I can still remember the first class I ever attended. It was around 9am in the morning, I dropped off my daughter at school and went ahead to attend my first ever class.
Since it was my first time, I didn’t know what to expect. I wore a pair of baggy pants, brought my water bottle, but I didn’t have a mat with me. I was nervous and a little unsure if I should go ahead or go back.
I hope I read something off the internet before I went to have an idea what the class would be, but I didn’t. That made me feel so anxious. I hope the list below will ease you in a way that you will get the most of your first class.
What you need to know before attending your first yoga class:
Come early so you can speak with the teacher.
Your teacher may need some information from you, like if you have any injury or a medical condition so she can give you a proper modification for a pose. It’s important that you communicate all your concerns so your teacher can address them and give you tips on how to get into a pose with ease and comfort to avoid any injury.
You don’t have to bring your gear.
Most yoga studios already have yoga mats, blocks and straps for their students to use. But if you feel like it, and more comfortable using your own mat, you can bring one as well. This may not be the case for some private classes, but if you don’t have any mat yet, you can borrow from your teacher.
Personally, I like bringing my own mat for hygiene purposes. While I know that yoga studios periodically clean the mats, I still feel comfortable moving in my own mat. I also offer to bring mats for my private clients, but most of them already have their own mats.
Don’t eat too much before your class, but stay hydrated
If your stomach is full when you do yoga, it can get really uncomfortable. Better avoid taking heavy meals at least two hours before your class.
However, you can drink water to stay hydrated during these two hours. Your teacher may also discourage you to drink water while the class is ongoing to keep your body warm for the practice.
You may hear a lot of unfamiliar Sanskrit words or almost funny names of poses
For a first-timer, it’s a little intimidating to hear sanskrit words. Words we won’t hear ever in our regular day. Don’t fret, you’ll get used to this and grow more familiar as you keep attending more classes.
Just to give you ease, Namaste is a greeting from the Hindu word – Namaskara which translates to “I bow down to the divine in you”. Your teacher may greet your in these words, with hands, palms together in their chest and bow down to you. You can also greet them the same way.
Leave your worries and ego behind
Ideally, a yoga class is where you decompress from all the stress from work and day to day life. Think of it a much-needed breather. So I always tell my students to leave all their worries about business and work, even any issues they may have at home or their relationships.
A yoga class is also non-competitive, therefore your ego must be left outside the door and just be open to your teacher leading the class.
In my studio, I require my students to leave their phones inside their bags, put it on silent mode so they and the rest of the class won’t be distracted and fully immerse themselves in the experience. Same thing in my private classes.
Breathe
The most important aspect of your practice is breathing. Without the breath, you wouldn’t be doing yoga, just a regular exercise. Your teacher will teach you the proper breathing and will cue breathe in and out as you move through the whole class.
In your first class, focus on your breathing instead of nailing the poses. While there are full expressions of the different poses, don’t obsessed on them. They will naturally happen when you keep practicing.
Come back for more
The benefits of yoga will not be experienced in one class alone. You have to keep coming back and develop a habit of practicing. Setting aside a time for your yoga class is ideal to maintain a practice and eventually reap all the benefits of yoga – emotionally, physically and spiritually.