<\/p>\n
For someone new to yoga, trying to figure out the best way to start can feel like trying to crack a secret code. Where to put your left leg, how to ground into your feet, what to do with your hands, or even how to breathe can all feel overwhelming.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Alex Dawson<\/span><\/a>, a yoga teacher since 2002 and one of Wanderlust Hollywood\u2019s founding teachers, breaks it down for us because sometimes\u2014even more so than holding plank\u2014showing up to that first class on the yoga mat can be the hardest part.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s in a studio or online, how to start a yoga practice will mean something different for everyone, so we sat down with Alex to put together some helpful hints to help you build a regular practice that works for <\/span>you<\/span><\/i>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s so much room for interpretation,\u201d Alex said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So, what are the best types of yoga for beginners? Well, the answer isn\u2019t necessarily one-size-fits-all. When Alex began practicing, what she loved most was exploring the different classes and different levels at her studio. There were basics classes with levels one, two, and three, and flow classes like vinyasa and ashtanga with varying levels.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI took all of them,\u201d Alex said. \u201cIt gave me a chance to try the challenging classes but always go back to basic form.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Finding a beginner\u2019s class that feels right gets us comfortable on our mat and in the space we practice in. For some, the size of the class is also a factor. Alex recommends smaller classes in the beginning, where you can get more attention from the teacher when it comes to yoga poses and alignment. If you\u2019re wondering how to start yoga at home for beginners, it can be helpful if it\u2019s a two-way class like on Zoom, so you still get the attention from a teacher. Whatever the format, start with the basics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBest bet,\u201d Alex advises, \u201cgo to a beginner\u2019s class first because you can always increase the challenge or level of difficulty.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n A strong foundation leads to a strong practice, which is why beginner or basics classes are the ideal place to start. Placing focus on that \u201cbasic form\u201d is what builds the practice. Some of the best yoga exercises for beginners can simply be getting on your mat, building strength and working on alignment: for your feet, for downward-facing dog, or for vinyasa.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Alex\u2019s <\/span>Flow Breakdown for Beginners<\/span><\/a>\u00a0series on Wanderlust TV<\/a> does exactly that, with a specific focus for each class in the series.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIn that ‘Flow Breakdown for Beginners’ series, I’ve tried to break down the very basics of what you might want to know if you\u2019re going to take flow classes.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Having a variety of teachers keeps it interesting and exposes us to new perspectives. Don\u2019t be afraid to give a different yoga teacher a try, because each person will offer something different.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cEven if you like one teacher,\u201d Alex said, \u201cyou should still try someone else.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n When we\u2019re talking yoga for beginners, it\u2019s helpful to keep an open mind. Don\u2019t shut it out just because you had one class you didn\u2019t like. There are many wonderful teachers around the world, and everyone works differently together, so keep exploring what\u2019s out there, and give it time.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What a beginner yogi looks like will be different for each of us. Every person has a different physical capacity of movement. It could be a product of your ancestry, Alex said, or maybe it comes from life habits: how you work, how you sit, how you move. People can practice yoga for years and still may not have the flexibility commonly attributed to an advanced yogi. Here\u2019s the secret: it doesn\u2019t matter!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think that whether you can touch your toes is a product of you being a beginner or an advanced practitioner,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you can\u2019t touch your toes in a forward fold, or even if you can, one of the best ways to boost your practice is to get props<\/a>. Alex recommends two blocks and a strap. If you are tall, she suggests getting a ten foot strap as opposed to an eight foot strap. Once you develop your practice, a blanket and a bolster can add an extra layer of comfort and help you realize the restorative benefits of yoga.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>Try to pay attention to the breath<\/span><\/a>,\u201d Alex said.<\/span><\/p>\n Reflecting back on when she first began her practice, getting the breath down was what gave her a \u201cnatural high.\u201d And the natural high is what kept her going back, and going back is when she started seeing the results.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Alex attributes that natural high to being able to access the \u201cflow state<\/a>,\u201d which she describes as a moment of presence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTo me flow state means that my mind isn\u2019t somewhere else,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m exactly where I am, doing exactly what I\u2019m doing without resisting what I\u2019m doing. I\u2019m breathing in what I\u2019m doing. And I\u2019m in my body.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We often come to the mat with the chatter in our minds and when we start to move our body and start to breathe, some of that begins to process, and settle. When the body is in flow, Alex said, we have an opportunity to start to release some of those deeper patterns that are stuck.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhenever I have a new student in class,\u201d Alex tells them, \u201cI suggest they take at least 10 classes before they decide if you like yoga or not.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n And what about when we are ready to learn the more challenging poses, like say, crow pose? Alex\u2019s best advice: keep trying.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf you knew that on the 350<\/span>th<\/span> time trying it that you were going to nail it, would you keep trying?\u201d she asked. \u201cJust keep trying, because the beginning <\/span>is<\/span><\/i> hard. If you\u2019ve ever tried to play guitar, in the beginning, the callouses \u2013 it\u2019s hard. And then you get through that learning curve.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n —<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “Take at least 10 classes before you decide if you like yoga or not,” says Wanderlust TV guide, Alex Dawson, about beginning your yoga practice. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2936,"featured_media":312456,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[778],"tags":[4234,4606,4607,4604,2365,4367,4364,4603,4605],"class_list":["post-312455","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-practice","tag-alex-dawson","tag-beginner-yogi","tag-starting-yoga","tag-starting-yoga-practice","tag-wanderlust-tv","tag-wltv","tag-wltv-talent","tag-yoga-for-beginners","tag-yoga-poses-for-beginners"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFind the Right Class<\/b><\/h3>\n
Build a Strong Foundation<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"Alex_Dawson_SS](\"https:\/\/wanderlust.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Alex_Dawson_SS-Day-16-6-768x425.png\")
If you\u2019ve wondered how you\u2019ll ever feel comfortable in downward facing dog, or thought to yourself all those Sanskrit words are intimidating, then selecting a class that breaks down the postures and practices is important if you\u2019re new to yoga. Because certain basics classes can be a vinyasa class, or what is often called a flow class, Alex said, they move from posture to posture, \u201cso the nature of a flow class can be a challenge for someone learning the poses.\u201d Hatha yoga classes or restorative yoga<\/a> sessions can be more accessible for those who prefer to move more slowly.<\/span><\/p>\nTry More Than One Teacher<\/b><\/h3>\n
Every Body is Different<\/b><\/h3>\n
Just breathe<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"Alex_Dawson_2\"](\"https:\/\/wanderlust.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Alex_Dawson_2-615x768.jpg\")
\u201cI kept going back because I felt good,\u201d Alex said, \u201cand I felt good because of the poses and the breathing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nKeep Trying<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"cameron](\"https:\/\/wanderlust.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/image.jpeg\")
Cameron Joy Machell is a travel writer and journalist. Her work has been featured in Wanderlust, Far & Wide, The Martha\u2019s Vineyard Times, and the New Hampshire Business Review. She caught the travel bug long ago, and her adventures have led her to chase the Northern Lights across Iceland, camp under the stars in the Sahara Desert, and sip kava with chiefs in Fiji. When she’s not traveling, you can find her at home in New England, practicing yoga and hiking with her Bernese Mountain Dog.<\/div>\n