Yoga has a reputation for being a complicated form of exercise that only the most flexible people can even attempt to do. Many of us can barely touch our toes, so becoming a yogi seems completely out of reach, right?
Nope!
The reality is that everyone—and we mean everyone—can practice yoga. That includes you, your mom, and your 86-year-old great-grandma Shirley.
But before you dive headfirst into those gravity-defying inversions you see all over Instagram, you’ll need to know what yoga really is, how to practice it, and what type best suits your needs.
What is yoga?
While you might break a sweat during a yoga session, it’s much more than just a workout—it’s a whole mind-body experience.
The word “yoga” comes from the Sanskrit word “yuj,” meaning “to join” or “to unite.” And that’s what yoga does—it unites postures, breathing, and relaxation techniques to connect the mind and body.
Its roots stretch back over 5,000 years to the Indus-Sarasvati civilization in Northern India, but no single person is credited with creating it.
The Indian sage Patanjali was the first to write down the teachings of yoga in his guidebook, the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, which provides the framework for yoga as we know it today.
For centuries, yogis (male) and yoginis (female) passed the practice orally to harness spiritual energy. Eventually, it evolved into several branches—each with its own twist.
The six main branches of yoga are:
- Raja yoga
- Karma yoga
- Jnana yoga
- Bhakti yoga
- Tantra yoga
- Hatha yoga (this is the physical branch and what most people today recognize as yoga)
Though yoga’s origins are deeply ancient, it wasn’t until the 1920s and 1930s that yoga became widely practiced in India.
It crossed the U.S. in the 1940s when Indra Devi, known as the “First Lady of Yoga,” opened a studio in Hollywood. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Health benefits of yoga
Like all forms of activity, yoga offers several health benefits to both mental and physical health—many backed by scientific research.
Decreases stress
Feeling frazzled? Yoga helps reduce your body’s cortisol (the stress hormone), giving you a natural calm-down.
Improves anxiety and depression
Multiple studies show that regular yoga practice can help decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression because it assists the body in creating feel-good stress hormones.
Supports heart health
When combined with a healthy lifestyle, yoga may help reduce the risk of developing heart disease by decreasing risk factors like high blood pressure.
Better sleep
Yoga is proven to improve the quality of your sleep, helping you wake up refreshed instead of groggy.
Increases strength and flexibility
Multiple studies on yoga found that regular practice—alone or in conjunction with other physical activity—helped improve strength and flexibility, especially in the upper body.
Yoga is also shown to help increase balance, especially in older adults.
Types of yoga
Look at any yoga studio schedule, and you’ll likely be bombarded with many different classes.
Spoiler: Not all yoga is created equal! Some classes are more physically intense, while others are chill and meditative.
Here’s a quick rundown of the most popular types of yoga:
Ashtanga yoga
Brace yourself—Ashtanga yoga is a physically demanding yoga class that follows a strict sequence of poses. It’s like a yoga boot camp.
Bikram yoga
Love to sweat? Bikram yoga classes follow a fixed 26-pose sequence in a room heated to 105°F with 40% humidity.
Bring a towel—you’re going to need it.
Hot yoga
Hot yoga is similar to Bikram, but the room’s temperature is a bit more forgiving (80-100°F). It’s still a sweat fest but with more variety in poses
Hatha yoga
Hatha is a broad term for any yoga class that teaches physical postures. Think of it as yoga’s greatest hits album.
Vinyasa yoga
A fast-paced class where you flow from one pose to the next, synchronized with your breath.
Vinyasa yoga classes are often set to music, which adds to the fun.
Iyengar yoga
Named after B.K.S. Iyengar, Iyengar yoga practice emphasizes precision and alignment, using props like blocks and straps.
Perfect for improving strength and flexibility.
Kundalini yoga
Kundalini yoga incorporates chanting and singing along with physical poses. The goal is to activate your life force energy, the kundalini.
Aerial yoga
Ever wanted to feel like an acrobat? Aerial yoga uses silk hammocks suspended from the ceiling, allowing you to perform poses while floating mid-air.
