Good!  You have been working hard to strengthen the muscles around your spine and other joints and aching is a sign that your body is busy making denser, stronger muscle tissue.  There are lots of things that you can do to ease the aches

• Keep moving.  Consider walking after class or just move around when you get home - house work, soulder rolls, sun salutations etc.  This helps the lactic acid to be removed from the muscles - this acid causes muscle pain in the days after exercise. 

• Exercise the next day.  Again this keeps removing the lactic acid.  Go at your own pace.  Always. 

• Stretch.  Stretching again helps remove lactic acid, thats one reason why we do more stretching near the end of class.  Please stretch warm muscles and ease into stretches slowly.   Stretching too far too quickly shortens muscle fibres. 

• Proper nutrition.  Protein repairs muscle tissue.  Carbohydrates replace the fuel that you have burned up during your workout. Milk is a good choice as it contains protein and carbohydrate. 

• Maintain good posture.  Its tempting to slump on the sofa after a workout, but it will recreate some of the muscle imbalances that you have worked hard to undo during class and create tension. 

• Sleep.  This is the time when muscles repair.

• TLC!  Deep heat, hot showers and baths with epsom salt, self massage are all good.  I swear by deep heat!

• Remember that as you get stronger and fitter your practice will not make you ache much or at all.  Give yourself about 8 weeks to get used to it.