How to Survive Your First Yoga Class | 5 Tips

Transcript

hello everyone welcome to yoga upload and Maris Aylward today's video is about Yoga for Beginners how to survive your first yoga class if you've been curious about Yoga for a while now but you've been too intimidated to try that is completely understandable can be scary to try something new so today I have some tips for you to make sure that you not only survive but also enjoy your first experience tip number one do your research visit the websites of the yoga studios or the gyms that you want to try out read the class descriptions carefully if possible go to a yoga for beginners class that way you're in a setting where you can learn at your own pace it's a teacher's job to make sure that you're practicing safely and effectively and you learn proper alignment in the poses and if you have any questions feel free to call the studio ahead of time to ask them about their class offerings make sure you know what you're walking into that first time tip number two arrive early at least 10 to 15 minutes if it's your first time at a studio you'll need to do some paperwork registration forms they might give you a short tour or orientation so you want to make sure you have enough time for that you have enough time to ask questions get settled and familiarize yourself with a space and maybe chat with the teachers or the students you don't want to be rushing in at the last minute not knowing anyone not knowing what to do not knowing where things are on your first day that extra time will really help you relax and be more comfortable tip number three come prepared there are several things that you need to prepare for first dress appropriately you don't have to be in any fancy expensive yoga clothing just wear comfortable clothes that you can work out in that you can move and stretch in that being said it is helpful in yoga to wear more form-fitting clothing it helps you and the teacher see your alignment better and also if you're wearing maybe loose shorts or a loose t-shirt those clothes are going to move around so if you're in forward fold or downward-facing dog your shirt might go up to your face where if you're stretching or moving your legs and you might feel self-conscious if you're wearing shorts or kind of loose pads so in this case it's helpful to wear a form-fitting clothing and make sure nothing is moving or flailing about while you're doing your yoga another thing you need to think about is your yoga mat if you don't have a yoga mat you can call the studio ahead of time to ask if they have yoga mats you can borrow rent or buy if you want to get your own yoga mat do your research again make sure what you get has enough traction has enough grip so you're not sliding around in the poses if your joints are sensitive make sure the mat has enough cushion and if you tend to sweat a lot you might need a towel with you now these are things that you learn over time I do have some reviews of yoga mats I will link those videos in the description box below and I hope that helps you pick the mat that's right for you now clothing yoga mat towel these seem like trivial things but really sometimes they can make or break that first yoga class these minor annoyances can be really discouraging and prevent people from trying yoga again so if that does happen to you rest assured that that happens to almost everyone sliding around the place your clothes are bothering you your hair you know all of these little things but you'll learn that over time and also it's fixable eventually you'll find the clothing that you're most comfortable in you'll find the mat that works for you towel or props that you need so don't be discouraged just keep trying and keep experimenting with different clothes and mats and towels tip number four don't hide in the back I've been teaching for a number of years now and I see beginner yoga students kind of tiptoe towards the back of the room place or mat so I don't see them you know what it doesn't make you invisible I can still see you and you know yoga teachers will walk around to make sure they can see everyone and they can help those who need assistance so there's really no point in hiding in the back in fact that works to your disadvantage because you can't really see or hear the teacher as clearly as you would if you were in the front or in a better spot when you watch a movie when you buy movie tickets you want to get the best seat possible so the same thing with the yoga class you are paying for it make the most of it I understand this hiding in the back because you're feeling self-conscious cuz you're new and you feel that people are looking at you trust me all the other people there are too busy with their own practice to spy on you so don't worry about that just pick a spot where you can see and hear the teacher clearly it'll be way better you'll learn so much more last to have a beginner's mind have a mindset that's open to learning open to making mistakes remember that in yoga you are not there to perform achieve or compete you're there to discover the practice you're there to nurture yourself there's no such thing as failing at Yoga you show up you practice you learn and enjoy yourself come in with a positive attitude sense of adventure a sense of humor and just trust the process so keep those tips in mind and also know that sometimes no matter how much you prepare things don't work out you don't enjoy the class maybe the teachers style doesn't really connect with you don't be discouraged keep trying things out you will eventually find the right styles right classes and the right teachers for you it's all part of the process I hope that was helpful thank you so much for joining me today and I'll see you next time bye