How to Get Ready For Your First Yoga Class
Yoga is a type of physical, mental and spiritual practice of exercise that has been popular in India for thousands of years. There are a lot of benefits by practicing yoga regularly as it improves the overall mental and physical health of people. Yoga has now become popular all over the world. Most major cities on the planet have yoga centers as people are getting to know the benefits of Yoga. There are many people who are starting yoga classes for the first time to help them better with their lives. The following are some of the tips for people to get ready for their first Yoga class:
What to Wear
General exercise outfits are the right choice for yoga. These outfits can include stretchable yoga pants, workout t-shirts or tops, and yoga socks. Generally, yoga is done without shoes and just wearing slip-on comfortable shoes to the yoga class is a good idea. The fabric used for yoga clothes should be breathable, moisture wicking and light. As yoga involves the right way of stretching, stretchable clothes are advisable. Also, inner-wear that gives support is essential to protect the body during exercise.
What to Carry to Yoga Class
While joining a yoga class it is essential to be equipped with the right accessories to perform yoga. This includes yoga mats which are an essential aspect of yoga. Yoga mats are needed as all the asanas or exercises are performed on these yoga mats and not directly on the floor. Besides yoga mats, it is a good idea to carry a water bottle and a towel as yoga is essentially an exercise routine. There are various props that are used to aide in performing yoga asanas. These props include blocks, straps, blankets, and other types of yoga equipments. However, these props are only needed if the instructor asks the pupils to bring these props for their first class.
Take the Class on an Empty Stomach
It is very difficult to perform yoga asanas, exercises, poses and twists involved in yoga on a full stomach. Generally, exercise routines like yoga are done on an empty stomach. However, it does not mean that yoga students should starve before a class. For energy, having an energy-boosting snack is a good idea. There is usually a period of time before a yoga session when yoga students should avoid having a large meal before class.
Yoga Class Etiquette
There are some rules that need to be maintained for a successful yoga class. The first rule is to arrive on time. It is a good idea to arrive 5 to 10 minutes before the class starts and not arrive late and disrupt the class. Listening to the instructor and giving the yoga teacher respect is always a good idea. Like all other exercise routines, it is always important to put the cell phone in a silent mode before the start of the yoga session. The phone ringing in the class is not just a distraction to the class but also causes embarrassment to the pupil on the first day of yoga class.
Warm-up and Relaxation
There is a method by which a yoga session needs to take place. This includes a warm-up session at the start, asanas during the course of the session and savasana or final relaxation period at the end of the session. Skipping the start of the session or the final relaxation of the session is not a good idea. This will hinder the overall objective of the yoga session.
Asking the Right Questions
As a beginner in the first yoga session, people don’t know much about yoga. Doing yoga in the right way is very essential for gaining the benefits of yoga. If people don’t understand any step it is a good idea to ask questions to the instructor so that yoga can be done in the right way. Asking questions is necessary as doing a wrong pose in yoga can lead to physical mishaps.
As mentioned above, yoga is very beneficial for the holistic health of the mind and body. The tips mentioned above for the first yoga class helps students become well equipped and confident in including yoga into their lives. Yoga is adopted globally and is a good choice for exercise.