Yoga
A four-week beginner class and a mat. The first weeks are about a handful of postures, Downward Dog among them, held with the help of a teacher.
What it is like
Most people meet yoga in a beginner class: an hour or so on a mat, a teacher calling out postures, and a handful of shapes that become familiar within weeks. Downward Dog, hands and feet on the floor with the hips raised high, is usually one of the first.
The postures are the core of yoga as exercise. Classes link them in sequences, the best known being the Sun Salutation, twelve postures done one after another, with Downward Dog appearing twice.
Styles differ in pace and emphasis. Iyengar Yoga works slowly on alignment and uses props such as blocks and straps; flowing vinyasa classes move from one posture to the next; heated classes such as Bikram Yoga add a hot room.
NCCIH’s advice frames the start: learn under a qualified instructor, leave headstands, shoulder stands and the lotus position for later, and talk to a health care provider first if you are pregnant, older or have a health condition.
- A session
- A class of an hour or more (Scottsdale's runs 90 minutes), or a short routine at home.
- A week
- One or two classes a week, plus a short routine at home.
- Season
- All year, indoors.
Indoors · Solo, A club
Kinds and styles
In everyday use, a gentle general class not tied to one of the big schools.
Slow, alignment-first practice with props such as blocks and straps.
Flowing sequences, one posture leading into the next.
Heated rooms, as in Bikram Yoga; NCCIH warns of overheating and dehydration.
Downward Dog with the hands on the back of a chair, easier on the shoulders after an injury.
Is it for you?
You will probably love it if
- You want exercise that stretches and builds strength without running or jumping
- There is a beginner class near you, at a city centre or a studio
- You like a set routine you can repeat at home
Maybe not, if
- You want a fast, competitive sport
- A health condition or pregnancy makes you unsure; NCCIH advises talking to a health care provider first
What to buy first
- 01A four-week beginner classA qualified instructor; NCCIH links learning on your own without supervision with more risk$43
- 02Yoga mat, about 4 mmGrip for hands and feet; a basic one is enough to startFind it on Amazon$30
- Everything you need to beginAbout $50 a month after that$73
Typical US prices for entry-level gear, rounded. Last checked October 2026. How we get the numbers
The Amazon links open a search for that type of item, not a product chosen for us, and the prices in the list are our typical figures, or the listing of the shop a line names, not Amazon's price for any listing. If you buy through one we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you; as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
What to buy next
- 01Two yoga blocksProps bring the floor closer; Iyengar classes use themFind it on Amazon When a pose feels out of reach
- 02A yoga strapGaiam's 8-foot strap costs $12Find it on Amazon For stretches you cannot reach yet
- 03A bolster or a firm blanketWikipedia mentions a bolster under the forehead as support in Downward DogFind it on Amazon For resting poses
- 04A thicker matGaiam's 6 mm Premium mat costs $43, Manduka's 5 mm begin mat $62Find it on Amazon If your knees feel the floor
These are later buys, and what to spend depends on how far the hobby has taken you; where a line names a price, it is that shop's or maker's listing when we checked, not Amazon's price. The Amazon links work like the ones above: a search for the type of item, and a possible commission for us at no extra cost to you.
From the first class to a Sun Salutation, step by step
Yoga as exercise took its modern shape in the 20th century, and most people start it in a beginner class. This guide goes from choosing a class and a mat through Downward Dog and its easier version to the Sun Salutation, with NCCIH's safety advice along the way.
Warning: Before you start NCCIH (the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health) says yoga is generally considered safe for healthy people when done properly under a qualified instructor, and that learning on your own without supervision has been linked with more risk. The most common injuries are sprains and strains, most often of the knee or lower leg; serious injuries are rare. Beginners should avoid extreme practices such as headstands, shoulder stands, the lotus position and forceful breathing. Hot yoga carries extra risks of overheating and dehydration. People aged 65 and over have a higher rate of yoga injuries treated in emergency departments. If you are pregnant, older or have a health condition, talk to your health care provider first, and do not use yoga to put off seeing one about a medical problem. We do not give medical advice.
