Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Yoga (but were too embarrassed to ask)
Yoga has been around for centuries. Over 5,000 years, to be slightly more precise. That’s a long time.
It’s ancient, but in recent years it’s had its own low-rise-jeans-like comeback moment and now you can’t scroll happily through Instagram without seeing someone talking about yoga. From corporate wellness retreats to yoga with goats, we’d bet good money that the vast majority of the population has heard of yoga, tried yoga, or been badgered into trying yoga by their yoga-obsessed sister-in-law (we all have one). It’s everywhere.
But what exactly is yoga? What’s the point of it (besides spending every paycheck on yoga pants)? What happens during a yoga class? Which yoga class should you even choose?!
Strap in, friends, because we’re about to share everything you’ve always wanted to know about yoga (and more).
What is yoga?
Let’s take a look at what trusty old Wikipedia tells us about yoga to get started. Yoga, according to Wikipedia, “is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciousness untouched by the mind (Chitta) and mundane suffering (Duhkha).”
Um, what now?!
Yeah, that is why yoga has a reputation for being pretentious and inaccessible.
Whilst accurate, it’s not the most explanatory of definitions of yoga, is it? So let’s break it down into something more digestible (and that doesn’t make you want to run to the hills screaming, “don’t make me do it!”).
At its core, yoga is a holistic practice that combines physical postures (asanas), breath control (pranayama) and meditation (dhyana). It’s got loads of different styles and approaches but the goal of yoga stays the same: to promote physical, mental and spiritual health and wellbeing.
What yoga isn’t
Now, we know what you’re thinking already: “Oh, I’m not a spiritual person, so yoga’s probably not for me.”
Wrong!
Sure, if you want to explore the spiritual side of yourself with yoga, you absolutely can. It’s a great way to feel reconnected with your inner-self and explore what spirituality means to you. But if that’s not your jam, that’s absolutely fine.
Yoga isn’t something that’s only for people who believe in a higher being or are religious in some way or crave some sort of deep connection with their inner self.
It’s a practice that promotes wellbeing in all its forms. If you choose to find spiritual benefits in the practice of yoga, that’s fine. But equally, if you choose to find physical and mental benefits and don’t want to dive into the spiritual side of things, that’s also fine.
We know how intimidating it can be to see Instagram yogis finding deep spiritual meaning in every asana they contort their bodies into - but we’re on a mission to make yoga accessible to everyone, whether you’ve got a spiritual bone in your body or not. Yoga can be anyone’s happy place!
Where does yoga come from?
We already know that yoga is old. Ancient, even. But where exactly does it come from?
No one is 100% sure exactly where yoga has its origins (there’s a fierce (as fierce as zen yogis can get) debate over the ‘linear model’ vs the ‘synthesis model’, which we won’t go into here) - but what most people can agree on is that yoga has its roots somewhere in ancient India and somewhere in Hinduism or Buddhism or Jainism in India. Vague, sure. But that’s as specific as it gets, without getting entrenched in the chronology and etymology of yoga.
After developing in India in the first half of the first millennium BCE (around 3000-3500 years ago), yoga made its first appearance in Western culture in the mid-19th century, when Hindu teachers found an audience with philosophers, intellectuals and scholars.
Since then, yoga has developed even further into something that every single one of us has definitely heard of. Today, yoga is largely seen as exercise - with many people, as we’ve seen already, entirely foregoing the mental and spiritual side of things to focus almost exclusively on the art of movement instead.
What’s the point of yoga?
Aside from being a great excuse to add even more to your Alo wishlist on a daily basis, what’s the point in practicing yoga regularly?
We’re clearly biased at Fold, but there’s no denying that there must be something good about yoga that makes an estimated 300 million people across the world practice it.
Yoga is one of those things where you get out what you put in. If you practice regularly, focus on the movements, the breathwork and the experience of yoga, not just the end result, you’ll likely find physical and mental benefits of yoga. Pushing yourself outside your comfort zone and sticking to your practice (yoga’s for life, not just for January) has a huge array of benefits for almost everyone.
Physical health benefits of yoga
Increased flexibility - from all those bendy asanas you’re guiding your body into!
Increased muscle strength and tone
Improved respiration, energy and vitality - long after leaving the mat
Can improve cardiovascular functioning - according to this 2019 study
May reduce inflammation - according to this 2018 study
Improves bone health, even with 12 minutes of daily practice - according to this 2016 study
Mental health benefits of yoga
Promotes better sleep quality and can help with insomnia - according to this 2020 study
Improves body image, particularly in young adults - according to this 2018 study
Promotes mental clarity and calmness
Relieves stress and tension
Can prevent and treat burnout - according to this 2021 study
Can relieve symptoms of major depressive disorder - according to this 2017 study
Can support the treatment of anxiety disorders - according to this 2018 study
>> The real facts about yoga and mental health
A (very) brief introduction to the different types of yoga
We would quite literally be here all day if we were to break down every single type of yoga out there in the world. There are hundreds, each with their own history, meaning and style.
