11 Common Yoga Questions (and Their Answers)

{"slug":"frequently-asked-yoga-questions","recentPosts":[{"id":"clbewo8ay2ybd0bjz1b3mku4h","slug":"yoga-for-metabolism-free-event","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Announcing MyYogaTeacher’s Free Yoga for Better Metabolism Event","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Discover more about how your digestive process works, impacts your metabolism, and how yoga can help at the free Yoga for Better Metabolism Event! ","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-12-08T09:57:36.387359+00:00","coverUrl":"ymmjpuaok6d14lsrhqme.png","content":{"text":"Are you ready to easily improve digestion and boost metabolism (isn’t everyone)? Then this event is for you! \\n\\nYou’re invited to the two-day yoga event from December 13-14 dedicated to improving your metabolism!\\n\\nBetter digestion = better metabolism! Check it out…\\n\n\\nMaybe you’ve heard. Good fats, fiber, healthy proteins, they all improve your gut biome, which impacts how efficiently your body burns calories. Massaging the organs of your digestive system helps activate the good bacteria in your gut! And who does the massaging? YOU do! With yoga. Yoga is one of the best movements to help improve metabolism in this process. \n\\nIntrigued? We hope so! \n\\nDiscover more about how your digestive process works, how it impacts your metabolism, and how yoga can help at the free Yoga for Better Metabolism Event! \\n\\nThe impacts of living a yogic lifestyle are nothing but positive, so we hope you’ll join us!\\n\\nHow to join the Yoga for Better Metabolism Event:\\n\\nMembers\\nJust click the links below to one or all of the classes you’d like to attend and register as you would any other group class! Simple as that.\\n\\nNon-Members\\n\\nClick this link to sign up for your free two week trial\\n to get access to this incredible event! No credit card required.\\n\n\\nAre you a nonmember who signed up for a trial in the past but it’s lapsed?\\nIf you’re not a member but signed up for a free-trial in the past, and it has expired, just reach out to \\ncare@myyogateacher.com\\n to let us know!  We'll reset your trial and give you full access to the event.\\n\n\\n[NEW!] Referred friends & family:\\nDid you refer a friend or family member to MyYogaTeacher? We’re so grateful for you!\\n\\nYour family or friend should create a free account (they’ll get 2-weeks of access plus three complimentary 1-on-1 sessions). And if they sign up for membership, you both get $100 off MyYogaTeacher credit.\\n\n\\nDiscover all the best ways yoga improves your metabolism, digestion, and overall health. So you can live your life to the fullest, every day.\n\\nWe've put together an entire schedule of relaxation classes dedicated to helping you boost your metabolism.\\n\n\\nCheck out the educational, inspiring, and exciting event classes and expert yoga instructors making this event happen!\\n(Click the class links to register for any or all of these amazing sessions!)\\n\n\\n\\nActivate Digestive Fire and Boost Metabolism\\n\\nTuesday, December 13 from 5:30 pm PST/ 8:30 pm EST\\n\\n\\n\n\\nMetabolism and digestion are interconnected! This class is designed to teach you about your digestive fire and how you can boost your metabolism and improve digestion with some simple yoga techniques. Everyone is welcome! Join us!\\n\n\\n\\nImprove Your Diet and Boost Metabolism\\n\\nWednesday, December 14 from 3:30 pm PST/ 6:30 pm EST\\n\\n\\n\n\\nNutrition is an important aspect of boosting your metabolism. Discover some simple yoga techniques to boost your metabolism and learn how to improve your diet in a way that positively impacts your metabolic processes!\n\\nMyYogaTeacher makes it easy to improve and maintain your health and wellness. We’re less about surviving and more about thriving! And a yogic lifestyle isn’t just about yoga poses. It’s about a holistic, whole body approach to health. That includes things like diet, digestion, and metabolism!\\n\\nSo join our expert yoga instructors! Feel better about your health while building relationships with yogis who truly care about your wellbeing. \n\\nYou’re not just a student at MyYogaTeacher. You’re a friend!\\n\\nWe offer these events so you have the tools and guidance to live in harmony with your inner self, outer self, and the world. So you can move in the world with peace and good health. \n\\nDon’t forget to check out other yoga classes related to diet, digestion, and metabolism MyYogaTeacher offers as a part of your membership or free trial! Like the ones below…\\n\\nAnd remember: If you’re a nonmember who’s two-week free trial has ended, reach out to \\ncare@myyogateacher.com\\n to have your trial reset so you can easily sign up for these awesome classes!\\n\n\\nWelcome to MyYogaTeacher’s Yoga for Better Metabolism Event!\\nSee you soon!\\n"},"category":["myYogaTeacher"]},{"id":"clb6d7i3dguvb0bkghnequ3yl","slug":"yoga-for-women-with-pcos","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Yoga for PCOS: How a regular yoga practice can help you relieve PCOS","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"For women with PCOS, Exercise like pilates and yoga are a great choice for the following reasons! Read the blog to know more","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-12-02T10:30:33.809654+00:00","coverUrl":"ka5ed2fhlzx6v5coonue.jpg","content":{"text":"PCOS affects 12% of women during their childbearing years. This incurable syndrome can affect many aspects of a womens day to day life as well as their mental health. Yoga can help to take some of the pressure away mentally and physically. While there is no cure, the symptoms can be mangable with lifestyle changes such as effective diet and exercise routines. \\nWhat is PCOS?\\nPCOS is a hormonal disorder which causes the ovaries to be enlarged & small cyst to appear on the outer parts of the ovaries. This syndrome can cause issues with menstruation and fertility. \\n \\nWhat are the PCOS Symptoms?\\n According to John Hopkins University, the most common symptoms are: \\nMissed periods, irregular periods, or very light periods.\\nOvaries that are large or have many cysts.\\nExcess body hair, including the chest, stomach, and back (hirsutism)\\nWeight gain, especially around the belly (abdomen)\\nAcne or oily skin.\\nMale-pattern baldness or thinning hair.\\nInfertility symptoms\\nBenefits of Yoga for Women with PCOS\\nFor women who suffer from weight gain with PCOS, mind-body exercises can help burn calories & reduce stress. Exercise like pilates and yoga are a great choice for the following reasons! \\n1. Reduce Anxiety \\nMood swings, cravings and unbalanced emotions are very common with PCOS. Yoga can help to manage these symptoms by reducing stress and anxiety by reducing testosterone levels and balancing your blood sugar. \n⁠\\n2. Balance Hormones\\nYoga is known to balance your endocrine system which will help to regulate your hormones internally. A regular yoga practice can help improve your period cycle and symptoms as well as stimulate your metabolism. Have you ever tried a hormone balancing yoga class?\\n Try our class with Gomati for free with our two week trial!\\n\n⁠\\n3. Reduce Pain\\n \\nYoga is known to reduce chronic pain in those with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.When you’re experiencing pain from your symptoms, try these asanas to ease the pain.\\n \\nYoga Asanas to Perform for PCOS Relief\\nBridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)\\n - Bridge pose reduces stress and anxiety while also stretching the lower back. \n⁠\\n\\nReclined Butterfly Pose (Supta Baddha Konasan)\\n - Helps reduce cramping.\n⁠\\n\\nChild's Pose (Balasana)\\n - Child's pose will help to open the hips and bring the body back to a natural state. \n⁠\\n\\nBoat Pose (Naukasana)\\n - Boat pose reduces body fat and improves blood flow. \n⁠\\n\\nLotus Pose (Padmasana)\\n - Resets hormones and reduces period discomfort. \n⁠\\n\\n Other ways to improve PCOS symptoms\\nLifestyle and diet changes can help decrease symptoms and help you to maintain a more normal lifestyle. Try these tips to reduce your day to day symptoms. \\nEat whole foods! For women suffering with PCOS, the best diet is to eat foods in their most natural unprocessed form. When filling your plate, try to introduce lots of color into your meals. Stick to mostly plant based foods when possible but when eating meat, choose chicken or fish. Also make sure to regularly detox your body, Read the article to know more on How to \\nRejuvenate with a Body Detox at Home\\n\\nCreate a routine for balance. Our bodies are most at peace when they're on a schedule. Try to create a routine that works within your lifestyle and stick to it as often as possible. Try your best to keep your workouts and meals around the same time each day! If you need to be more flexible, you can choose time frames instead of an exact time. \\nHere’s an example schedule:\\n6:00 am morning workout.\\n9:00 am breakfast.\\n12:00 pm lunch. \\n3:00 pm  snack.\\n6:00 pm dinner\\n9:00 pm night time meditation before bed. \\nGo for a walk! This is something so simple that we sometimes take for granted. Going for a walk is great to get moving & help balance our hormone levels! It’s also a great way to reset during your lunch break or at the end of the day. \\nCreate a mindfulness routine to reduce stress. In a 2015 clinical study, 69% of women with PCOS found meditation helps with PCOS by reducing psychological stress and improving participants overall quality of life. Think about adding a meditation practice to the end of your day or journaling over coffee before work. \\nEven on day’s that feel tough with your symptoms, there are so many benefits to taking time to do yoga or meditate. You don’t have to let PCOS define you, you can be in control when your mind is clear and your body is grounded into its routine. Ready to build a regular yoga routine? Get started with us at\\n Try our hormone balancing yoga class to rev up your system or a gentle yoga class to wind down!\\n MyYogaTeacher!\\n"},"category":["pain_management"]},{"id":"clb52ie0sp5ba0bk78n0v86hv","slug":"yoga-workshops-for-new-year-2023","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Exciting New Yoga Workshops to Jumpstart Your New Year!","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"The new year yoga workshops are designed to give you all the tools you need to support your mental, emotional, and physical health! Check now and register","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-12-01T12:43:19.773552+00:00","coverUrl":"oteegmdl4axpzfhzpsj6.jpg","content":{"text":"Happy New Year!\\nAs each year comes to a close, there is an inevitable sense that the next year will be better. Smoother, less stressful, more joyful. There is \\nhope\\n. \n\\nAnd, there are, of course, resolutions. But what if resolutions were simply called “life changes?” Or better, \\nlifestyle\\n changes.\n\\nWhether your “resolution” this year is to lose weight, get in better shape, practice more selfcare, or improve your mental and emotional health, MyYogaTeacher is here to support you…not just for the year, for life.\n\\nIntroducing our Three New Yoga Workshops :\n\\nWe understand how hard it can be to start and keep a new habit going, even if you’re motivated to do so at the strike of midnight on New Year’s Eve. Somehow, life just gets in the way of progress as the new year passes. And good intentions remain just that. Intentions. \\n\\nThese workshops are designed to give you all the tools you need to support your mental, emotional, and physical New Year’s resolutions in the New Year and beyond! We hope you’ll check them out, register, and join us! \\nEach one is 30 days and begins on January 2, 2023!\\n\n\\n\\nStarting Selfcare in the New Year: A Sustainable Approach\\n\\n\\nMaking time to rest, relax, and reset is vital to our mental, emotional, and physical health. Yoga can play an important role in helping you relax (even during a busy day). A sustainable selfcare routine is a great way to start the New Year and support your whole body health for years to come!\n\\nAt MyYogaTeacher, we are all passionate about this topic and are excited to offer this 30-day workshop which will be led by expert MyYogaTeacher instructors, Preeti and Bodhi! \\nClick the workshop link above to register and learn more about what you can expect at each session of this workshop.\\n\n\\n\\n\n\\n\\nYoga for Weight Loss: Lose Weight & Keep it Off\\n\\n\\nIf you find it hard to start and/or stick to a weight loss routine or don’t know where to begin on your fitness journey, this 30-day workshop is for you! MyYogaTeacher is fortunate to have yoga instructors Anupama and Kanishka leading this workshop, experts in yoga, fitness, and nutrition! \\n\\nTake charge of your health and make it a priority as you learn about a yogic diet, asanas to help you lose weight, and build a fitness routine you will \\nwant\\n to stick with! All of our instructors are there to support you with group and 1-on-1 classes as well once the workshop is over. \\nClick the workshop link above to register and learn more about what you can expect at each session of this workshop!\\n\\n\\n\n\\n\\nGetting Fit for the New Year and Beyond\\n\\n\\nThe wonderful MyYogaTeacher experts leading this workshop, Shweta and Shikha, are dedicated to helping you reach your fitness goals! While this workshop is also excellent for those wanting to lose weight, it is designed for those who want to specifically work on developing more strength, flexibility, and balance!\\n\\nSometimes, we set goals for ourselves in the New Year and don’t have the support we need to reach them. This workshop ends that! Whether you’re already fit and looking to get fitter or you’re not in the shape you’d like to be and want to change that, this workshop will help you reach your goals and continue growing on your fitness journey. \\nClick the workshop link above to register and learn more about what you can expect at each session of this workshop!