TEN THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU TRY YOGA

Good Morning Everyone!  It is throwback Thursday so I figured I would post my favorite yoga outfit!  The links to the outfit are below.  Scroll to the bottom to read 10 things I think you should know before you start, try, or walk into a yoga class or studio.

 ♠  OUTFIT: ♠

♠  ALO HIGH-WAIST AIRBRUSH LEGGINGS  ♠  ALO LUCID TANK  ♠  ALO SUNNY STRAPPY BRA  ♠

♠ NIKE BLACK FLYKNIT RN (SALE) ♠

♠ (SIZING: MEDIUM, SMALL, XSMALL, 8, CONSECUTIVELY) ♠

TOP TEN THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU WALK INTO A YOGA STUDIO:

1. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE TO DO YOGA.  THE ENTIRE REASON PEOPLE PRACTICE YOGA IS TO RELEASE TENSION IN THEIR BODIES.  TENSION IS CAUSED BY EMOTIONAL OR PHYSICAL STRESS.  ANY PRACTITIONER WILL TELL YOU THAT FLEXIBILITY IS ONLY HALF OF THE EQUATION- THE OTHER HALF IS STRENGTH!  YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE EITHER – STRONG OR FLEXIBLE – TO START YOGA.  PEOPLE PRACTICE TO “ZEN” OUT OR RELAX BY RELEASING THAT TENSION.  NO ONE STARTS OUT BEING FLEXIBLE.
2. DO NOT TALK. THIS IS OH-SO-TEMPTING, AND I WON’T LIE THAT I OCCASIONALLY BROW-WINK MY SISTER IN DOWNWARD FACING DOG IF I AM FEELING GOOFY.  NEVERTHELESS, TALKING ONCE CLASS STARTS IS FROWNED UPON.  SOME FOLKS TAKE THEIR YOGA VERY SERIOUSLY.  EVEN MORE EMPATHETICALLY, IT IS THE ONLY TIME OF DAY SOME PRACTITIONERS GET TO THEMSELVES TO ZEN OUT OR TAKE A BREAK FROM KIDS OR SERIOUS LIFE STRUGGLES.  YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT SOMEONE MAY BE GOING THROUGH, SO LET YOUR NEIGHBOR ENJOY THEIR MOMENT OF PEACE.  SIDE NOTE: IT SEEMS OBVIOUS, BUT YOUR PHONE, APPLE WATCH, AND ANY SORT OF ELECTRONIC DISTRACTION SHOULD BE LEFT OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM.
3. THERE ARE A MILLION TYPES OF YOGA.  YOU COULD BE CHANTING THE WHOLE CLASS IN A SEATED POSITION.  YOU COULD BE MOVING AND SWEATING IN 105 DEGREE HEAT AND DOING A THOUSAND PUSH-UPS.  MAYBE YOU LITERALLY LIE DOWN THE ENTIRE CLASS, YET IT IS STILL CALLED “YOGA.”  DETERMINE WHAT YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF THE CLASS AND READ UP ON CLASS DESCRIPTIONS ON MINDBODY APP (DOWNLOAD IT HERE) TO CHOOSE THE BEST CLASS FOR YOU AND TO KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
4. NO ONE CARES HOW YOU LOOK.  I ASSURE YOU EVERYONE IS MUCH MORE WORRIED ABOUT THEMSELF THAN WHAT YOU ARE DOING.  EVEN THE TEACHER IS PROBABLY WORRYING IF SHE CUED THE CORRECT LEG!
5. THE TEACHER LOVES YOU AND WANTS YOU TO LOVE YOGA AS MUCH AS HE/SHE DOES.  THAT IS LITERALLY WHAT “NAMASTE” MEANS.  IF THE INSTRUCTOR COMES OVER TO TELL YOU SOMETHING, ADJUSTS YOUR BODY, OR CALLS YOU OUT FOR DOING SOMETHING, THEY ARE NOT FUSSING- THEY SIMPLY WANT TO HELP YOU DO POSES CORRECTLY SO YOU ARE SAFE AND GENTLE ON YOUR BODY AND HELP YOU GET THE FULL BENEFITS YOGA CAN OFFER.  THEY ARE HELPING YOU GET YOUR MONEYS WORTH.
