Yoga Teachers Association of Australia

The best way to learn yoga is to take a beginners course or eight to 16 sessions to establish a foundation practice. This will ensure you experience first-hand the correct way to move into, hold and release the many postures. It also gives you practice in correct breath movement, and creates an opportunity to ask questions. You will learn simple yoga routines that provide a range of movements such as bends, twists and stretches.

As you become more experienced in the yoga postures, you can participate in intermediate and advanced classes. You also can maintain your practice at home through personal routines or one of the many excellent instructional videos and DVDs available.

Where to Learn

Yoga classes vary from 45 minutes to 90 minutes, and may be held any time of the day. You may want to attend a yoga studio, where qualified yoga teachers offer classes throughout the week. Yoga is also becoming increasingly popular in gyms, community centers, schools and at places of employment. Finding the right class is a combination of a teacher or teachers you enjoy, convenience of location and time, and cost.

Many Styles

The practice of yoga embraces a wide variety of disciplines and points of view. Although all yoga practice has the same essential goals, individual teachers have founded schools that emphasise certain methods over others. Yoga classes range from relaxing sessions of stretching to rigorous workouts. You might want to try different teachers at different schools to identify which teachers you relate to most and which style of yoga suits you best.

Yoga Is for Everyone

The practice of yoga is appropriate for everyone, regardless of age, gender or physical ability. Specialty classes include yoga for sports, children, teens, pregnancy and seniors, among others. If you have any specific conditions, let your yoga teacher know and the teacher will recommend modifications.