Would like to try yoga - where to start?

[ShyGirlie]

I am a bit overweight, with poor coordination. Don't currently do any exercise. Would it be possible to give yoga a go? Scared incase i look stupid and get laughed out of class for being unable to do anything!

Also i have various back problems - curved spine, bulging discs and tight muscle knots caused by stress.

Is this all a no-no?

Do a few YouTube videos at first to see how you get on? I'm fat and uncoordinated and surprised myself!! I liked 'Yoga with Adriene' (I think that was her name anyway )

Yoga is just what you need for tight muscle spots caused by stress :)

If you have health problems, especially with your back, i would look for a class rather than trying to teach yourself - a teacher will tell you what can help and what to avoid for your particular circumstances, and adapt postures to suit you, rather than risking injury.

Don't worry about looking silly - yoga is not competitive and most people will be too focussed on their own efforts and trying not to fall over to be watching you. My class has a complete mix from qualified teachers to those who can't touch their toes - a good teacher will be able to adjust and accommodate all abilities.

Just marking my place as I'm like you only alot overweight. Im going to try my local leisure centre to see what classes they do.

No, not at all! Ask around, find a class that does a more relaxed form of yoga (I go to a class which is a mixture of Hatha and Ashtanga, the instructor tailors the class to the people in it.) Give it a go.

yoga is endlessly adaptable, yes you can :)

Shy I have all those!
A good yoga teacher will enable you to do poses. I loved Iyengar yoga. You use props like a belt, foam cushions etc to help you achieve poses. It's great!

You will def not be laughed out. Yoga ain't like that

I would try lots of different classes and find a teacher you like. They vary so much. You could hate the first 10 classes then fall in love with the eleventh.

If you have a yoga studio near you, I would try them first. You might be able to buy a week/month pass cheap and try lots of classes.

I started with Bikram, the scary hot yoga. I had awful back pain from two pregnancies in 15months, was overweight and had never been able to touch my toes. It was just fantastic and had such a big impact on my quality of life. I wouldn't be scared of the more hardcore forms of yoga. If you are practising to the best of your ability and listening to instructions then you will be doing great. It's very flexible people who don't listen and think they know everything while doing it all wrong that put peoples' backs up!

OP - Don't worry about any of that. I'm taking my 72-year-old mother to her first yoga class tomorrow The philosophy of yoga is such that everyone does what they can and nobody judges each other. You will see!

I recently started a yoga class and am quite unfit (and a wee bit overweight). The class is a gentle and therapeutic yoga class, and there is a wide variety of ages, sizes and fitness abilities in the class. The teacher also gives direction about the various poses if you are not as flexible, which is great.

You should also be asked to complete a medical questionnaire before starting a class, to make the teacher aware of any problems you might have (back problems, dodgy knee etc.) A good teacher will then be able to advise you on how to adapt some of the exercises to get the most benefit and to avoid injury.

You definitely won't be laughed at.