Spot Fitness: A Beginner’s Guide to Yoga

(SPOT.ph) When you picture a yoga class, what comes to mind? Is it a room full of people folding themselves into pretzel-like poses? Fit women in matching activewear moving through a flow? Serious adults in deep meditation?

Yoga can be all of those things, but none of them really captures the whole practice. Some styles are relaxed, while others can seriously challenge your strength, flexibility, and mobility. Then there are all the names—Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin, Ashtanga, Rocket, Bikram—which doesn’t exactly make choosing your first class any easier.

So if you’re curious about yoga but still not sure what to expect, here’s what to know before your first class.

• What is yoga?

• What do you need for yoga?

• What to know about yoga if you’re a beginner

• Yoga studios in Metro Manila

Yoga wasn’t always the workout we know today.

For much of its history, yoga developed in India as a spiritual practice that concerned the mind, body, and ultimately, liberation from suffering. Even in Yoga Sutras, one of most influential classical texts on the practice, physical postures were only one part of an eight-limbed system.

That started to change with Hatha yoga in the 11th century, which placed greater emphasis on physical techniques such as breath control and bodily postures. By the late 19th century, yoga was starting to mix with gymnastics, bodybuilding, and other fitness movements.

Now, yoga can range from a slow, meditative class to a physically demanding workout.

Yoga can train strength, flexibility, mobility, coordination, and balance, but different styles put those skills to work in very different ways.

Vinyasa or Flow is probably the closest to what most people picture when they think of a modern yoga class. You move continuously from one pose to the next, usually timing each movement with your breath. Some teachers might spend the session gradually preparing you for a challenging “peak” pose at the end, while others use a ladder flow, repeating a sequence while adding something new each time.

Yin takes almost the opposite approach. Most of the class happens close to the floor, with poses done sitting, kneeling, or lying down. Rather than pushing into a stretch, the practice asks you to settle into the pose.

Hatha also spends more time in each pose, but the focus is on proper alignment—things like how your body is positioned. Because you’re not rushing into the next movement, there’s more time to make those adjustments.

Then there’s Ashtanga, which follows an established sequence rather than one created by the teacher for each class. The practice is also traditionally strict about progression: students are expected to master one part of the series before moving on to the next.

Rocket Yoga comes from Ashtanga but relaxes some of that structure. It still borrows from its sequences, but there’s more room to modify a pose or move on without having to master everything in a strict order. The practice is also known for incorporating more arm balances and inversions, such as crow and handstand progressions. Think of it as a less rigid, more playful take on Ashtanga.

Last but not least, Bikram adds another element entirely: heat. The practice follows a set sequence inside a heated room. The changing variable is how your body handles the practice—and the temperature—on that particular day.

Go for comfortable clothes that let you move freely without being so loose that extra fabric falls in your face once you start bending. Consider fitted shorts or leggings so you won’t have to keep adjusting throughout class.

If you’re taking a heated class—or you know you sweat a lot—bring a body towel and a mat towel, which can help keep your hands and feet from slipping once the mat gets slick. Most studios have mats you can borrow or rent, but if you’d rather bring your own, Manduka and Liforme are good brands to consider for your first mat.

Other props you might use in class—like blocks and straps—are usually provided by the studio.

With so many styles and poses to wrap your head around, figuring out where to start with yoga can feel like a lot.

To help you make sense of it, we spoke with Poi Desiderio, a certified yoga teacher at Soulspace Yoga, and Rowee Altura, a yoga enthusiast who regularly works it into her fitness routine.

Not all yoga classes feel the same, so what you book can make or break your first experience. Don’t just go with whatever fits your schedule—start with a style that’s easier to get into.

For first-timers, Teacher Poi recommends Vinyasa or Flow. You move continuously from one pose to the next, usually timing each movement with your breath. Because teachers have more freedom in how they structure the class, there’s also usually more room to offer different versions of a pose depending on what your body can do. As Teacher Poi puts it, Vinyasa gives you “a great balance of both strength and mobility.”