\\n\\n\\n\n\\nJoin us and let yoga lead you into the New Year (and a new life)!\\n"},"category":["myYogaTeacher"]},{"id":"claw7wcdkpmue0akb2dexmcnb","slug":"yoga-for-weight-loss-dec-22","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Welcome to MyYogaTeacher’s Free Yoga for Weight Loss Event!","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"You’re invited to the three-day yoga event dedicated to helping you lose weight and live your healthiest life! Read to know more","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-11-25T08:04:13.345163+00:00","coverUrl":"hm7hviovmruyz1r1qmie.png","content":{"text":"You’re invited to the three-day yoga event from December 2-4 dedicated to helping you lose weight and live your healthiest life!\\nUse yoga to get fit, stay fit, and feel better!\\n\\nDespite what you may have heard, yoga \\ncan\\n help you lose weight, and lose it fast. The combination of stress reduction, physical exertion, and creation of new habits make yoga a great avenue for weight loss. \\n\\nAnd MyYogaTeacher makes sure you don’t have to do it alone!\\nDid you know that you can burn anywhere from 180-600 calories an hour doing yoga?! That’s a lot! And because a regular yoga practice comes with \\nso many\\n more benefits than weight loss, it’s worth it to try it out if you haven’t already! \\n\\nThe impacts of living a yogic lifestyle are nothing but positive, so we hope you’ll join us for the 3-day Yoga for Weight Loss Event!\\n\\nHow to join the Yoga for Better Emotional Balance Event:\\n\\nMembers\\nJust click the links below to one or all of the classes you’d like to attend and register as you would any other group class! Simple as that.\n\\nNon-Members\\n\\nClick this link to sign up for your free two week trial\\n to get access to this incredible event! No credit card required.\\n\n\\nAre you a nonmember who signed up for a trial in the past but it’s lapsed?\\nIf you’re not a member but signed up for a free-trial in the past, and it has expired, just reach out to \\ncare@myyogateacher.com\\n to let us know!  We'll reset your trial and give you full access to the event.\\n\\n[NEW!] Referred friends & family:\\nDid you refer a friend or family member to MyYogaTeacher? We’re so grateful for you!\\nYour family or friend should create a free account (they’ll get 2-weeks of access plus three complimentary 1-on-1 sessions). And if they sign up for membership, you both get $100 off MyYogaTeacher credit.\\n\\nDiscover all the best ways yoga and meditation help you have emotional balance. So you can live your life to the fullest, even during times of stress.\\nWe've put together an entire schedule of relaxation classes dedicated to helping you relax and sleep better.\\n\\nCheck out the educational, inspiring, and exciting event classes and expert yoga instructors making this event happen!\\n(Click the class links to register for any or all of these amazing sessions!)\\n\\n\\nWeight Loss for Beginners: Mindful Movement with Kanishka\\n\\nFriday, December 2 from 5:00 pm PST/ 8:00 pm EST\\n\\n⁠Click here to find out more or book this session\\n\n\\n\\n\\nScared to start a weight loss class because of your lack of fitness or flexibility? This beginner hatha yoga for weight loss class is for you! Join this introductory beginner hatha yoga class designed to help you build strength, flexibility, and stamina and boost your confidence as you pursue your weight loss goals.\\n\\n\\nYoga for Weight Loss: Stretch and Sweat with Ravin\\n\\nSaturday, December 3 from 5:30 pm PST/ 8:30 pm EST\\n\\n⁠Click here to find out more or book this session\\n\n\\n\\n\\nYou can lose weight with yoga! Low impact exercise with a big impact on your health. This intense hatha yoga session for all fitness levels is guaranteed to work up a sweat and improve fitness, flexibility, and endurance. Join us!\\n\\n\\nHealthy and Fit: Yoga Asanas for Weight Loss with Gomati\\n\\nSunday, December 4 from 5:00 pm PST/ 8:00 pm EST\\n\\n⁠Click here to find out more or book this session\\n\n\\n\\n\n\\nYoga makes it easy to prioritize your health! Get started on your weight loss journey in this 90 minute class dedicated to helping you get fit, healthy, and happy! Also, discover the important role your hormones play in your health. Join us!\\n\\nLet our expert yoga instructors guide you on a journey to better health! Here at MyYogaTeacher, we value building relationships with our yogi students and truly care about their health and wellness goals! MyYogaTeacher is unique in that you aren’t just a student when you join our community. You’re a friend! \\n\\nWe offer these events so you have the tools and guidance to live in harmony with your inner self, outer self, and the world. So you can move in the world with peace and good health. \\n\\nExperience weight loss in a way that works for you and \\nwith\\n you and build a consistent habit of making space for your health and wellness! We’re here to support you on your journey now \\nand\\n when the event is over!\\n\\nSo join us for this free event! And don’t forget to check out other weight loss related yoga classes MyYogaTeacher offers as a part of your membership or free trial! Or reach out to the yoga instructors below offering 1-on-1 sessions to address specific issues!\\n\\n\\nKanishka Pandey\\n\\n\\nAnuj Poonia\\n\\n\\nMonica Agarwal\\n\\n\\nAbhishek Bodhi\\n\\n\\nRavin Arya \\n\\n\\nGomati Woli\\n\\n\\nAnd remember: If you’re a nonmember who’s two-week free trial has ended, reach out to \\ncare@myyogateacher.com\\n to have your trial reset so you can easily sign up for these awesome classes!\\n\n\\nWelcome to MyYogaTeacher’s Yoga for Weight Loss Event!\\nSee you soon!\\n"},"category":["myYogaTeacher"]},{"id":"clas104kemz1o0bimrwa5ir7s","slug":"yoga-gift-card","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"10 Reasons To Give The Gift Of Yoga This Holiday Season","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"When you give someone the gift of yoga, you’re reminding them how important it is to take time for themselves! Read the blog to know more","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-11-22T09:40:07.784715+00:00","coverUrl":"eomsfhhpzm6rc4ndnem3.jpg","content":{"text":"As the holiday season takes off, it’s not always easy to find the perfect gift for all the special people in our lives. Trying to be unique or give something that stands out can be difficult. But yoga is the gift that keeps on giving! When you give someone the gift of yoga, you’re reminding them how important it is to take time for themselves. Helping them to create space and routine they may not have otherwise. Thinking of giving a \\nMyYogaTeacher gift card\\n for the holidays? There's so many reasons to give the gift of yoga and mindfulness this season! If you’re a yogi, you know the many benefits of yoga and how helpful it is to your day to day life! But maybe there’s someone in your life who has yet to discover the gift of yoga! \n⁠\n⁠\\nHere are the top 10 reasons to give the gift of yoga to someone you love. \\n It’s good for the environment!\\n Gifting a virtual gift card means no wrapping paper. Even if your recipient lives overseas it’s easy to just email the gift right to their inbox!\\nIt promotes self-care! \\nWhen you give the gift of yoga, you’re giving someone you love the chance to take time out of their busy schedule to practice self-care and self love. It’s such a beautiful way to show gratitude to those around us. \\nIt becomes a routine. \\nDid you know it takes 21 days to build a habit? When you give the gift of a month with \\nMyYogaTeacher \\nto someone, it will become part of their routine and lifestyle. And they’ll be grateful you gave them such a beautiful gift. Which brings us to the next reason….\\n \\nYoga creates a community. \\nFor those of us who are still working from home or may live far from those we love, MyYogaTeacher’s online classes give us a chance to create a yoga community while staying home. We look forward to our weekly classes with expert teachers and the friends we make along the way. \\n It’s good for the body! \\nUsually around the holidays we tend to indulge in the name of celebration. Yoga is a great way to balance out celebrating with mindful movement. \\n \\nIt will last long after the holidays.\\n A lot of times, we buy gifts for the moment and the facade wears off quickly. Rather than another useless gadget, yoga gives you the opportunity to learn something new. \\n Yoga can jumpstart your New Year’s goals! \\nMost of us start our fitness goals after the holiday rush. But by giving the gift of yoga, you give your loved ones a leg up on the gym game! \\n If you’re a member, it’s an opportunity to spend more time together. \\nPurchasing a gift card for a friend or family member means you can take classes together even if you’re apart! \\nYoga improves your outlook. \\nIf your loved one has had a tough year or is moving through a hard season in their life, yoga is a great way to increase happiness and overall outlook by introducing them to a mindful practice.\\n It relieves the effects of holiday stress. \\nBetween the shopping, parties and traffic, the holiday season can be \\nvery stressful\\n. Giving the gift of yoga to a stressed out holiday shopper could be just what they need to reset for the end of the year. \\n\n\\nA\\n giftcard to our virtual yoga platform\\n is great for so many people! Having a hard time knowing if it’s right for your recipient? Here’s our top five list! \\nFor that special someone who needs to relax.\\nFor someone in recovery from an injury.\\nFor someone who loves to workout.\\nFor the college student or teacher on holiday break.\\nFor a busy parent. \\nHead over to our website to grab your \\ngift cards\\n so you can do yoga with someone special in your life this holiday season. \\n"},"category":[]}],"randomPosts":[{"id":"ckl2uxydcc02m0969wfq920ht","slug":"power-yoga-session","author":{"name":"Monica","teacherMytSlug":"monica-1","pictureUrl":"Monica-1.jpg"},"title":"Power Yoga: A 45-Minute Session to Strengthen Body and Mind","createdAt":"2021-02-12T22:23:36.267485+00:00","coverUrl":"power_yoga__ckl2uxydcc02m0969wfq920ht.png","content":{"text":"Power yoga is the term generally used to describe a high-energy, fitness-based approach to vinyasa. It was modeled on the Ashtanga yoga method and you'll typically see Ashtanga-style features like sun salutations show up in power yoga classes.\\n\\nHere, I'm going to share a 45-minute power yoga workout that you can do from the comfort of your home. I know you're going to love it and, if you do, be sure to join me in my next live power yoga class on \\nmyYogaTeacher\\n.\\n\\nPower Yoga Workout\\nStart by sitting comfortably in a cross-legged position. Roll your shoulders back and bring both hands into Gayan mudra with your index fingers to your thumbs. Place the backs of your hands on your knees with your palms turned up. Close your eyes.\\n\\nFocus on taking long and deep inhalations and exhalations. As you inhale, fill your abdomen, letting it expand. On the exhale, press the air out, your abdomen sinking in.\\n\\nMinimize any effort from your body. Let go of any thoughts coming into your mind. Just feel the current state of your body and your mind.\\n\\nGently join your palms at your heart center. We're going to do one round of chanting \\nom\\n. Inhale deeply, exhale, letting \\nom\\n fill the space in you and around you.\\n\\nRub your palms together and make a cup shape with your hands, placing them over your eyes. Blink open your eyes and gaze at your palms. \\nNamaste\\n.\\n\\nWe begin today's practice standing for the Sivananda style of Surya Namaskara.\\n\\nSequence One\\n\\nStand at the front of your mat, rolling your shoulders back and joining your feet together. Tuck your tailbone in. On the inhale, take your arms from the front, tighten your hips and thighs, and lift your chest up, keeping your elbows straight. On the exhale, fold forward completely.\\n\\nOn your next inhale, step your right foot back, keeping your knee up. Hold for a breath before stepping your left foot back, coming into a high plank. On the exhale, press your knees, chest, and chin down to the ground. Inhale and point your toes, pressing into your palms. Lift your chest up and on the exhale, tuck your toes and bring your hips up.\\n\\nInhale, stepping your right foot to the front of your mat in between palms. Sink your right hip down and look front. Exhale bringing your left foot front and fold forward.\\n\\nInhale, take your arms from the front, bringing your chest up. Tighten your hips and thighs and arch your back into a slight backbend. Exhale, folding forward. Repeat this sequence on the left side before repeating the entire sequence (both right and left) four more times.\\n\\nSequence Two\\nTake a few breaths in forward fold. Inhale, with your palms just in front of your knees, your fingertips facing down. Lift your chest and lengthen your spine, keeping your back flat. Exhale, folding forward.\\n\\nInhale, bending your knees, and take the hips back. Stretch your arms from the side, sitting down into chair pose. Exhale, extending your arms from the side and fold forward completely.\\n\\nInhale, placing either your fingertips down on the mat or your palms just below your knees. Lengthen your spine, keeping your spine straight and your neck neutral. Exhale, soften your knees, and place your palms down on the mat, jumping back to Chaturanga.\\n\\nInhale, point your toes, roll shoulders, and bring your chest up to up dog. Exhale, tucking your toes, and bringing your hips up into downward dog.\\n\\nInhale, bringing your right leg up to the ceiling. Exhale and bring your right foot to the front of your mat, between your palms.\\n\\nInhale, sweeping your arms up, and lengthening your spine into Warrior I. Exhale and place your fingertips down on the mat. Walk your fingertips back and sit down, keeping your left knee pointing up to the ceiling.