If you look through some of the available literature, you will in fact note that large swathes of it are written by men who are influential teachers of the principles and the exercises of yoga. This should come as no surprise – there was a time not so long ago when you actually had to be male to be permitted to do yoga. So it would make no sense for anyone to assume that yoga was for women. Anyone can do it, unless they are so concerned with what people think that it puts them off.

Remember, people may think that you need to be flexible to practice yoga, but it doesn’t actually work that way. In actual fact, yoga improves your flexibility in a way that will give you a whole new lease of life. So in truth, although men are famously less flexible than women, a few classes of yoga will get you into much better shape in general.

The truth is that yoga is not immune from this kind of outcome. It may be a mystically enhanced way of exercising, but it certainly is not too in tune with the cosmos to feel pain every once in a while. The pain that you get after jogging, or playing sports, when you wake up the next day, is known as DOMS – Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. It happens because the muscles are healing after they have been (slightly and temporarily) torn in order to grow stronger. If you feel immediate pain – and it happens, because we are human – and it is severe and sudden, then this is more likely to be a tear or a pull.

When you put your body through a demanding process, you take it outside its comfort zone and this can result in pain or injury. This does not mean that yoga is dangerous, merely that, like all exercise, it is not removed from the possibility of you suffering a little bit of pain. However the more you do, the less pain you will suffer.

The first decision you have to make is exactly what kind of yoga you would like to do. There are countless different styles, but as a newbie you will prefer something relatively basic that allows you to learn your base moves before you graduate to more elaborate yoga. For those that wish to use up a slower type of yoga, the very best location to start is with a “hatha” class. If you prefer a much faster style, since you are hoping to slim down, then “yinyasa” is your greatest option.

If you are wishing to begin yoga, then it is very important to find a class. In addition, you might identify a class by browsing on the net for “yoga classes” and the name of your town.

Additionally, you need to consider equipment. The really good news is that yoga can be done with practically no equipment at all. Locating some relaxed, loose garments which will definitely not hang too far down and restrain you. The only other thing you will definitely need is a yoga mat– which can easily be borrowed from many studios.

Yoga is a very simple process – it has been practised since a long time ago when there were no sports supply stores. The simplicity of the process is such that you only really need to bring yourself. In most yoga studios, there will be mats available for loan or rent. They won’t cost much – if anything – and they permit you to get started at very short notice. If you don’t feel prepared without bringing along a few pieces of equipment, then you can always fork out some cash for a “mat bag” in which you can carry all your bits and pieces.

This is all you will need for your first yoga class. There are other props that can be used in more advanced stages of yoga, but you will find out more and more as you begin to learn the basics and see where you want to go with them. As a beginner, all you will really need is available for a couple of hours’ wages.

Before a yoga class, you should take off your outdoor shoes. Yoga is practiced barefoot, and if you walk on the studio floor wearing outdoor shoes, you could be bringing in some unwanted visitors, stones or glass. So that no-one steps on anything they shouldn’t, leave your shoes by the front door.

You should also turn off any cell phones. Yoga is best practised in an environment of peace and quiet, and if someone’s phone rings while you are trying to clear your mind of outside influence it will be embarrassing for the person whose phone it is and annoying for everyone else. It is important for you not to be the embarrassed one.

Then there is the issue of basic respect. This means that if you are not impressed with the teacher’s style you should accept you made a bad decision and not interrupt the class by walking out. Stay to the end, do the exercises and – if you need to go to the toilet – you should only go out during a resting pose. The final bit of yoga etiquette is that you finish with a period of Savasana – a relaxation spell which rounds off the class. Leaving without doing this is considered bad etiquette, and will also undo most of the good work you have done.

There are some basic yoga exercises which will help you if insomnia is threatening to ruin your life. They will allow you to clear your mind when it seems it won’t stop racing, and they can also be good for clearing tension from your muscles when you really need to feel relaxed. If insomnia has been getting you down, then a three-times a week dose of Ashtanga, a vigorous form of yoga, can be the answer. It is best to do the exercise a few hours before going to sleep, as vigorous exercise just prior to bedding down is a really bad idea.

When you are lying in bed, a good yogic tip is to practise the unfortunately-named “corpse pose”. To do this, you lie on your back and focus on each part of your body starting with your feet – indeed, at the tips of your toes. Focus on releasing tension and softening each body part, and then spend a few minutes breathing naturally, in and out. Your conscious mind may try to cut in during this process. It is simply important that you do not let it engage you. After a few minutes of breathing naturally, you should find yourself drifting off.

The exercise begins with the subject sitting in a cross-legged position which can be held comfortably. To prepare for any breathing exercise, it is a good idea to breathe in and out, deeply, through the nose about three times. Then you roll your tongue into a tube and stick it out through pursed lips (if you cannot roll your tongue, don’t worry – simply make an “O” shape with your mouth.

You then inhale slowly through the tube that you have made with your tongue. When you come to exhale, exhale through your nose. Repeating this process between five and ten times will make your body begin to cool down quickly. It really works – although if you are in a crowded office you may receive one or two funny looks. Don’t worry about them – they will simply be annoyed that you are feeling cool as a cucumber while they sweat it out. This exercise was developed in India, where the people know a thing or two about keeping cool in hot weather. Try it for yourself and see.

After you have spoken to your doctor, you should go to a qualified yoga teacher and sign up. It is essential that you do not try to teach yourself – there is a reason that you need to be qualified to teach yoga, and if you ignore the facts it can end up with you aggravating your back pain. A trained teacher will be able to work within your limitations, showing you how you can exercise to first avoid, and then potentially even reduce your pain.

The reason that yoga can be so beneficial for sufferers of back pain is that there is often a discrepancy between the strength of your back muscles and their flexibility. This causes muscle tension, which can be reduced by the correct yoga exercises. Remember, yoga exercises help to improve your core strength and flexibility, achieving the balance that makes everything else so much easier. For long-term sufferers of back pain, yoga has proven to be a lifeline, allowing them to get on with their lives when they had thought they’d be stuck with the pain forever.

If you do have to miss a class at your local studio while you are away, then it may be an idea to check ahead of time to see what is available where you will be going. A quick internet search involving the search term “yoga classes [name of town you will be in]” should really tell you all you will need to know. Then you can just show up – ideally a little early, so you can explain you’re on holiday or business in the town and didn’t want to miss your yoga.

As well as the above tips, another wise move is to prepare for something a little different. Many yoga classes in Europe and on the Asian subcontinent will be conducted largely in Sanskrit – the ancient Indian language that informs much of the yoga practised all over the world. Just learning the names of the poses will be fine – the rest of the class will usually be either in English or extraneous for your purposes.

These images often feature celebrities, particularly Madonna, who is a big fan of proving just how flexible she is even though she’s in her sixth decade. While impressive (and to some, freaky), these pictures of impossible poses are not really a true reflection of what yoga is, or what it’s trying to achieve. Taken further, one could argue these poses are actually off-putting for people who want to try yoga – but are quite sure their foot does not, and never will, belong behind their ears.

If you have always been curious about yoga, but somewhat scared that your first class will end in pain, fear no more. You do not, under any circumstances, need to be super flexible to try yoga. It is the discipline itself that allows these extreme poses to be possible, and achieving such feats can take years of dedication and practice – and even then it is entirely option. Yoga will increase your flexibility, but you don’t need to have a core flexibility to begin to learn yoga. Stiff and non-bendy people are just as welcome as the Madonnas of this world!