho, Zenergy) – a dynamic form focusing on strengthening the ‘hara’ (belly and lower back) with poses changing according to the seasons
Bikrams –the hot stuff! 90 minute sequence in a room heated to 37º to increase flexibility 

 Yoga buzz words
Asana – the Sanskrit word for pose
Pranayama  – breath control
Savasana – (corpse pose) a common relaxation pose lying on your back
Sticky mat – yoga mat (it has a sticky surface)
Namaste – common salutation meaning “I salute you”

This yoga first appeared in body+soul (News Limited Australia) 2003