For the uninitiated, a mere glance at a yoga studio timetable might be overwhelming. There are just words everywhere and you have no idea what any of them mean. You could book a yoga class blindly, hoping that you’ve chosen a nice gentle class and not something that’ll have you hanging from ropes or sweltering in 33°C heats - or you could take a quick glance through our very brief (and by no means exhaustive) introduction so you can make at least a slightly informed decision…
Hatha Yoga
A combination of asanas (postures) and pranayama (breathing) that focuses on getting you into a calm, almost meditative state. It’s a catch-all yoga style for any yoga practice that uses physical postures and breathing techniques to create a feel-good relaxed vibe. It’s a good way to learn postures, particularly if you’re a beginner!
Ashtanga Yoga
Don’t join an ashtanga class expecting an easy ride! Ashtanga yoga is an athletic style of yoga that even experienced yogis can find challenging. Ashtanga uses sun salutations, seated positions and abs asanas and often results in positions that look intense. If you’re up for a challenge, Ashtanga’s a good option!
Kundalini Yoga
For those looking to explore the spiritual and mental wellbeing benefits of yoga, Kundalini yoga is a practice that combines asanas (postures), sounds, pranayama (breathing) and meditation into sets called kriyas. A kriya is a ‘completed action’ - basically, Kundalini yoga follows recipes to help you achieve a state of reconnecting with your inner self. Kundalini can be challenging for beginners, because of the duration of some kriyas and the prescribed breathwork techniques - but it’s a great way to step out of your comfort zone and explore beyond the physical benefits of yoga.
Power Yoga
As the name suggests, Power yoga is an umbrella term for yoga that’s designed to get the heart pumping. It’s a more vigorous, fitness-focused style of yoga that draws a lot from Ashtanga yoga and Vinyasa yoga, with yoga postures that open the shoulders, spine and hips and strengthen the core. If you’re looking for a burn, Power yoga’s for you!
Vinyasa or Dynamic Yoga
This one’s simple: one breath, one posture. Vinyasa yoga involves a lot of dynamic movement, swiftly moving from asana to asana between breaths. By focusing on one breath, one posture, your breathing is challenged and you’re forced to stay fully focused on your body throughout. Vinyasa yoga is a good choice for beginners and advanced yogis alike, and allows you to tune into your body and spirituality if you want to.
>> Book a Dynamic Yoga class at Fold
Slow Flow Yoga
Relaxing, calming and stress-busting, slow flow is vinyasa’s chilled out older sibling. It focuses on slower movements and longer holds in more supported positions, usually using things like yoga blocks or other equipment to hold postures safely. Slow flow yoga decreases heart rate, calms the nervous system and is an ideal pre-bedtime practice.
>> Book a Slow Flow class at Fold
Yin Yoga
Known by some as ‘organised napping’, Yin yoga is full of calming, gentle postures that aim to release tension, stretch the muscles and generally leave you feeling as relaxed as possible. Yin yoga uses seated postures or stretches to relieve tension in muscles that typically hold our day-to-day stresses, and is another class that’s great for pre-bedtime practice or a gentle post-exercise cool down.
>> Book a Yin Yoga class at Fold
Okay, you’re convinced: but what *actually* happens during a yoga class?
You know what yoga is, you know where it came from, you know the myriad of benefits it has and you can navigate a studio timetable without making a terrible booking error.
But once you’ve booked that class, what next?! What do you need to do to prepare? What should you wear? What actually happens during the class?
Entirely valid questions. Going to a yoga class for the first time can feel super intimidating. If you’ve seen yoga classes on TV shows or in movies, you’re probably expecting a room full of super toned, super flexible, super ‘yogi’ people who know exactly what to do, what to say, and when to do what.
But honestly? That’s not what it’s like. At least not at Fold!
We’re the home of judgement-free yoga. We’re here for everyone, from never-stepped-on-a-yoga-mat-in-my-life to lives-in-yoga-pants-and-practices-daily - wherever you are on that spectrum, we want you to feel at home, comfortable and safe in every class.
So, let’s look BTS at a yoga class so that you can turn up knowing exactly what to expect!
