Nervous about trying yoga? You're not the only one!

As little as a decade ago yoga was a fitness activity that I only knew about through healthy-living, new-age diehards and celebrities like Madonna and Ali McGraw. Since then it has grown into a fitness phenonmen so big that it is a rarity to find someone who hasn't tried it or doesn't know someone who has. In fact, within the past year I have had four friends realize they love the practice so much they've begun the intensive training that will eventually allow them to teach their favorite style.

Until a few months ago I avoided jumping on the yoga bandwagon. Was I curious about it? Yes. Was I also a bit afraid and overwhelmed by it? Absolutely! How would I know what type to try? What if I couldn't stretch my limbs far enough or balance properly? What if I fell over during a tough pose in class and made a fool of myself? These are all valid questions for a newcomer.

Luckily one of my friends currently doing her training offered to give me some classes on the basics so that I could learn the poses and she could work on her training skills. I learned from her that yoga is all about challenging yourself, doing your personal best and working up to harder poses in your own time. It is not about competition or judging anyone else in class. For those who don't have someone to introduce them to the practice but are interested in giving it a try and are unsure of where to start, here is a great guide to the different styles and who they're geared toward. Figure out what you'd like to try, check out a beginner's class and, above all, give yourself time to learn and move forward.