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Some yoga instructors don’t take into account individual differences in fit-

ness and flexibility, so it’s up to you to know your own limits. Suzanne

learned this lesson the hard way when her sister, Jennifer, a longtime yoga

devotee, dragged her to an advanced yoga class. The 2-hour session involved

hanging upside down from a rope for 20 consecutive minutes, an activity

that was intended to be relaxing but left Suzanne feeling as if her brain was

going to burst through her skull. The class also included demanding ham-

string stretches that made Suzanne so sore that she couldn’t ride her bike

for four days.

Some classes may be too spiritual for you if that’s not what you’re after. Liz

once took a class in which the instructor asked students to reveal their inner-

most fears. Liz didn’t feel like sharing that bit of information with a group of

strangers sitting around the room with their legs twisted around their necks.

Yoga offers an active time-out to energize your body and calm your mind.

Most yoga classes end with several minutes of lying facedown on the floor.

This come-down time, called shivasana, is low-key enough to make some

people fall asleep, but after you get up, you feel recharged.

A Yoga Routine ............................................................................................

The following sections describe several basic yoga poses; however, these

step-by-step instructions are for demonstration purposes only. From here,

you want to pick up a book, rent a video, or take a class to obtain guidance

on how long to hold these poses, how often to repeat them, and how to com-

bine them with other poses.

252 Part V: Cardio-Strength Workouts: Getting the Best of Both Worlds

Learning the ropes: Yoga equipment and clothing

Yoga doesn’t require a large commitment of

equipment and clothing. Some people wear leo-

tards; others wear baggy clothes; still others go

without clothing altogether (an option if you’re

working out at home, but you won’t find many

clothing-optional classes).

The one piece of equipment you absolutely do

need is a yoga mat, one that’s sticky or tacky

(that is, nonslip), as opposed to smooth or slip-

pery. Look for a mat that’s at least 68 inches long

by 24 inches wide — longer is better, if you can

find one. If you’d like to try yoga once or twice

without investing in a mat, you can use a thick

towel or blanket. Look for a yoga mat at your

local sporting goods store, yoga specialty shop,

gym, yoga studio, or at online shops (search for

“yoga mat” on Google or some other search

engine).

Unlike most other fitness activities that require

a major investment in footwear, yoga is gener-

ally practiced barefoot, although some practi-

tioners do wear socks.