चर्चाएं
इस डोमेन से संबंधित नवीनतम चर्चाओं का अन्वेषण करें।
What is the difference between stretching and yoga, if most stretching poses can also be found in yoga?
Main Post: What is the difference between stretching and yoga, if most stretching poses can also be found in yoga?
Top Comment:
Venn diagram above is perfect: some overlap, some differences. I've become a lot more flexible with yoga, but it's a lot more about controlling your breath and developing small muscles for stability and balance. Also, where you gain flexibility from yoga is different. I can do some pretty wicked back bends, but am nowhere near getting my splits (a major goal for most flexibility folks). And, I also agree the stretching folks tend to be more science-based, whereas yoga is more experiential and traditional. If you like one, you'll probably like the other, but people do tend to have a favorite for sure, so try both and see what you think!
Would anyone be willing to walk me through what to expect from a yoga class? The very small things are keeping me from starting.
Main Post:
Hi!
I recently did an evaluation with a neuropsychologist and was diagnosed with a few things (nothing surprising). One thing she recommended was doing yoga to help with social anxiety and depression.
I would like to do this but I am nervous about the fact that I don’t know how they work or what to bring. I remember seeing a post on Reddit that went viral of someone asking how to order a sandwich from subway... I feel like the OP but for yoga class.
I am looking at a yoga studio just a block or so away from me. Luckily I can walk because I live in a city. I can register for classes through their website.
But what should I know? What can I expect? What should I bring? What should I wear? What are the social norms of a yoga studio?
I bought a pair of leggings, a sports bra, and an athletic t shirt. I also have a white pair of allbirds. I also bought a yoga mat.
Do I bring a towel? If I bring a towel, what kind of towel should it be? Can it just be like a regular microfiber hand towel? Or bigger? Or smaller? Is that what people use?
How much space do I leave myself when I put down mat? How soon before class do people get there? What do I do if I feel like I can’t do the pose they are doing? Will the teacher call me out? Do they usually play music? Do you bring your stuff in a bag?
What if you fart? What if your stomach growls?
Is there anything I’m missing, anything else to know? No detail is too small.
Edit: Thank you so much to everyone who has responded so far. I haven’t had a chance to read through them yet because I’m working, but I am genuinely so touched and appreciative (sorry to be corny). 🥹❤️
Edit 2: Ok just want to say thank you again. I am reading every comment. Really didn’t expect so many people to respond and share, I am overwhelmed in the best way. I’ve felt so lonely/isolated lately and I feel like I have a bunch of friends guiding me through this. Means so much.
Top Comment:
- Depending where you live/the studio, you or may not have to book in advance. If you get there 10 minutes in advance that's plenty of time to check out the space and ask any questions
- Yoga leggings and an athletic shirt are perfect clothes. I prefer a shirt that is tight or I can tuck in, so it doesn't fall down to my face when I'm upside down in downward dog
- Most people will wear their yoga clothes to the studio, but it is also appropriate to change there. Do not wear shoes into the studio space - most people will be barefoot, but it is okay to wear socks (but be careful of slipping). You will probably have somewhere (locker, cubby) to put your shoes, and bag.
- Put your phone on silent
- I would not recommend a hot yoga class for your first ever, but if you do choose this definitely bring (or rent) a full size towel. You will place the towel on top of the yoga mat for extra friction/sweat absorption. In a non-hot yoga class, you can bring a smaller towel to wipe sweat
- When you enter the room, there will not usually be assigned places to lay mats. You need to orient to where the teacher will be, and place your mat no closer than one arms-width apart from any other mats. Usually the teacher will be horizontal so everybody can see them from the side, and then the students will lay out perpendicular to them (like a 'T' shape)
- The teacher will enter the room a few minutes before class starts. I recommend introducing yourself to them and say you're new, explain any injuries/pain you have, and tell them if you do or do not want to be touched (some teachers will touch you to adjust you in a pose, but you can respectfully decline this)
- I don't recommend trying to make any small talk with people before class starts. Use the extra time to stretch, meditate, breathe deeply, sit or lay down quietly
- The teacher may or may not play some music. They may or may not ask people to identify themselves if they are new or have injuries.
