Their bodies were long, lean and svelte. Our teacher reminded the class that yoga is not a competition. It was okay if I couldn't reach my toes or rest my head on the floor. It's a gentle challenge for your body. When properly done, yoga clears your mind and offers focus, our instructor said.
Classes usually start with simple, gentle poses.
Deep breaths through the nose allow tight muscles to relax and bend further, even if only half an inch more. Weekly I went to yoga classes, and each time I stretched longer, inhaled deeper and felt more in control. Today I go every week and greatly miss the times I can't make it to class. I can even get into the most difficult of postures and actually feel relaxed. Yoga has taught me to concentrate.