Yin yoga
If you crave deep stretching, try yin yoga. In this practice, you hold poses for minutes at a time to really work into your connective tissues.
Power yoga
Think of Power yoga as a supercharged Vinyasa.
It’s fast-paced, sweaty, and more about strength and cardio than slow stretches.
Prenatal yoga
Tailored for moms-to-be, prenatal yoga is gentler and focused on breathing, relaxation, and preparing for childbirth.
Restorative yoga
The chillest yoga of all. Restorative yoga is all about gentle poses, yoga props, and letting your body completely relax.
Want to know more?
Basic yoga poses to know
Once you’ve decided to start yoga, you must familiarize yourself with the most common poses, or asanas, that you’ll perform during your practice.
Chair Pose (Utkatasana)
The Chair Pose is a foundational pose that strengthens the legs, glutes, and core while improving balance and concentration.
How to do the Chair Pose
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width, arms by your sides.
- Inhale and raise your arms straight overhead, keeping them parallel to each other, your wrists straight, and your fingers spread.
- Exhale, bend your knees, and lower your hips as if sitting in an imaginary chair. Aim to bring your thighs as parallel to the ground as possible, but don’t worry if they’re not.
- Shift your weight into your heels and lean your torso slightly forward, but keep your chest lifted and your back long.
- Engage your core and hold for 15-20 seconds, breathing deeply.
- To release, straighten your legs and lower your arms.
Standing Forward Bend Pose (Uttanasana)
The Standing Forward Bend Pose helps stretch the hamstrings, calves, and lower back while relieving tension and calming the mind.
How to do the Standing Forward Bend
- Start standing with feet hip-width apart.
- Inhale and lift your arms overhead.
- Exhale as you hinge at your hips and fold your upper body over your legs. If your hamstrings are tight, bend your knees slightly to avoid strain. If you’re more flexible, you can straighten your legs.
- Let your hands rest on the ground, your shins, or grab opposite elbows. Keep the spine elongated, and avoid rounding your back.
- Stay here for 30 seconds to a minute, breathing deeply.
- To come up, place your hands on your hips, engage your core, and slowly rise back to standing.
Plank Pose
The Plank Pose builds core strength while toning the arms, shoulders, and glutes. It’s also great for improving overall body alignment.
How to do the Plank Pose
- From a standing position, transition to a downward-facing dog pose, then shift forward so your shoulders are over your wrists.
- Keep your arms straight, hands directly under your shoulders, and legs extended behind you, with your toes on the mat.
- Press your hands firmly into the mat, spreading your fingers wide, and engage your core, glutes, and thighs.
- Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels—avoid letting your hips sag or rise too high.
- Gaze down at the mat and hold for up to one minute, focusing on maintaining your form.
- To release, lower your knees to the mat or transition back into a downward-facing dog.
Four-Limbed Staff Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana)
Chaturanga is a key pose in many yoga flows, especially Vinyasa, and is excellent for building arm, shoulder, and core strength.
How to do the Four-Limbed Staff Pose
- Start in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders, feet hip-width apart, and your core engaged.
- As you exhale, bend your elbows and slowly lower your body toward the ground, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
- Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels—don’t let your hips drop or pike up. Your upper arms should parallel the ground, and your elbows at a 90-degree angle.
- Hold for a few breaths, staying strong through your core and legs.
- To come out of the pose, press into your hands and return to a high plank or transition into an upward-facing dog pose.
Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
Cobra Pose is a gentle backbend that opens the chest and strengthens the spine, making it great for relieving tension in the lower back.
How to do the Cobra Pose
- Lie face-down on your mat with your legs extended behind you and the top of your feet pressing into the floor.
- Place your hands on the mat beneath your shoulders, elbows bent and hugged close to your body.
- Inhale and slowly lift your chest and head off the ground by pressing into your hands and straightening your arms, but avoid locking your elbows.
- Keep your pelvis and thighs grounded while opening your chest and drawing your shoulder blades together.
- Hold for a few breaths, keeping your core engaged to support your lower back.
- Exhale as you gently lower your chest and head back to the mat to release.
