[Closed] Yoga for a complete novice

Try YouTube

Here ya go:

Yoga with Tim Beginner Series

Another vote for Kassandra. There's a 20 minute video as well as other half hour beginner sessions.

I was doing that video up there 2-3 times a week in the first lockdown and felt a lot stronger and flexible quite quickly. Regret getting out the habit and need to get back on it.

I do worry that I'm not quite getting the positions right and might not be getting full value from it. And I never really "flowed" from pose to pose the way she does in the video, looked more like "yoga for rhinos" I suspect as I lumbered awkwardly about the lounge floor. You either need supportive family around while trying it, or no family at all.

I was a complete beginner when I started about 6 months ago.

I tried YouTube but it’s just difficult to find exactly what you want skill/focus/time wise. For example I need to focus on lower back/hamstrings lately, with slow progression and do it every morning but have anywhere from 15-45 minutes available for a session. With YouTube it just doesn’t work out

I use the Downdog yoga app, it’s great in that it creates the session you want, the length you want and always mixes it up. It also lets you choose the voice, I use an Aussie lady as I hate the standard YouTube “rich motivational Californian millennial” voice all the YouTube ones I came across seem to have

The most important thing is motivation and keeping with it though, half a dozen mates have started and given up since I started 6 months ago

Me and my wife went to 3 private sessions to get the basics then use Adrienne on Youtube.

Just go to a class, good instructor will modify according to what you can/can't do while making sure you still get the idea. How well you can touch your toes is not the point really (still can't after 2 years of it)

If you ride your bike a lot it could be worth trying Adrienne's yoga for cyclists video for a bit, then branching outwards. I found the tight hips and hamstrings were making everything else difficult until I dealt with them a bit first

If you can, go to a class.

videos are OK but if you are looking at the screen then you won't be in the correct pose.

good instructor will modify according to what you can/can’t do while making sure you still get the idea

+1

good instructor will modify according to what you can/can’t do while making sure you still get the idea

+1

My gym do a 'flex and flow' class and it has been absolute wonders - I've gained 2" on my stature! (From being hunched over all day on either a mac or a bike).

In-person you don't get lazy. If they want one of the movements to take you 5 seconds, you do it through 5 seconds.

Ofc it's a privilege being part of a gym but if you are linked to one then I'd be surprised if they don't have a flexibility/yoga class

I did some classes specifically aimed at men cyclists a couple of years back, and wish I'd continued. I was awful though. Some things I learned

- despite it being a relaxing, stretching sort of activity, it's chuffing hard work

- cycling is very bad for flexibility.

- our instructor was ridiculously strong and bendy despite her being about 7 stone wet through

- there is no earthly point in the crow except showing off, but if you try it and overbalance then you will smash your face into the floor

- sometimes stretching to achieve a pose means a little tommy squeaker pops out

- all men are basically small boys and the humour of an unexpected fart is not diminished by 'maturity'

- it's impossible to do yoga when people are randomly corpsing still 10 minutes after someone farted

- being a yoga instructor running a men's class takes limitless patience

+1 on go to some classes / private sessions. Lots of styles of yoga - ashtanger is usually fast and flowy, iyengar is slow with poses held for longer (but the positions are all basically the same). I reckon you want an Iyengar class /teacher and you want them hands on - if they're not correcting your poses go somewhere else.

Once you know what you're trying to get to then either big group classes if you need motivaTION or YouTube for at home

Another Yoga with Adrienne user here, her yoga for cyclists video really helped me out. From there i have done a couple of her 30 day challenges, but always revert back to the cyclist video as it targets the muscles which i struggle with and is only 20 minutes long so with a young family is great.

Go to a class, you'll get direction on how to do the postures correctly without hurting yourself. One you've got the basics then you can do self practice or pick up from those video classes.

I do ashtanga yoga, go to a class once a week and then self practice with selective postures to suit cycling.

This is a good quick one to follow if you have limited space

I find this one helps too

I also want to try yoga and I'd be starting from scratch. I'd rather go to a class so I can have someone show me how to deal with my neck and shoulder injuries.

If anyone can recommend one in Sheffield I'm all ears.

Thanks for all of the suggestions, I'll take a look later. I may also see if there is a local beginners class.

Those of you who have continued 6 months+, have you found it beneficial?

Isn't goat yoga where it's at nowadays?

I'd love to say I was joking but a few mates went and did it recently and said it was absolutely bloody brilliant

I always find these 'beginner' videos extremely difficult. It expects a certain level of flexibility which some people like me, don't have. I can't do most of the stretches correctly or at all in that first video.

"Those of you who have continued 6 months+, have you found it beneficial?"

Damn right I have!
I took up yoga again after a 30 year hiatus 3 or 4 years ago when I met a yoga instructor who wanted me to go to Bali with her...
So I started a 3 week, all the yoga classes you can manage for £35 deal at my local studio, and did a class a day before going to Bali, and 2 classes a day while there.
For 50 years I have suffered from cramp in my feet, calves, and back of the thigh if I swim the crawl or use flippers when swimming. After 5 quite intensive weeks of yoga I could snorkel for a couple of hours cramp free!
And all my other little aches and pains have gone too!

"I always find these ‘beginner’ videos extremely difficult. It expects a certain level of flexibility which some people like me, don’t have. I can’t do most of the stretches correctly or at all in that first video."

That's why proper classes are so beneficial if you can find the time. A good instructor will have a room full of varying abilities all "performing" to their full abilities, and introduce more advanced poses and their variants gradually.

I took up yoga again after a 30 year hiatus 3 or 4 years ago when I met a yoga instructor who wanted me to go to Bali with her…

I think there's an interesting tangent to be explored in that story....

I think there’s an interesting tangent to be explored in that story….

Did cross my mind too.!