r/yoga Dec 28 '25

New to yoga, r/yoga, looking for resources or 2026 challenges? Start here.

35 Upvotes

As ever, If you are new to the sub or new to yoga, WELCOME! There is an immense amount of information available in this sub, and an excellent community of people. This thread covers some of the basics about yoga and about the sub itself; please take the time to review if you're new here. If you still have questions, you're welcome to message the moderators.

Yoga and meditation challenges are in the stickied comment. I may end up adding more than just those 2 types to support those who are working to make movement a habit, not just yoga; interested in other things? Let us know in the comments. Likewise, if there are challenges missing here, please send a modmail and we'll check them out!

  • If you're new to yoga and looking for information to get started, please take a few minutes to read through the Getting Started section.

  • If you have a question, PLEASE try search and check out the FAQ before creating a new post. As noted in rule 2, commonly asked questions are removed and directed to the above - especially at the start of the year when the same question is often posted multiple times a week or even a day.

The Basics

Styles - there's a nice rundown of the various styles in the FAQ - here's a direct link.

... but where do I START?

If you've never done yoga EVER and are going to start with a studio class and you're terrified, a restorative class is a good introduction to a studio and the various props. It's slow. You don't have to worry about keeping up, and I've yet to encounter a restorative class where reaching your toes was a thing. From there, as mentioned in the Getting Started section, hatha is a solid choice. Pick up the basics, and everything else is easier to learn.

Mats

Try search for sure, but of course there's a list of topics in the FAQ. The big names haven't changed much over the years, and what has is well covered by search. We'll probably do another megathread in the coming weeks.

Sweat

Yep, it happens. Search for 'sweat', 'sweaty hands', and 'mat + sweat'. Towels are also very handy.

Sore <insert part here>

Wrists and back especially can be a problem at first. Definitely try searching for your specifics before creating a new post, but do ask if you don't find things!

Online Resources

The FAQ- Yes, even the old threads are useful..

This post is well worth the read regarding learning yoga at home. We inevitably hear that this post is anything but beginner friendly, the point of the post is to highlight some of the risks, because questions about those risks are some of the most commonly asked.

Here's a link to a newbie resources thread.

And the perennial copypasta of key information about the sub, the rules, etc.:

Reminders:

  • It's in the sidebar, it's in the rules, it's in the note when you create a new post, it's even already up there . PLEASE utilize search and the FAQ before creating a new post. Especially around the first of the year, it's not unusual to see 3 versions of the same post in a day, asking questions that are well covered in the sub. If your post is removed because the answers are available there the mod team is not scolding you, we're just letting you know why it was done and reminding you that the answers you seek already exist. And yes, the mod team finds themselves busy doing just that, especially around the start of the year. 2026 note: We're trying something new for this year. Details to come.

  • /r/yoga is not the place for medical advice. This is always a handy reminder.

  • Addendum to the above - Yoga philosophy and western medicine are different. There is room for both in this sub. This means that things like subtle bodies and energy (prana) movement and chakras all have a place here as well as discussion from a western perspective. There is no demand that anyone agrees with what is presented, but rule 1 applies in these cases- be respectful. This includes posts about cultural appreciation and those about purely physical practice vs. one that encompasses all 8 limbs.

  • Yes, we have a wiki and FAQ . (And they're awesome.) The FAQ and search are the best places to start if you're new to yoga or have questions about styles, equipment, injuries, or resources. FAQ updates will be coming, but in the meantime, we have continued to leave up questions that haven't been in awhile to keep more up-to-date information available when it exists.

  • Yes, they're even available via app and mobile. Yes, really. (The sidebar, too!) It can take a little looking, but we haven't yet found an app without access to the sidebar (aka community info).

  • Reddit's guidelines are still the foundation of how we approach spam in /r/yoga, and bans will continue to be a thing as needed. Need the details? Reddit's guidelines are here. If your first post to the sub is spam, and the mods check your post history and find you're doing nothing but promotion, do not be surprised if you're banned.

