Yoga is meant to help you feel more centered, calm and strong, but if you're new to the yoga scene, the idea of setting foot in your first class can make you feel more anxious than eager.
You're certainly not alone. Certified yoga teacher Diana Zotos Florio often sees students struggle with their yoga movements, and says there are two basic poses that nearly everyone does incorrectly all the time: Warrior I and Warrior III.
"Warrior I is a pose found in a sun salutation sequence, which is often done in a yoga class. And Warrior III, yoga teachers are fond of teaching because it's quite challenging if done correctly," Zotos Florio says.
Warrior I
"The common [mistake] I see in Warrior I is that people over-square their shoulders and under-square their pelvis," Zotos Florio says.
Incorrect
To fix this, she says, shorten and widen your stance: Move your back leg forward and to the side.
Correct
"This allows you to square your pelvis to the front of the room, more towards the shoulders," Zotos Florio explains. "Once there, you can look down at your pelvis to see if it's more square and in the correct position."
Warrior III
In this pose, Zotos Florio notices two common mistakes often taking place: people unable to keep their pelvis level and people twisting their trunks. "Their pelvises may either go too high or too low, or they may twist their trunk to the right or to the left," she says.
Incorrect
Incorrect
"When this happens, it's difficult to use the standing leg glutes, which is why you might feel wobbly," Zotos Florio says.
So, if you find it difficult to feel steady in this pose, she suggests holding onto yoga blocks or a chair to help straighten out and build your strength.
Correct
"Doing this pose with support will give you the chance to strengthen your glutes so that you can progress to doing it without support," Zotos Florio says.
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