1. Don’t get hung up on how inflexible you are.

There are no prizes for people who can wrap their legs around their head twice (not recommended :)) after all, yoga is more about how you feel inside rather than how you look on the outside. If you work mindfully within your present limitations you will enjoy all benefits that yoga has to offer.

2. Yoga isn’t just for the ladies.

In fact, historically yoga was exclusively taught and practised by men. Indeed, the roots of some of the very dynamic forms of yoga we enjoy today were first introduced to adolescent boys to harness their testosterone energy and give it a positive outlet. Nowadays, men are feeling the benefits of yoga in all areas of their life from their work life to the sports field.

3. There is more to yoga than first meets the eye.

The yoga postures (asana) we learn in classes are only a small part of the practice of yoga. There are many other disciplines to be experienced including pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation to name a few. Asana is a good place to start as it helps to strengthen the body and begins to focus the mind.

4. Yoga is not just about sitting around with your legs crossed and ‘Omming’ a lot.

Of course it can be, but yoga is a very personal journey and so different things work for different people. Yoga asana can be practiced for many different reasons; as a method of exercise, stress relief, injury prevention or spiritual exploration to name a few. It’s up to you - with so many different styles of yoga available and different teachers offering different perspectives keep an open mind and have fun exploring what feels right for you.

5. Don’t be miffed if you’re not floating around your mat with grace and finesse within a few weeks.

First of all, don’t waste energy worrying about what you can and can’t do – just enjoy the practice for what it is. And secondly, be patient - acquiring new skills takes time and there are no short cuts. With a regular practice, everything comes in its own good time.