It's thought that you're never more than three feet away from a downward dog. There are apparently over 10,000 yoga teachers in the UK, perfecting the practice of up to 460,000 of us every week, and despite a 30 per cent drop in revenue due to lockdown restrictions, the pilates and yoga studio industry is set to be worth almost £865 million this year.
Even away from the studio, yoga is booming, thanks in large part to its use during those days spent cooped up at home. The Yoga With Adriene phenomenon has continued unabashed post-lockdowns, with the cheerful yoga instructor clocking up 11.8 million YouTube subscribers.
As a beginner, however, if you’re not on the right course (in-person or online), it's easy to get into some bad habits. Genny Wilkinson Priest is the former director of London's Triyoga and is set to open new yoga and movement concept Mission in February. “I think, as a beginner, there’s nothing actually wrong, except for injury,” Priest explained during a one-to-one in 2019. “Often, people will look around the room, see what somebody else is doing and think that they mimic it without having the proper tuition to get into these postures.”
When it comes to Yoga, imitation might be flattering, but it's not constructive. “People forget that those next to them may have been practising for a very long time,” said Priest. “They may have a different skeletal structure, or something within their past that influences what they can and cannot do. Every body in the room is unique and different and you can’t compare yourself.”
Sounds like hard work. Why, then, do so many swear by the yoga mat?
Yoga benefits
Yoga is much more than the early-morning 30-minute session you've seen advertised at your local gym. A varied, nuanced group of physical, mental and spiritual practices originating in ancient India, yoga-like practices are first mentioned in the Rigveda, a collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns created in the second millennium BCE. The Katha Upanishad of around 500 BCE contains the first use of the word ‘yoga’ in its contemporary sense, with concerted study and practice of all its forms present before then.
Something that's been around for so long must have some pretty hefty benefits. Anecdotal evidence for yoga's beneficial nature has existed since the practice began, and modern science has corroborated this. Some of its physical benefits are clear to see, from stretching and posture to strength and balance all improving your general fitness, but there's also emerging research that suggests it could be beneficial to heart health.
Yoga's effect on the mind is also well-proven, with the practice's meditative elements accounting for lowered stress, anxiety and depression. There's also research to indicate that it can even make your brain sharper: studies using MRI scans found that those who regularly practised yoga had a thicker cerebral cortex and hippocampus – areas of the brain concerned with information processing and memory respectively. Both areas typically show signs of shrinkage as we get older, which suggests that “yoga may counteract age-related declines in memory and other cognitive skills.”
Types of yoga
There's a huge range of options, for beginners through to experts, with many core yoga practices widely available.
Hatha yoga focuses on breathing properly through each posture, melting away stress and anxiety. It's a wise place to start for any wannabe practitioners, as its gentle movements and meditative element make it an encouraging beginner's practice, with plenty of scope for development.
Vinyasa yoga is for those looking for something more dynamic and fat-burning, with its quick pace and varied postures forming a solid workout for anyone while its focus on a flowing transition between poses encourages patience and balance.
Ashtanga yoga looks similar to Vinyasa on the surface, but its rigid sequence and focus on the importance of strength and endurance, rather than flow, make this one of the harder yoga styles to practice. Then again, yoga isn't meant to be easy, and each style contains its own challenges.
Kundalini yoga brings a more consciously-spiritual slant to the practice, with chanting and singing an important aspect to the style. Kundalini yoga is practised based on the concept of activating energy stored at the bottom of your spine, and offers plenty of benefits, including a potential reduction in anxiety.
Restorative yoga is the gentlest style discussed here, focused fully on yoga's therapeutic benefits and meditative elements. Holding more passive poses for longer periods gives the body time to settle into each, and deep breathing encourages deep relaxation. Support tools such as blocks are commonly used to support each pose, letting the practitioner focus more easily on the session's restorative aspects.
Yoga poses
There are so many that you'll learn as you progress, but here are two staples that'll stand you in good stead before you make the leap:
Downward-facing dog
The main mistake people make is straightening the legs for this pose, which can cause strain on the wrists, shoulders and cause the upper back to curve. If the muscles in the back of the legs are tight, it can cause too much weight to shift into your wrists, arms and shoulders. Try bending the knees a little and lifting the heels away from the floor before lengthening the tailbone up and back. This will create added length in the back and sides of the upper body.
Firstly, kneel and tuck your toes under your feet. Spread the hands shoulder-width apart, index finger pointing straight forwards, the other fingers fanned out. Push through to the base of your hands and below the knuckles and keep stretching your arms forward as though you’re pushing into them. Lift the knees away from the floor and reach your sit bones back and up. If you can’t stretch your legs straight, don’t. Bend them and start to peddle back and forth so that you start to open out the back of the legs, one at a time.
Things to watch out for: If you’re doing it right you shouldn’t feel a strain on any part of the body. You should feel a lightness that comes from drawing the body up.
The triangle pose
Step your feet wide apart across the length of your mat so that you are facing sideways – feet wide enough that when you stretch out your arms, your wrists align over your ankles. Turn out your right thigh bone (it’s called external rotation in yoga) so that the right toes point forward. The back foot should be ever so slightly turned in to face the same direction as the right foot. Both heels should be in line with each other. Lift through the arches of your feet while rooting down through your ankles. Stretch your arms wide and reach right, lengthening the side body while keeping the right leg straight. Rest your right hand on your outer shin or ankle (you can use a block, standing up lengthways, to help with this part as you want to keep both legs straight). Extend equally through both sides of your waist. Lengthen your tailbone toward your back heel. Keep your left arm in line with your shoulder, with the left fingers reaching toward the ceiling.
Equipment
There's not much you need to get started, but a good mat is a must. Read our guide to the best yoga mats on the market, and check out the best yoga brands out there to elevate your practice.