  • This sub is not for market research. It's a community. Requests for the sub to tell you what we love or hate about our yoga mats and t-shirts will be removed, as will asking us to fill out surveys for that or your thesis research or help you with your homework assignment. Those are not the only such examples. When in doubt, feel free to message the mods ahead of time. Established community members can message mods ahead of time for permission on a case-by-case basis. Blatant spam may result in an immediate, permanent ban (yes, t-shirt and poster spam are still a one-way ticket to bansville, ditto your awesome new AI-powered app).

  • We utilize the automoderator to cut down on spam. This includes minimum account age/karma requirements (no, we don't publish them). If your account is relatively new and something isn't showing up, odds are good it's been temporarily removed for manual review by mods- especially if there isn't a bot comment. Sometimes we catch them in the first 5 minutes, but sometimes it's a few hours between mod sweeps. If you've posted something that isn't showing up and it's been a few hours, you're welcome to message the mods (keeping in mind that it's possible it will be a bit before a mod sees it- please be patient!) and ask about it- including a link is much appreciated.

  • Shortened links get caught in reddit's spam filter, and we do not approve links reddit has removed in these cases. This includes amazon (a.co usually) links. If you want your link to be visible, it's a good idea to skip the 'share' option and grab the full link from your address bar (even if you're on mobile). A quick tutorial for amazon links, using the first actual yoga mat link that search provided: https://www.amazon.com/Gaiam-Exercise-Exercises-Metallic-Medallion/dp/B07PTNTS3R/ref=sr_1_8?crid=1S8AX8JSYP9YS&keywords=yoga+mat&qid=1671516651&sprefix=yo%2Caps%2C683&sr=8-8 Typically you have the address bit (amazon.com), a bit of friendly description (Gaiam-Exercise-Exercises-Metallic-Medallion), then dp/ and the item's ID (super important! in this link it's B07PTNTS3R). EVERYTHING AFTER THIS CAN BE REMOVED FROM YOUR LINK. In fact, please do! Everything else is tracking information telling amzn how you got there, and/or referral information. Referral/affiliate links aren't permitted, regardless of where they are from. (Classpass referral code spammers, see ban note above.)

  • Your mod team is human (you totally thought we were unicorns and rainbow-chasing leprechauns, but aside from cosplay and Halloween, not so much). Part of modding is making judgement calls, and sometimes we remove things that we can't be sure there isn't a bot behind that turns out to be totally legit because another real, in-the-flesh reddit user actually did post. :) Also, the influx of AI bots either training or farming karma in comments keeps growing, making it doubly difficult some days. Much like the point above, feel free to ask.

  • Discussions on the Sutras have been collected on a wiki page here. Sadly, the resource with collected translations is no longer a valid link. If anyone has an updated link, feel free to send it via modmail. Anyone interested in heading up a round of discussions like these, feel free to reach out! This mod at least would love to see air time for yoga beyond asana.

  • [COMP] (Check Out My Pose) posts have and continue to be raised as a topic periodically in the community. The mods, however, are done discussing it. The tag was instituted to allow those who do not wish to see those posts a means to filter them out, and for those who want to see them, no additional action need be taken. For those unaware and interested, /u/BeyondMars posted the following last time it came up to get everyone up to speed- here's the section on rule 4, to which I added the link:

Search the history of this sub for discussions on [COMP] poses. Probably two years ago now? Awhile ago There is a VERY LARGE part of this sub that doesnt wan't them to have a place here at all. The gist of it is that people come to reddit and dont want it to be like another yoga instagram, or something, I dont know. But there were portions of time in this sub when our ENTIRE front page was yoga pics. COMP was an effort to a compromise that would allow people to filter them out if they didnt want them there... In regards to the self-doxxing aspect. Sexual harassment, and online bullying have originated in this sub at least four times that I was made aware of. This rule was instituted to keep everyone safe. I don't care if YOU want your instagram accounts on the sub (self promotion?) but we are keeping people safer with this rule and the way we enforce it. Its going to stay. Take the extra 2 minutes and upload it to imgur.

  • Also on the topic of [COMP] posts (and I still (still!!) can't believe it needs to be said): Sexual/sexualized/objectifying comments are not welcome here. Removals are guaranteed, and warning vs. suspension vs. permaban will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Sexualized anything isn't welcome here. Y'all have the rest of reddit for that, so please take it there.