\\n\\nInhale your arms up and, on the exhale, fold forward over your right leg. On the next inhale, sweep your arms up again, keeping your left knee facing up to the ceiling. Exhale and press your palms into the mat. Move forward into a lunge position, dragging your right heel to the front of the mat.\\n\\nInhale your left arm up to the ceiling and, on the exhale, bring your left elbow to the outside of your right knee, pressing your palms together and opening your chest. Settle into the twist. On the exhale, release your palms down to the ground.\\n\\nInhale, bringing your right knee to your right armpit. Exhale, bringing your right knee to your left armpit. Inhale, take your right leg up to the ceiling and exhale to Chaturanga. Inhale to Urdhva Mukha, up dog. Exhale to downward dog. On the next inhale, repeat the sequence, starting with the left leg.\\n\\nSequence Three\\nInhale and bring your elbows down to the mat into dolphin pose. Interlace your fingers, straighten your knees, and walk toes to the front slightly. Move your body forward, taking your chin ahead of your interlaced fingers. Exhale and bring your body back to dolphin pose. Repeat this back and forth 9 more times, taking your chin to the mat in front of your interlaced fingers each time if you're able.\\n\\nSequence Four\\nInhale, bring your elbows up off of the mat, and exhale into downward dog. Inhale, right leg to the ceiling and exhale, placing your right foot up between your palms. Inhale your arms up to Warrior I. On the exhale, place your fingertips down to the mat.\\n\\nInhale, walking your fingertips back, and sitting on your left leg, keeping your right leg stretched out in front of you. Inhale your arms up and exhale, folding forward over your right leg. Inhale, bringing your arms up and, on the exhale, walk your palms forward, dragging your right heel to the front of your mat.\\n\\nOn the inhale, bring your left arm up, and exhale the left elbow to the outside of your right knee. Press your palms together and twist. Inhale, pressing your palms into the mat, and bring your right knee to your right armpit. Exhale, bringing your right knee to your left armpit.\\n\\nInhale and take your right leg up to the ceiling. Exhale to Chaturanga, inhale to up dog. Exhale to downward dog. Repeat the sequence starting with your left leg.\\n\\nSequence Five\\nIn this sequence, we'll be doing 10 rounds of Hindi pushups. If this is too challenging, use the version from Sequence Three (using dolphin pose). We'll start in downward dog.\\n\\nInhale, taking your shoulders and the crown of the head down towards the floor. Lift into up dog, pressing your palms into the ground, and bring your chest down. Come back into downward dog.\\n\\nThe movement should be initiated from the crown of your head. We aren't moving into Chaturanga but are instead doing a pushup with a dip. Repeat 9 more times.\\n\\nSequence Six\\nFrom downward dog, inhale, raising your right leg up to the ceiling. On the exhale, bring your right foot to the front of your mat, coming into Warrior I. Stay in Warrior I for 5 breaths.\\n\\nRelease your palms down to the ground and walk your hands back to sit on your left leg. Inhale your arms up and, on the exhale, bend forward over your right leg. Hold this position for 5 breaths.\\n\\nInhale, bringing your arms back up. On the exhale, walk your hands forward, dragging the right heel to the front and coming into a lunge position. Inhale, lifting your left arm up. On the exhale, place your left elbow to the outside of your right knee, pressing your palms together and twisting. Hold the twist for 5 breaths.\\n\\nInhale and place your palms down to the ground. Bring your right knee to your right armpit and hold for 5 breaths. Exhale, bringing your right knee to your left armpit, holding for 5 breaths. Inhale, taking your right leg up to the ceiling, and exhale to Chaturanga. Inhale to up dog, exhale to downward dog. Repeat the sequence starting with your left leg.\\n\\nSequence Seven\\nIn this sequence, we'll continue to work on building your shoulder strength with shoulder dips.\\n\\nFrom downward dog, walk your feet in slightly, shortening the distance between your feet and hands. Bring the crown of your head toward your hands as though you're coming into a tripod headstand. Then, push back to downward dog. Repeat 9 more times.\\n\\nSequence Eight\\nWalk your feet back to a standard downward dog position. Inhale, bending your knees, and look at the space between your palms. Jump your feet forward to meet your hands, keeping your back flat. Exhale, folding forward completely.\\n\\nOn the inhale, bend your knees, sitting down into chair pose. Sweep the arms up, and stretch the right leg out in front of you for a single-leg chair pose. Hold this position for 10 counts before folding forward on an exhale. Inhale, lifting your chest up and keeping your back flat. Exhale and jump your feet back to Chaturanga. Inhale to up dog. Exhale to downward dog. Inhale, taking your right leg up to the ceiling and, on the exhale, bring your right foot to the front of your mat, in between your hands. Sweep your arms up.\\n\\nFrom here, we're going to move into dynamic kicks, a martial arts-inspired move. To do these kicks, you'll bring your right leg forward in a straight line, sweep it as high as it can comfortably go. Don't bend your knee. Instead, keep your leg straight and swing from the hip. Do 10 kicks on the right side, keeping your lunge shallow between kicks if you'd like. After the 10th rep, rest in half-split pose, or Ardha Hanumanasana, before coming back to Warrior I.\\n\\nNext, we'll work on a combination between dynamic kicks and side lunge pose, or Skandasana. Starting from Warrior I, swing your right leg forward and, as it returns toward the ground, let its momentum pull you into Skandasana, with your palms together at your heart. Use your core to bring your body back to Warrior I. Repeat 9 more times.\\n\\nRelax in Skandasana for 10 counts.\\n\\nInhale to Warrior I. Exhale and place your palms down on the ground. Inhale your right leg to the ceiling. Exhale to Chaturanga. Inhale, coming into up dog. Exhale to downward dog. Inhale, bringing your left leg up to the ceiling. On the exhale, bring your left foot to the front of your mat, between your hands. Inhale your arms up into Warrior I.\\n\\nLet's repeat the dynamic kicks on the left side for 10 reps, ending in Warrior I before taking a break in spit-lunge pose. After that, we'll once again do 10 reps of our kick-side lunge combination (on the left side this time) before relaxing in Skandasana for 10 counts.\\n\\nInhale to Warrior I. Exhale, taking your palms down to the floor. Inhale your right leg up to the ceiling and exhale to Chaturanga. Inhale to up dog. Exhale to downward dog.\\n\\nOn the next inhale, bend your knees, look at the space between your palms, and jump your feet forward to meet your hands, keeping your back flat. Exhale and fold forward completely. Inhale, bending your knees, and sit down into chair pose. We're moving into single-leg chair with the left leg forward this time. Take the arms up, and stretch the left leg out in front of you, hold for 10 counts then exhale and fold forward. Separate your feet and squat down into Malasana. Breathe in and out completely for several breaths.\\n\\nSequence Nine\\nFrom Malasana, roll yourself back onto your buttocks and come into high boat pose. Hold for 10 counts.\\nCross your legs and roll forward until your palms are pressed into your mat. Jump your feet back into a plank. Release your knees to the floor, coming into a tabletop position. From here, tuck your toes and lift your knees an inch or so off the mat.\\n\\nKeeping your knees off the floor, walk forward for 4 steps, moving your right palm and left knee together and your left palm and right knee together, walk backward for 4 steps. Repeat 9 more times.\\n\\nNext, bring your right knee underneath you and your left arm back, turning your body so your stomach is facing the ceiling, lifting your hips up for reverse tabletop. Reverse this movement to come back to all-fours and repeat on the other side by bringing the left knee underneath you and your right arm back. Repeat on both sides 9 more times.\\n\\nCome back to high boat, lifting your legs up, and breathe in high boat for 10 counts.\\n\\nCross your legs and roll forward until your palms are pressed into your mat. Jump your feet back into a plank.\\n\\nLift your hips up into downward dog. Inhale, raising your right leg to the ceiling. Open your hips, bend your knee, and let your right foot fall back behind you. Follow through with your body to sit down (for more challenge, don't rest your hip on the ground). On the next inhale, bring your right leg back into the air before bringing your right knee towards your left side (moving your leg underneath your body) and kick your foot out in front of you.\\n\\nInhale to bring your right leg back up, completing the sequence 10 times. After the last rep, exhale into Chaturanga then inhale to up dog. Exhale to downward dog.\\n\\nInhale, bend your knees, and jump your feet forward, sitting back into your last high boat. Hold high boat pose for 10 counts.\\n\\nRoll forward, pressing your palms into the floor, and jump back into plank. Bring your hips up to downward dog. \\nRepeat the previous combination starting with your left leg. After returning to downward dog for the last time, relax into child's pose. Breathe in child's pose for several counts.\\n\\nSequence Ten\\nFinish up your power yoga practice working on your inversions. If you're not comfortable with inversions, focus on perfecting your shoulder stand, plow pose, and fish pose.\n⁠Dont forget to check out our \\n30 Min Power Rise & Shine\\n Group Class!"}},{"id":"cl7j9tdhd5fwx0ak7iw7szivc","slug":"what-is-ayurveda-yoga","author":{"name":"Shelly","teacherMytSlug":"shelly-1","pictureUrl":"shelly.jpg"},"title":"What is Ayurveda? How can Ayurveda enhance your Yoga practice ?","createdAt":"2022-09-01T16:37:46.744669+00:00","coverUrl":"lyb6uylxsv5tlqxhezb6.jpg","content":{"text":"What is Ayurveda?\\nIn Sanskrit, Ayurveda means “science of life”\\nAyurveda is one of the oldest known medical practices with roots based in India. It’s an alternative type of medicine that believes in using herbs and lifestyle changes for a healthier and more well balanced life. Ayurveda can truly add years to your life even when you’re suffering from major illnesses like cancer or diabetes. Unlike western medicine that loops us all in together, the practice looks at each person separately & helps to find what your body needs to aid in wellness. For example, an Ayurveda practice can ward off the effects of chemo for someone going through cancer treatments. \\nAyurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population report using it. It has survived thousands of years and political values and is currently making its way into western medical practices. \\n\\nWhy should you practice Ayurveda?\\nAyurveda is completely individualized. It believes each person is born with their own health constitution.\\nAyurveda can improve the quality of your daily and overall  life. Just like yoga, Ayurveda is practical for your daily routine because it starts with the routines of your everyday health like a balanced diet, sleep patterns, setting a routine and getting in your vitamins. If you become sick, it targets the root of the issue, not the symptoms. So you can become rebalanced more effectively. \\nAccording to \\nJohn Hopkins\\n, Ayurveda is important because:  “Ayurveda translates to knowledge of life. Based on the idea that disease is due to an imbalance or stress in a person's consciousness, Ayurveda encourages certain lifestyle interventions and natural therapies to regain a balance between the body, mind, spirit, and the environment.”\\n\\nSo how does Ayurveda connect to Yoga?\\nIt is often said that “Ayurveda is considered yoga’s sister science”  Like yoga, Ayurveda uses the same style practices like postures, breathing, mantras and meditation. While some people use yoga to treat physical ailments or mental fatigue, Ayurveda also uses herbal formulas and oils.  Also, just as there are 8 limbs of yoga, there are 8 branches of Ayurveda. The practices are like paternal twins!\\nIn Ayurveda, it is believed that each body has a constitution that falls under three main dosha types. Your constitution will help you discover more about yourself as well as the best kind of yoga for your body and mental health. \\nThe Type of practice that balances each Dosha are as follows: \\nVata - Calming and grounded. Try a \\nrestorative\\n or \\ngentle\\n class. \\nKapa - Stimulating and warm. Try a \\nvinyasa\\n class. \\nPitta - Assertive and intense. Try a \\npower\\n class or \\nashtanga\\n class. \\nWant to know yours? \\nTake this quiz!\\n\n⁠Once you know your dosha, you can find the best asanas for your practice! \\nHow can Ayurveda enhance your Yoga practice\\nYoga and Ayurveda practices are intertwined like tree branches. Quite frankly, connecting the two will create ultimate peace in your life and body.\\nIn the words of Dr. David Frawley, esteemed scholar of Ayurveda, Yoga and Vedanta and director of the American Institute of Vedic Studies:\\n“Using Ayurveda along with Yoga helps us gain complete harmony and balance in body and mind so that we can discover our true self that is one with all. All Yoga teachers should learn the fundamentals of Ayurveda and all Yoga students should seek Ayurvedic guidance to enhance their Yoga practice.” For yoga teachers or those who practice often, it tends to be a lot on our bodies. An Ayurveda practice can help with muscle fatigue, burn out, dehydration and sleep issues.