New to Yoga?
January 20, 2021
What to know before your first yoga class.
BEING NEW TO YOGA MAY BRING YOU A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE GETTING INTO; HOW TO PREPARE FOR CLASS, WHAT TO WEAR AND WHAT TO BRING.
WHAT TO EXPECT
During the class, you will be moving into a sequence of poses (asanas) that the instructor will guide you and will teach you on how to do them with proper alignment. This will help you to learn the basics as you build a regular yoga practice. You will be moving slowly through each pose, remembering to breathe as you move.
TIPS TO GET STARTED
1. Prepare early: this will give you the chance to prepare yourself for the class and don’t rush into it.
2. Avoid eating before the practice: in order to flow and move into the different poses, it is important that your body is not digesting heavy food. It is recommended to eat an hour before practice. If you are really hungry, you could get a small snack no less than 2-min before the class.
3. No socks: practice bare food to provide to your body a great grip onto the mat and to feel grounded.
4. Practice with a beginner’s mind: come to class with an open mind and ready to learn and have fun. Don’t be afraid to what you can or can’t do.
5. Breathe: pay attention to your breath while you move. This will help you to flow and get energy moving into your body through the different asanas. When you feel your mind wondering, come back to your breath and presence into where you at.
PROPS
During the practice, we will be using different props to help you get proper alignment and get into a deeper version of a pose. If you have, get the following:
1. Mat
It provides you a safe and non-slip surface and supportive cushoning.
2. Strap
It helps you get deeper into different poses. You can use a scarf, robe tie or towel as an alternative.
3. Block
It provides you support for the hand in a standing posture. You can use a large book as an alternative, however it may not be suitable for all pose.
4. Blanket or Pillow
f your hips are tight, you can sit on a blanket or pillow to not sit flat on the floor. this will help lift your hips above the level of your knees to greatly reduce stress and discomfort in your hips, knees, and back. For Shavasana pose, you can also use the blanket to feel warmth and comfortable
REMINDER
1 Yoga is about much more than fitness, it is a mindful practice of awareness. You don’t need to be fit in order to practice yoga, so don’t be intimidated, yoga is for EVERYONE! Whether you are younger or older, yoga has the power to calm the mind and strengthen the body.
2 You don’t need to have a certain level of fitness or flexibility to try yoga.
3 If you can’t do a certain pose, don’t stress.
4 Discomfort is ok, pain is not. Remember that this is your own practice and you are not competing with anyone. Be mindful on how you are moving and getting into the different poses, always without pushing beyond your limits.
Let yourself be and enjoy!