What to do before a yoga class
The most number one thing we want you to do before any class is to relax. We don’t want the Fold reminder popping up in your calendar to be the cause of a pit of dread in your stomach. We want to be something you look forward to - so if you’re worried about whether a class is right for you or anything else in particular, please please please reach out to Zoe before your class so she can put your mind at ease!
Besides that, you’ll want to gather some supplies ready for your class:
A comfy set of workout clothes. There’s no need to spend a small fortune on a fancy matching set from Lululemon (unless you’re looking for an excuse). What matters most is comfort - most classes will see you moving your body in ways that you might not be used to, so wearing clothes that will move with you and not restrict you is important. A pair of leggings and a form-fitting t-shirt will do the trick - just make sure your leggings don’t go see-through when you bend over (we won’t judge, but you don’t want intrusive ‘are my knickers showing’ thoughts in the middle of a flow!) and that your t-shirt or top stays put when you’re bending upside down or lifting your arms up.
A water bottle. Again, there’s no need for fancy glass water bottles here (unless you want to). While glass bottles are a must for hot yoga, most yoga classes are a normal temperature and a good old plastic or metal bottle will do the trick. The only thing that matters is that you can top-up your hydration easily in the middle of a class - so something with a straw top or sports cap might be helpful!
A yoga mat. If you’re attending an in-person yoga class at the Fold studios, you don’t need to worry about bringing your own mat. But if you want to continue your practice at home or you’re giving Fold At Home a go, you’ll want to get yourself a good quality yoga mat. A good mat supports your body while you’re holding asanas and will help to prevent injury, so if there’s one thing you might want to spend a little extra money on, it's a mat! The Liforme yoga mats are a cult-like favourite, but pricey. Any yoga mat that’s hard-wearing, reasonably thick and has some bounce for support is a good option.
A hair tie. It sounds simple (and it is), but if you’ve ever been to a yoga class and forgotten a hair tie, you’ll know just how important it is to at least have the option to tie your hair up. Some slower classes are fine, but in fast-paced classes with lots of dynamic movement, you might end up looking like you’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards if you forget a hair tie.
What happens during a yoga class
Whether you’re following an online yoga class at home or attending an in-person class, a typical class follows a basic structure: warm-up, flow, cool-down.
Depending on the style of yoga you’re practicing, the warm-up will typically include some static postures designed to loosen the muscles and prepare them for the flow and might also include some breathing exercises to prepare your body and mind too.
At the end of the flow, a cool-down will usually involve further breathing exercises to regulate your heart rate and sometimes a guided relaxation session to close off the session.
If you’ve never been to a yoga class before, don’t panic: every part of the class is guided by a knowledgeable and friendly instructor. If you don’t understand an instruction or get lost, your instructor will be available to help. If you’re particularly concerned and you’re a complete beginner, just let your yoga teacher know at the start of the class so they’re able to give you extra support if you need it.
The most important thing to remember is that yoga is designed to adapt to you, not the other way around. If you can’t do a particular asana, don’t force it. You might be able to do it in 3 or 6 months' time, but if you can’t do it now no one is judging you! We all start somewhere.
I’m a beginner to yoga: is an online class or in-person class better?
It’s entirely up to you!
At Fold, we offer both - because we know how tricky it sometimes is to find time in the day to travel across London to a yoga studio, but we also know how much some people enjoy the in-person interaction that comes along with an in-person class.
If you’re a complete beginner to yoga, it’s worth giving online yoga and in-person yoga classes a go to see which suits you best.
Online yoga is easier to fit around the day-to-day pressures of life, particularly if you’re one of those super-people juggling work, home and children (we don’t know how you do it!) - but the downside for beginners is that there’s no 1:1 feedback on your progress or whether you need to tweak something specific in an asana.
In-person yoga classes at the Fold studio have the benefit of community, expert guidance and accountability (particularly good for those of us who almost always find a really great excuse to not practice that day) - but obviously, you need to factor in travel time to your daily life.
Ultimately, it’s really up to you! We’ve got beginner’s yoga classes in our Fold At Home library and we run regular beginner’s yoga classes at the Fold studio too - so whichever works better for you, Fold’s got your back (and your asanas).
Phew, that’s it: everything you ever wanted to know about yoga, you now know!
We’ve covered a lot. We know what yoga is, where it came from, why it’s great, what the different types of yoga are, what happens during a class, and whether online yoga or in-person yoga is better for beginners.
But remember: no matter what you do or don’t know about yoga, the important thing is that you find a style and a routine that works for you. Yoga has a reputation for being a bit ‘out there’ - but you don’t need to look like an Instagram influencer to give it a go. We’re here to hold space for you, whether you’re a lifelong yogi or a complete novice - so grab a mat, throw on some leggings and let’s get zen, shall we?!