Yoga is a great choice for both fitness buffs and beginners because it can be taken to many different levels. It can be a simple enough program for a beginner to just get their hearts pumping and their bodies moving. Or it can be a great addition to a fitness buffs exercise regime. It can even be a great way for those with various ailments and disabilities to get into better shape, in both body and mind. No other type of fitness program or regime can claim that.

An enormous benefit of yoga fitness is that it includes the mind. This is seen in results from meditation practices and yogic teachings that are an integral part of yoga practice. It allows a person to unwind and find their inner selves. It allows that release that we all need at the end of a long day. It can even give us techniques to use throughout the day, to remain calm, more stable in thought and mind and in better mental shape overall. Having a centered mind helps to center body and being. You will definitely feel better having yoga as a part of your fitness routine.

Yoga also works to strengthen the body. This can be a great form of rehabilitation for those who need to rebuild strength that was lost due to an injury. You may need to talk to your health care practitioner first, but you will be pleasantly surprised at how many injuries and ailments yoga can help.

Yoga fitness is unique because it doesn’t just work on the body. It works on so many other levels that we don’t always think about. It works the mind and being, helping to create a perfectly balanced self much more capable of dealing with the stresses and issues that arise in everyday life. It helps us to create a center, and a well adjusted being that is ready to take on the world with vigor. It allows us a great escape and a great grounding when no other is to be found.

This was a pretty challenging class to teach. The girls had no experience with yoga at all, and spoke no English either!

I had a translator, but that didn’t work out so well for the audio recording. I ended up doing voice over for the whole video which took a lot of time, but it was time well spent, it ended up coming out pretty good.

The girls were delightful to work with too. They were very able because of their youth and because they are all dancers highly trained in traditional Balinese dance. You should see them in their costumes! One of them is an international dancer traveling around Europe, SE Asia and other countries.

The scene is set with Mount Angung in the back ground. Angung means sacred mountain and it is the most sacred mountain in all of Bali. The Balinese sleep with their head pointing towards it no mater where they are in the world.

I did something unique with this video. There are scenes from around Bali interspersed throughout so practitioners can view the peaceful scenery of green jungle and rice fields while holding the poses. It’s kinda like two videos in one, a yoga and a travel video.

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Mistake One: Not knowing what you want from your Yoga practice.

The reality is that there are numerous different styles and forms of Yoga and each has its different attraction. Ask yourself what is it about Yoga in general that attracted you. That way you can investigate a style that caters more specifically to what you want. You may like to set goals, be they physical, mental or spiritual. If you do then it’s a good idea to discuss them with the instructor of your class before you begin. Yoga instructors are usually very approachable and happy to talk about their passion. They will be able to talk to you about your goals for the class and let you know if you are being realistic, aiming too high or too low. Make sure your goal includes a timeframe so it becomes something that is measurable.

Mistake Two: Jumping in Feet First.

Having decided that they will give this Yoga thing a try many people take a running leap and jump into a 12 month stage by stage class. These classes are usually an upfront payment arrangement which progress from one level to the next as the weeks go by. They are a fantastic way of learning Yoga and becoming very good at it, but lacking experience, it is quite possible that you will choose a class that is not ideal for you.

The best way around this is to join a beginners class, one you can drop in to take it, a drop in class. If you do these classes for a few weeks you will notice a high turnover of students as new people join and old people move on. These classes are designed to give you a very broad feel for the class you are trying out. The level of the students in the class usually varies greatly so you can usually expect the instructor to keep the classes quite tame. The other key benefit of doing this is that the classes are pay as you go so there is no big financial outlay for you while you decide the type and style of yoga that best suits you. You are also not obliged to attend every class. With the longer courses you can fall behind quickly if you miss a week or two in a row. With the pay as you go classes you will find that while each class is different the level stays quite low to cater to the newer people joining in.

Mistake Three: Choosing the wrong teacher.

Traditionally a Yogini had to be an apprentice to a skilled Guru for many years before she could teach even the simplest of Yoga techniques. Nowadays a 3-day course over a long weekend is considered enough by some people. There is a big difference in what you will achieve depending on the skills and abilities of the person teaching you. Yoga is starting to make a regular appearance on the sports injury list and a large reason for this is instructors who have been taught just enough to be dangerous. A qualified teacher won’t necessarily be fantastic and an unqualified teacher won’t necessarily be terrible – but the odds are certainly cast in that direction, so it’s a good idea to check your instructors background and qualifications before you begin studying with them.

Those are three of the most common mistakes beginners take when starting a yoga practice as well as ways to avoid these issues. Remember too, take care of yourself in the class, and pay attention to your limits.

A final possibility is to find a good yoga video designed for beginners. Try to find one that has beginners being taught, otherwise you may find yourself trying to keep up with an instructor who is accomplished at the practice. Watch out for a great beginners series available on this site soon.

I have been teaching yoga for 30 years as of next August. That is, my entire adult life. Lately, since my kids grew up, I have been moving around somewhat.

One thing I have been doing is video taping yoga classes, both mine and other instructors. I spent a fair amount of time in Bali, Indonesia where I was able to shoot a few videos. That in itself was an education.

One thing I learned is that while I love teaching yoga and learning new yoga techniques from various instructors, I really don’t like editing those videos! Consequently, I have a few videos ‘in the can’ that still need to be produced. This is an ongoing project that will eventually be turned over to others.

I will still be shooting videos that I can offer though. I really like the idea of videos that feature other instructors as each one offers a unique point of view into the world of yoga postures.

The first video I have to offer is one where I taught four Balinese girls ages 16 and 17. Beautiful girls amongst some very beautiful scenery in Bali. I shot it with Mount Angung in the background. This is the most sacred mountain in all of Bali, Angung means “sacred mountain.” The Balinese always sleep with their head pointing toward Mount Angung, no mater where they are in the world.

This was a very interesting video to shoot as well as to produce. I shot it with the idea that I would use my voice as I taught the class with a translator helping the girls along since it was their first yoga class, and they spoke no English at all. That came out pretty badly, so I ended up doing voice over on the whole thing. That was a lot of work, but it’s done now. I’ll have a clip online soon, be sure to watch for it.

I’ll continue this adventure into the world of yoga here offering material from myself and others on the various aspects of yoga. I’ve spent a lot of time studying the philosophy, mediation, postures and all the other parts of yoga. I am also looking for guest writers and instructors to feature. Feel free to send your favorite instructor over!