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What Do I Need?
Please bring:
- A mat
- Socks
- Wear an extra layer (or two in winter!) for the warm up and relaxation at the end of class
We take off our shoes at the door and place our own mats on top of the mats that are laid out for class.
Is Your Class Suitable For Me?
In a word, yes. If you have an injury or other health condition, if you’re nervous or unsure, if you’re a man or a woman, if you have never done yoga in your life, you can join my class. You can also join if you haven’t practised in a long time and want to start over.
What if I Can’t Do It?
You can.
Yoga is often presented as a series of graceful shapes demonstrated by experienced practitioners. What is rarely talked about is that these “traditional” poses can be overwhelming or even unsafe if you’re just starting out. A true beginner’s yoga class isn’t about pushing your body into shapes it’s not ready for — it’s about building a foundation of strength, mobility, and awareness so you can progress safely and sustainably.
As a yoga teacher, I design my beginner classes with this in mind.
Downward Dog Isn’t a Recovery Pose for Beginners
If you’ve ever seen or joined a yoga class, you’ll know that Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) shows up everywhere. Did you know in yoga this pose is considered a recovery pose? In India, where yoga originated, this makes sense: traditional everyday life involved squatting, sitting on the floor, and moving naturally in ways that keep hips, hamstrings, and shoulders mobile.
But in the West, many of us spend long hours at desks, driving or both. Tight hamstrings, stiff shoulders, and under-utilised upper body strength mean that Downward Dog is anything but restful. Instead, it can feel like an intense strength and flexibility challenge, with all the weight pressing through your arms and shoulders. This aggravates our wrists and pushes our bodies beyond what they should be doing as beginners.
That’s why in my classes, we don’t treat Downward Dog as a recovery or beginners pose. We approach it gradually, using modifications and alternatives, so your body has time to adapt before it becomes something that feels genuinely restorative.
The Strength + Flexibility Trap
Another common issue for complete beginners is being asked to step straight into poses that demand both strength and flexibility — for example, the wide-legged stance in Warrior II or Warrior I. These positions require open hips, strong legs, and stable joints. Without the right foundation, beginners risk overextending or straining muscles and joints.
It’s not about avoiding these poses altogether, but about recognising that they are goals, not starting points. Yoga should never be a race to mimic a picture-perfect posture. Instead, it should meet you where you are, giving you the tools to progress safely.
Building a Safe Practice
In my beginner classes, the focus is on working within a smaller, more manageable range of motion. This doesn’t mean the practice is less valuable. By moving mindfully through smaller ranges, you develop the building blocks of both strength and flexibility required for more advanced work. Over time, your body adapts, and those wider, more demanding postures become accessible naturally.
Think of it like learning to run: you wouldn’t start with a marathon. You’d build your stamina, strength, and confidence step by step. Yoga works the same way.
Yoga for Mobility and Strength — When Taught at the Right Level
Yoga has an incredible reputation for building both mobility and strength. It can help you move more freely in daily life, improve posture, reduce aches and pains, and increase body awareness. But this only happens if it’s taught at the right level, in a way that respects your starting point.
When beginners are thrown into fast-paced flows or advanced postures too soon, it’s easy to feel frustrated, discouraged, or even injured. But when yoga is introduced progressively, it becomes an empowering practice that grows with you.
More Than Just Poses: Breath, Mind, and Awareness
A beginner’s yoga class isn’t only about the physical postures. By slowing down, paying attention to how your body feels, immersing yourself in the moment, and practising without judgment, you start to build the deeper benefits of yoga — not just flexibility and strength, but also patience, focus, and resilience.
What You’ll Experience in My Beginner Classes
- Gentle, accessible postures that meet you where you are.
- Step-by-step guidance with modifications to support your body.
- A focus on strength and mobility in smaller ranges, building safely over time.
- Self-awareness and mindfulness to balance body and mind.
- Encouragement, not pressure — your yoga journey is unique to you.
Final Thoughts
Yoga is for everyone, no matter your age, body type, or fitness background. But for beginners, it’s important to start with a practice that respects the realities of modern life — tight muscles, sedentary habits, and the need to build strength gradually.
In my classes, you won’t be expected to force yourself into poses that don’t feel right. Instead, we’ll focus on steady, safe progression, so you can enjoy the many benefits yoga has to offer — mobility, strength, balance, calm, and a greater connection to yourself.
Yoga isn’t about how far you can stretch or how long you can hold a pose. It’s about building a practice that supports your body and your life, one step at a time.