yoga, books, movies, tv & too many crime procedurals – not necesarily in that order
That’s something I’m looking to change very soon. But in looking for a particular yoga place out here, my google search led me to this link. All I really have to say about that is “BULLSHIT.”
As a teacher with more than 200 hours of training and certification, AND as someone who TAUGHT at a gym, the bottom line is that any class is only as good as your confidence in (and comfort with) the teacher. If you are a beginning student, I’ve posted about good ways to begin your practice and find a good class but ultimately every student has different needs.
I’ll break it down in bullets:
1. Call the gym/studio and ask about the classes. They’ll be honest.
2. If you feel uncomfortable in/during a class, tell the instructor.
3. NOTHING SHOULD BE PAINFUL.
4. Ask the teacher about their training/certifications.
5. Ask other students.
I’ve been spending a lot of time at the Dooce community and I kind of love it because some of the conversations there have given me blog fodder (not that I’ve done anything with it yet). Of course, with the positive comes the negative. 
Someone was asking about yoga vs. Pilates and which was better and someone else generalized that Pilates was better for body sculpting and the top of my head blew off a little.
Every yoga class is different. Every one of them. Even if the class has got the same name, two different teachers will teach the exact same class differently. One of the most egregious generalizations I see is that “Hatha yoga” is “gentle.” Grrr.
First, “hatha” yoga simply means forceful path. In technical terms, it refers to ALL physical yoga practice. So Iyengar, Anusara, Baptiste- they’re ALL hatha yoga. Yep. That’s right. No matter how they brand themselves, it’s all hatha.
Second, the intensity of your class depends on two things: YOU nd your teacher. In any class (including the most gentle yoga for seniors class) I’m able to break a sweat because I know how to make my practice more muscle work if I want to. My muscles are typically sore after EVERY yoga workout, because that’s how *I* choose to work out. Your teacher is there to guide your practice and help you get where you want to go.
When I teach my students, I’m constantly teaching the modifications and small muscle work because the thing I love best about yoga is how MALLEABLE it is. It can be whatever you want- gentle, relaxing, ass-kicking, invigorating, and a combination of all of the above. I’m not there to run a boot camp, but I’m trying to give my students all the tools they need to have their best yoga experience.
Related to this is that you should always try as many classes as you can. I don’t tend to go places that don’t offer at least the first class free, mostly because exercise classes are the kind of thing you can’t be sure you’ll like until you try them. I think it’s shitty and dishonest to charge folks for 5-10 classes without giving them a taste of what they’re getting into. Corollary to that is just because you don’t like one teacher doesn’t mean you don’t like yoga. Personality and teaching style are pretty important to your enjoyment of the class, so check until you find someone you DO like. Don’t be afraid to call the studio/gym and ask them about their classes. Ask them to recommend something to you or -better yet- ask for contact info for the teacher.
Find out about the teacher’s certification. No one ever asks about mine. Ever. I’m always surprised.
Things to keep in mind before going to yoga class:
1. Don’t eat a big meal within a couple of hours before your class. Trust me on this.
2. It’s not all about the flexibility. Most people in any yoga class do NOT have a dance/gymnastic background and aren’t especially flexible. The whole point is to IMPROVE flexibility. If you think you’re going to be self-conscious – don’t worry. EVERYONE is self-conscious in an exercise class.
3. Yoga does not require fancy, expensive equipment. This is the second thing I love best about yoga.
4. It’s not just for women. I think of all my students, the guys are always more impressed with the classes. It’s more work than they expect and they seem to see results faster than most of my female students. The key is getting in the door.
5. It should be fun. Really.
Yoga is also about more than just stretching. There are many types of practices that are part of yoga and this is just talking about what you’re likely to find in MOST classes.
Lots of things are annoying me on the internet today, not the least of which is the idiotic senator from my former home state making it harder for women to get abortions (that by the by ARE NOT ILLEGAL) which will, in fact, lead to more kids in the welfare/foster care system and further fucking things up all over.
I’m going to go read some books.