\\nBe Intentional about your “self care”\\nWe can be so focused on the culture of “self care” in our modern lives. We think an expensive coffee or a trip to the salon is what we need for “self care” but if you can be as intentional about your self care practice as you are about your yoga practice, thata Ayurveda. It can be as simple as realizing your body is tired and getting a massage or drinking more water to keep yourself hydrated on a long day. Tuning in to what you need, just like when you set an intention in yoga will help you to achieve a more balanced, happy and healthier life. \\n\\nWhat Yoga Classes pair best with an Ayurveda practice?\\n\\nPranayama and Meditation \\n\\nA pranayama class is great to pair with Ayurveda because pranayama is the science of “self healing” through the breath. It’s an essential part of both a yoga practice and an Ayurveda routine because it promotes physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. \\n\\nAshtanga Yoga\\n\\nAshtanga is a great choice because it forces the yogi to focus on your nervous system. It makes you check in & notice how your body feels and what may be imbalanced. When you discover what’s bothering you, you can apply Ayurvedic techniques to the aliment. \\n\\nKundalini Yoga\\n \\nNo matter what your dosha, kundalini fits all Aryuvedic constitutions. This practice will help you be intentional, set a mantra and meditate. \\n\\nHatha Yoga \\n \\nHatha is actually considered one of the “ Ayurvedic healing modalities. The asanas help all dosha’s to properly align both physically and mentally. \\nNeed help getting started? We’ve got you covered!\\n\\nHere, read about the diet and how to start eating for optimal health.\\n\\nWant to speak with a professional to see if Ayurveda is right for you? \\nContact our staff practitioner! \\n\\nThere’s no time like now to align your practices! If you’re interested in starting an Ayurvedic practice to pair with your yoga practice, all you need to do is look within. Be intentional and listen to your body! It’s had the answers all along! "}},{"id":"cl74q8m3iwlv50cijtnuiw52q","slug":"trip-to-goa-oct-2022","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Trip with your teacher to Goa, India - You’re Invited!","createdAt":"2022-08-22T12:20:58.970314+00:00","coverUrl":"oim4tptrrd9ajzzgnpen.jpg","content":{"text":"Want to hang out with your yoga teacher in India? \\nEmail \\ncare@myyogateacher.com\\n to begin the registration process. If you sign up before September 2nd, you’ll get a discounted hotel rate!\\nArticle Outline\\nTeacher Get-Together:\\n October 14-16, 2022\\nEvent Location\\n7-day Immersion Retreat:\\n October 16-22, 2022\\n3-day Immersion Retreat:\\n October 16-18, 2022\\nPricing\\nHow to Register and Join\\nOctober 14th - 16th 2022, MyYogaTeacher is hosting our annual Teacher Get-Together!\\nAt the Teacher Get-Together, we’ll do yoga, dance, have delicious meals together, go on outings like town tours, and play games together.\\nThe last few years have been a lot of fun – this year will be too! We hope you join us!\\n\\nTeacher Get-Together, schedule of activities\\n\\n\\nNote:\\n \\nat some points the teachers will be in private training sessions, but you’ll have plenty of great ways to spend that time with family and other guests.\\nEvent Location\\nWe will be staying at an incredible 4.5-star resort (picture below) -\\n The Zuri White Sands - click here to see more about the resort.\\n (costs shown in the pricing section below)\\n\\nThe Teacher Get-Together is in \\nGoa, it's a beautiful beach and resort town\\n on the south-west coast of India. You can \\nclick here to see some pictures of the area\\n.\\nThis resort is seriously incredible. You’ll be very comfortable, and we’ll all be staying here together!\\n7-Day Immersion Retreat\\nThis is a chance to completely immerse yourself in yoga at a beautiful resort on the beaches of Goa!\\nIn the 7-Day Immersion Retreat you will dive deeper into your yoga practice – learn pranayama, meditation techniques, have Q&A sessions with your teachers, and learn more about Yogic Philosophy.\\nThe retreat is optional - you can still join the Teacher Get-Together even if you don’t want to join the Immersion Retreat.\\n\\n7-Day Immersion Retreat Schedule\\n\\n\\nRetreat costs shown in the pricing section below\\n3-Day Immersion Retreat\\nThis is a chance to immerse yourself in yoga at a beautiful resort on the beaches of Goa!\\nThe 3-Day Immersion Retreat is a shorter version of the 7-Day Immersion Retreat. Actually, it’s the first 3-days of the 7-Day Retreat. So you will be practicing with other fun yogis! \\nIn this retreat you will dive deeper into your yoga practice – learn pranayama, meditation techniques, have Q&A sessions with your teachers, and learn more about Yogic Philosophy.\\nThe retreat is optional - you can still join the Teacher Get-Together even if you don’t want to join the Immersion Retreat.\\n\\n3-Day Immersion Retreat Schedule\\n\\n\\nRetreat costs shown in the pricing section below\\nPricing\\nTeacher Get Together = free!\\n So come and join us!\\nThe Zuri Resort \\n(includes food & accomodation) = $180 per room per night if you register before Sep 2nd.\n⁠We expect the price to go up by about 10 - 20% after Sep 2nd. \\n(we will help book this and negotiate the best rate for you)\n⁠\\nAfter Sep 15th, we can’t guarantee you a room at The Zuri with us, you may have to stay at a nearby resort.\\n7-Day Immersion Retreat\\n rate = $1,000\\n3-Day Immersion Retreat\\n rate = $500\\nAir Fare\\n = about $1,500 estimated round trip cost from US to Goa (organized and booked by you)\n⁠\n\\n⁠Shuttle to and from the Goa Airport to The Zuri resort = free!\\n We want to give you a hassle free experience when you land in Goa with us\\nHow to Register and Join\\nYou can reach out to \\ncare@myyogateacher.com\\n to register.\\nAfter you email care@myyogateacher.com:\\n we will help you book the resort (includes food & accommodation) and shuttle to and from the airport. We will also help you understand the exact pricing for what you want (depending on the length of your stay and if you join the Immersion Retreat).\\nI hope you join us! It will be a beautiful and fun experience where you make a lot of great memories.\\nAnd of course, if you have any questions – just email us at \\ncare@myyogateacher.com\\n\\nNote:\\n We will not be able to help with booking your flights directly. But if you need it, we can put you in contact with a travel agent.\\nLooking forward to seeing you in Goa!"}}],"relatedPosts":[{"id":"ckfqz2rgo02090136wdoy1f70","slug":"a-review-from-a-myyogateacher-member","author":{"name":"Nikki Miller","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":"nikki-miller.jpg"},"title":"A Review from a MyYogaTeacher Member","createdAt":"2020-01-10T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"1-First-we-check-in.jpg","content":{"text":"We were just so excited to see Nikki's review of myYogaTeacher that we asked if we could also share it here. We are LOVING her excitement and enthusiasm for finding HER TEACHER!\n⁠\\n[CTA-REVIEWS]\\nGuest post by Nikki Miller\\nWhen the student is ready, the teacher will appear attributed to Buddha Siddhartha Guatama Shakyamuni\\n\\nMaybe you've heard that one? You’re ready to up your yoga game, but where is your teacher? \\n\\nThey’re in your living room.  \\n\\n\\nI mean, not right now (don’t freak out). But they can be in your living room, if you’re ready for one-on-one online yoga instruction, in private, in your home - with a real \\nlive\\n yoga teacher trained in India. \\n\\nConfession: I wasn’t ready. How would that even work? #skeptical\\n\\nI only tried myYogaTeacher because of three words: \\nFree Trial Period\\n. At least it would motivate me to get on my yoga mat and skip that last hour of Netflix binging. \\n\\nFully ready to bail the moment the app got confusing or annoying (nobody has time for a half-baked app), I signed up and the app proved seamless. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves—we haven’t even gotten to the yoga yet!\\n\\n\\n\\nMe and Pranjal!\\n\\nI set up my yoga mat in living room and a real, live yoga teacher met me online through the two-way camera on my laptop. Pretty cool… but how could she instruct me through a camera? Still skeptical. Still ready to bail.  \\n\\nShe asked about my goals and how my body was feeling (I happened to be recovering from a shoulder injury) and then she tailored the practice to my specific needs that day. \\n\\n\\nWhen we got to my Nemesis Pose (the one I always struggle with) she proactively offered \\nmodifications\\n — and I actually felt at ease in the pose. Yoga. Epiphany.  \\n\\nAlong the way I asked ALL the questions: Can we go back to the last pose? Can we slow down (or speed up) a bit? Can you tell me more about [insert every question I’ve ever had about \\nyoga poses\\n]?\\n[CTA-GC]\\nAfterwards they sent me a recording of the session. (Confession: I had absolutely no intention of watching it! I’ve seen myself in the mirror at the studio. Hard pass). But I caved, and the replay revealed how my body came in and out of poses and where I was misaligned until performing the modifications. \\n\\n\\nMy understanding advanced more than it had in months. \\n\\n\\nI had found my \\nyoga teacher\\n.  \\n\\nNot everything was smooth sailing, though:   \\n\\n1)    Setting up the audio harshed my zen. In order to get your entire yoga mat on the screen, you have to place your laptop/device pretty far away, but then it can be difficult to hear through the speakers. In the end, I opted to use my mobile phone for the audio—which worked fine but became distracting while navigating around the mat.\\n\\nOne teacher spoke with a pronounced accent that I struggled to understand. I’d rather say more “OM” and less “Can you repeat that please?”\\n\\nI tried other teachers over time, and while you learn something from every teacher, not all were the right fit for me. It’s similar to finding your yoga studio home: you’ll know it when you find it.\\n\\n\\nSharing physical space and community with other yogis at the studio will always be an important part of my yoga experience. And if I’m desperate I might mimic a pre-recorded \\nyoga class\\n again. But myYogaTeacher is now a critical arm of my yoga practice. \\n\\n\\nIt’s where my experience is expertly tailored to my unique needs. It’s where I can ask questions and receive immediate feedback. It’s where my practice truly advances. \\n\\nIt’s where I found my teacher. \\n\\nAnd all from my living room. (Confession: Sometimes still in my pajamas.)\\n"}},{"id":"cl31z7b95pf2h0ck3sna7w2xg","slug":"yoga-for-women-over-50","author":{"name":"Vineeta","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"5 Yoga Poses for Older Women: Yoga for Women Over 50","createdAt":"2022-05-11T19:29:46.900088+00:00","coverUrl":"shfqitaozmzufddc6ift.jpg","content":{"text":"Yoga is for every body. And that’s just one of the wonderful things about it! Another wonderful thing is there are\\n specific\\n yoga poses for women, men, children, disabled people, seniors. \\nA yoga practice can be tailored to meet the varying and specific individual needs of a person or of a collective group of people. Here, I’ll be addressing the physical, mental, and emotional needs of women over the age of 50 with yoga poses that are particularly beneficial to them.\\nHi! My name is Vaneeta! I teach a\\n Yoga for Women\\n group class at MyYogaTeacher. Women are the source of life and energy on the planet. And a woman advances through many phases of life from motherhood to \\nmenopause\\n. Women who are entering the stage of life that is after menopause have specific needs that can be addressed with yoga!\\nNot a MyYogaTeacher member? Whether you’re interested in teaching yoga, starting yoga, or growing in your yoga journey, MyYogaTeacher is a great place to do it!\\nWhen you sign up for a 1:1 membership with us you get:\n\\n102 expert\\n, highly qualified yoga instructors to choose from\\nThe ability to switch instructors\\n or take classes with only your faves\\nAccess to unlimited group classes\\n, taught \\nlive\\nPersonalized instruction\\n and work out, diet, and lifestyle plans\\nTo be a member of a HUGE community\\n of happy yogis from around the world\\nYoga teachers who become friends\\n, who truly care about you!\\nIf you haven’t checked us out already, \\ngrab two free 1:1 sessions with your 2-week free trial here\\n!\\nI hope you’ll try some of these yoga poses for women over 50 and then join my class on MyYogaTeacher for more!\\nOne key to doing yoga at an older age is using props that help you remain stable, safe, and aligned. I recommend using blocks and/or a chair along with your mat.\\n\\n\\n\\n1. Cat and Cow Pose\\nCat and Cow pose is great for anyone at any age, but it’s a great way for women to begin warming up their back and abdominal muscles in a way that is gradual and stable. Supporting your weight on all fours is also a great way to keep arm and chest muscles (that maybe don’t get used as much as we age) strong and conditioned. Women over 50 tend to start experiencing stiffness and reduced mobility in their backs, so cat and cow pose is perfect for helping with those issues as well!\\nAdditionally, because cat and cow pose is designed to sync with  your breath, it is a great way to cleanse emotionally. Since changes in your body can cause emotional distress, particularly in older women, this yoga pose helps women release those emotions before moving forward with more challenging poses.\\n\\n\\n\\n2. Downward Facing Dog\\nOtherwise known as “Down Dog,” this yoga pose is great for older women because it:\\nStretches out the calves, hamstrings, and back \\nBuilds strength in the arms and chest \\nIncreases flexibility in the shoulders\\nBoosts circulation of oxygen and nutrients to otherwise contracting muscles\\nShoulder joints tend to wear out as women age, which makes them susceptible to injuring their shoulders. Building strength in the arms and chest helps protect those increasingly fragile shoulder joints. \\nEmotionally, down dog instills a sense of empowerment and increases feelings of confidence and accomplishment, two things women over 50 tend to struggle with when they notice the changes in their bodies.