Yoga is taking the world by storm and you can’t wait to be wrapped up in its whirlwind goodness. We hear you! But before you rush into it as fast as your blood rushes to your head in a headstand, here are a few rookie mistakes you might want to avoid before declaring from the mountain tops your undying love as a yogi. 

#5 Being bogged down by expectations

“I’m not ________ enough.” Feel free to insert any kind of adjective you’ve ever heard yourself use in that phrase when thinking about all the excuses why you can’t do yoga or why yoga isn’t right for you. Eg. “I’m not good enough, fit enough, strong enough, flexible enough, slim enough, determined enough…”

Maybe it’s all those pictures of sun-kissed athletic limbs in tree poses on the beach that is clouding your mind, but why do we feel that we have to already be a certain way in order to even start doing yoga? When have you ever signed up for a beginner’s class only to be given a long list of prerequisite skills that you already need to have before you can join?

Never! Yoga is for everybody because all you need IS your body. And there is no ONE yoga body that you need to strive to attain. Instead of comparing your body to others in class, leave all your expectations at the door, and embrace the unity that no matter how short, tall, curvy or angular our bodies may be, all these bodies are in the same class right now, doing the same poses, and each and every single one of them looking just as kickass as its neighbour.

#4 Being too focused on “leveling up”

For all of us that spend our subway rides blasting candy for high scores, we can be all too familiar with the concept of “leveling up” is one’s sole purpose in a game. But yoga isn’t like that. Our yoga instructor is not going to go around the room giving us 1 to 3 stars based on how well we did each pose.

We don’t go to beginner yoga classes with the mindset of improving fast enough to join the intermediate and advanced classes. (You don’t actually get a certificate for “completing” beginner yoga class either, by the way.) And thankfully there’s also no real way to brag to a friend that you’re “tackling a serious Level 5 pigeon pose this week”. Yes, yoga is about pushing the limits of our bodies, but it is a long-term, continuous journey of self-advancement, not a destination to scurry towards.

#3 Buying everything and the kitchen sink

“I’m going to do yoga!” you yell to nobody in particular. Then you run out and buy an anti-sweat, anti-slip yoga mat, a breathable mesh bag for your mat, high-density performance yoga blocks, and now you’re watching YouTube videos on how to DIY install inversion harnesses to your kitchen wall. You know, that’s great. At some point, we’re sure that you’ll be using all those things too, but if you’re just starting out, there’s no rush to purchase everything at one go. In fact, most yoga classes even provide mats, so all you need is a mat spray and a towel, or cleaning wipes, for good hygiene.

One thing you may want to invest in from the get-go, though, is a set of quality yoga clothing. Sure, you can wear any loose t-shirt and slacks. But yoga clothing is sewed specifically for it to move along with your body and it can definitely take more tugs and pulls than general sportswear.

And one thing you don’t want to be worrying about in yoga class is who can see what of yours when you do what. Sounds to us that paying a little bit for the peace of mind that your quality yoga pants will keep everything where they need to seem like a very sound investment indeed! On top of durability and flexibility, Yuriyasa’s stylish yoga pants which take you easily from stretches to the street, also promise no dreaded 🐫-toe or VPL!

#2 Being too serious

We know you’re taking your yoga practice seriously, incorporating it into your life, changing up your lifestyle habits, working good clean food into your diet… But don’t forget to have fun, and breathe! Doing your best and pushing your limits doesn’t mean forcing your body through a rigorous battle of struggles that ends up in nothing more than frustration.

Yoga practice requires discipline and commitment, but never at the cost of joy! If there’s one thing you should leave at the door together with your expectations, it’s your ego. You should be able to laugh at yourself and find humor in your practice. Just like how farting is a completely natural release during yoga!

#1 Not being there

The most important thing you can invest in your yoga practice is your time and effort. We know that some days you just don’t feel like getting out of bed or leaving the house. We admit that a Sunday waffle breakfast in bed sounds wayyyyyy better than fighting traffic to get to yoga class. But have you ever noticed how during your practice or after, you feel like you’re on top of the world and capable of achieving anything you put your mind to? You might not even remember what was stopping you from going in the first place. Yes, yoga can have an extremely positive effect over your body, mind, and soul. It can improve every facet of your life from health to self-esteem to happiness.

But in order to benefit from it, you just have to take the first big step and be there. See you on the mat!