Have yogaphobia? Concerns about trying the practice range from the being judged to the fear of getting hurt.

Real women reveal their reservations and anxieties about trying yoga. See if you recognize yourself among the voices.

“I don’t like the trendiness aspect: I think yoga is for actresses, aging rock stars, hippies and rich people.” Yoga is for all those people, but it’s also for people who are elite athletes, physically challenged, pregnant, recovering from cancer, overweight and just regular women (and men). Yoga got elevated to five-star status when celebrities discovered the mind-body benefits and began to talk about their practices — a lot. While yoga may be perceived as ‘trendy’ by some, the discipline itself is over 5,000 years old and originated in India, not Hollywood. And because it requires little to no equipment and can be practiced almost anywhere, you don’t have to go to a yoga studio. Along with cardio and strength training, yoga classes are available at most gyms, and of course you can always practice at home with a DVD or book.

“I hate being the one student who gets scolded by the instructor for not holding my position correctly. I just know yoga teachers are judgmental, even though they may seem nice.” It’s natural to feel self-conscious when you’re doing something new, but chances are that you’re not the only student that the teacher is assisting, and you only think you’re being singled out. A good teacher will go the distance to offer repeated corrections to insure your safety so as a beginner, you may get extra attention. But that’s a good thing.

It’s also natural to be competitive with other students, but it’s healthier to try to suppress that urge because each person’s ability to perform poses is going to be different, just as each person’s body is different. Unlike sports, yoga is a process, not a prize you are trying to win. Yoga instructors work hard to be supportive, encouraging and nonjudgmental, so if you feel you’re receiving negative feedback from your teacher, either talk to her after class about your concerns or move on to a different instructor.

“I always seem to hurt myself. I try to do the power yoga moves everyone else is doing and then ‘pop!’ I’ve pulled something. I still go back to class but spend the time in pain.” First, nothing beats going into class already warmed up. As we get older, it takes longer for our muscles to reach their full degree of flexibility, so a 5- to 10-minute moderate warm-up on the elliptical trainer if you’re at the gym or a brisk walk around the block before you begin is a smart way to reduce injury risk. Second, power yoga (also called ashtanga yoga) is one of the more demanding variations and includes movements such as jumping in and out of poses. If you are inexperienced and try to copy what your neighbor is doing, it’s very likely you will hurt yourself. Feeling your muscles stretching is good; feeling them tearing or popping means you’re pushing yourself too far, too fast. And going back to class with an injury is only going to discourage you further — so take a few days off to ice and rest your sore muscles. It’s important to realize that your needs, energy and flexibility levels fluctuate daily; the best solution is to evaluate how you feel before each class and adapt from there.

“I’m not into the whole meditation component. I don’t want to look inward and find a giant void there.” If you are new to meditation, quieting your mental chatter can be difficult; it’s also common to experience some anxiety or even be flooded with emotion and feel like crying or laughing. By focusing on breathing slowly and deeply and counting the breaths in and out, you can usually calm yourself. But if you find you can’t bear to sit or lie still, either leave at the end of class before the meditation begins, or find a class where it isn’t practiced.

In serious yoga practice, the postures themselves are seen as the means of preparing for meditation at the end of your session. As a spiritual and introspective discipline, yoga can be incredibly rewarding, but it takes time to learn to relax your body, calm your mind and “go within.” You may be more comfortable trying to sit quietly at home at first, knowing that you can stop at any time. Don’t worry: You won’t find a black hole if you look inward and you might even discover you’re calmer and more serene afterward.

“I haven’t been exercising as hard as I used to, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep up with the class — not even a beginners’ class.” Your best bet may be to start at home with a book or DVD and just do a few poses initially. Most yoga studio classes last for 90 minutes—and that can feel like an eternity if you’re out of shape. Health-club and community center classes are generally only 60 minutes long. Regardless of where you take a class, always work at your own pace and within your comfort zone, taking a break to rest if you need to. To get started, look for classes labeled ‘restorative’ or ‘gentle.’ (Often the entire class is performed lying down.) “Level 1” yoga classes also tend to focus on basic poses and are easier for beginners.

“I tried yoga once and felt like I didn’t get a good workout. I don’t want to just sit there when I could be kickboxing or using a cardio machine.” If you exercise six or seven days a week and do nothing but kickboxing and cardio, you are setting yourself up for injury and exhaustion. Disciplines like yoga, tai chi and chi kung are good counterbalances to sweat-inducing workouts because they cultivate flexibility, awareness, breathing and balance along with a more mindful connection to your body. For more physically demanding yoga, you may want to opt for power yoga, with the caveat that you must first learn the mechanics of the moves before going all-out. In this case, count power yoga as a “cardio day” and give yourself a rest day afterwards.

Photo credit: Zee Wendell

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