Yo Sweaty Friend- Let’s talk about your First Yoga Class as a #FitGirl
I remember the first time I stepped into a yoga class- talk about #intimidation
” Will I be good enough?” “What if I can’t get my leg over my head like that girl on instagram” ” Shouldn’t I be better at this I am #fitaf ” the monkeys in our brain start to say……
Now that I have been teaching for several years I still understand the intimidation – seriously girl. I still get a bit antsy walking into a new class I mean come on – some of those girls are oh so flexible and I am definitely still a #movementninja not a flex sally.
I wish someone would have sat me down and gave me a survival guide for my first yoga class {and sometimes every class after TBH }
So here goes my wise wise words {don’t take them too seriously though lolz}
1/ Come ready to learn
I know we have a tendency to come in with ideas of what we think yoga is, or does, or what it should look like. I want to encourage you to just spend time in the moment. Listen to what the teacher has to say and go with the flow. Try to clear your mind and see where that takes you. I know that sounds #soyogi but I promise you might learn something new – about yourself, about the practice of yoga, about alignment or breath- there are just so many facets to learn about.
2/ Bring water 💦
The obvious- but we think “ohhhh yoga its just a lot of stretching we won’t be perspirating 💁🏼 not like when I #liftallthethings “
Here’s the thing – movements like stretching get that mitochondrial renewal happenin and thennnn you need some water to flush dem toxins so don’t forget that hydration bottle.
3/ Don’t lift right before
I knowwwwww it’s oh so tempting to see it as “recovery” so to do a heavy lift first then head right to your first yoga class. Pretty please at least leave a few hours between your lift and your yoga session. You get too amped up from lifting and it’s far too hard to wind you down. You need to make sure you can bring yourself to a place of calm and focus. The best recovery makes for a better lift the next day anyway amirite or amirite?
4/ If you go once and don’t like it – try try try again
Each teacher has their own movement style and puts their own twist on this thing we call yoga. SO…
If you went to your first yoga class and dreaded every second of it – don’t fret. The style of yoga ranges so widely some teachers are #soyogi and others are all about alignment and being #movementninjas and some are a perfect blend of both!
You just gotta keep at it until you find a style and teacher you like {sometimes even within the style the teachers can be drastically different}. On top of that different seasons of your life may call for different styles and different teachers – find what works for you now and just keep experimenting until you get it right.
5/ It won’t make you lanky
I know we all worry about loosing out on muscle. It’ s a serious fear in most of my students that lift. I pinky swear promise you- when used properly yoga can be a serious asset to your lifting game. Like I’m talking muscle recovery and #allthegains cause isn’t that something we all want 💁🏼
6/ Research the style beforehand so you know what you’re in for
I have made this mistake many a times myself. You mos def don’t want to show up to a yin class expecting a power class – that’ll kill your vibe 0-100 real quick.
Knowing the difference between a yin class vs a power class can have a huge impact on what kind of attitude you approach the class with. Not to sound too #soyogi but do a bit of soul searching and really dig deep into what you want yoga for. I don’t mean dig deep into like your chakras or any of that jazz just the baseline benefits that you hope you will get from the class. If it’s better sleep and you’re headed to a 9pm class yin might suit you better than vinyasa. #knowyourshit
7/ Don’t go to a Boutique Yoga Studio for your first yoga class
This advice might be super contrary to all of the other advice out there but I say start out at a gym class. Now for most people that aren’t into fitness I get this point. The teacher will probs be a bit more seasoned and be able to create a deeper connection therefore making the class less intimidating if you haven’t worked out in a long time or ever for that matter. And I Totes agree.
However, if you are already comfortable in a gym usually the gym classes are a little less #soyogi and more accessible for the #fitgirl in ya. In the gym the classes tend to be geared towards people that are comfortable moving at a faster pace or already have some knowledge of their bodies so I say start there. Eventually you can get more in tune and move yourself to a specific style studio if you so choose.
8/ Arrive early and let the teacher know it’s your first class
I know that may seem like a nightmare to let the teacher know you’re new but it’s nice to make sure she knows to keep an eye out for key postural stuff- I promise she won’t make you feel silly. This can also open up a dialogue about anything you have on the happy haps like hip injuries or shoulder. The amount of reaching overhead we do in yoga can be cray cray so a teacher knowing you’ve got some shoulder stuff happening can make a difference in how you experience the class. They can give you modifications and suggestions and no they won’t signal you out ✌
9/ Grab all the props
I don’t know at what point of yoga props became this non-existent thing on the scene. They are basically little balls of magic you have your finger tips- use them! When you get to your first yoga class check with the teacher but I would say grab a strap a couple of blocks maybe even a bolster and a blanket. Props are designed to make the poses more accessible and TBH I’d rather a student did a pose in “perfect” alignment {perfect being a relative word that we will discuss at lengths later in this blog but I digress} using props than they get their body into whatever pretzel shape the demo pose is but their shoulder looks like it may rip out of their socket { I may be projecting some recent shoulder trauma I’ve witness lately 🙈 }
10/ When all else fails – come back to focus on your breath
No matter what anyone else tells you – the number one benefit of yoga is the focus on breathing. Front and foremost that is legit the most important function our body performs.
Think about it- you can survive without movement for years, without food for months, without water for weeks – without air? Minutes at best. Yoga classes have hit this huge wave of “stress reduction ” and “relaxation” and “recovery” not because they’re magic but because they force you to get into the moment and focus on your breath. So if the class is getting to be too much for you. The girl next to you looks like some weird ass circ du sole performer and the teacher is doin their own thang – well then sit your hips back – connect to your centre by breathing. Forget everything else around you and focus on your breath. I promise it makes a mucho mucho difference. ✌
Well #sweatyfriend that’s all I’ve got to say. Go onto your first yoga class as that #fitgirl you are. Let me know how it went when you do and what kind of style you found works best for you!
As always if you have suggestions for your fellow sweaty yogis on how they can get on the mat drop them in the comments. I love hearing your tips and tricks!
Now go on unroll a mat and get to movin girl and I’ll catch ya next time
💦 Sweat & Radiance
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