What to Know About Yoga Before Your First Class

Considering yoga classes for fitness? Let me help you learn what to know what to know about yoga before your first class! For the last several years, I have been trying to make time to do more yoga. I have invested in more yoga pants, mats, blocks and accessories than I care to admit.

I have tried doing yoga in my family room in front of the television, in our neighborhood fitness class and at the gym. I have yet to fall in love with it but have come to appreciate it for its’ many health benefits. Before your first yoga class, there are a few things you need to know!

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What to Know About Yoga Before Your First Class

What to Know About Yoga Before Your First Class

It is amazing how much of a workout your muscles get just by standing in Warrior pose for a few minutes. I have discovered over the years that yoga is more than just an exercise. It is a culture…a way of life, almost, that has an amazingly dedicated following. If you are just getting started, it can be overwhelming. Read below for some tips on what to know about yoga before your first class and learn how Yogadownload.com can help you master it right in your own living room!

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Be prepared or you will not have fun:

You need to show up at your first yoga class in loose, comfortable clothing with a yoga mat in hand (organic yoga clothing optional but a nice touch!). Some yoga studios provide mats for you but honestly, if someone’s sweaty body has been all over it, I’d rather use my own. Pack a gym bag and make sure you are prepared. Invest in plenty of sports detergent for washing workout clothes because you WILL sweat. A lot!

Do not eat a big meal before you go or some positions will not be at all comfortable. Big meals may also make you sleepy and falling asleep while in corpse pose will have the rest of the class snickering at you.

Do not drink a gallon of water before attempting your fist yoga class. Having to pee makes balancing on one foot particularly difficult. Show up at your first class comfortable and with a few basic supplies.

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You will probably look stupid at first. And that is totally okay:

Unlike running, which is a relatively easy form to achieve, yoga takes a lot of practice. Yes, some of the poses are easier than others. Child’s pose is by far my favorite pose because I can relax and there is absolutely zero balancing required. However, it also requires little work so it doesn’t do much in terms of fitness.

Typically, the harder the pose is to achieve, the more it works your muscles…or at least that is my impression so far! Don’t worry about what everyone else looks like or if they are secretly laughing at you. They might be. Or, they might be fondly remembering how stupid THEY looked when they first started.

This is YOUR journey, not theirs, and every journey has to start somewhere. Practice the moves at home in between classes and you will progress faster.


Yoga is more than just being bendy:

Just because someone resembles Gumbi in their ability to bend themselves into a pretzel, doesn’t mean they are ‘better’ at yoga than you are. Yoga is about more than the physical poses. It is a state of mind and being that goes beyond what your body can accomplish.

I find the mental aspects of yoga incredibly challenging. You need to learn to switch off your mind and reach for inner peace. Focus on your breathing and being in the here and now. I will say that meditation beads are a popular way to draw the mind away from your life troubles and towards tranquility.

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You may hate your instructor before you learn to love her:

Finding the right yoga instructor can be challenging. There are several at my gym and I definitely like one more than the others. As I stood in tree pose a few month ago, I listed to my yoga instructor talk to us about gentle winds blowing through our branches and I wanted to reach out and smack her. My ‘tree’ looked like it was enduring hurricane force winds as I balanced precariously on one foot and wobbled around sideways trying not to fall down.

The right yoga instructor will challenge you but encourage you at the same time. It’s not her fault I have no balance, right? You will probably pray she cuts class short by 15 minutes but thank her profusely when she works you 10 minutes longer than class really is. It’s a love/hate relationship you will come to enjoy.

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If you prefer to tackle yoga without an audience or teacher, you can visit Yogadownload.com and subscribe to their online yoga classes. Here are a few of the classes they offer:

The Body Mandala yoga class (Level 1) with Mark Morford
Seed of Potential: A Grounded Vinyasa yoga class with Christen Bakken
Therapeutic Alignment yoga with Shy Sayar: Tadasana
Postnatal Yoga: 13 Minutes to a Healthy Back with Liza Janda

 

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Yoga is a lifestyle that you will get sucked into:

Yoga is more about sitting on a mat and turning yourself into a sweaty pretzel. It is a lifestyle of mindfulness that honestly, more people should really start adapting. Be mindful of your health and well-being. Be mindful of the world around you. And be mindful of how your actions affect others. Eat healthy, be kind to others and tread lightly on this planet. They are all important things to consider while you are meditating at the end of class.

There is a whole new world open to you when you start yoga! Yogadownload can help you learn what to know about yoga before you start. The, you can get started doing yoga at home which makes it much cheaper and more convenient than trying to sign up for classes at a gym.

Head over to Yogadownload.com and check out their membership options and learn what to know about yoga before you start!

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