\\nAdditionally, once a women passes through menopause, muscles tend to tighten and contract due to reduction in hormones and hormone production. Downward facing dog is a perfect yoga pose for women over 50 because it keeps their leg and back muscles lengthened and promotes good circulation!\\n\\n\n3. Modified Cobbler’s Pose\\nAs women age, it is common for them to encounter knee problems and knee pain, making some yoga poses difficult. However, many yoga poses that increase flexibility and circulation to the hip flexors and hip joints require bent knees. \\nPerforming cobbler’s pose on a block or bolster where your hips are higher than your knees helps decrease the pressure on your knees while still reaping the gentle benefits of hip stretching. You may also choose to put blocks underneath your knees or move your feet further away from your body so that the angle of bend in your knees isn’t as sharp.\\nEither way, this pose is proof that yoga for women over 50 is doable, even if you’re experiencing physical challenges and physiological changes.\\n\\n\n4. Modified Tree Pose\\nBalancing postures are a common theme in many forms of yoga. They help yogis learn how to focus better, increase concentration, and (importantly for older women) strengthen the tiny muscles in our feet and ankles.\\nOlder women may begin to experience balance issues as they age. This is common and normal!\\nThe more you work to strengthen the muscles in your feet and ankles, the less likely you will be to lose your balance! Additionally, yoga for women helps you navigate the mental changes you may experience by helping with memory, focus, and concentration.\\nUse a chair, wall, or other stable object if needed. You may also place your non-standing foot on your calf or even at your ankle until you are comfortable moving it further up.\\n\\n\\n5. Child’s Pose\\nEveryone loves child’s pose! It’s a great stretch for your back, arms, neck, and even hips and glutes. Older women may want to rest their forehead on a block and/or place a blanket underneath their hips to alleviate any discomfort.\\nTaking some much needed time in child’s pose allows women to reflect on how their body feels and release any negative thoughts about the changes that may be occurring in their body as they age.\\nI would love to have you join us in the Yoga for \\nSenior\\n class, where I not only teach a yoga class specifically catered to women’s needs but talk about common issues women face as they transition into and out of different phases of life! also Check out our latest \\nWellness\\n class for seniors!\\nMyYogaTeacher offers 1:1 classes with authentic yoga instructors from the birthplace of yoga, India! And if you haven’t experienced virtual private yoga classes yet, MyYogaTeacher makes 1:1 classes affordable and accessible! PLUS, with your membership, you get:\\nRadiance! More energy, peace of mind, and better health & fitness\\n42+ daily group yoga classes, 100% live!\\nDiscounted yoga workshops, all live and interactive!\\nMaking new like-minded friends from around the world\\n\\nGrab your 2-week free trial and check out your membership options here!\\n\\nNamaste!"}},{"id":"cklkxgum87xl509314u5faawv","slug":"yoga-for-kids","author":{"name":"Sujit Tiwari","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"5 Reasons Why Kids May Need Yoga More Than Adults","createdAt":"2021-02-25T13:54:08.269963+00:00","coverUrl":"pexels-gabby-12-small.jpg","content":{"text":"In a world where parents are all hustle and bustle and go, go, go, it’s no wonder our children are stressed out, anxious, and have zero self awareness.\\n\\nThey don’t have time to be self aware!\\n\\nAnxiety and stress in little kids all the way to older teenagers can look like sleeping a lot, temper tantrums, crying over “nothing,” not eating, or eating too much. It can show up as hyperactivity, bad attitudes, poor mental focus, bad grades.\\n\\nOr it can show up as many more terrible things that no parent wants to think about.\\n\\nWe stress how important it is for adults to take part in selfcare, to stretch and move our bodies. Surely, at this point in history, every adult knows that selfcare is a thing we should all be doing. But what are we telling our children to do for selfcare? \\n\\nSports? After school activities? Clubs? More doing. Less being. More rushing around. Less stillness. Less quiet time to process their days, their emotions. And your days, your emotions. Because kids are subject to those too.\\n\\nDo we ever teach them how to just be? \\n\\nThis is why I offer a \\nKids Yoga class at myYogaTeacher\\n! Because kids with healthy bodies, minds, and spirits make for adults with healthy minds, bodies, and spirits!\\n\\nHere are some reasons I’m passionate about teaching kids the importance of yoga.\\n\\n1. Yoga improves a child’s mood.\\n\\nWe all know that happier \\nkids\\n make their parents, teachers, coaches, etc. happier. But the focus really needs to be more on the children and less on the adults!\\n\\nKids have fewer tools than adults to help them regulate their mood. \\n\\nJust like any other physical activity, yoga releases endorphins, those feel good feelings, which, in turn, reduces stress and anxiety. When children experience less stress and anxiety, they eat better, sleep better, act better, perform better. \\n\\nThey do everything better. Just like adults do.\\n\\nThey’re calmer. And all the built up negativity is released. Plus, yoga is fun! It’s not competitive, and kids are free to be themselves.\\n\\nSpeaking of being themselves...\\n\\n2. Yoga helps children self regulate\\n\\nHow can we expect kids to self soothe, regulate their behaviors and emotions, and regain focus if we don’t give them the tools they need for self awareness? Unlike adults, kids often have very little control over their lives. \\n\\nThey’re told what to do and when and how. \\n\\nA regular kids’ yoga practice will help children of all ages look inward and take time to examine why they feel or behave in certain ways and process that. With that information, they can discover how to change bad habits or behaviors, work through negative emotions in appropriate ways, and have a clear mind to make better choices in the face of challenging situations.\\n\\nKids yoga isn’t just about strength, flexibility, or getting the sillies out. It’s a portal for them to just be who they are designed to be! Let your kids check it out with a \\ntwo week free trial at myYogaTeacher.\\n\\n\\n3. Yoga improves sleep for kids.\\n\\nDid you know that school age children need anywhere from 9-12 hours of sleep every night? \\n\\nWith parents hurrying their children from one activity to another, the long hours of homework, or just being allowed to stay up too late, it’s no wonder kids are exhausted, moody and irritable. Not to mention late night screen time impacts their rest tremendously.\\n\\nThey’re simply not getting enough sleep! Not only that, but the quality of their sleep may not be all that great.\\n\\nPracticing kids yoga right before bed is an excellent way to help them have a really restful, restorative sleep.\\n\\nThe breathwork involved in yoga helps calm their minds and nervous system. The release of tension from their muscles helps them relax and ditch the overwhelm or negative thoughts. Yoga will help them fall asleep faster and sleep better.\\n\\n4. Yoga helps their brains work better.\\n\\nYep. It’s true. Yoga literally helps kids have better memory and cognitive function.\\n\\nKids who do yoga will learn how to focus on their bodies more and better and apply that mental clarity to other areas of their life. They’ll remember more of what they learn and have more self awareness.\\n\\nYoga actually requires you to use the same neural pathways in your brain that are responsible for memory. The practice itself is sort of conditioning your brain to work better, faster, and more efficiently.\\n\\nThe meditation aspect of yoga enables kids to focus on their breath and clear out all the mind junk that may be interfering with their memory.\\n\\n\\n5. Kids don’t have it easy, but yoga helps.\\n\\nAdults who say “kids these days have it easy” need to switch places with a 12-year-old in 2021. \\n\\nLong gone are the days of riding bikes safely (and even alone) along the streets of your home town. The days of simplicity and easy afternoons fishing by the local pond.\\n\\nCompetition is more fierce in almost every aspect of kids’ lives. There is more stress to have a career that makes well above minimum wage because cost of living is atrocious.\\n\\nParents are on the go or absent, and visibly stressed out when they’re not. There’s cyber bullying, drug trafficking, human trafficking. Terrorism. Political unrest. Social unrest. Children today are forced to overcome obstacles that older generations never thought of not even once when they were growing up.\\n\\nYoga for \\nkids\\n gives children a chance to unwind, detach from the world, and create their own safe space of peace. It’s a tool they can use almost any time, anywhere, and for any circumstance to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well being.\\n\\nSo why in the world wouldn’t we encourage them to use it?\\n\\n\\nDo you have a son or daughter in need of some time on the mat? \\nCheck out my Kids Yoga (10-12 years) class\\n when you sign up for your \\nfree two-week trial at myYogaTeacher! \\n\\n\\n"}}],"blogContent":{"id":"cl5wwa1a0gnol0dhdo5ntl12t","slug":"frequently-asked-yoga-questions","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"11 Common Yoga Questions (and Their Answers)","createdAt":"2022-07-22T20:08:11.250342+00:00","updatedAt":"2022-08-02T11:11:56.422423+00:00","coverUrl":"wjnf6gca2leiwcxskli4.jpg","seoDescription":"Do you have yoga questions that you're to shy to ask? Get answers to the 11 most common yoga questions here!","content":{"text":"Most of us have questions before or when we start practicing yoga! That’s normal. As a matter of fact, as you grow in your practice, the amount of questions doesn’t really get smaller. They just get different!\\nYoga teachers get asked tons of questions, and, generally, they love answering them! But sometimes, a new yoga student or someone who’s considering starting yoga may feel too shy or embarrassed to ask. Then they go to Google, get lots of conflicting answers, and may give up on yoga before they ever start.\\nWe definitely don’t want that!\\nSo here are the 11 most common yoga questions we get asked and their \\nreal\\n answers!\n\\n\\n1. How long do I wait after eating before I can do yoga?\\nIf you can practice in the morning, before you eat, that is ideal, or later in the evening. However, other than those times, we recommend waiting at least 2 hours after you eat before you start your yoga practice. Doing yoga on a full stomach can cause discomfort and even nausea. It also means you’ll have less energy since your body is busy digesting food!\\n\\n\\n\\n2. Do I have to be flexible to practice yoga?\\nAbsolutely not! As a matter of fact, lack of flexibility is a good reason to \\nstart\\n a regular yoga practice! Besides that, yoga is much more than just stretching. It’s a physical activity that tones, strengthens, calms, and heals the body, mind, and spirit.\\n\\n3. I’m pregnant. Can I still do yoga?\\nYes you can! It’s important when you’re pregnant to do yoga under the guidance of a prenatal yoga instructor or other expert yoga instructor though. There are yoga poses that pregnant women should avoid, such as inversions and poses where you lie flat on your back. \\n\\n4. How often should I practice yoga for best results?\\nIf you’re a beginner, we recommend starting with only 2-3 classes that require more exertion a week (such as Ashtanga, Power, or Vinyasa yoga). However, there are many other types of yoga to try in between, such as restorative yoga, yin yoga, or any of MyYogaTeacher’s meditative yoga classes! As you advance in your practice, you may feel strong enough to try more difficult yoga classes more times per week. Either way, you’ll experience the benefits of yoga whether you do it once a week or 7 days a week!\\n\\n5. Do I need any special equipment to practice yoga?\\nWhile we do recommend the use of a yoga mat, technically, you don’t \\nhave\\n to have one. You can practice yoga on any surface you feel is safe and comfortable. Many yogis also have blocks, bolsters, and straps to help them modify poses or go deeper into poses. But those certainly aren’t necessary to reap the benefits of doing yoga.\\n\\n\\n\\n6. Why do I need a yoga class? Can’t I just do it by myself with a book or video?\\nYou certainly can do yoga by yourself with the use of a book or video but most yogis (especially inexperienced ones) will agree that this isn’t as safe as practicing yoga with a live teacher. Yoga classes allow your yoga teacher to see how you perform the poses and can make corrections to your alignment or help you make appropriate modifications and adjustments as needed. At MyYogaTeacher, ALL of our classes are taught live, and you get personalized attention from your yoga instructor, even in group sessions!\\nDoing yoga poses incorrectly may cause injuries! MyYogaTeacher offers a Yoga Basics and a Yoga 201 class to help beginners create a strong yoga foundation for regular practice. \\n\\n\\nGrab your free 2-week trial of unlimited group classes here and check them out! No credit card required\\n.\\n\\n7. What kind of clothes do I need to practice yoga?\\nDespite what you may see on social media, you do not \\nneed\\n a certain kind of clothing, including the ever popular yoga pants or yoga leggings. If you’d like to wear those, however, by all means! The best clothes for yoga are comfortable ones that you can move freely in. You’ll practice barefoot or, if you’d prefer, in yoga socks.