How to Find the Right Yoga for You
Guest blog By Jennifer Crescenzo
If you’re thinking about taking up yoga in the new year, you're not alone. Every year the number of people in yoga classes spikes in January and drops a few months later. I've seen this again and again in over 15 years of teaching yoga in multiple studios in multiple countries. And sure - some people are just looking for a quick fix for holiday overindulgence. And others try yoga and just don't like it. But I think a lot of people give up on yoga too soon because the studio, class style, or teacher is just not a good fit. So, if you really do want to give yoga a go in 2022 and you're not sure how to find a yoga class that will help you reach your health goals, here are my observations and a few helpful tips I've picked up in my 20+ year relationship with yoga.
First, choosing a yoga teacher or studio in 2022 is much like scrolling through a dating app. There are a lot of options - Hatha, Ashtanga, Bikram, Anti-Gravity, Goat. The best photos and slickest descriptions can be misleading. You can make some great connections and have meaningful experiences. You can also get burned. So what do you need to know? Well, let's start with all those names...
What's in a Name?
Some styles like Sivananda Yoga, Bikram Yoga or Iyengar Yoga are named for their founding teacher and often have a set sequence of postures that you will learn and follow. Other set sequence styles include Ashtanga Yoga and Kundalini Yoga. In these classes, you can expect to do the same poses in the same order every time. Some people really love knowing exactly what's coming next and find the repetition helps them focus more on subtle refinements to each movement over time. Other people can end up practising on auto-pilot, simply doing what they are told without really noticing how they are feeling.
Styles with names like Vinyasa, Flow, or Power are hybrids that combine some set sequences with variations and more gymnastic challenge poses. They are often (although not always) choreographed to a playlist. These classes can also be sequenced towards a "peak" like a complex arm balance or organised around a theme like staying present or opening to new experiences. Depending on the teacher, the choreography of the sequence might be more simple and rhythmic or more complex with lots of twists and turns. If you get bored or distracted easily, the challenge and complexity might help. But when you're a beginner, moving too fast too soon means you'll miss some important details about each posture which can deprive you of solid foundations and leave you more vulnerable to repetitive stress injuries.
In an Iyengar, Bikram or Power Yoga class you might expect to hold poses longer. These long holds are intended to build more strength and endurance - and more tolerance for discomfort. Like anything, this can be taken to an unhealthy extreme. Likewise in a Yin or Restorative class you might be in a posture for 3-10 minutes. But these long holds are very different. Often you are supported by props like blankets and firm cushions called bolsters and your body is relaxed. You are training a different kind of endurance here - the ability to stay present to subtle sensations like the flow of your breath and your thoughts and feelings. Yin and Restorative yoga practices are not the same thing (I'll talk more about this in a separate post) but don't assume that they are easy! Some people find it much more uncomfortable to slow down and breathe deep than to hold a plank pose.
In many styles of Flow or Vinyasa practice, your movements are timed to your breath. This means you might spend a single breath or even just an inhale in a pose before transitioning to the next pose on your exhale. The teacher will often control the pace of the class with very precise cues about when to move and how long to breathe in and out. As a result, everyone is doing the same thing at the same time. Flowing together with other people in a very specific rhythm is soothing and trance-like for some people and over-stimulating for others.
Styles like Ashtanga, Bikram, Iyengar, Anusara, and Power Yoga follow more strict rules about where to put your hands or how far apart to place your feet. If you are “out of alignment” you will likely be corrected, sometimes with firm hands-on adjustments. Other styles like Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Trauma-informed Yoga, and even some styles of Flow Yoga will give you several options and you’ll hear cues like “try placing your hands here” or “see if you feel more steady with your feet wider apart or closer together.” In Yin, Trauma-Informed, and Restorative classes your teacher will likely only use visual or verbal cues to guide you in and out of a pose. In Flow classes you will find a mix with some teachers using a lot of hands-on adjustments and others using only verbal or visual cues (I'll talk more about hands-on adjustments later.)
In Hatha, Iyengar, Anusara, and some Beginner or Align classes you will get very clear instructions about when and how to use props like blocks or straps and there can be a longer set-up for each pose giving the class more of a "stop and start" feel. Some people love the attention to detail and emphasis on subtle and precise adjustments. Others feel information overload. In Yin classes you will also use props but instead of being told exactly what to do, you may be given different options and variations so you can experiment and try new things. Some people love that freedom and time to explore. Others find it overwhelming.
With all that mind, where do you start? Well, I'd say that the key to any healthy relationship is self-awareness. And the start of your relationship with yoga is no different. So first ask yourself, "What do I really want from yoga?" If you want to rest and restore, a pumping vinyasa class probably isn’t for you. If you want to strengthen and tone, then Yin probably isn’t for you. One thing to keep in mind is that if you are already really active (running, cycling, climbing, lifting) then you might be drawn towards a more athletic style of yoga. But to balance your active lifestyle, you might need a more restorative style. If you’re very happy to lie still and zone out, you actually might need an energising Vinyasa class or a strengthening Iyengar class to keep you healthy and grounded.
Like with dating, you'll probably have to try a few teachers or studios before you find that perfect fit. As you go exploring, here are a few things to keep in mind.
What if it's not Love at First Sight?
