How does a novice pick a yoga class?

Ask questions, instructors say.

Sandara Dev, a Fairfield instructor, says beginners should talk to their friends and to staff at studios where classes are offered and look up information online or in books.

Many fitness clubs and senior centers offer yoga classes, and there are numerous independent yoga studios in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. The Cincinnati Yoga Teachers Association offers a listing of member instructors. To learn more, visit its Web site at www.cyta.org.

To learn about yoga poses (asayanas), history and philosophy, visit www.abc-of-yoga.com.

When looking for a class, be realistic about what you can - and can't - do, instructors advise. Read the course description, and if it's unclear, talk to the instructor.

"You don't want to walk into a class as a beginner, having never done yoga in your life, and find it's an advanced class that's going to leave you terrified," Dev says.

There are several styles of yoga. Some of the trendier - Bikram, or "heated" yoga and Ashtanga, or "power" yoga - tend to be geared toward more experienced students using yoga for fitness.

But hatha yoga, which is the most common style offered in this country, is usually more beginner-friendly, experts say.

Classes geared toward people with physical challenges are also available throughout the region.

Dinah Yisrael, a Bond Hill yoga instructor, says beginners should try to find an instructor who emphasizes the importance of breath work.

"Breath is probably the most important part of yoga," she says.

Peggy O'Farrell