Welcome to Yoga 4 Long Life

Here is your guide to a life changing process that improves your health and fitness. If you have already been practicing yoga for some time, you can skip to the START HERE page. If you are new to Yoga, read on to get answers to some common questions. You will see how Yoga can fit into your daily life and health regimen. After reading this page, follow 4 more simple steps to get started. Below are common beginner questions, please see FAQs (Useful Tools) for questions pertaining to our system. 

  1. Read This Page First – to get answers to some basic questions
  2. Go To START HERE page to determine your level
  3. Check out the PROPS page to see what you’ll need
  4. Go To the CLASS LIBRARY Page to choose which class you want
  5. Register and Pay at Checkout

Most Common Beginner Yoga Questions

What is Yoga?

Yoga is a lifestyle guide that has been around for about 5,000 years, and has many variations, some more internal, some more physical, some as a way of life. Focusing on the physical practice of movement, breath, and meditation is where many people feel the most health benefits. These skills are attainable to everyone, regardless of age or physical condition.

Will This Be Good For Me?

Absolutely. You can choose between gentle or vigorous. You can use it to help you sleep or to get you going in the morning. You can use it to build functional strength or just to feel less creaky.  By improving your strength and balance, you minimize your risks of falls as you age. Improved flexibilty makes movement more comfortable and safer in your daily life. And improved breathing can be life changing for many people. 

I Have Injuries / I'm Not Flexible

Then you are normal. Most people ‘a day or two past twenty’ have some physical issues. Life brings bumps. The great news is that we can improve our conditioning, we can gain flexibility, we can gain strength, we can improve our balance. You start where you are and move forward from there. These classes will help you find greater freedom of movement in your daily life. The minimum skill you will need is to be able to get onto the floor and get back up. 

What Level Should I Try?

That depends. The most advanced yogis will take basic classes when their body guides them. Learning to listen to your body rather than your ego is a major lesson. In addition, levels are subjective.  One teacher’s beginner level is another teacher’s advanced level. Many times the jump from one level to another is daunting. My goal is to break the beginning levels down into bitesized pieces so that average people can gain confidence and feel progress.  The START HERE Page will help you choose the right level.

Do I Have to Know Another Language?

No. I teach using mostly the English translations because that is easier for most new people. I also have a Laypersons glossary. Each class I will choose a couple of poses to say the English word followed by  the Sanskrit name. This way you will understand the instructions for the class, but you will also start hearing some of the real names.

What Should I Wear?

Whatever is comfortable for you and is appropriate for the location that you have chosen to practice. 

What Are Props For?

Props are tools that can be used multiple different ways.  The most common are blocks, blankets, and straps.  It is a misconception that props are only for beginners. Props can be used to make poses harder, easier, or more accessible. For example, someone with longer legs and shorter arms will have a more difficult time reaching the floor in some poses, a block will allow them to reach the floor and receive the support needed to have a healthy alignment in their spine.  A more experienced yogi may use the prop to increase their challenge. Feel free to use props to help you learn  learn a new skill, they are just tools, not crutches. Each class will have notes to let you know the props needed for that class. To know more about props go to the PROPS page. 

Will I Need Them For The First Class?

Some methods of Yoga are militant about not using props, others highly encourage the use of props. When you are new to Yoga, props make the learning process easier and more comfortable.  In some classes props are optional, in some classes I have purposely incorporated props into the class.  If you don’t have the recommended props, don’t worry.  Check out the page on props and see what you can use as a substitute.  You are practicing at home and no one will know that you are using an upside down pot as a block. 

What If I'm Tired on the Day of Class?

So many of our students will tell you: “I was so tired today, I really didn’t want to do class, but afterward, I am so glad I did it.” I have felt this way numerous times myself, I have never regretted taking a class, but  have often regretted skipping a class. 

I also know that sometimes I’m doing great just getting myself up in the morning, much less facing the rest of the day.  For days like that I have created the various short classes.  From as little as 4 minutes up to about 20 minutes, with different intensities, there are options to address your needs on any given day.  On your tough days, maybe a nurturing class like Yoga for Sleep is the best choice. Dive back into longer, more challenging classes on the days you have more energy.  

Some Basic Yoga Poses

There are many styles of Yoga, some of the most well known are: Hatha, Vinyasa, Power, Ashtanga, Iyengar, and Bikram. They may have different teaching methods but they share similarities. There are over 2000 poses across the Yoga universe, from very basic to super advanced. Here, the Nurturing level will use props and gentler poses, each level will add new skills, more challenging versions of your poses, and new poses.  Below are some of the poses that you will be  learning, each of them has more basic and simpler versions, each one has more challenging versions.  You will be introduced to the various versions of each of these poses in different levels.  If some of these poses look unrealistic for you, remember there are easier versions. And while some may look simple, remember that one of the goals of  Yoga is connecting movement to breath, not just throwing yourself into a pose.