Let's say you have realised that you're in danger of burning out and you need to slow down. This insight has inspired you to select a gentle Hatha class that begins with deep breathing and meditation and ends with a long Sivasana (lying still in a relaxed position). But during your first few classes you find yourself feeling anxious, self-conscious, distracted, or frustrated. It must be the wrong class, right? Well, not so fast! It's actually really normal to feel that way at first when you're used to going fast and pushing hard. Slowing down or becoming more aware of how you're thinking and feeling can be really confronting. So, it may take a few weeks for you to adapt and feel the benefits. After a month if those feelings persist or increase, you might need to try another teacher. Every teacher has something to offer but at first it's easier to settle in with a teacher who speaks your language - whether that's firm commands, silly jokes, or detailed anatomical cues.
Let's say you're a high-achiever and just a tiny bit competitive. You love to push yourself. All of these things are really useful, sometimes. But yoga is not a sport. It's a process of getting to know yourself better by moving and breathing and paying attention to how things feel. If you are constantly comparing yourself to the teacher or trying to outdo other students, you will probably push too hard, too fast. And you can get injured doing yoga just like any other physical activity. If you can't help but compete with the person next to you, then maybe skip the athletic Vinyasa class in the trendy mirror-lined studio where you will likely get into a "handstand-off" with the dude next to you and bust your shoulder. Instead, opt for a Restorative where you'll be lying down with your eyes closed, focused on your breath (I mean maybe you are so competitive that you are going to try to relax harder than the person next to you but you see my point, right? )
The studio's vibe and ethos really does matter. This is a community you are choosing to spend time in and it can be a great resource and support system. When I started practising yoga back in 2000 in Washington D.C. there weren't a lot of studios to choose from. But today in major cities around the world, you will be spoiled for choice. And many studios will have inspiring websites, zen decor, and seductive Insta feeds full of ex gymnasts and dancers effortlessly bending and twisting into impossible shapes and promising instant bliss. But if you're trying to build a lasting relationship with yoga, you're going to need a little less flash and a little more substance. Before you go to a studio, read the studios mission statement and check out the teacher bios. Here you can pick up some clues about how diverse the teaching staff is and how inclusive the studio is. And I'm talking about real diversity which includes age, race, gender, nationality, teaching, and life experience. If the studio offers a Beginner Class or Intro Course, I'd encourage you to try it out. Yoga is a marathon not a sprint and starting slow and building a solid foundation will help you practice more consistently. And it's through consistency that you'll really reap the benefits.
In any relationship, good clear boundaries are key. And your relationship with a yoga teacher is no different. If you're in Down Dog and you suddenly feel a firm press on your back, that's a red flag. No teacher (or teaching assistant) should adjust you without your permission and some specific knowledge about you - including how you feel about touch. If you notice a lot of instructions that include subtle (or overt) pressure to push harder and bend further because it will make you a more accomplished or enlightened yogi, that's a red flag. In fact, that's utter bullshit. But it can be seductive bullshit - especially when everyone around you seems to believe it. Go to any class open-minded and curious. Do your best to try things. But don't be afraid to refuse a hands-on adjustment or ask for a modification. And if you are recovering from injuries or managing a chronic illness or condition, I recommend finding a studio with more experienced teachers and smaller classes so that you can get more attention from someone with the knowledge and experience to help you make good choices. If you have some really specific or complex needs, start with 1:1 instruction and then work up to a group class if appropriate.
Finally, if you go in expecting yoga to be blissful and amazing all the time, you might quit when some uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, and questions surface. During my first yoga teacher training, I was meditating for 30 minute intervals, twice a day, for the first time in my life. There was no soothing music, no guiding voice - just sitting still in silence. I was a very high-achieving person and expected to quickly "master" meditation and feel calm. Instead, I sat there daily feeling irritated, then angry, then trapped, then paranoid that everyone around me was feeling bliss while I was struggling. I made myself sit still and figured that my discipline would force those uncomfortable feelings away. It did not work. Several years later in a different training I got the courage to talk about what was happening to me instead of just pushing through. And my teacher told me what I'm going to tell you. If you get angry, irritated, sad, or confused that's actually totally normal! It's even healthy. Feeling those feelings might help you ask some important questions and lead you to some great insights. Knowing that feeling discomfort was part of the process was such an enormous relief to me - and such a turning point in my own yoga journey - that I make a point of telling my students that as often as I can. In my experience, yoga can help you take better care of yourself and healthier relationships with yourself and others is a big part of that. But healthier relationships require you to be really honest and vulnerable and sometimes that will be really intense and require all your courage. Ultimately I think it's worth it.
If you do get into a long-term relationship with yoga, you will probably find that you need different styles of practice at different times. And no matter what the style of yoga, each instructor also has their own personality and that will make the class feel more precise, peaceful, or playful. The longer you practice, the more you may value the quality and integrity of the instruction more than a particular style.
Jennifer Crescenzo is a Melbourne based Yoga Instructor & owner of Muse in Motion. She has been teaching yoga and leading yoga teacher training for over 15 years in Australia and internationally. In 2020, Jennifer pioneered the Yin in Motion method which combines her extensive study of movement science with her experience as a runner, yogi, lifter, climber, and martial artist. Whether in a class or 1:1 session, she uses her 10 years as a documentary filmmaker to tell a "movement story" that makes complex things simple and fun and helps you move and feel better every day.
Learn more about Jennifer here