\\n\\n8. What are all the strange terms I hear my yoga teacher saying?\\nMany yoga instructors commonly use the Sanskrit words for yoga poses instead of the English translation. This is a good thing! Yoga is ancient and rooted in tradition, and continuing to use and pass on the language is an important part of maintaining the culture of yoga. If you don’t understand something your instructor is saying, please ask! However, we’ve compiled a list of common yoga \\nSanskrit words you may hear in class and what they mean in this blog post\\n.\\n\\n\\n\n9. Will yoga get or keep me in shape?\\nIf you practice regularly and eat healthfully, yes! Absolutely! Just like with any physical activity, you won’t see continued results unless you practice regularly. How you fuel body is also a large part of getting physically and mentally healthy. Yoga can be as strenuous as cardio or as easy as your regular post workout stretch and everything in between. It is definitely possible for yoga to help you lose weight and/or get the body you want.\\n\\n10. Can I do yoga if I’m injured or have a physical disability?\\nYes, you can! Here at MyYogaTeacher, we feel strongly that yoga is for every body. Meaning any body type, shape, size, and all ability levels. Our highly trained and experienced expert yoga teachers from India come packing credentials and tools to help you practice yoga in a way that is safe and works for you!\\n\\n11. Why should I start practicing yoga anyway? \\nA regular yoga practice provides benefits far beyond what any other type of exercise will do! Why? Because yoga is a whole health form of practice. Everything you do in yoga positively affects your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, and the benefits carry over to your life from day to day. Yoga cures things like back pain, joint pain, lowers blood pressure, provides mental clarity and focus, reduces blood sugar, promotes healing, and so much more.\\nWe guess the question is, why \\nwouldn’t\\n you want to start practicing yoga?!\\nMost, if not all, of MyYogaTeacher’s expert yoga instructors are \\nmore\\n than qualified to help you! We value authentic, traditional yoga and truly care about the health and wellbeing of our students. For us, yoga isn’t just a class. It’s the way we live our life.\\nNot a MyYogaTeacher member? Whether you’re interested in teaching yoga, starting yoga, or growing in your yoga journey, MyYogaTeacher is a great place to do it!\\nWhen you sign up for a 1:1 membership with us you get:\\n102 expert\\n, highly qualified yoga instructors to choose from\\nThe ability to switch instructors\\n or take classes with only your faves\\nAccess to unlimited group classes\\n, taught \\nlive\\nPersonalized instruction\\n and work out, diet, and lifestyle plans\\nTo be a member of a HUGE community\\n of happy yogis from around the world\\nYoga teachers who become friends\\n, who truly care about you!\\nIf you haven’t checked us out already, \\ngrab two free 1:1 sessions with your 2-week free trial here\\n","html":"<p>Most of us have questions before or when we start practicing yoga! That’s normal. As a matter of fact, as you grow in your practice, the amount of questions doesn’t really get smaller. They just get different!</p><p>Yoga teachers get asked tons of questions, and, generally, they love answering them! But sometimes, a new yoga student or someone who’s considering starting yoga may feel too shy or embarrassed to ask. Then they go to Google, get lots of conflicting answers, and may give up on yoga before they ever start.</p><p>We definitely don’t want that!</p><p>So here are the 11 most common yoga questions we get asked and their <em>real</em> answers!<br></p><p></p><h2>1. How long do I wait after eating before I can do yoga?</h2><p>If you can practice in the morning, before you eat, that is ideal, or later in the evening. However, other than those times, we recommend waiting at least 2 hours after you eat before you start your yoga practice. Doing yoga on a full stomach can cause discomfort and even nausea. It also means you’ll have less energy since your body is busy digesting food!</p><p></p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/qJJnG07oQQuYIwa69XXi\" alt=\"forward-fold-yoloha.jpg\" title=\"forward-fold-yoloha.jpg\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" /><p></p><h2>2. Do I have to be flexible to practice yoga?</h2><p>Absolutely not! As a matter of fact, lack of flexibility is a good reason to <em>start</em> a regular yoga practice! Besides that, yoga is much more than just stretching. It’s a physical activity that tones, strengthens, calms, and heals the body, mind, and spirit.</p><p></p><h2>3. I’m pregnant. Can I still do yoga?</h2><p>Yes you can! It’s important when you’re pregnant to do yoga under the guidance of a prenatal yoga instructor or other expert yoga instructor though. There are yoga poses that pregnant women should avoid, such as inversions and poses where you lie flat on your back. </p><p></p><h2>4. How often should I practice yoga for best results?</h2><p>If you’re a beginner, we recommend starting with only 2-3 classes that require more exertion a week (such as Ashtanga, Power, or Vinyasa yoga). However, there are many other types of yoga to try in between, such as restorative yoga, yin yoga, or any of MyYogaTeacher’s meditative yoga classes! As you advance in your practice, you may feel strong enough to try more difficult yoga classes more times per week. Either way, you’ll experience the benefits of yoga whether you do it once a week or 7 days a week!</p><p></p><h2>5. Do I need any special equipment to practice yoga?</h2><p>While we do recommend the use of a yoga mat, technically, you don’t <em>have</em> to have one. You can practice yoga on any surface you feel is safe and comfortable. Many yogis also have blocks, bolsters, and straps to help them modify poses or go deeper into poses. But those certainly aren’t necessary to reap the benefits of doing yoga.</p><p></p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/mYsNYjApRSkdpUew47er\" alt=\"istockphoto-1295093512-640x640.jpg\" title=\"istockphoto-1295093512-640x640.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" /><p></p><h2>6. Why do I need a yoga class? Can’t I just do it by myself with a book or video?</h2><p>You certainly can do yoga by yourself with the use of a book or video but most yogis (especially inexperienced ones) will agree that this isn’t as safe as practicing yoga with a live teacher. Yoga classes allow your yoga teacher to see how you perform the poses and can make corrections to your alignment or help you make appropriate modifications and adjustments as needed. At MyYogaTeacher, ALL of our classes are taught live, and you get personalized attention from your yoga instructor, even in group sessions!</p><p>Doing yoga poses incorrectly may cause injuries! MyYogaTeacher offers a Yoga Basics and a Yoga 201 class to help beginners create a strong yoga foundation for regular practice. </p><p></p><p><a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\"><u>Grab your free 2-week trial of unlimited group classes here and check them out! No credit card required</u></a>.</p><p></p><h2>7. What kind of clothes do I need to practice yoga?</h2><p>Despite what you may see on social media, you do not <em>need</em> a certain kind of clothing, including the ever popular yoga pants or yoga leggings. If you’d like to wear those, however, by all means! The best clothes for yoga are comfortable ones that you can move freely in. You’ll practice barefoot or, if you’d prefer, in yoga socks.</p><p></p><h2>8. What are all the strange terms I hear my yoga teacher saying?</h2><p>Many yoga instructors commonly use the Sanskrit words for yoga poses instead of the English translation. This is a good thing! Yoga is ancient and rooted in tradition, and continuing to use and pass on the language is an important part of maintaining the culture of yoga. If you don’t understand something your instructor is saying, please ask! However, we’ve compiled a list of common yoga <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/common-sanskrit-yoga-words\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/common-sanskrit-yoga-words\"><u>Sanskrit words you may hear in class and what they mean in this blog post</u></a>.</p><p></p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/vWCN8QpoTTmDYOIsQ5RU\" alt=\"_DSC7721.JPG\" title=\"_DSC7721.JPG\" width=\"6048\" height=\"4024\" /><h2><br>9. Will yoga get or keep me in shape?</h2><p>If you practice regularly and eat healthfully, yes! Absolutely! Just like with any physical activity, you won’t see continued results unless you practice regularly. How you fuel body is also a large part of getting physically and mentally healthy. Yoga can be as strenuous as cardio or as easy as your regular post workout stretch and everything in between. It is definitely possible for yoga to help you lose weight and/or get the body you want.</p><p></p><h2>10. Can I do yoga if I’m injured or have a physical disability?</h2><p>Yes, you can! Here at MyYogaTeacher, we feel strongly that yoga is for every body. Meaning any body type, shape, size, and all ability levels. Our highly trained and experienced expert yoga teachers from India come packing credentials and tools to help you practice yoga in a way that is safe and works for you!</p><p></p><h2>11. Why should I start practicing yoga anyway? </h2><p>A regular yoga practice provides benefits far beyond what any other type of exercise will do! Why? Because yoga is a whole health form of practice. Everything you do in yoga positively affects your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, and the benefits carry over to your life from day to day. Yoga cures things like back pain, joint pain, lowers blood pressure, provides mental clarity and focus, reduces blood sugar, promotes healing, and so much more.</p><p>We guess the question is, why <em>wouldn’t</em> you want to start practicing yoga?!</p><p>Most, if not all, of MyYogaTeacher’s expert yoga instructors are <em>more</em> than qualified to help you! We value authentic, traditional yoga and truly care about the health and wellbeing of our students. For us, yoga isn’t just a class. It’s the way we live our life.</p><p>Not a MyYogaTeacher member? Whether you’re interested in teaching yoga, starting yoga, or growing in your yoga journey, MyYogaTeacher is a great place to do it!</p><p>When you sign up for a 1:1 membership with us you get:</p><ul><li><div><p><strong>102 expert</strong>, highly qualified yoga instructors to choose from</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>The ability to switch instructors</strong> or take classes with only your faves</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>Access to unlimited group classes</strong>, taught <em><strong>live</strong></em></p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>Personalized instruction</strong> and work out, diet, and lifestyle plans</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>To be a member of a HUGE community</strong> of happy yogis from around the world</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>Yoga teachers who become friends</strong>, who truly care about you!</p></div></li></ul><p>If you haven’t checked us out already, <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\"><u>grab two free 1:1 sessions with your 2-week free trial here</u></a></p>"},"category":["yoga"],"utmCampaign":null,"utmMedium":null,"utmContent":null,"utmSource":null,"utmTerm":null,"utmSearchString":null,"imageHyperlink":[]},"loading":false,"blog_content":[{"type":"HTML","value":"<p>Most of us have questions before or when we start practicing yoga! That’s normal. As a matter of fact, as you grow in your practice, the amount of questions doesn’t really get smaller. They just get different!</p><p>Yoga teachers get asked tons of questions, and, generally, they love answering them! But sometimes, a new yoga student or someone who’s considering starting yoga may feel too shy or embarrassed to ask. Then they go to Google, get lots of conflicting answers, and may give up on yoga before they ever start.</p><p>We definitely don’t want that!</p><p>So here are the 11 most common yoga questions we get asked and their <em>real</em> answers!<br></p><p></p><h2>1. How long do I wait after eating before I can do yoga?</h2><p>If you can practice in the morning, before you eat, that is ideal, or later in the evening. However, other than those times, we recommend waiting at least 2 hours after you eat before you start your yoga practice. Doing yoga on a full stomach can cause discomfort and even nausea. It also means you’ll have less energy since your body is busy digesting food!</p><p></p>\n            <picture>\n              <source \n                type=\"image/webp\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:webp/compress/qJJnG07oQQuYIwa69XXi\" \n                alt=\"forward-fold-yoloha.jpg\"\n                title=\"forward-fold-yoloha.jpg\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <source \n                type=\"image/jpg\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/qJJnG07oQQuYIwa69XXi\"\n                alt=\"forward-fold-yoloha.jpg\"\n                title=\"forward-fold-yoloha.jpg\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <img \n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/qJJnG07oQQuYIwa69XXi\"\n                alt=\"forward-fold-yoloha.jpg\"\n                title=\"forward-fold-yoloha.jpg\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n          </picture>\n        <p></p><h2>2. Do I have to be flexible to practice yoga?</h2><p>Absolutely not! As a matter of fact, lack of flexibility is a good reason to <em>start</em> a regular yoga practice! Besides that, yoga is much more than just stretching. It’s a physical activity that tones, strengthens, calms, and heals the body, mind, and spirit.</p><p></p><h2>3. I’m pregnant. Can I still do yoga?