- The teacher may or may not tell you in advance to get certain accessories, usually stacked somewhere in the corner. These can include: blocks, straps, bolsters (pillows). You can ask your teacher in advance if you should take any
- The teacher may or may not give you "variations" to make poses easier that you can't do. If they don't and you can't do what they are describing, do your best or just take a break.
- Sometimes it is awkward because you can't see the teacher doing the pose while being in the pose. It's okay to "break" pose to look at them or other people for reference. You may be doing this more than other people if you're not familiar with the names of yoga poses, and that's okay!
- Sometimes the teacher won't do all the poses along with you, and they will instead walk around the room adjusting people. They may or may not touch you while they do this, and you can respectfully decline. If they adjust you, it's not because you're doing bad or they're annoyed, it's just that yoga can be very obsessed with good form, so even people who have been doing it for decades can still be reminded to do it better
- I have sneezed, farted, queefed, coughed, laughed, and fallen asleep in a yoga class. All normal
- While it is okay to ask questions during the class, but few people do this. Try to be subtle if you need the teacher's attention (this is another good reason to introduce yourself before class starts, so they will look out for you) and talk quietly
- Almost all yoga classes with end with a shavasana, which is basically sleepy-time. You will be told to lie quietly on your back and it can sometimes feel like it will last for a reeeally long time. This is normal, and you will be told when to come out of shavasana. People often close their eyes during shavasana to help relax
- After shavasana, sometimes the teacher will end the class with prayer hands and everybody saying namaste together. If you don't feel comfy talking out loud, you can say namaste quietly in your head.
- It is normal to thank the teacher after class when everybody is up and leaving, this is also a good time to ask more questions
- At the end of class, look for a spray bottle and some cloths. You will use these to wipe down your mat and your blocks (if you have them). Spray the rag, and wipe the rag on your stuff. Then put everything away. You usually have to share the spray bottles and cloths
- I generally find it rare for yoga studios to have showers, but you might be able to ask in advance if your studio has a shower.
I hope that gives you a good picture of what to expect!
What was the worst yoga class you remember going to?
Main Post: What was the worst yoga class you remember going to?
Top Comment:
- Instructor making us do partner work out of nowhere in a hot vinyasa class. I would literally give anything to not touch a sweaty stranger without warning
- Instructor who refused to give action cues (like “place your right hand ____” etc), only shouted out posture names FAST and didn’t look at anyone while teaching. He also wanted to demo eight-angle posture but made the entire class go up to the front of the room to circle around his mat to do so. Like why
How do Hindus feel about western commercialization of Yoga?
Main Post:
As title. In the west and especially america Yoga has its own market behind it. And it’s been so secularized I didn’t even know it came from Hinduism until a few years ago. Was curious what your thoughts are.
Top Comment:
It's annoying.
It feels like anything positive from Hindu/Indian culture, they will take, repackage and sever it from its roots.
Anything negative or bad, they will keep showing.
Yoga is for all. But why does it have to be separated from its origin?
I've heard black people from the US say similar: "you hate us but you love our culture"
Maybe it wouldn't annoy me so much if they portrayed a more balanced representation of India/Hindus overall.
Somatic Yoga?
Main Post:
Hello yoga teachers - I was recently doing a little Google keyword research and found that the term “somatic yoga” has increased in search volume over the last year.
I did some initial research (via Google) but I’m not quite sure I understand. Here is a description I found in Yoga Journal:
- “A somatic yoga practice is more intuitive than a standard yoga class, which often asks you to move mechanically—flex this way, extend that way, stretch, hold, push.”
- “The goal of a somatic approach to yoga is to create an advanced kinesthetic awareness in which you can feel interoception (the state of your body on the inside) and proprioception (a sense of where your body is in space) and you can find equilibrium between your internal and external experiences”
Perhaps I gravitate towards teachers who take this approach anyway, and I tend to avoid more athletic / competitive studios and styles, but I’m still a bit confused.
Is “somatic yoga” a specific style, or is it more of an approach that many teachers integrate?
Are there specific trainings for this? Or is more of a branding thing?
I’ve never seen “somatic yoga” on a studio schedule nor have I heard any of my teachers use this language specifically, so I am curious to get other perspectives.
Top Comment:
I agree somatic is a trending word. I think people use somatic similarly to integrative, holistic, or therapeutic - as a signifier that the class will be more than a asana focused fitness class.