Don't neglect the breathing, says Helen Smith, chair of the British Wheel of Yoga. "As well as relaxing your mind, breathing in the right places facilitates the postures - exhalation usually relaxes you into a stretch, and then deep, even breathing helps you feel at ease while in the posture." That said, adds Smith, "When you start to feel unable to breathe comfortably, that's your signal to come out of the posture, so pay attention to it."
"To yield results, consistency of practice matters more than length of time," Smith says. "So 10 minutes a day is more beneficial than an hour once a week."
Knowing the basic philosophies of yoga will enhance your practice. "For example, yoga should be entirely non-competitive," Smith says. "When you approach a posture, you should be unconcerned about what the teacher or person next to you is achieving. It's better to bend your legs a touch than strain into a position and not reap its benefits. Leave your ego at the door."
Accept your body
"There are some postures that you'll never be able to achieve because of your body proportions," says Smith. "Accepting this is far better than allowing it to make you feel demoralised. I've never been able to do the lotus position, but I don't mind at all."
Be in the moment
Another part of yoga philosophy is training your mind to be one-pointed. "This means taking your mind to your practice and being in the moment," says Smith. "Focus on where you are today - sometimes you can't do a posture you did just yesterday, but accept that and move on."