</h2><p>Yes you can! It’s important when you’re pregnant to do yoga under the guidance of a prenatal yoga instructor or other expert yoga instructor though. There are yoga poses that pregnant women should avoid, such as inversions and poses where you lie flat on your back. </p><p></p><h2>4. How often should I practice yoga for best results?</h2><p>If you’re a beginner, we recommend starting with only 2-3 classes that require more exertion a week (such as Ashtanga, Power, or Vinyasa yoga). However, there are many other types of yoga to try in between, such as restorative yoga, yin yoga, or any of MyYogaTeacher’s meditative yoga classes! As you advance in your practice, you may feel strong enough to try more difficult yoga classes more times per week. Either way, you’ll experience the benefits of yoga whether you do it once a week or 7 days a week!</p><p></p><h2>5. Do I need any special equipment to practice yoga?</h2><p>While we do recommend the use of a yoga mat, technically, you don’t <em>have</em> to have one. You can practice yoga on any surface you feel is safe and comfortable. Many yogis also have blocks, bolsters, and straps to help them modify poses or go deeper into poses. But those certainly aren’t necessary to reap the benefits of doing yoga.</p><p></p>\n            <picture>\n              <source \n                type=\"image/webp\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:webp/compress/mYsNYjApRSkdpUew47er\" \n                alt=\"istockphoto-1295093512-640x640.jpg\"\n                title=\"istockphoto-1295093512-640x640.jpg\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <source \n                type=\"image/jpg\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/mYsNYjApRSkdpUew47er\"\n                alt=\"istockphoto-1295093512-640x640.jpg\"\n                title=\"istockphoto-1295093512-640x640.jpg\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <img \n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/mYsNYjApRSkdpUew47er\"\n                alt=\"istockphoto-1295093512-640x640.jpg\"\n                title=\"istockphoto-1295093512-640x640.jpg\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n          </picture>\n        <p></p><h2>6. Why do I need a yoga class? Can’t I just do it by myself with a book or video?</h2><p>You certainly can do yoga by yourself with the use of a book or video but most yogis (especially inexperienced ones) will agree that this isn’t as safe as practicing yoga with a live teacher. Yoga classes allow your yoga teacher to see how you perform the poses and can make corrections to your alignment or help you make appropriate modifications and adjustments as needed. At MyYogaTeacher, ALL of our classes are taught live, and you get personalized attention from your yoga instructor, even in group sessions!</p><p>Doing yoga poses incorrectly may cause injuries! MyYogaTeacher offers a Yoga Basics and a Yoga 201 class to help beginners create a strong yoga foundation for regular practice. </p><p></p><p><a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\"><u>Grab your free 2-week trial of unlimited group classes here and check them out! No credit card required</u></a>.</p><p></p><h2>7. What kind of clothes do I need to practice yoga?</h2><p>Despite what you may see on social media, you do not <em>need</em> a certain kind of clothing, including the ever popular yoga pants or yoga leggings. If you’d like to wear those, however, by all means! The best clothes for yoga are comfortable ones that you can move freely in. You’ll practice barefoot or, if you’d prefer, in yoga socks.</p><p></p><h2>8. What are all the strange terms I hear my yoga teacher saying?</h2><p>Many yoga instructors commonly use the Sanskrit words for yoga poses instead of the English translation. This is a good thing! Yoga is ancient and rooted in tradition, and continuing to use and pass on the language is an important part of maintaining the culture of yoga. If you don’t understand something your instructor is saying, please ask! However, we’ve compiled a list of common yoga <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/common-sanskrit-yoga-words\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/common-sanskrit-yoga-words\"><u>Sanskrit words you may hear in class and what they mean in this blog post</u></a>.</p><p></p>\n            <picture>\n              <source \n                type=\"image/webp\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:webp/compress/vWCN8QpoTTmDYOIsQ5RU\" \n                alt=\"_DSC7721.JPG\"\n                title=\"_DSC7721.JPG\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <source \n                type=\"image/jpg\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/vWCN8QpoTTmDYOIsQ5RU\"\n                alt=\"_DSC7721.JPG\"\n                title=\"_DSC7721.JPG\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <img \n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphassets.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/vWCN8QpoTTmDYOIsQ5RU\"\n                alt=\"_DSC7721.JPG\"\n                title=\"_DSC7721.JPG\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n          </picture>\n        <h2><br>9. Will yoga get or keep me in shape?</h2><p>If you practice regularly and eat healthfully, yes! Absolutely! Just like with any physical activity, you won’t see continued results unless you practice regularly. How you fuel body is also a large part of getting physically and mentally healthy. Yoga can be as strenuous as cardio or as easy as your regular post workout stretch and everything in between. It is definitely possible for yoga to help you lose weight and/or get the body you want.</p><p></p><h2>10. Can I do yoga if I’m injured or have a physical disability?</h2><p>Yes, you can! Here at MyYogaTeacher, we feel strongly that yoga is for every body. Meaning any body type, shape, size, and all ability levels. Our highly trained and experienced expert yoga teachers from India come packing credentials and tools to help you practice yoga in a way that is safe and works for you!</p><p></p><h2>11. Why should I start practicing yoga anyway? </h2><p>A regular yoga practice provides benefits far beyond what any other type of exercise will do! Why? Because yoga is a whole health form of practice. Everything you do in yoga positively affects your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, and the benefits carry over to your life from day to day. Yoga cures things like back pain, joint pain, lowers blood pressure, provides mental clarity and focus, reduces blood sugar, promotes healing, and so much more.</p><p>We guess the question is, why <em>wouldn’t</em> you want to start practicing yoga?!</p><p>Most, if not all, of MyYogaTeacher’s expert yoga instructors are <em>more</em> than qualified to help you! We value authentic, traditional yoga and truly care about the health and wellbeing of our students. For us, yoga isn’t just a class. It’s the way we live our life.</p><p>Not a MyYogaTeacher member? Whether you’re interested in teaching yoga, starting yoga, or growing in your yoga journey, MyYogaTeacher is a great place to do it!</p><p>When you sign up for a 1:1 membership with us you get:</p><ul><li><div><p><strong>102 expert</strong>, highly qualified yoga instructors to choose from</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>The ability to switch instructors</strong> or take classes with only your faves</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>Access to unlimited group classes</strong>, taught <em><strong>live</strong></em></p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>Personalized instruction</strong> and work out, diet, and lifestyle plans</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>To be a member of a HUGE community</strong> of happy yogis from around the world</p></div></li><li><div><p><strong>Yoga teachers who become friends</strong>, who truly care about you!</p></div></li></ul><p>If you haven’t checked us out already, <a\n            class=\"inline-cta\"\n            id=18651136-4e74-46fb-a71c-e7792098a865\n            href=\"/signup?utm_source=MYT__article&utm_medium=cl5wwa1a0gnol0dhdo5ntl12t&utm_campaign=inline_cta&utm_content=CTA-INLINE&entity_name=11 Common Yoga Questions (and Their Answers)&entity_slug=frequently-asked-yoga-questions&page_or_popup=/articles/frequently-asked-yoga-questions&entity_location=hyperlink_midst_of_article&article_cta=CTA-INLINE&from_article_page=true\"\n            onclick=trigger_mixpanel_sign_up_cta(\"18651136-4e74-46fb-a71c-e7792098a865\")\n            title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" \n            data-title=\"11 Common Yoga Questions (and Their Answers)\"\n            data-slug=\"frequently-asked-yoga-questions\"\n            <u><u>grab two free 1:1 sessions with your 2-week free trial here</u></u>        \n            </a></p>"},{"type":"CTA","value":"[CTA-DEFAULT]"}],"isSlugACategory":false,"searchCategory":"frequently-asked-yoga-questions","showPopUp":false,"popUpType":null,"showedPopup":false,"windowWidth":null,"ctaPath":"signup","redirectURL":"#","current_url":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/frequently-asked-yoga-questions","student_details":"","facebookUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/r/frequently-asked-yoga-questions-DoPlmV","twitterUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/r/frequently-asked-yoga-questions-hsUsMh","copyUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/r/frequently-asked-yoga-questions-XkHJrX","emailUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/r/frequently-asked-yoga-questions-VUulpu","ctaContent":[{"id":"ckxrz2i14tov40c25g1dpicsg","name":"[CTA-DEFAULT]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. 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No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Hatha Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>with Authentic Indian Teachers</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cky90p88g3zgc0d23yz6taont","name":"[CTA-NASAL]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private sessions </strong>to relieve post nasal drip and clear out your sinus. </p><p><strong>PLUS, 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>with authentic Indian yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Relieve Post Nasal Drip &amp; Clear Your Sinus Today!</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyirvl8g25ce0c70cldmca2g","name":"[CTA-TRATAKA]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private sessions </strong>with experienced Trataka teachers. </p><p><strong>PLUS, 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>(like ‘Candle Gazing Meditation) with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Learn Trataka (Candle Gazing) Meditation Today!</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyisqh482ck60b79rp1r1jcg","name":"[CTA-YIN]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions</strong>, work with an experienced yoga therapist to reduce (and even eliminate) your back pain. <strong>PLUS 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>(like ‘Yoga for Back Pain’) with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Therapy – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Relieve Back Pain Safely &amp; Effectively Today!</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyitki4w2liz0b30tqpzhy4i","name":"[CTA-KRIYA]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions </strong>for Kriya Yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation <strong>and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Classes – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Practice Kriya, Pranayama, and Meditation Today!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyitxgyg2pot0b79lu1fcpp1","name":"[CTA-BREATH]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions </strong>for yogic breathing techniques (pranayama) and <strong>2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong>, like ‘Stretch and Breathe’, ‘Kriya, Pranayama, and Meditation’, and many others. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong> Learn Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Pranayama!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckykb6i2o1o7f0b368s1m7qow","name":"[CTA-LYMPHATIC]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions</strong> for lymphatic drainage &amp; immunity enhancement. <strong>PLUS 2 weeks of unlimited group yoga classes</strong> (including daily yin-yoga) when you sign up today! No credit card required to sign up.</p><p></p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions –  </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>for Lymphatic Drainage &amp; Boosting Your Immune System!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cl2vqlpyfe3yh0biohgxyx2hg","name":"[CTA-LEAD]","description":{"html":"<p>Lead Form</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p>Lead Form</p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cl4gnwnrlga640ck37gutx7sn","name":"[CTA-GC]","description":{"html":"<p>CTA-GC</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p>CTA-GC</p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"}],"post":{"id":"cl5wwa1a0gnol0dhdo5ntl12t","slug":"frequently-asked-yoga-questions","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"11 Common Yoga Questions (and Their Answers)","createdAt":"2022-07-22T20:08:11.250342+00:00","updatedAt":"2022-08-02T11:11:56.422423+00:00","coverUrl":"wjnf6gca2leiwcxskli4.jpg","seoDescription":"Do you have yoga questions that you're to shy to ask? Get answers to the 11 most common yoga questions here!","content":{"text":"Most of us have questions before or when we start practicing yoga! That’s normal. As a matter of fact, as you grow in your practice, the amount of questions doesn’t really get smaller. They just get different!