Just relax...

Breathing is the most essential part of Yoga exercise. You need to be able to control your regular breathing pattern to help successfully complete a Yoga pose. You should never hold your breath during a pose because that stops the flow of oxygen around the body and results in Lactic acid being produced as a means for your body to acquire oxygen. This acid is toxic to us and Yoga aims to detoxify the body not increase dangerous toxic levels.

You should also ensure that your breathing pattern is never forced or strained. This is a sign that you need to either stop the pose you are in or ease it out a little bit. During Yoga you need to be relaxed and comfortable, if you feel uncomfortable at any time you should come out of the pose immediately.

For Yoga beginners you can expect to be able to hold each pose for approximately 3 breaths but only for most poses. Some poses may be more difficult for you if you are a complete beginner.