{"id":46997,"date":"2016-01-25T11:15:27","date_gmt":"2016-01-25T16:15:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=46997"},"modified":"2016-07-14T16:04:17","modified_gmt":"2016-07-14T20:04:17","slug":"yoga-expert-advice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/yoga-expert-advice\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Things Experts Wish You Knew About Yoga"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The
Photo:\u00a0Pond5<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the surface, yoga looks pretty simple. Roll out a mat<\/a>, breathe and stretch. Right? But as you dig deeper into the practice (and yes, it is a practice), you\u2019ll start to realize that there\u2019s way more to yoga than making fancy shapes with your body. Don\u2019t worry. We\u2019ve got your ticket to zen<\/a>. We asked some of our favorite yoga teachers to share what they wish they\u2019d known before their first class \u2014\u00a0it\u2019ll make your first session way less scary.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Daily Burn\u2019s Yoga Made Simple: 30 Minutes to Zen<\/a><\/p>\n

8 Things Experts Want You to\u00a0Know About Yoga<\/strong><\/h3>\n

1. It\u2019s not all about flexibility.
\n<\/strong>Despite what your Instagram feed<\/a> might suggest, yoga isn\u2019t all about being a human pretzel. In fact, focusing only on flexibility could lead to injury and even undermine your athletic performance. \u201cNot only might some of the more outwardly glamorous poses be completely out of your reach for structural reasons \u2014 your skeleton might prevent them \u2014 your athletic pursuits are yielding sport-specific tightness in your body that help you perform well,\u201d says Sage Rountree<\/a>, yoga instructor, triathlon and running coach, and author of Everyday Yoga<\/em>. \u201cInstead of trying to get as bendy as possible, seek a healthy balance between strength and flexibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> The 11 Best Yoga Apps to Get Fit on the Cheap<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Don\u2019t give up after the first class.
\n<\/strong>While all yoga may look similar on the surface, they\u2019re not all the same. From Ashtanga to Bikram to Vinyasa to Iyengar, each type of yoga<\/a> has its own flavor. \u201cYou may not like every single type of yoga or every teacher and that\u2019s OK!\u201d says Laura Kasperzak aka @laurasykora<\/a> \u2014 Instagram yoga star and teacher. \u201cMany people are turned off after their first class and don\u2019t know there are so many options out there.\u201d Finding the right style of yoga for you might be the key to loving (and sticking with) the practice.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> The Beginner\u2019s Guide to Every Type of Yoga Out There<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Work on your foundation.
\n<\/strong>Just like you wouldn\u2019t run a marathon without a solid base (we hope!), you should focus on fundamental yoga postures<\/a> at the start of your yoga journey. Think downward-facing dog<\/a>, Cobra, Warrior I and II and Chair pose. This will give you a strong and safe foundation from which to build your yoga practice. \u201cI wish I spent more hours in basics classes and less flying around my mat,\u201d says Schuyler Grant, co-creator of the Wanderlust Festival<\/a> and Director of Kula Yoga Project<\/a>. And don\u2019t be embarrassed. \u201cEveryone was a beginner at some point in time,\u201d says yoga instructor MacKenzie Miller<\/a>. \u201cDon\u2019t be afraid to ask your instructor questions after class.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce I found a mat where I was not slipping all over the place, my practice become so much more grounded.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

4. You will be confused.
\n<\/strong>Starting yoga can be overwhelming. You may feel awkward moving through unfamiliar shapes and with teachers literally speaking a different language (that\u2019s Sanskrit, FYI!), it\u2019s easy to feel lost. “Being confused at the onset of any new discipline isn’t a poor reflection on the individual \u2014\u00a0it’s a normal, natural, necessary part of the learning curve,\u201d says renowned yoga instructor Jason Crandell<\/a>. \u201cOnce you get through the initial confusion and establish solid foundations, the practice will start to fall into place much more quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> How to Get the Benefits of Hot Yoga \u2014\u00a0Without Passing Out<\/a><\/p>\n

5. Don\u2019t write off gentle yoga classes.
\n<\/strong>It\u2019s easy to assume these classes will be slow and snooze-worthy. But whether you are a new to yoga or an advance yogi, you can benefit from the quiet and relaxation that a slower-moving style<\/a> offers. \u201cGentle classes are not boring!\u201d says Rountree. \u201cPeople who find them boring are simply not paying enough attention. The more advanced your practice, the better you\u2019re able to tune in to the subtle movement of energy in your body in even the \u2018simplest\u2019 poses.\u201d<\/p>\n

6. Look for benefits beyond the mat.
\n<\/strong>\u201cI wish I had known yoga\u2019s power to quell anger and rash decisions. It would have seriously helped my road rage that I used to get driving in New Jersey!\u201d says Kathryn Budig<\/a>, uber popular yoga teacher and author of Aim True<\/em> (out March 2016). It\u2019s true, yoga will not only stretch your mind but also help strength your mental focus. \u201c[Yoga has] taught me to step back<\/a> and observe instead of responding with rash reactions and decisions. It\u2019s given me perspective,\u201d says Budig.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 7 Basic\u00a0Yoga Poses to Get You Through Your First Class<\/a><\/p>\n

7. You\u2019ll need a mat that works for you.
\n<\/strong>While technically, all you need is a mat to practice yoga, it\u2019s worth your while to find the right<\/em> mat. \u201cI started out practicing in power vinyasa classes and I would get sweaty, which would make things incredibly slippery,\u201d says Jake Ferree<\/a> aka Trainer Jake on Instagram. \u201cOnce I found a mat where I was not slipping all over the place, my practice become so much more grounded both physically and mentally.\u201d Ferree\u2019s favorite mats? Lululemon<\/a> and Liforme<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Don\u2019t Think You Have a Yoga Body? Here\u2019s Why It Doesn\u2019t Matter<\/a><\/p>\n

8. Don\u2019t use yoga as an escape.
\n<\/strong>It\u2019s tempting. You\u2019re stressed and you want to find some peace so you roll out your mat to zone out. But not so fast, says Colorado-based instructor Amy Ippoliti<\/a>. \u201cYoga is not an escape. You’re not here to escape the difficulties and intensity of the world,\u201d says Ippoliti, \u201cYou’re here to engage, embrace and receive all that the world is offering you. And yoga will teach you to do that skillfully,\u201d Instead, yoga will help you tune into the world around you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What should you expect when you start doing yoga? Expert yoga teachers share their advice and what they wish they knew before starting their yoga practice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,19],"tags":[266,289,341,355,286],"class_list":["post-46997","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fitness","category-yoga","tag-beginner","tag-exercise","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2yoga","tag-yoga"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46997","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46997"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46997\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46997"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46997"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46997"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}