\\nYoga teachers get asked tons of questions, and, generally, they love answering them! But sometimes, a new yoga student or someone who’s considering starting yoga may feel too shy or embarrassed to ask. Then they go to Google, get lots of conflicting answers, and may give up on yoga before they ever start.\\nWe definitely don’t want that!\\nSo here are the 11 most common yoga questions we get asked and their \\nreal\\n answers!\n\\n\\n1. How long do I wait after eating before I can do yoga?\\nIf you can practice in the morning, before you eat, that is ideal, or later in the evening. However, other than those times, we recommend waiting at least 2 hours after you eat before you start your yoga practice. Doing yoga on a full stomach can cause discomfort and even nausea. It also means you’ll have less energy since your body is busy digesting food!\\n\\n\\n\\n2. Do I have to be flexible to practice yoga?\\nAbsolutely not! As a matter of fact, lack of flexibility is a good reason to \\nstart\\n a regular yoga practice! Besides that, yoga is much more than just stretching. It’s a physical activity that tones, strengthens, calms, and heals the body, mind, and spirit.\\n\\n3. I’m pregnant. Can I still do yoga?\\nYes you can! It’s important when you’re pregnant to do yoga under the guidance of a prenatal yoga instructor or other expert yoga instructor though. There are yoga poses that pregnant women should avoid, such as inversions and poses where you lie flat on your back. \\n\\n4. How often should I practice yoga for best results?\\nIf you’re a beginner, we recommend starting with only 2-3 classes that require more exertion a week (such as Ashtanga, Power, or Vinyasa yoga). However, there are many other types of yoga to try in between, such as restorative yoga, yin yoga, or any of MyYogaTeacher’s meditative yoga classes! As you advance in your practice, you may feel strong enough to try more difficult yoga classes more times per week. Either way, you’ll experience the benefits of yoga whether you do it once a week or 7 days a week!\\n\\n5. Do I need any special equipment to practice yoga?\\nWhile we do recommend the use of a yoga mat, technically, you don’t \\nhave\\n to have one. You can practice yoga on any surface you feel is safe and comfortable. Many yogis also have blocks, bolsters, and straps to help them modify poses or go deeper into poses. But those certainly aren’t necessary to reap the benefits of doing yoga.\\n\\n\\n\\n6. Why do I need a yoga class? Can’t I just do it by myself with a book or video?\\nYou certainly can do yoga by yourself with the use of a book or video but most yogis (especially inexperienced ones) will agree that this isn’t as safe as practicing yoga with a live teacher. Yoga classes allow your yoga teacher to see how you perform the poses and can make corrections to your alignment or help you make appropriate modifications and adjustments as needed. At MyYogaTeacher, ALL of our classes are taught live, and you get personalized attention from your yoga instructor, even in group sessions!\\nDoing yoga poses incorrectly may cause injuries! MyYogaTeacher offers a Yoga Basics and a Yoga 201 class to help beginners create a strong yoga foundation for regular practice. \\n\\n\\nGrab your free 2-week trial of unlimited group classes here and check them out! No credit card required\\n.\\n\\n7. What kind of clothes do I need to practice yoga?\\nDespite what you may see on social media, you do not \\nneed\\n a certain kind of clothing, including the ever popular yoga pants or yoga leggings. If you’d like to wear those, however, by all means! The best clothes for yoga are comfortable ones that you can move freely in. You’ll practice barefoot or, if you’d prefer, in yoga socks.\\n\\n8. What are all the strange terms I hear my yoga teacher saying?\\nMany yoga instructors commonly use the Sanskrit words for yoga poses instead of the English translation. This is a good thing! Yoga is ancient and rooted in tradition, and continuing to use and pass on the language is an important part of maintaining the culture of yoga. If you don’t understand something your instructor is saying, please ask! However, we’ve compiled a list of common yoga \\nSanskrit words you may hear in class and what they mean in this blog post\\n.\\n\\n\\n\n9. Will yoga get or keep me in shape?\\nIf you practice regularly and eat healthfully, yes! Absolutely! Just like with any physical activity, you won’t see continued results unless you practice regularly. How you fuel body is also a large part of getting physically and mentally healthy. Yoga can be as strenuous as cardio or as easy as your regular post workout stretch and everything in between. It is definitely possible for yoga to help you lose weight and/or get the body you want.\\n\\n10. Can I do yoga if I’m injured or have a physical disability?\\nYes, you can! Here at MyYogaTeacher, we feel strongly that yoga is for every body. Meaning any body type, shape, size, and all ability levels. Our highly trained and experienced expert yoga teachers from India come packing credentials and tools to help you practice yoga in a way that is safe and works for you!\\n\\n11. Why should I start practicing yoga anyway? \\nA regular yoga practice provides benefits far beyond what any other type of exercise will do! Why? Because yoga is a whole health form of practice. Everything you do in yoga positively affects your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, and the benefits carry over to your life from day to day. Yoga cures things like back pain, joint pain, lowers blood pressure, provides mental clarity and focus, reduces blood sugar, promotes healing, and so much more.\\nWe guess the question is, why \\nwouldn’t\\n you want to start practicing yoga?!\\nMost, if not all, of MyYogaTeacher’s expert yoga instructors are \\nmore\\n than qualified to help you! We value authentic, traditional yoga and truly care about the health and wellbeing of our students. For us, yoga isn’t just a class. It’s the way we live our life.\\nNot a MyYogaTeacher member? Whether you’re interested in teaching yoga, starting yoga, or growing in your yoga journey, MyYogaTeacher is a great place to do it!\\nWhen you sign up for a 1:1 membership with us you get:\\n102 expert\\n, highly qualified yoga instructors to choose from\\nThe ability to switch instructors\\n or take classes with only your faves\\nAccess to unlimited group classes\\n, taught \\nlive\\nPersonalized instruction\\n and work out, diet, and lifestyle plans\\nTo be a member of a HUGE community\\n of happy yogis from around the world\\nYoga teachers who become friends\\n, who truly care about you!\\nIf you haven’t checked us out already, \\ngrab two free 1:1 sessions with your 2-week free trial here\\n","html":"<p>Most of us have questions before or when we start practicing yoga! That’s normal. As a matter of fact, as you grow in your practice, the amount of questions doesn’t really get smaller. They just get different!</p><p>Yoga teachers get asked tons of questions, and, generally, they love answering them! But sometimes, a new yoga student or someone who’s considering starting yoga may feel too shy or embarrassed to ask. Then they go to Google, get lots of conflicting answers, and may give up on yoga before they ever start.</p><p>We definitely don’t want that!</p><p>So here are the 11 most common yoga questions we get asked and their <em>real</em> answers!<br></p><p></p><h2>1. How long do I wait after eating before I can do yoga?</h2><p>If you can practice in the morning, before you eat, that is ideal, or later in the evening. However, other than those times, we recommend waiting at least 2 hours after you eat before you start your yoga practice. Doing yoga on a full stomach can cause discomfort and even nausea. It also means you’ll have less energy since your body is busy digesting food!</p><p></p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/qJJnG07oQQuYIwa69XXi\" alt=\"forward-fold-yoloha.jpg\" title=\"forward-fold-yoloha.jpg\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" /><p></p><h2>2. Do I have to be flexible to practice yoga?</h2><p>Absolutely not! As a matter of fact, lack of flexibility is a good reason to <em>start</em> a regular yoga practice! Besides that, yoga is much more than just stretching. It’s a physical activity that tones, strengthens, calms, and heals the body, mind, and spirit.</p><p></p><h2>3. I’m pregnant. Can I still do yoga?</h2><p>Yes you can! It’s important when you’re pregnant to do yoga under the guidance of a prenatal yoga instructor or other expert yoga instructor though. There are yoga poses that pregnant women should avoid, such as inversions and poses where you lie flat on your back. </p><p></p><h2>4. How often should I practice yoga for best results?</h2><p>If you’re a beginner, we recommend starting with only 2-3 classes that require more exertion a week (such as Ashtanga, Power, or Vinyasa yoga). However, there are many other types of yoga to try in between, such as restorative yoga, yin yoga, or any of MyYogaTeacher’s meditative yoga classes! As you advance in your practice, you may feel strong enough to try more difficult yoga classes more times per week. Either way, you’ll experience the benefits of yoga whether you do it once a week or 7 days a week!</p><p></p><h2>5. Do I need any special equipment to practice yoga?</h2><p>While we do recommend the use of a yoga mat, technically, you don’t <em>have</em> to have one. You can practice yoga on any surface you feel is safe and comfortable. Many yogis also have blocks, bolsters, and straps to help them modify poses or go deeper into poses. But those certainly aren’t necessary to reap the benefits of doing yoga.</p><p></p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/mYsNYjApRSkdpUew47er\" alt=\"istockphoto-1295093512-640x640.jpg\" title=\"istockphoto-1295093512-640x640.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" /><p></p><h2>6. Why do I need a yoga class? Can’t I just do it by myself with a book or video?</h2><p>You certainly can do yoga by yourself with the use of a book or video but most yogis (especially inexperienced ones) will agree that this isn’t as safe as practicing yoga with a live teacher. Yoga classes allow your yoga teacher to see how you perform the poses and can make corrections to your alignment or help you make appropriate modifications and adjustments as needed. At MyYogaTeacher, ALL of our classes are taught live, and you get personalized attention from your yoga instructor, even in group sessions!</p><p>Doing yoga poses incorrectly may cause injuries! MyYogaTeacher offers a Yoga Basics and a Yoga 201 class to help beginners create a strong yoga foundation for regular practice. </p><p></p><p><a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\"><u>Grab your free 2-week trial of unlimited group classes here and check them out! No credit card required</u></a>.</p><p></p><h2>7. What kind of clothes do I need to practice yoga?</h2><p>Despite what you may see on social media, you do not <em>need</em> a certain kind of clothing, including the ever popular yoga pants or yoga leggings. If you’d like to wear those, however, by all means! The best clothes for yoga are comfortable ones that you can move freely in. You’ll practice barefoot or, if you’d prefer, in yoga socks.</p><p></p><h2>8. What are all the strange terms I hear my yoga teacher saying?</h2><p>Many yoga instructors commonly use the Sanskrit words for yoga poses instead of the English translation. This is a good thing! Yoga is ancient and rooted in tradition, and continuing to use and pass on the language is an important part of maintaining the culture of yoga. If you don’t understand something your instructor is saying, please ask! However, we’ve compiled a list of common yoga <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/common-sanskrit-yoga-words\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/common-sanskrit-yoga-words\"><u>Sanskrit words you may hear in class and what they mean in this blog post</u></a>.</p><p></p><img src=\"https://media.graphassets.com/vWCN8QpoTTmDYOIsQ5RU\" alt=\"_DSC7721.JPG\" title=\"_DSC7721.JPG\" width=\"6048\" height=\"4024\" /><h2><br>9. Will yoga get or keep me in shape?</h2><p>If you practice regularly and eat healthfully, yes! Absolutely! Just like with any physical activity, you won’t see continued results unless you practice regularly. How you fuel body is also a large part of getting physically and mentally healthy. Yoga can be as strenuous as cardio or as easy as your regular post workout stretch and everything in between. It is definitely possible for yoga to help you lose weight and/or get the body you want.</p><p></p><h2>10. Can I do yoga if I’m injured or have a physical disability?</h2><p>Yes, you can! Here at MyYogaTeacher, we feel strongly that yoga is for every body. Meaning any body type, shape, size, and all ability levels. Our highly trained and experienced expert yoga teachers from India come packing credentials and tools to help you practice yoga in a way that is safe and works for you!</p><p></p><h2>11. Why should I start practicing yoga anyway? </h2><p>A regular yoga practice provides benefits far beyond what any other type of exercise will do! Why? Because yoga is a whole health form of practice. Everything you do in yoga positively affects your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, and the benefits carry over to your life from day to day. Yoga cures things like back pain, joint pain, lowers blood pressure, provides mental clarity and focus, reduces blood sugar, promotes healing, and so much more.</p><p>We guess the question is, why <em>wouldn’t</em> you want to start practicing yoga?!</p><p>Most, if not all, of MyYogaTeacher’s expert yoga instructors are <em>more</em> than qualified to help you! We value authentic, traditional yoga and truly care about the health and wellbeing of our students. For us, yoga isn’t just a class. It’s the way we live our life.</p><p>Not a MyYogaTeacher member? 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