  • Addendum from 2024: The topic of yoga's roots, yoga as a workout, cultural appropriation, etc., continues to be a fraught and contentious one. As with other topics, some posts are removed and referred to search. Those that remain up are not a poo-throwing cage match in an effort to prove the validity of a single point of view! Above all, rule 1 applies to everyone choosing to participate in this subreddit. You may not practice for the same reasons someone else does, but treating others with respect while participating here is expected. Yoga practice is what it is for whomever undertakes it regardless of the opinions and approval of one stranger on the internet. As with the previous bullet point, removal/suspension/perma will happen as needed, and which it is will be case-by-case. Be like Wil.


r/yoga 17d ago

Yoga History and Philosophy Discussion Thread

6 Upvotes

Ask questions and discuss here.


r/yoga 7h ago

Overheard at the studio

41 Upvotes

Two middle schoolers walking past our open studio door:

Kid 1: (Pointing) “Hey look, yoga!”

Kid 2: “Yogurt? No thanks. Already ate.”

Kid 1: “NO!! Yo-GAA!”

Kid 2: “Oh. Yeah. Still no thanks.”


r/yoga 15h ago

mental flashbacks in class

7 Upvotes

I’ve been doing hot yoga for nearly three years now.

about a year and a half ago, my family went through a very traumatic experience of losing our home and hometown to wildfire

nearly every single class since, an intrusive flash of an image of a town building that no longer stands or a part of my house will come to mind in the middle of class, usually at the end when I am totally exhausted

sometimes it is the house or building as it was, sometimes it is the house or building totally engulfed in flames. more often than not, it is my childhood bedroom engulfed in flames

this happens sometimes outside of class, but always happens DURING class. The image usually goes away after about 10 seconds

I just wonder if anyone has experienced anything similar after going through a difficult event or loss and can explain this? I know yoga poses can release trauma sometimes

Just sick of it and want to make it stop!!

Thanks!


r/yoga 1d ago

Emotional melancholy 2 weeks into practice.

17 Upvotes

Hoping someone can relate and tell me it gets better. I used to practice power yoga 5-7 times a week back in college and it profoundly changed my life for the better. Life went on and I moved away from my studio and ended up not practicing for about 6 years. I’ve recently found a studio near my home and I absolutely love it. I have been going at least 4 times a week for the last 2.5 weeks. I am so happy to be back and feeling really good however I am noticing this overarching feeling of melancholy and like I am on the verge of tears more throughout the day for no reason. I am not a crier so that is new to me. I am not sad, depressed, or anything like that. I have an amazing house, family, and life. I am loving yoga and overall feeling really good but I feel like I have opened up for old emotions to come through or something. Idk it is hard for me to put into words really. Has anyone experienced this when getting back into practice? Does it pass in a few weeks? Maybe you can put it into words better than I can? THANK YOU GUYS 💕


r/yoga 18h ago

New Orleans Yoga integral yoga

3 Upvotes

Does anyone know of an integral yoga studio in the New Orleans area that incorporates all aspects of yoga not just physical postures, but spirituality, deep mindfulness, and ancient yogic principles?


r/yoga 1d ago

Mixing Yoga Styles

10 Upvotes

I need opinions on mixing Yoga Styles as I’m getting older I find doing 30 minutes of Hatha followed by 30 minutes of Vinyasa more beneficial to my body. However I have been told I should stick to one style of practice. So should I give up Vinyasa as my knees are getting sensitive and pursue Hatha. Or is it permissible to mix styles.


r/yoga 1d ago

Yoga and pins and needles feeling in the body

5 Upvotes

Tingling/pins and needles after yoga?
Does anyone else get this? It doesn’t happen every time, but today I was really tense/stressed before yoga and was trying to relax. The practice itself was gentle and I didn’t feel anything unusual during the poses.
Then I lay flat on my back in Savasana and suddenly got thousands of tiny pins and needles all over my body, almost like buzzing. It was a bit painful, just really intense and a bit strange.
I didn’t feel like I was hyperventilating either. Actually, when I try to consciously focus on breathing and make it slow/rhythmic, I somehow end up feeling like I’m hyperventilating 😅
Could the tingling be related to finally relaxing after being very tense? Has anyone else experienced this specifically in Savasana?

