Are there any safety precautions for yoga?
1. No matter what your age or physical condition, yoga benefits you. However, certain yoga practices may be unsuitable if you are sick, injured, have a particular health condition, or are of a certain age.
2. Yoga is not a substitute for medical treatment or psychological care. You must consult your doctor and come to class only if he/she approves.
3. Pregnant women, children, and seniors have different needs than adults. They should only take classes from instructors trained in teaching their particular age group or people with their condition.
Can I attend a class if I am sick or injured?
Each yoga posture affects different areas of the body in different ways. To prescribe specific yoga poses as a form of therapy requires a very high level of specialized training. Most yoga instructors are not qualified to offer such instruction. If you are sick or injured, please consult your doctor and stay home until you are well again.
Can I eat or drink before class?
Yoga is best practiced on an empty stomach. We recommend that you don’t eat for at least three hours prior to class. However, if you have low blood sugar, you can eat a banana or drink a fruit juice up to 30 minutes before class. Come hydrated and bring a bottle of water with you.
Can I smoke before or after class?
Yoga is for the purpose of building and maintaining health. As everybody knows, smoking has been proven to cause lung cancer and many other health problems. It’s understandable that you may have great difficulty quitting smoking, but if you hang around outside a yoga studio smoking and other students see you, you are damaging the image of the studio. Please have consideration and do not smoke anywhere near the building where the yoga studio is located.
Can teenagers attend yoga classes?
Teens under 18 must be accompanied by their parent (or legal guardian) for at least the first class to meet the instructor and give their written permission for the teen to attend yoga class.
I have a back problem/injury. Can I do yoga? Will yoga help me?
Because the nature of every injury is different and your overall condition must be taken into account, you should first consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise program. In any case, regardless of your condition, yoga should be therapeutic, so be very gentle and take great care with your yoga practice. Stop if you feel pain and consult your doctor if in doubt.
I have an injury/illness, but feel well enough to practice. Can I still attend class?
If you have any kind of injury or medical condition, please only come if your doctor gives you permission. If your doctor says it’s ok to do yoga, be sure to inform the instructor before class.
Is it ok to do yoga after drinking alcohol?
Wait for 4 hours after having a single standard alcoholic drink before practicing yoga. Drink plenty of water after the alcoholic drink to rehydrate and flush out the alcohol. Never attempt yoga when even slightly intoxicated because you may feel ill or injure yourself.
What is the best drink to bring for yoga?
During the class, if you feel thirsty, drink only water. Fruit juices, teas and sports drinks can make you feel ill and are not absorbed as quickly. Caffeinated beverages dehydrate you. Alcohol will dehydrate you, inhibit your balance and possibly make you feel ill.
Other FAQs
Below are links to other categories of frequently asked questions.
Yoga Classes
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HelloYoga.com
Questions about this website.
