Okay, so first off as a person who's had experience with an actual Himalayan Yogi, most of what Black says is true.
These Yoga classes are usually a contracted form of what the Yogic monks practice and therefore if carried on unchecked can be quite dangerous.
Yoga (for a first timer) starts of primarily with simple postures and more importantly breathing, and there are absolutely NO difficult postures for at least the first six months. Then he/she learns two new postures over a period of two months and adds that to their usual routine, and this iterates.
So, in about two years the person should be in good physical shape. That is how Yoga should be done.
I'd recommend an immensely useful book on Hatha Yoga, but I can't find the link. I shall add it as soon as I do.
Yoga is a quite like going to the gym, except you don't need a gym and it affects your whole body within the same time, not just whatever body parts you work out.
Yoga (for a first timer) starts of primarily with simple postures and more importantly breathing, and there are absolutely NO difficult postures for at least the first six months. Then he/she learns two new postures over a period of two months and adds that to their usual routine, and this iterates.
So, in about two years the person should be in good physical shape. That is how Yoga should be done. I'd recommend an immensely useful book on Hatha Yoga, but I can't find the link. I shall add it as soon as I do.
Yoga is a quite like going to the gym, except you don't need a gym and it affects your whole body within the same time, not just whatever body parts you work out.
EDIT: Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Hatha-Yoga-Manual-v-Samskrti/dp/089389...