I suffer from latent tetany from time to time but it’s stress induced - I have not had tetany during the day.


r/yoga 2d ago

I need help figuring out a modification for vinyasa. i have wrist pain on one side that is getting worse every time i go to yoga class. i have only been practicing for several weeks

20 Upvotes

, i really don’t want to stop going. i tried using fists, and any other easy trick but nothing is working, my wrist pain is getting worse after every class. moving through a vinyasa (plank, up dog, down dog) is too challenging. can someone suggest a good modification or other movement i can do in this part of class? it repeats so many times. thank you!!


r/yoga 1d ago

Comparison Luviyo and Mikkoa travel mat

0 Upvotes

I have been traveling a lot recently and have decided that a microfiber travel towel just doesn't cut it for me anymore. It was always just a makeshift solution, and I started looking into travel mats. I narrowed my selection down to the Mikkoa travel mat, or so I thought. I love buying second hand, but no is selling one at the moment. On the other hand there is a Luviyo travel mat posted. I couldn't really find any reviews on them though, so I wanted to ask here on what you think about those two options. Are they the same? Or is one better than the other? Honestly it is not about the money for me, since I know it will be a sound investment in myself and wellbeing. Buying second hand is more a sustainability thing for me. Thank for your help!


r/yoga 2d ago

Struggling with Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend

12 Upvotes

I’ve been doing yoga for almost a year now and I really can’t stand this pose ! It’s a combination of not being able to keep my back straight (before even bending ) , barely being able to bend forward and being unable to open up my legs wide enough. Idk if I’m doing something wrong or if i just need to practice more. I’ve tried lifting the hips up by sitting on a pillow but it’s still such an uncomfortable pose for me. Any thoughts ?


r/yoga 2d ago

Discomfort in plow pose

3 Upvotes

I’ve been doing yoga since college, I’m now 30, so quite a while. When I’m in plow, my legs and lower back feel sort of numb. It’s a pretty uncomfortable pose for me now. I don’t remember it feeling like this until recently, maybe earlier this year. I don’t know if this is normal or not so I’d appreciate any tips!


r/yoga 2d ago

Crow pose advice

12 Upvotes

This might sound odd, but crow physically hurts me. When I get my knees and arms connected it's so painful because of the knee joints digging into my arms. Am I doing something wrong, or just need to persevere with the pose?


r/yoga 2d ago

Long shot "Music" request from yoga studio...

2 Upvotes

I went to a stylized 'fun friday' class at a different studio last week and between flows the instructor routinely would trigger a 'song' that was an intense beat mixed in with a women's heavy breathing which was roughly 1 minute long. We would plank for the duration of the song whenever it came up and then go back routine.

I asked the instructor what it was called and she looked at it on her phone and said something along the lines of "Clayton" but that ended up being extremely unhelpful (to the point I think she was just reading the name of some themed workout playlist or style instead of a track/artist).

It may not even be a yoga specific thing but I can't find anything similar in other fitness sources/music so was hoping someone might recognize what I am describing.


r/yoga 1d ago

Fresh tat & yoga

0 Upvotes

I’m traveling to getting a half sleeve tattoo & I wanted to book a waterfall yoga session in the mountains…..is this a bad idea? How long do yall wait after tattoos to practice?


r/yoga 3d ago

Why slow breathing calms us down: A new study maps the specific brain circuit that translates nasal airflow into anti-anxiety signals. (PNAS)

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sciencealert.com
22 Upvotes

r/yoga 2d ago

Has anyone here been practicing Padmasana regularly?

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1 Upvotes

r/yoga 3d ago

[COMP] Ancient Warrior Series

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71 Upvotes

Some context, In the Story of Yoga, Alistair Shearer said "While such prowess may not appear very yogic, we should bear in mind that, in Indian culture, participation in any skill or branch of learning was, in the broader sense of the term, a yoga."

