My yoga journey began on a whim, mainly as a way to become more flexible. There were other benefits, too, like the fact that yoga is stress and anxiety reducing.

Like most things in the world, yoga has been perceived as a hardcore workout that’s meant for women.

Well, I’m sorry to say that statement isn’t true.

There are plenty of people who do yoga, including guys. In India, it is more common to see men practicing than women, though yoga is huge in India.

Yoga is also not a hardcore workout. If done properly, it can be a core-strengthening workout, but yoga is not supposed to be practiced with the idea of it being a hardcore workout.

Don’t be upset –yoga is misconstrued more often than you think.

Yoga is meant to be a practice that can be improved upon each time you go to the mat. It is a self-evaluation of how you feel at that exact moment, mentally, emotionally, and physically, too.

The mat in which one practices is to leave your troubles behind you, off the mat. This is so you can concentrate solely on yourself in that moment. Yoga is a chance to cater to your body’s needs, not desires of what it could look like (similar to when you’re working out).

Another very common misconception is “hot yoga”. It is actually severely unhealthy to do yoga in extreme temperatures, especially hot yoga. It overwhelms the body by dehydration and destroys the mentality behind yoga as well.

So if you’re looking for an intense, diehard workout, CrossFit is probably a better bet. Don’t be ashamed of that need for an intense workout –you crave a different kind of workout which is excellent! But if you’re looking for a change of pace and geared on bettering yourself overall, yoga could be good for you!

If you’re worried about being the only unexperienced yogi in the class, don’t worry –you are not! There are plenty of people in there who are just like you or are still in the beginners’ stage. Yoga is supposed to be about you and your progress, not ranking and comparing yourself against another person’s progress or standards.

Not to mention, there are many people who think they are professionals at practicing yoga, but are still intermediate. Many people who have practiced yoga in multiple class settings can get cocky and think they know everything, but everyone makes mistakes at least once per class, including. To become a pro, it takes years and years of practice.

Yoga is a “you” oriented practice. If you take the time to focus on yourself and listen to what your body needs, then you can reap the benefits of yoga. Yoga isn’t for everyone, but for those that find it working, stick with it! It’s always fascinating to see 70-year-old people doing complicated poses. It’s those years of experience that make awesome things like that happen.

Namaste, my friends.