Downward-Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Downward-Facing Dog is a full-body stretch that strengthens the arms, shoulders, and legs while lengthening the spine.
How to do the Downward-Facing Dog Pose
- Start on your hands and knees, with your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
- Spread your fingers wide and press into your palms as you lift your hips up and back, straightening your legs as much as your flexibility allows.
- Aim to create an inverted V-shape with your body. Press your heels toward the ground (even if they don’t touch) and keep your spine long.
- Engage your core and keep your head between your arms, gaze toward your thighs.
- Hold for several breaths, focusing on even weight distribution between your hands and feet.
- Lower your knees to the mat or shift back to a kneeling position to release.
Cat and Cow Poses
The Cat and Cow yoga poses are often done together to warm up the spine, improve flexibility, and release tension in the back and neck.
How to do the Cat and Cow Poses
- Start on your hands and knees with wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
- Inhale and move into Cow Pose by arching your back, dropping your belly toward the mat, and lifting your chest and tailbone toward the ceiling. Keep your gaze upward.
- Exhale as you transition into Cat Pose, rounding your back, drawing your navel in, and tucking your chin toward your chest.
- Continue to flow between Cat and Cow with your breath, moving slowly and smoothly.
- Repeat for five to 10 rounds, using your breath to guide your movements.
Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Child’s Pose is a restorative pose that stretches the hips, thighs, and lower back while calming the mind.
How to do Child’s Pose
- Start on your hands and knees with your big toes touching. Spread your knees wide or keep them together, whichever is more comfortable.
- Exhale and lower your hips toward your heels as you stretch your arms forward.
- Rest your forehead on the mat, extending your arms or bringing them by your sides.
- Hold the pose for several breaths, allowing your body to relax fully.
- To come out, gently lift your head and walk your hands back to a kneeling position.
Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)
Bridge Pose is a gentle backbend that strengthens the glutes and lower back while opening the chest and improving spine flexibility.
How to do Bridge Pose
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart, flat on the floor. Your arms should be alongside your body with palms facing down.
- Inhale and press into your feet as you lift your hips toward the ceiling. Roll your shoulders underneath you and clasp your hands under your back, or keep them by your sides.
- Keep your thighs parallel and knees stacked over your ankles, avoiding letting your knees splay out.
- Hold for up to one minute, breathing deeply and keeping your core engaged.
- To release, unclasp your hands and slowly lower your spine to the mat, one vertebra at a time.
How to start a yoga practice
Deciding to start is probably the most challenging part of a yoga practice.
The good news? By reading this, you’ve already taken that step!
The next part is to commit. yoga—like all workouts and positive habits—requires regular practice to see results. You can’t do yoga once a year and expect to make progress.
What to look for in a yoga class
In-person yoga classes
Taking a few in-person classes can be super helpful, especially if you’re a beginner.
A certified yoga instructor (look for one with at least 200 hours of training) can guide you, correct your form, and help you avoid injuries.
Online yoga classes
Not ready for a studio class?
No worries! There are plenty of ways to practice from home with online classes.
Platforms like Yoga with Adriene on YouTube offer free, accessible content for beginners. If you want more structure, you can use Glo and Curvyyoga, which offer paid guided programs.
Yoga gear: What equipment do you need?
Despite what social media might tell you, you don’t need fancy Lululemon leggings or strappy tank tops to do yoga.
In reality, all you need is a body to do yoga (check!).
You don’t even need socks, though sometimes it’s helpful to invest in grippy socks to keep from sliding on a slippery floor.
A yoga mat is another way to stay balanced while practicing your poses.
Mats vary in thickness, style, and material, so it’s best to try out a few to find the best yoga mat for your favorite class.
Just clean it after every use since floors can be full of dirt and dust (not to mention sweat!).
If you rent a yoga mat from your gym or studio, bring your yoga mat cleaner or antibacterial wipes to clean it off after class.
Other types of equipment, often called props, can also be helpful as you progress in your yoga journey.
Yoga blocks
Typically made of foam or cork, yoga blocks act as an arm extension to help increase your range of motion if you don’t quite have enough flexibility yet.
