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What to wear to class? What is better not to do? How to behave? Wellness coach Jessica Steinberg answers this question and more.
1. Personalized approach
So, you have chosen a yoga studio and signed up for your first class. Warn that you have never practiced yoga and ask to arrange a personal meeting with a trainer for you. At first glance, yoga does not look like a traumatic sport, and yet it can lead to painful sprains and dislocations. Especially when you don’t know what to do and how to do it. Before the start of the class, the trainer will definitely ask you about past injuries and illnesses – tell it like it is! He needs this information to better understand what your body is capable of.
If the yoga studio does not offer private classes, ask to be enrolled in a group with a minimum number of participants. Then the coach will have more opportunities and time for you.
2. Turn off your phone
In an hour of classes, something critical is unlikely to happen, but a sharp call or even a monotonous vibration will annoy other participants. Or even cause injury if someone’s balance is disturbed due to a frisky sound.
3. Don’t try to remember the names of the poses
In any case, the first time. Asana, masana, shvasana, chair, dog, proud crane? Do not bother with this for now, focus on the simplest and most understandable poses – “dogs”, “salutations to the sun”, “child”. And after a couple of months, you yourself will not notice how you will know exactly the original name of each of the asanas.
4. Forget the competition
Yoga is not about competition. No one cares here whether you are faster, taller or stronger. How straight you stand or how well you bend. Yoga is primarily for yourself and for the soul. Do not do anything that brings you discomfort and pain, even if other participants on adjacent mats bend and unbend like acrobats. Listen to your body, don’t beat yourself up, start small. Do not forget about the rest and try to be completely calm and relaxed in class.
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5. Don’t wear baggy clothes
It will interfere and distract you from the asanas and the instructions of the trainer. Choose leggings that are soft and stretchy (they might say “yoga pants” on the label), and don’t forget to move around in the fitting room to see if the clothes don’t hinder movement. The top should also be tight-fitting – otherwise, during some asanas, you will show everyone your underwear. Which, by the way, should be sporty.
6. Don’t forget your towel
After half an hour, you may notice that you have begun to slide on the mat – your palms and feet are wet from the effort. Place a towel on your yoga mat to stop slipping and finish your workout without fear of injury.
7. Watch what you eat
A very delicate question. It is impossible to concentrate on yoga if your stomach is constantly growling. Therefore, before training, avoid foods that cause flatulence. All legumes, cabbage, radishes, radishes, turnips, onions, artichokes, mushrooms, all types of porridge except rice, whole grains, bread, grapes, pears, apples, peaches, dairy products, ice cream and soda should be excluded from your diet in yoga day.
8. Take paper napkins with you
Inverted postures, head down… If your nose starts to run, it’s important to have a tissue handy. Especially during allergy season.
Read more:
- What yoga teaches us
9. Don’t judge yoga by one trainer
Bad luck with the coach? Do not give up on all yoga – ask your friends on social networks about their favorite teachers, look for reviews on the Internet. My best yoga coach applied orange oil to our wrists and sang mantras, and the worst one talked about aliens … I stopped going to his classes almost immediately.
10. Grab a sweater
Or any long sleeve shirt. At the end of the session, you will do savasana – “corpse pose”, lie on your back and cool down after training. If you warm up in class, you may feel chilly. Cover yourself with a sweater or blanket and relax.
See more at publications of The Huffington Post.