Fresh New Fit: Your First Yoga Class

By Jessie

I’m definitely a fan of yoga, and I truly believe in its benefits, particularly for runners. But if you have never taken a class, you may be reluctant to start. I totally understand that yoga can be a bit intimating to newbies; and then the actual experience of your first class can be a bit confusing. What the heck is namaste? What is ujjayi breathing?

In the Twin Cities area, most yoga studios will offer a trial free class (or even a whole free week at Corepower) for new yogis. Be sure to tell the instructor that you are new to yoga- don’t be shy. It will help the instructor to know ahead of time, so he/she can help you out a bit more during the class.

Corepower‘s beginner class is C1, which is a non-heated vinyasa. Personally, I enjoy the detoxifying sweat of a heated class, so I was quick to move to C2 (heated vinyasa) on my yoga journey. However, even now, after years of practicing, I still find it beneficial to take a C1 every now and then. The flow in C1 moves a little more slowly, reminding me of the basics, and ensuring I am still following good form. As a beginner, after a few C1 classes, you could probably move on to a C2. Even if you’re not able to do all the poses in a C2, it’s possible to try one of these class to expose you to the heated class experience.

And definitely take advantage of your free week to check out several different instructors and studio locations! You may find that you like the vibe of one studio more than another.

What to bring:
Yogi toes if it’s heated (not necessary for all classes, and you could just use a towel before investing in yogi toes)
Yoga mat (though most studios will rent you one for a small fee)
Water bottle

And what will you do in a vinyasa yoga class (like C1 or C2 at Corepower?)

Runner’s World posted this article recently on Twitter about yoga for newbies, breaking down the basics of a stereotypical vinyasa flow:

What to Expect in Your First Yoga Class:

Source: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-409–12404-2-1-2,00.html

You may think your teacher calls out moves randomly or just to torture you (Split pose, anyone?). But there’s actually a method to her madness. “Good instructors carefully follow a sequence so the body is prepared for each subsequent pose and injuries are avoided,” says Cyndi Lee, founder of OM Yoga Center in New York City. Here she walks you through a typical class.

{The D-man in reverse warrior at an outdoor Corepower class}

Centering
Whether it’s a breathing exercise, meditation, or sitting quietly, a few serene moments help your mind segue from crappy Monday to yoga mode. This is also an opportunity to set an intention-a personal goal or hope such as becoming more patient or leaving stress at work-to meditate on during class.

Warm-up
Poses like Cat and Cow release neck and shoulder tension, loosen your spine, and sync your breath to your movements. They also stimulate blood flow to your core, which brings more nutrients to your abdominal organs and spine and gets your body temperature rising.

Sun Salutations
This fluid series of 12 or so postures is a mini practice in itself-it takes your spine through a full range of motion, from a standing forward bend to the back-bending Upward Dog. You’ll get a full-body workout, boost your heart rate, and start sweating a little.

Standing poses
You’re warmed up like Mario Lopez during a salsa number. Poses such as Triangle and Warrior strengthen and lengthen your muscles as they teach alignment. Holding them also requires endurance and concentration, required in the more challenging balancing poses.

Balancing poses
Your talent for never letting your bare feet touch the fungi-ridden locker room floor comes in handy here. Poses like Tree and Eagle are all about developing grace under pressure-you have to stay loose but focused to balance. Directing your gaze on an eye-level spot 4 to 6 feet away (“drishti” in Sanskrit) also helps.

{Downward dog, while following an at-home Corepower DVD}

Inversions

All that standing has energized your legs, making feats like Handstand and Forearm Stand easier. By engaging and lifting your legs when you’re upside-down, you’ll have better balance and won’t force your arms to do all the work.

Backbends

Because they open your chest and squeeze the adrenals (the adrenaline-producing glands atop the kidneys), backbends are the yogic equivalent of downing a handful of chocolate-covered espresso beans. They may fall before or after inversions-you just need time to come off the high prior to Savasana.

Twists

Although they can be done at any point in class, twists relax the spine after backbends and squeeze your abdominal organs, wringing out toxins like late-night-TV quips after a political scandal.

Seated poses

Forward bends and hip openers, such as Pigeon or Cobbler’s pose, stretch your quivering muscles and calm your nervous system after the stimulation of backbends and inversions, preparing you for final relaxation.

Shoulder stand

With your head, shoulders, and elbows on the floor and your legs and torso reaching toward the ceiling, this is known as the best all-in-one pose because it rejuvenates your entire body. The inversion gets blood flowing effortlessly from your feet, giving your heart a break, and stimulates the thyroid gland (the metabolism regulator at the base of the throat). It’s often paired with Plow pose (lowering the legs to the floor behind your head) because this deep forward bend encourages introspection-your eyes are looking directly at your heart, after all-and paves the way for lying quietly in Savasana.

{Child’s pose at Luminous Yoga on Lake Calhoun}

Savasana
Because “yoga” means “the union of opposites,” the stillness of Corpse pose is the perfect complement to all the previous action. Lie there for a bit-letting your body sink into the floor and quieting your mind-to fully absorb the benefits of class. You worked hard to earn that blissed-out feeling, so savor it.

Closing
Bowing, chanting “om,” or saying “namaste” expresses thanks to your teacher, fellow students, and yourself for a great class.

Hopefully understanding what you can expect at your first class will help eliminate some of your unease.

Good luck on your first class!

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