Yoga blocks are also helpful for the head, hips, and back with certain poses.
Yoga straps
Like blocks, yoga straps can extend your arm to help you achieve yoga poses. They can also help with stretching to improve the range of motion.
Yoga blankets
Always cold?
Yoga blankets can keep you warm during relaxation poses and help support and align you in certain poses you have yet to master.
Yoga bolsters
Often used in restorative yoga, yoga bolsters are firm yet comfortable props that you can put under your back, knees, or other body parts to promote total relaxation during a pose.
Yoga chairs
Chairs—specialized for yoga or not—are intended to provide added support and security for more advanced moves like backbends.
Yoga wheels
Need to improve your spin flexibility for backbends and wheel poses?
You need a yoga wheel. These circle-shaped yoga props can help you stretch, improve flexibility, and provide extra security while practicing advanced moves.
What to wear to yoga
What should you wear to yoga? As we said, you don’t have to have a coordinated outfit to practice yoga.
Any workout clothes, as can looser-fitting pants (like sweats), can work.
However, steer clear of baggy t-shirts and pants, as they can get in the way when you start practicing more advanced poses, like a handstand.
One more thing: Bring a towel if you’re headed to a hot yoga class—you’ll need it, and it’s kind of tricky to keep up with the poses if you’re slipping and sliding everywhere.
Frequently asked questions
Is yoga good for weight loss?
Practicing yoga regularly can help you lose weight in a sustainable way and relieve stress and anxiety.
In recent studies, researchers found that yoga has the potential to help maintain or lower body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure.
Yoga also helps with weight loss by strengthening muscles and reducing stress levels, which contribute to weight gain.
How many calories does yoga burn?
There is no set number of calories that you can expect to burn during yoga because it varies depending on your level of intensity, the duration of your practice, and other factors such as age, weight, and gender.
Yoga practitioners typically do 30 to 60 minutes of dynamic practice per session.
This equates to 150 to 300 calories burned per hour for an average person weighing around 155 pounds.
How often should I do yoga?
Yoga has many benefits, but the frequency of your yoga routine depends on your personal goals.
If you want to get the most out of your yoga routine, you should do it at least three times a week and stay as consistent as possible.
However, if you are a beginner and want to introduce yourself to the practice, start slowly and increase the frequency as you progress. If you are feeling stiff and sore after practicing, then this might be a sign that your body needs more time to recover from the workout.
If you feel drained after yoga practice, it’s likely time to take a break or change your routine.
Is it safe to do yoga every day?
Yoga can be practiced daily without any significant negative effects on your physical or mental health if you take the time to do it in moderation.
However, if you are a beginner, do not try to do too much too soon. Start out slow and build up your stamina gradually.
How long should you hold yoga poses?
The duration of your poses is not set in stone.
It all depends on your experience level, what you are trying to achieve, and how flexible you are.
The best way to determine the duration is to work your way from short holds to longer ones. You should also try different variations of poses.
Remember: It is better to focus on the quality of the pose and not worry about how long you are in it.
When should you not do yoga?
Yoga is good for your health, but there are certain situations when you should not do it.
For example, if you have an injury or illness that affects your stability, balance, or range of movement, always listen to your body.
Does yoga change your body?
It is important to remember that yoga will not give you an instant body transformation overnight.
It also won’t cause you to lose weight in an hour or two. But with consistency and dedication, yoga can eventually help improve your body.
Who should not do yoga?
Yoga is for everyone who wants to get in touch with their body and mind.
From the person at the office who wants to stretch after a long day of sitting to the athlete who needs to recover from a game, yoga is for you if you want to balance your life.
However, you should first check with your doctor if you have any injuries or chronic conditions exacerbated by exercise.
Is yoga alone enough exercise?
Yoga is an excellent form of exercise that involves stretching and flexibility. It can be a great complement to other exercises that build cardiovascular strength and muscle mass.
Yoga will work your muscles, but it won’t be as effective as other forms of exercise because you’re not using them the entire time.
That said, certain types of yoga are more intense than others, so you should try different styles to find the right intensity level for your preferences.