If you want something slower, try Yin. Most poses are done close to the ground—sitting, kneeling, or lying down—and held for around three to five minutes, usually with blocks for support. Desiderio sees it more as a recovery practice than a workout, particularly for releasing tension, but he’s quick to point out that slow doesn’t necessarily mean easy.

"In this world, we’re so conditioned to be active," Teacher Poi said. "Being grounded, being relaxed, being still is very hard. You have to break away from your active state in order to embody the experience."

Hatha is another option if you want more time to settle into each pose. Instead of constantly moving through a flow, poses are held longer, giving you more time to work on alignment and pay attention to where you’re actually feeling the movement.

Meanwhile, Teacher Poi suggests approaching Ashtanga, Rocket, and Bikram with caution as a beginner, as these styles can be challenging for those who are just starting out.

That doesn’t mean Vinyasa, Yin, or Hatha has to be the style you stick with forever. Altura also recommends Vinyasa as a good place to start, even though she eventually found another practice suited her better.

“Yoga styles vary talaga. I later realized I prefer Ashtanga over Vinyasa, Yin, and Hatha,” Altura said.

Think of your first class as exactly that: a first try. Teacher Poi compares finding the right style to dating: sometimes there’s nothing wrong with the class—it’s just not a match. Try another before deciding the practice isn’t for you.

When you’re new to yoga, it’s easy to get fixated on whether you look like the instructor—or the person beside you—but Teacher Poi said the pose is only one part of what you should be paying attention to.

Breathwork is a big part of the practice, too. It sounds simple enough, but once you’re straining to hold a pose, it’s easy to tense up and hold your breath without realizing it. That’s why teachers keep cueing when to inhale and exhale as the pose gets more challenging. According to Altura, holding a pose for even three to five breaths can demand a surprising amount of balance, strength, and concentration that "test your mental focus."

At the same time, pay attention to how the pose feels on your body.

“If you’re feeling it more on the joints, less on the muscles, that is an injury waiting to happen,” Teacher Poi explained. That’s your sign to listen to your body: take it easy, go for a modified version, or skip the pose altogether.

Over time, the goal is to get better at reading those signals—your breath, your balance, where you feel the effort—rather than judging the pose by how impressive it looks. That practice of consciously checking in with yourself can carry over outside the studio, too, as a way to stay grounded through everyday stress.

"Yoga taught me to focus on breath control rather than just chasing flexibility. Bringing ung Zen principles into daily life gives me a sense of calm through the rush of work, commutes, and everyday stress. Whenever things go wrong, I simply stop and remind myself: just breathe," Altura said.

You don’t need to be able to touch your toes or hold a plank before signing up for yoga. In fact, those are exactly the kinds of things the practice can help you work on over time.

“Everyone starts from zero,” Teacher Poi said. “If you’re not strong or flexible, maybe yoga can be a tool for you to develop that.”

That’s also why modifications and props are such a normal part of yoga. Can’t reach the floor? Use a block. Not ready for the full pose? Take a variation that works for where you are now. As you build more strength, flexibility, and mobility, those same poses can gradually start to feel more accessible. According to Teacher Poi, these capabilities are “not a prerequisite but an outcome.”

Even if you’re already sporty or athletic, yoga can make for a good complement to whatever else you do.

"It’s a great foundation for overall fitness. Having functional range of motion helps prevent injury. I use yoga poses to cool down after bouldering or weightlifting," Altura said.

Don’t feel overwhelmed by all the pose names being thrown around in class. You’re not expected to memorize them before you start. Your teacher will usually cue you through what to do—and the more you practice, the more familiar the movements will become.

