Learn the basics at home
To feel more confident before hitting a new Studio, you can learn the basics of a Yoga flow and chaturanga at home! We have a beginner flow to master the fundamentals and a guide to the Sankrist terms HERE! You can also do one of Kat’s amazing yoga workouts she filmed at her house~ Yoga Booty and Yoga Tone! Yoga Tone was actually the first “class” Kat taught after she completed her teacher training!
And there are so many AMAZING yoga classes! It’s perfect because you get to be in the Studio with your TIU community from anywhere so you’ll feel totally comfortable and confident!
Bring a babe
When Kat was nervous to try her first class, she invited me to go with her! Everything is a little easier and more fun with a girlfriend by your side! If you’re doing a class in Studio Tone It Up, invite a gal pal to sign up with you or chat with a new babe before class! We promise every girl in the TIU community will be there to cheer you on and offer encouragement and advice
We love doing yoga together at the HQ ~
Say hi to your instructor!
Get to the studio 10 – 15 minutes early so you don’t feel rushed. Introduce yourself to your instructor and tell her you’re new. That way she’ll know to look out for you and can offer form adjustments.
Even if you’re not new, it’s great to get to know your instructor. That’s how we met our girl Jillian! We took her yoga sculpt class at a local studio in Manhattan Beach and introduced ourselves, and now she’s one of your amazing Studio Tone It Up trainers!
Set an intention
Take a few minutes before class to choose an intention you want to focus on. It can be something as simple as “I will release any outside negativity” or “I will go in with an open mind.”
Pack your gear
We love this tip from Jillian ~
“When trying a new class or studio I love packing my gym bag so I feel completely confident that I will be prepared for any situation. I dress in light layers that can be removed or added depending on how the studio feels or where the day takes me. I bring a yoga mat and towel, my water bottle, all-natural deodorant, makeup remover wipes, and hair ties, Being prepared helps me feel confident that no matter what the day brings I can handle it!”
Focus on the four corners of your mat
The amazing thing about yoga is that there’s no ego! It doesn’t matter what the girl next to you is doing. Focus on what’s happening on YOUR mat and do what’s right for you and your body that day. This is your time for you, without distractions, comparisons, or judgment.
Show yourself grace
In some of my first classes, it felt like everyone knew how to do a handstand or a crow pose except me! Remember that no one is a master yogi at the beginning so don’t be hard on yourself if you can’t nail a pose. It takes time and practice and you’ll get there! Jillian says it so beautifully~
“Just come as you are and know that you are exactly where you are supposed to be today. Allow yourself to get excited by the process! Just think that if your journey is just beginning, imagine where you could go if you continue this beautiful practice. The more you practice the more confident you will be on and off the mat.”
Kat has been working on her headstands for a while and I’m so proud of her!
Don’t be afraid to modify
If you can’t quite nail a pose yet or you need a break, it’s totally OK to modify. It’s better to take a modification than to injure yourself or let your form suffer.
We talked to yogi babe and Studio Tone It Up trainer Christine about this too. Her advice: If you’re feeling tired, focus on your form and alignment rather than “muscling” through a move. “In plank work, it’s really common for the space between the shoulders to dip, the ribs to protrude downwards, and the chest to be too far back from the fingers. If you feel your form start to slip, modify by coming down to your hands and knees, engage your core, lengthen your spine and stack your chest right over the center of your hands.”
If you need a break in a hot yoga class, come to a seat with your head above your heart instead of in child’s pose. Putting your head below your heart in a heated class can actually make you feel dizzy.
