First of all, make sure you wear appropriate clothing as it is likely you will be going up, down and upside down, so its vital you are comfortable. If it is your first time at a yoga class, then you do not want to make your way to the front! The back is best as you are able to watch others and gain help and support from them. Contrary to popular belief yoga is very demanding on your body, make sure you are well prepared by drinking plenty of water beforehand to ensure you are well hydrated. This is even more essential is the class is being held in a heated room. Most importantly relax and enjoy yourself!

Tomorrow is National Yoga day! If you have never tried yoga before tomorrow is the perfect opportunity to do so as yoga studios across the country are most likely offering free classes. If you are already a yoga enthusiast then try and get friends and family involved in trying something new!
Why try yoga? Contrary to popular belief yoga is much more than a little bit of stretching and some breathing techniques. There are lots of different types of yoga, some are more strenuous than others but all of them have tremendous health benefits.

In the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh prisoners who attend yoga courses are able to be freed early. For every three months they study yoga prisoners can have their jail time cut by 15 days. Approximately 4,000 inmates are benefitting from the project and some even go on to become yoga instructors. The Prison authorities have advised that the yoga courses enable prisoners to improve their self control and reduce their levels of aggression.
It is certainly encouraging to hear that yoga is having such a positive impact on the lives of people who perhaps would not normally have the opportunity to participate in it.

Ryan Giggs has just been honoured with the freedom of the city of Salford this month. The Manchester United midfielder who is the currently the PFA player of the year joins the like of Nelson Mandela and LS Lowry who have also been previous recipients. Giggs has been playing for the club since 1991, and has played more games for the club and won more honours than any other player in the clubs history. At one point in his career he was suffering from a re occurring hamstring injury, however after taking up Yoga in 2003 it has helped him with the issues he once had.

I promised myself I was not going to watch it this year, but unfortunately I have fallen into a routine and have to get my daily fix of Celebrity big Brother before I go to bed! I have been interested to see Stephanie Beacham participating in a morning yoga routine, showing the viewing public how she manages to keep in such good shape for her age. It just shows that yoga is a form of exercise that really can be enjoyed by the older generation and can contribute towards a better quality of life if you start looking after yourself early.There are plenty of other celebs who also swear by it.