You’ll also notice that certain poses come up again and again, either on their own or as part of a flow. Here are a five of the basics you are likely to encounter, as demonstrated by Teacher Poi:

• Downward-Facing Dog has your hands and feet on the mat, with your hips lifted up to form an upside-down V

• Tree Pose has you stand on one leg with the other foot resting against your inner calf or thigh

• Triangle Pose has your legs spread wide, one hand reaching toward the floor, and the other arm extended upward

• Child’s Pose has you kneel, sit your hips back toward your heels and fold your upper body forward

• Warrior II has your feet wide apart, front knee bent, back leg straight, and arms extended to the sides

For some people, yoga’s spiritual associations are enough to make them think twice about trying it. There’s no getting around its roots: some poses still carry Sanskrit names from Hindu traditions, while Buddhist practices like breathwork, introspection, and reflection remain part of many classes. Taking those elements out can erase the context that gives the practice its meaning in the first place.

That doesn’t mean you can’t come for the workout. Plenty of classes today focus mainly on the physical side. You don’t have to follow the beliefs behind yoga, but at the very least you should respect what you’re stepping into.

“Regardless of its roots, the practice of yoga is deeply grounded in love and compassion,” Teacher Poi said. “It shouldn’t be a hindrance to you appreciating the practice of yoga.”

Yoga may be strongly associated with young, flexible women today, there isn’t really one age, gender, or body type you need to fit (Fun fact: Ashtanga was historically taught to young boys—a far cry from the image many people have of yoga now). According to Teacher Poi, even your own anatomy can affect how you get into certain poses.

Sometimes, adapting the practice goes beyond changing hand or foot placement. There are entire formats designed around what your body needs at that point in time.

For example, prenatal yoga classes at Soulspace are offered to avoid or change certain poses during pregnancy. Chair yoga is another option for seniors or people with physical conditions who may need more support, using the chair much like a block would make certain movements more manageable.

These more specialized formats aren’t always on a studio’s regular schedule, but they’re worth asking about if you need something tailored to your body.

Branch: 2/F Verve Tower 1, 26th Street corner 7th Avenue, BGC, Taguig
Operating hours: Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Rates: P750 drop-in; first-timers can choose between a 10-day unlimited pass or five classes valid for one month for P2,500

If you’re still figuring out what kind of yoga you actually like, Soulspace is a good place to experiment. Its schedule goes well beyond your standard Vinyasa: there’s Bikram, Rocket, Ashtanga, Jivamukti, Yin, Dharma Yoga, Strength & Mobility, and Cali Yoga, which incorporates elements of calisthenics. Most classes are open-level, with Flow and Yin specifically recommended for first-timers.

It’s also one of the more polished options in Metro Manila, with floor-to-ceiling windows, infrared-heated classes, showers, changing rooms, and complimentary Manduka mats.

Branches: 2/F Prince Tower, Tordesillas Street, Salcedo Village and 2/F First Global Building, Gamboa Street, Legazpi Village, Makati
Operating hours: By class schedule
Rates: P495 per regular yoga class; P395 for your first class

If walking into a packed yoga room scares you, Sunspace is the studio for you. Its regular classes are capped at just six students, giving instructors more room to watch and correct your form instead of leaving you to figure everything out from the back row.

It’s also one of the more accessible options in Makati, with first classes starting at P395. Depending on the day, you can choose from Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, Gentle Yoga, Yogilates, and breathwork-focused classes. Do note that you will have to bring your own mat or rent one from the studio for P50.

Branch: 2/F Matana Place, 28D Matino corner Malumanay Street, Sikatuna, Quezon City
Operating hours: By class schedule
Rates: P600 drop-in; first-timers can get three classes for P1,200, which is valid for 14 days from first use

The Yoga Shala is worth looking at if you want to explore the parts of modern yoga that go beyond exercise. Some of its Vinyasa, Gentle Flow, and Restorative classes incorporate sound healing or Reiki, while the studio also hosts sessions such as Acudetox with Sound Healing.

There are also plenty of classes explicitly tagged for beginners, including Basic Vinyasa, Hatha, Gentle Flow, and Restorative Yoga. That makes it a good middle ground if you’re curious about the more meditative or wellness-oriented side of yoga but don’t necessarily want your first class to throw you straight into the deep end.

Also read: Outdoor Yoga Classes in Metro Manila: Find Your Zen in the City