When you come to your first yoga class, there are several things you can do to make your experience positive. The following article offers ideas on how to get the most out of your first yoga class. If a group format is not right for you, try a private yoga lesson.

Call 963.7313 to arrange a private or small group yoga class.  

Yoga Equipment
You will need a yoga matt and strap. You may also wish to get two yoga blocks and a yoga bag to carry your items. It’s a good idea to bring a bottle of room temperature water so that you may hydrate immediately after class. Appropriate clothing is important. Wear something that you can move and stretch comfortably in.

Preparing for Yoga Class
Yoga is best practiced on an empty stomach, so we recommend that you avoid heavy food just before a session, and if possible limit caffeine intake.  It is a good idea to drink water, both before and after your practice in order to keep your body well hydrated.

Try to arrive to class at least five minutes early, so that you are not rushing around or disrupting others once class starts. Also, please remember to turn your cell phone off before entering class.  Some people are sensitive to perfumes, so it is considered polite to use moderation with fragrances.

Find a Yoga Class at Your Level
When practicing yoga as a beginner, it’s important to choose a appropriate to your  fitness level, personality, and health condition. At FreshAirFitness we offer both small group and private yoga instruction to help accommodate the needs of beginning yoga practitioners.

Study with a Trained Yoga Instructor
Yoga for a beginner is best practiced under the supervision of a trained yoga instructor. It is important to maintain proper body alignment. A good yoga instructor will make corrections so you don’t injure yourself and can offer posture modifications to address any physical restrictions that you may have. A yoga instructor can also help you go a little deeper into a yoga posture so you get the most from your hatha yoga practice.

Adopt a Non-Competitive Yoga Attitude
Yoga is a personal journey that brings you into greater harmony with your body.  It is self defeating to try to stretch farther than other people in the class, or even try to keep up with those who are further along their yoga journey. Instead,  pay attention to your body, and challenge it without injuring it. If, at any point during your yoga practice, you begin to feel pain, either ease up a little , or come out of the yoga posture. It is more important to honor your body than to try to do a yoga postureperfectly.

Practice Yogic Breathing
Yoga beginners should be very mindful of their breath.  In yoga you inhale and exhale through the nose in order to allow yourself to breathe more deeply. Yogic breathing helps you to relax and move more deeply into yoga poses. If you feel an area of tension in your body, direct your breathe to that spot to help it release. If, at any time during a yoga posture, you find that you cannot breathe deeply, either ease up or come out of the yoga pose. Breathing correctly is one of the most important goals in any hatha yoga  practice.

Call Monique at 963.7313 to arrange a private one-on-one or small group yoga class.  

Article adapted from beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com