I’m brand new to yoga. Is this appropriate for me?

Yes. Kathleen designed this series to specifically show students HOW to do the poses…something she felt was missing from most yoga classes. Instead of a beginner having to flail around for months or even years trying to figure it out, Kathleen removes the frustration, the ambiguity, the doubt. Demonstrations are given, Kathleen points out critical aspects of alignment (the things that often trip up students) and she shares why the poses and details matter. She also shows modifications.

I’m not flexible enough to do yoga. Will this help?

If we had a dollar for every time we’ve heard that…

First, a significant portion of the population is dealing with inflexibility (lack of mobility) in various areas of the body. So know that you are not alone. Second, lack of flexibility is precisely why you need to do yoga. We continue to lose flexibility with each year we age, so it is critical to address sooner rather than later as this impacts the quality of your life. (And you will feel so good by creating more space in your body.) Third, YES! this video tutorial will help! Because the focus is on meeting your body exactly where you are—we show you how to do deal with lack of flexibility in each posture. It is so liberating!

Should I do the Sun Salutation video (and/or all the videos in the Yoga for Beginners Series) prior to going to my first yoga class?

Not necessarily. This video tutorial can be referenced/watched/practiced in conjunction with going to classes. However:

1. If you want to get a solid start on learning the details of the poses before stepping into your first class, we recommend starting with the video. This will help insure you have a great first class and that you launch your practice with good alignment habits.
2. If you are hesitating coming into class because you feel uncertain about yoga or starting in a class environment, by all means start with the video in the privacy of your home. We think the video/s will help you quickly feel a sense of comfort, confidence and excitement about the practice of yoga and with the idea of coming to class. If ultimately ‘classes’ just aren’t your thing, taking Private Yoga Lessons is also an option.

I’ve been practicing yoga for a few years…how would this benefit me?

Many students dive into yoga classes without ever learning the fundamentals. These students don’t maximize the full benefits of even the basic postures, nor do they create the groundwork to advance the postures. If you’ve been doing yoga several years and scratching your head as to why down dog and triangle still seem so hard, or why you have not been able to find success in the advanced postures (binds, arm balances, backbends, handstands, etc), you should strongly consider revisiting the basics. Your entire practice could shift.

Should I do the Sun Salutation video before the other Yoga for Beginners videos?

Yes. They were designed to be done in a specific order (should you choose to also do the other three videos offered in this series.) Sun Salutations is first and contains critical basic poses that most other poses in yoga are drawn from.  Each video in the series draws from fundamentals in the previous video. The order is as follows: 1. Sun Salutations 2. Standing Series 3. Twists and Backbends 4. Poses on the Floor.

How often should I use the Yoga for Beginners Videos?

These videos were designed to be a lifelong resource. As your yoga practice develops, you’ll come back to them again and again to refine the postures.

To start, you might want to simply watch and take notes. Then go through that video a second time, this time practicing along. From here the quantity of use will be intensely personal. As you begin to apply what you learn, you may decide to follow along with the videos several times a week until you have the principles locked. Others may choose to only revisit them as needed — when they are struggling with a specific pose or concept.