Slide into Yoga: A Beginner's Guide

Basic Necessities

Mat

Having a yoga mat is really vital, especially if you’re trying to work on a hard surface. My wood floors look great, but if I don’t use a yoga mat I get nasty bruises on my knees and aches in other joints (and I’m still young!). They run about $20 – $30 and can double as a no-scratch construction workspace for other projects, like putting together small bits of cheap furniture. Try to find a mat with a carry bag, which makes for easy transport and storage.

Clothes

Wear something that lets you move freely. If your clothes impede any of your movements, wear something else. There are, of course, special yoga pants for sale, but a pair of leggings works just fine. Anything loose enough to trip on is also a bad idea. A close-fitting shirt is preferable, so that it won’t slide around as you stretch.

Self-Instruction

After a few classes, I picked up some items on my own to let me progress without having to commit to a class schedule. Most of the yoga classes in my town were at hours of the morning I consider unholy, and this way I can do things on my own time.

The Yoga Deck

This is one of my favorite basic guides to yoga. A pack of 50 cards (like large playing cards) holds a broad range of basic yoga positions as well as meditative exercises. Each card has information about how to properly perform the move and an image of what it should look like. Pull out a few at random, or follow one of a number of specific routines, and you’ve got a decent yoga workout.

DVD: Yoga for Beginners

This is a great introduction to yoga, offering both basic techniques and a good exercise routine.

Classes

I would really recommend taking a few yoga classes as a beginner. A good instructor can help teach correct posture issues and make sure that each pose is getting the time it deserves. If you’re on a budget, even something as basic as going to the community fitness center and trying out their yoga classes is sufficient.

Get Your Gear

For basic needs, try some of the larger chain retail stores in the Denver area (or anywhere else). General items for sale include clothes, mats and even instructional DVDs.