Scottsdale, Arizona listed a four-week beginning class for adults at $43 or $65, its two fee rates.
Hands beside the chest, as Iyengar Yoga enters the pose; this sets the distance between hands and feet.
Curl the toes under and raise the hips as high as they go, arms straight forward, head down between them.
Wikipedia lists bent knees with the heels lifted a little as a way to vary the pose.
Lower the knees to the mat; the teacher will show the next posture.
Downward Dog from the side
From the side: a person on a mat with the hands at the right and the feet at the left, arms and back in one straight line up to the hips, which are the highest point, the legs straight down to the feet and the head hanging between the arms; a dashed line shows the easier version with the knees bent.
- A Hips high The highest point As high as they go. Step 4 →
- B Legs Feet a foot apart Straight if you can. Step 4 →
- C Knees bent Heels lifted The easier version. Step 5 →
- D Head down Between the arms Let it hang. Step 4 →
- E Hands Shoulder-width Arms straight. Step 4 →
Steps 1-3Before the mat
- Step 1 of 8 · Before the mat
Choose a class
Look for a beginner course with a qualified instructor; Scottsdale, Arizona listed a four-week beginning class for adults at $43 or $65.
Most people: a city or community class (most beginners).
Start here A city or community classBest forMost beginners
A set course at a modest price.
A studioBest forMore class times
Several styles under one roof.
- Step 2 of 8 · Before the mat
Get a mat
A basic 4 mm mat is enough; Gaiam's Here & Now mat costs $30.
- Step 3 of 8 · Before the mat
Tell the teacher
Warning: CAUTION If you are pregnant, older or have a health condition, NCCIH advises talking to your health care provider before you start.
Mention injuries, pregnancy or health conditions before the class starts.
Steps 4-7On the mat
- Step 4 of 8 · On the mat
Downward Dog
Hands shoulder-width apart, feet about a foot apart, arms straight, hips raised as high as possible and the head down between the arms.
Goes wrong: Locking the legs straight when the backs of them are tight. Bend the knees instead (step 5).
- Step 5 of 8 · On the mat
Bend the knees
If the backs of the legs are tight, bend the knees and let the heels lift a little; Wikipedia lists this as a way to vary the pose.
- Step 6 of 8 · On the mat
The Sun Salutation
Learn the 12-posture sequence slowly; Downward Dog appears in it twice.
- Step 7 of 8 · On the mat
Leave the extremes for later
Warning: WARNING NCCIH: beginners should avoid headstands, shoulder stands, the lotus position and forceful breathing; hot yoga adds risks of overheating and dehydration.
Practise the basic postures before inversions.
Step 8Keep going
- Step 8 of 8 · Keep going
Keep going
One or two classes a week, and a short routine at home in between.
Most people: iyengar Yoga (alignment and props).
Start here Iyengar YogaBest forAlignment and props
Slow, precise, with blocks and straps.
Vinyasa classesBest forMovement and flow
Postures linked in sequence.
In shortIf it goes wrong
- Locking the legs straight when the backs of them are tight.
- Step 4 · Downward Dog
How you get better
- First monthA beginner course
A handful of postures with a teacher, including Downward Dog.
- Months two and threeThe Sun Salutation
The 12-posture sequence, slowly, with the teacher's cues.
- After thatA style that suits you
Alignment work in Iyengar classes, or flowing vinyasa classes.
- LaterYour own routine
A short sequence at home between classes.
- Downward Dog
- The Sun Salutation sequence
- Breathing in time with movement
- Using blocks and a strap
- Bending the knees to fit a pose to your body
- Ending with relaxation
Small things that help
- Tell the teacher about any injury before class.
- Bend your knees in Downward Dog rather than force straight legs.
- Leave headstands and shoulder stands for later (NCCIH).
- Breathe steadily; skip forceful breathing as a beginner (NCCIH).
- Treat heated classes with care: NCCIH warns of overheating and dehydration.