6. GO AHEAD AND GRAB A STRAP AND A YOGA BLOCK.  THE EXPERIENCED YOGIS ALWAYS GET BOTH PRIOR TO CLASS.  THE PROS KNOW THAT PROPS ARE NOT A CRUTCH AND CAN OFTEN HELP YOU GET DEEPER INTO A POSE.
7. LEGGINGS ARE NOT CREATED EQUALLY.  MANY HAVE LEARNED THIS THE HARD WAY.  DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND ENSURE YOU CANNOT SEE THROUGH THE FABRIC WHEN STRETCHED.  IT IS ABOUT 50/50 FOR THOSE THAT CHOOSE TO WEAR UNDIES OR GO COMMANDO.  THERE IS NO SET GUIDELINE, SO DO WHATEVER IS MOST COMFORTABLE TO YOU!  MOST EVERYONE GOES BAREFOOT IN CLASSES.  YOU NEED A SWEAT-WICKING FABRIC FOR HEATED YOGA CLASSES.  GUYS: WEAR COMPRESSION SHORTS OR RUNNING BOXERS UNDERNEATH YOUR EXERCISE SHORTS.  BRING WATER AND A SWEAT TOWEL.
8. CHANTING AND SANSKRIT: FOR CHANTING YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS: PRETEND ITS NOT HAPPENING AND STAND THERE OR MOVE YOUR LIPS PRETENDING YOU ARE GOING ALONG WITH IT.  EITHER IS ACCEPTABLE.  SANSKRIT: IF THE TEACHER IS USING THE “SANSKRIT” NAME FOR A POSTURE, HE/SHE IS SHOWING OFF.  THEY ALL HAVE ENGLISH NAMES AND MANY HAVE MULTIPLE NAMES.  LOOK AROUND TO WATCH EVERYONE ELSE BECAUSE I PROMISE YOU’RE NOT THE ONLY PERSON IN THE ROOM LOST ON THE TRANSLATION OF “Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana.”
9. IF YOU ARE TRYING TO COMPETE OR KEEP UP WITH THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU THEN YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG.  MANY TEACHERS WILL TALK ABOUT EGO.  YOGA IS INTENTIONALLY CALLED A “PRACTICE” RATHER THAN PERFORMANCE.  IT IS NOT A COMPETITIVE SPORT AND YOUR ONLY TRUE GOAL IS TO LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR OWN BODY.  I HAVE SEEN A CHAKRA-TATTED GIRL WITH A RATCHET-DIVING LOW PLANK (CHATURANGA) AND BEEN IN AWE THAT SHE HAD NOT YET BROKEN HER BACK.  EVEN THE BEST PRACTITIONERS HAVE DAYS WHERE THEY TAKE IT EASY AND DROP INTO CHILDS POSE (THE UNIVERSAL RESTING POSTURE) HALF THE CLASS.  IF YOU ARE NEW TO THIS, JUST TRY YOUR BEST TO LISTEN TO THE INSTRUCTORS CUES AND BE GENTLE ON YOURSELF.  IF YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, JUST SKIP IT.  THE INSTRUCTOR CAN USUALLY SENSE THIS AND WILL BE GRATEFUL HE/SHE DIDN’T HAVE TO VERBALLY FIGHT YOU OUT OF TERRIBLE FORM.
10. WE ALL HAVE TO START AT THE SAME PLACE.  THAT GIRL DOING A HANDSTAND AND TOUCHING HER HEAD TO HER TOES SIMULTANEOUSLY?  THERE WAS A TIME THAT SHE KNEW LESS ABOUT YOGA THAN YOU KNOW NOW.

I hope this gives you an idea of what to expect for your first class.  I will have many more yoga posts over time.  Let me know in the comment box below if you have any yoga-specific questions.  I would also love to hear any funny first-class-experience stories!

With Joy, Audrey