Most yoga classes work on the basics of muscular strength, flexibility, and breathing. Depending on the teacher or style, we often find these fundamentals in varying levels. But the joints are often dismissed. This is something that often doesn’t get attention or is considered to be addressed during the typical postures as a by-product. But the reality is that new yoga practitioners without a fitness background need to warm up the joints first.
What happens after a long period of inactivity is that the muscles develop faster than the tendons because they receive more blood. For that reason, people with long absences from physical activity must return lightly on their routines so that the tendons have time to strengthen and catch up with the muscular development. Otherwise the tendons cannot accommodate the increasing pressure the muscles are creating, resulting in strain.