Beginner mistakes
- 01Learning only from videosNCCIH links unsupervised learning with more risk; take a class first.
- 02Forcing straight legsBending the knees is an accepted way to do Downward Dog.
- 03Trying advanced poses earlyHeadstands, shoulder stands and the lotus position are for later.
- 04Using yoga instead of seeing a doctorNCCIH advises against putting off care for a medical problem.
Words you will hear in class
From Wikipedia's articles on yoga as exercise and on Downward Dog Pose.
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Asana | A posture; yoga as exercise is mostly practising asanas |
| Downward Dog | Adho Mukha Svanasana: hands and feet on the floor, hips raised as high as possible, head down |
| Upward Dog | Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana; in Sivananda Yoga's Sun Salutation, Downward Dog follows it |
| Sun Salutation | Surya Namaskar, a flowing sequence of 12 postures; Downward Dog appears twice |
| Vinyasa | A flowing style that links postures in sequence, as in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga |
| Iyengar Yoga | A style that stresses correct alignment, works slowly, uses props when needed and ends with relaxation |
| Bikram Yoga | A heated style: rooms at 105 °F (41 °C), 2 breathing exercises and 24 asanas |
Why people quit
- 01Tight hamstrings make Downward Dog feel impossibleBend the knees and let the heels lift; Wikipedia lists this as a way to vary the pose.
- 02A class feels too fastTry a slower style; Iyengar Yoga works slowly and uses props.
- 03Wrists or shoulders acheTell the teacher; the pose can be done with the hands on the back of a chair, which puts less pressure on the shoulders.
Words you will meet
- Asana
- A yoga posture.
- Surya Namaskar
- The Sun Salutation, a sequence of 12 postures.
- Adho Mukha Svanasana
- Downward Dog: 'face-down dog posture'.
- Vinyasa
- A flowing style linking postures one after another.
- Props
- Blocks, straps, bolsters and blankets that support a pose.
Questions people ask
Do I need to be flexible to start?
No. Downward Dog can be done with bent knees and lifted heels, and Iyengar Yoga uses props to bring a pose within reach.
What does a beginner class cost?
Scottsdale, Arizona listed a four-week beginning class for adults at $43 or $65; studios set their own prices.
What do I need?
Comfortable clothes and a mat; Gaiam's 4 mm Here & Now mat costs $30.
Is yoga safe?
NCCIH calls it generally safe for healthy people under a qualified instructor; the most common injuries are sprains and strains, and beginners should avoid headstands, shoulder stands, the lotus position and forceful breathing.
How many people do it?
NCCIH reports that the share of US adults practising yoga rose from 5.0 percent in 2002 to 15.8 percent in 2022.
Where to go next
- 01RunningStrength and flexibility from the mat help on the road. $145 to start
- 02SlackliningBalance and calm focus, outdoors. $66 to start
How it compares
| Yoga | Running | Swimming | Slacklining | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start cost | $73 | $145 | $88 | $66 |
| Each month | $50 | $10 | $40 | Free |
| Space | A mat's length of floor | Safe, well-lit roads, paths or a park | A public pool | Two trees |
| Noise | Quiet | Quiet | Low | Quiet |
| First result | A few postures in the first class | A first 28-minute session on day one | Floating in the first lesson, lengths after a course | First steps the same afternoon |
| Mess | Nothing | Wash the kit | A wet towel and swimsuit | None |
Where to learn more
- 01NCCIH: Yoga, effectiveness and safetyWho should be careful and how to reduce injuries.
- 02Wikipedia: Downward Dog PoseThe pose, its variations and its history.
Sources: NCCIH: Yoga, effectiveness and safety · Active.com: Yoga - Beginning, Scottsdale, AZ, 2026 · Gaiam: Here & Now Yoga Mat (4mm) · Manduka: begin yoga mat 5mm · Wikipedia: Yoga as exercise · Wikipedia: Downward Dog Pose
Researched and written by the Fjords Team.