Start with a Beginner’s Class (Even If You’re Not a Beginner)
Maybe you’ve dabbled in yoga at home and practiced with videos that taught you all the basic poses. Should you still be going to beginner’s classes? In my opinion, yes.
Just because you have some experience with yoga doesn’t mean you have experience attending a yoga class. Also, keep in mind that the atmosphere of a group class can make you push yourself harder than you would at home, and being too sore to move the day after a grueling intermediate class can hurt your likelihood of sticking with the practice in the long run.
There’s a blurry line between beginner and intermediate yoga, and yoga instructor Rob Williams thinks that’s intentional. The best person to tell you what level you’re at is (surprise!) you. Choosing the best yoga class comes down to you feel about it. Do you feel like the class is manageable but challenging? Or do you feel more lost than others in the class? It’s important to remember that advancing to an intermediate class doesn’t mean you can’t go back to a beginner class from time to time. “I still go to beginner classes sometimes,” Williams says. “[You] can use the time to work on settling the mind, moving with extreme intention, and maintaining a meditative mindset.”