Your First Time...

So I have heard that I have inspired a few of my readers to try yoga!! That makes me happier than you can imagine. So this post is for you and what to expect on your first time to the studio and what to expect in a class.

All studios are going to be different. If you are going to a yoga class at a gym, expect a more fitness based yoga. There will be less emphasis on spirituality, breath and mind work and more on strength, power, cardio and a good butt kicking. This isn’t always the case at all gyms but in my experience it has been. Sometimes that is exactly what I need. Some of these classes will be called Flow, Power or Vinyasa.

If you go to a yoga studio, I think you are going to have more variety to test out what suits you best. There
will be some butt kicking classes but also more classes offered with spirituality, relaxation and breath work in mind. As a beginner, try a Hatha class. If you want a real treat, try Restorative Yoga or even Yin. Yin Yoga will make you feel like you are made of rubber and you will float through the rest of your work week with a spring in your step!

If you’re lucky your studio will offer hot and regular temperature classes. If a hot yoga class is your first yoga class, please be careful. Hot yoga can make you think you are very flexible and you will feel like you can do anything. Do not push too far past what your regular limitations are. So lifting your leg over your head like a Barbie Doll is not a good idea...you WILL feel that tomorrow!

Hot yoga IS incredible though. The sweat pours off of you like rain and you feel very cleansed afterwards. I have heard the heat represents a discipline or a sense of discomfort. It shows you what it is like to do something difficult in an uncomfortable atmosphere. Studios usually request you stay in the hot room even if you need to call it quits. This is for two reasons. By leaving the class you will disrupt the rest of the students but mainly remaining in the practice room teaches you to push past the discomfort and finish to the end of the class. If you can get through it and endure, it is just another "outside of class" life lesson. If you just can’t take it, even after ten minutes in, laying down is Savasana or Child's Pose is perfectly acceptable too. In fact, last week a woman laid in Savasana the entire class. She looked so peaceful. I wondered if she was tired or if she just came to enjoy the hot room like a sauna or something?? Don't worry though, if you just can’t take it and feel terrible, go ahead and leave the class. Just leave your mat in the room and come collect it at the end.

There are also style specific yoga studios. Moksha and Bikram are the two examples I know of and have tried myself. These are significantly hotter than your regular hot yoga studio. One night, Moksha got up to 49 degrees and the air was so thick it was like soup! Sounds disgusting but it was amazing. Not something I would like to do on a regular basis but I am proud of myself for finishing.

Bikram is another really hot yoga practice, coined the "Torture Chamber" by Bikram practitioners. Chris and I tried it from a 10 pack Groupon and we both decided we hated it after three classes. It is almost military and I think they push too far. I see it as a formula to hurt yourself. There were a few times I looked at Chris and mouthed "DO NOT attempt this pose!" Beginners may not know how to stay safe in a pose, so I do not recommend this to beginner yogi's.

This is all my personal experience but I encourage you to experiment with all styles available to you. Groupon or TeamBuy is a great way to try out your local studios to give you a chance to see which environment/style suits you best!

So you read above and got your Groupon ready...now what? Go to class!! It really is as simple as that. Some studios will have mat rentals or even free mats for you to use but its best to call ahead. If they don’t have mats available to you, Wal-Mart or Winners is your best bet for a cheap one. Bring a small towel and water as well. Blocks are great for beginners but the studio should have them.

If it’s your first time at the studio always arrive 15-20 minutes early to fill out the required paperwork. It also might be a good idea to introduce yourself to the teacher and tell them this is your first time. I always introduce myself to new teachers to advise them of my back injury.

Once you have filled out the paperwork you want to give yourself enough time to get your spot in class, lay down, close your eyes and prepare for the awesomeness that is about to unfold! It’s customary to stay silent in the practice room. How often do we just get to sit in silence? Some people don’t respect that but oh well. It’s an opportunity to try to tune them out and get in the zone.

So class begins and you’re totally lost. Everyone else around you is folding and bending themselves up like a pretzel and you look and feel more like a railroad tie. You don’t know how to breathe as the teacher instructs, muscles are screaming in places you didn’t even know you had and you can't touch your thighs let alone the floor like everyone else. That’s 100% OK. The pretzel folks around you have been practicing for a long time and they still have roadblocks and progressions that ebb and flow in class on a constant basis. Beginner or experienced, you will never be perfect in yoga as there is always more things you can learn or things you can do to challenge yourself further.

The MOST important thing to keep in mind and I can't say this enough, is your body's safety. Listen to what it is saying. Is it crunching, pinching, and aching, stretched too far or twitching in any way? Are you trying to look like the other people in class? If so, then you may want to come out of the pose a little bit to re-adjust yourself. Going for gold is not the goal in yoga and your ego should be checked at the door.

Last week in teacher training, the best thing I heard all night was "can you SUSTAIN this pose just as you are for a long period of time without dangerous discomfort?" Ask yourself that question while listening to your body. You may be in the pose for more than 10 seconds so how will you feel in 30 seconds? The moment you start to struggle and weaken is the moment your form is going to crumble. You can put your body in danger when your form begins to slip.

Take a look at Plank Pose or Chaturunga.  Do you think you could hold this pose, safely, for 30 seconds? If not, putting your knees on the ground is perfectly acceptable. I promise you, you are still working your body from this position as you are with legs off the ground. You will know when you are ready to lift your legs off the ground.

Full Pose Plank and Modified Plank

Listen to the teacher. They will give you cues to keep your body safe. If you don’t think you can do what they ask, raise your hand and quietly ask for an alternative. They will gladly give it. Remember the blocks I mentioned? They bring the ground closer to you. If you can't reach the ground without something pinching or rounding then use the block. Blocks in Standing Forward Bend are particularly useful.

Uttanasana

Using props, lowering knees or asking for an alternative does not mean you are lazy in yoga. It means you are practicing SMART Yoga. If you see someone in class "going for gold" give them my Blog to read ;)

Do your best and really listen to your body. Yoga should always be challenging but never hurt. When I came back to yoga from my back injury, my Upward Facing Dog was nothing like this picture:

Full Extension

It looked more like this:

My "Ego Free" Up-Dog

It took a lot of fighting with my MIND to tell myself this modified pose was perfectly acceptable. I had to tell myself no one was watching or judging me and that was the best I could do at that time.  My body eventually told me when I could go further and after about three months of regular practice I could slowly progress. Now I can safely do the full extension of the pose with proper form to keep my body safe.  This is what I believe yoga is and this is the style of teaching I am taking.

Anyways, back on track here. After your practice you will rewarded with Savasana or Corpse Pose. Some teachers will use music and some will stay silent.  Both have benefits.  The point of this pose is to allow your body to fully absorb all the benefits of the poses you just did. Always stay for Savasana.  The entire class you have been focused and in the moment. Now is your time to check out. Go blank, soften everything, inside and outside, and well...basically....be like a Corpse! This is the pose that will change your day!  If you have back trouble like me, tuck a block under each thigh, to reduce the pressure on your low spine.

So that's that! If you go to your first yoga class, I want to hear ALL about it!

Namaste xo.