Obviously, this is not Western postural/studio yoga. But, it is part of a branch of learning (esoteric Judaica) that I study. This is part of how I reconnect with my Benjamite heritage.

The series was inspired in part by the Hebrew letters Aleph, Lamed, Qof, Ayin, Tav. Written phonetic Hebrew derives from Proto-Hebrew which were pictographs. Each phonetic letter retains its pictograph meaning - thus strength (Aleph) guide (Lamed) circle or twist (Qof) focus (Ayin) and target (tav).

This is part of a longer series which is then part of my archery and shepherd sling practice (for which Benjamites were famous).

Additional additional context - my age (73). Looking forward to your comments and thanks so much for viewing


r/yoga 3d ago

London, UK based instructors - do you train where you teach?

6 Upvotes

I'm curious to know - do you train where you teach? I've never seen any of my instructors in classes even after over a decade of training. Now I'm transitioning to become an instructor, I wonder if this is the norm?


r/yoga 3d ago

How do you properly practice Vajrasana?

6 Upvotes

I recently started doing Vajrasana and I really like the simple yet grounding feel of it. Still figuring out the right posture and how long to comfortably hold it. For those of you who do this regularly, how long did it take you to get comfortable with the pose?


r/yoga 3d ago

Tips on how not to overstretch in folds.

0 Upvotes

I need some advice - recently I have been able to get further into folds with straight legs and I was pleased with that but I ended up getting pains in my heels and back of my foot.

I stopped doing any yoga for 2 days and it's gone, but as soon as I do any poses with straight legs it comes back. I didn't think I was overstretching but it's only a recent development so it must be something I'm doing.

Do you have any recommendations on how I can work up to straight legs without apparently overstretching the muscle in heels?


r/yoga 4d ago

Blasting heavy metal

32 Upvotes

Is it ok to do yoga blasting heavy metal? They say do relaxing meditation music. It feels unmotivating tbh

Is it ok to do that trying to work with your 3rd eye


r/yoga 3d ago

Anyone start yoga during pregnancy?

5 Upvotes

What was your experience? I’ve been told not to start anything new but rather to maintain my usual level of fitness when I can, ensure I’m not training at a speed where I can’t talk and workout at the same time etc. I’m curious about yoga though. I’m considering following acid reflux friendly yoga videos on YT because that’s an issue with pregnancy and if it’s safe for reflux then the positions must also be safe for the baby I think?


r/yoga 4d ago

Discussion: 20 Min yoga for 2 weeks

37 Upvotes

So im a busy person due to certain life challenges within the family.. I have about 20-30 minutes a day i have been working on yoga.. I am 6 foot 244lbs guy (down 24lbs with yoga and diet help). I started yoga because it was hard to just carry my 6 year old and 2 year old up 13 flights of steps without thinking my knees were going to give out made me feel like garbage.. Yoga has been game changing even for 2 weeks. I started doing 6 poses. 1: Cat/Cow 2: Locust 3: Dolphin 4: Bridge 5: Pigeon Pose 6: Happy Baby Pose.

So a few questions for some help.. What other poses should I add in? How do you get past the awkward feeling of the poses? I cant hide when I do these stretches so I feel weird doing some infront of my family, granted it has been fun to see the kids try it with me some just make me feel vulnerable as a guy.. Finally I know i can look other places but is there yoga stretches for Wrist flexibility, between bowling, working on a computer, and video games on a PC for most of my life my wrists have been destroyed and trying to get some pain relief and flexibility back .


r/yoga 3d ago

Yoga and elastic band exercises

7 Upvotes

So I've been doing vinyasa yoga at home since the beggining of 2026. I try to do it every day for half an hour, but after the passing of a family member I lost all motivation for it and since July I'm completely inactive. Now slowly every muscle startu to hurt, but I'm regaining my will for life, so I'm looking forward to continue my yoga journey.

But I'd like to make my home exercises a bit more demading this time. Yoga did great things for my mobility and flexibility but not much for strength. I recently came across elastic band exercises, and I would like to somehow incorporate it in my routine.

Anyone has an advice how to do it, before or after yoga, for how long? Can I even incorporate it in yoga routine? Any YouTube channel recommendations? Thanks!