What to expect from a Beginner’s Yoga class
Yoga is not just for the flexible and our Yoga Fundamentals’ class will teach you the key poses and how they are linked with the breath, so you feel confident on your mat. Yoga can benefit everyone. It builds strength through body weight resistance, helps you to increase your flexibility and improves your functional movement. The strong emphasis on breathing will also help you return to calm and centre yourself. Join us for Yoga Fundamentals 6pm Mondays if you’re a beginner, returning to your practice or if you’re looking for a gentler class where you can take time to stretch.
Yoga Fundamentals is based on the Vinyasa style of yoga. The word ‘Vinyasa’ means to place in a special way and the practice invites you to cultivate awareness as you move and connect each action with the breath.
A yoga class generally starts sitting or lying on the mat, giving you the opportunity to pause before the class begins. It will often start with breathing, meditation, a stretch or gentle movement. In yoga you’ll be encouraged to breathe through your nostrils. This is called the Ujjayi or ocean breath.
One of the common yoga sequences is the Salute to the Sun (Surya Namaskar), so we’ll explain here some its key poses.
Begin standing at the top of your mat in Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Your hands can be in prayer pose (Anjali Mudra) or by your side.
Exhale to fold forward (Uttanasana). Bend your knees if it feels good for you.
Then inhale to look forward of your mat and exhale to step one leg back into a low lunge. Place something soft under your knee (towel/blanket), if it would benefit you. Stay for a moment and enjoy the stretch.
Place your hands around your front foot, step back from your low lunge into a plank. Drop to your knees if you prefer or modify to All-4’s. Be active in your plank pushing away off the mat and don’t forget to breathe.
Lower down to lay on your belly on the mat. Place your hands underneath your shoulders and tuck your elbows in like grasshopper’s arms. Then on your next inhale, look up and open your chest. Roll your shoulders back. Make this a small movement to start with, but as you warm up you can make it bigger, if you don’t feel any pain or discomfort.
On the exhale, find your downward dog. Bend your knees if this feels better for you. Stay in downward dog for 3 full breaths if you can. But also feel free to drop into a child’s pose or bend and stretch your legs. Then step forward into low lunge. Step both feet to the front of the mat and fold forward.
Then inhale to raise your arms up to the sky and meet again in Tadasana (mountain pose).
Repeat on the second side and see if you can move with one breath for each movement.
Your guide may use Sanskrit names for the poses during class. This is the original language of yoga and often the words explain the pose or connect them to a legend or story. They offer the opportunity to connect your consciousness to the movement, but you needn’t remember them.
If you are a yoga beginner or returning to your practice, our Yoga Fundamentals class is the perfect starting point. It is a slower class so you can take your time and enjoy the stretch. Start with a single Flow class or our Intro Offer of 6 classes over 2 weeks for $99.
