55 (Sincere as Well as Silly) Things We All Wish We Knew Before Our First Yoga Class

So you’re thinking about trying yoga. Or maybe you’ve already been to class, twirled around your mat a few times, and left the studio wondering, “What even was that?” Maybe you’re feeling like a freshman in high school all over again and not liking it. Or thinking that you don’t belong.

We get it.

Yoga will humble you in some ways and exalt you in other ways. There’s undeniably something sorta alchemical about the way the ancient tradition works on the body, breath, and mind. Although consider yourself warned that the results aren’t always what you want but usually what you need (borrowing from the wisdom of the Rolling Stones).

Recalling how each of us had our questions and hesitations before we began practicing yoga, the editors at Yoga Journal recently asked everyone we know, including our followers on Threads, to think back to their pre-yoga self and share any insights—whether serious or silly or somewhere in between—that would have helped make the experience somewhat easier. The comments did not disappoint.

Following are the quirks and questions and quizzical things that we needed explained to us. May you benefit from our cringe moments.

55 Things We Would Like to Have Known Before Trying Yoga

Whatever’s holding you back from trying yoga, chances are it doesn’t make an iota of a difference. Because yoga doesn’t care. Swear.

Oh, and one more thing. That angst that you’re experiencing? Yoga can help with that. See you on your mat.

1. You don’t need to attend class in person to get started. There’s plenty of video instruction and books with illustrations.

2. Yoga will change your life in ways both obvious and subtle.

3. Arrive to class early to allow yourself time to settle onto your mat ahead of class. Your franticness will rob you of your peace.

4. You don’t need to be flexible to try yoga!

5. Yoga is for every body. Including yours.

6. You’re expected to take your shoes off before you enter class.

7. You don’t need to wear a tight crop tank. Faded concert t-shirts are perfectly acceptable! Although if you wear a loose-fitting t-shirt, know that gravity will take over in Downward-Facing Dog and cause your shirt to slouch around your neck if it’s not tucked in.)

8. You do need to wear deodorant.

9. Don’t worry about what anyone—students or teachers—think. Nobody is watching you. They’re too busy focusing on themselves.

10. The poses are only one percent of yoga.

11. You will love it so much. Don’t wait so long to try it.

12. If you have a question about a pose, quietly draw the teacher’s attention so they can walk over to your mat or save it for after class rather than just shout it out.

13. The way a pose feels matters far more than how it looks.

14. It’s soooo incredibly soothing to your nervous system.

15. If you’re sick with a head cold, stay home from hot yoga.

16. It’s ok to fall out of a pose. Progress in yoga isn’t in the postures. It’s in how gently you speak to yourself when you fall out of them.

17. Props—such as blocks and straps—are meant to be used! They’re tools that support you in the pose. They do not signify a lack of ability.

18. It’s okay not to do the sequence exactly as taught. You won’t get in trouble and you’re certainly not failing at yoga by not following exactly what the instructor says. Taking a modification or dropping into Child’s Pose for a break is sometimes best!

19. Hand-washing your leggings usually helps them last longer.

20. It’s okay if you practice vinyasa or hot yoga for the intense workout. But make sure your practice is about more than just the workout.

21. Wipe down your yoga mat at least once every few classes. (And no, most pricy mat cleaners containing essential oils aren’t sufficient sanitizer.)

22. You will forget to wipe down your yoga mat.

23. It is not a “one style fits all” practice. There are various style of yoga, so if what you try isn’t for you, there might be a different type that will vibe better with you.

24. Struggle with Downward-Facing Dog? It’s okay. We all do at the beginning. Sometimes well after the beginning.

25. If you knock over your water bottle during class, it will clang LOUDLY. Try to avoid this at all costs.

26. You’ll find parts of yourself you’d forgotten through yoga.

27. Everyone you see on mats around you is or has been a beginner at some point. There’s no need to be self-conscious.

28. People say they aren’t flexible enough for yoga. I don’t know anybody who is born ‘flexible enough’ for Yoga. That’s one of the reasons we practice.

29. If you’re not being aware of your breath, you’re not practicing yoga.

30. You might feel yoga stoned after class. There’s no need to be concerned. But do be careful driving!

31. Also, beware post-Savasana shopping splurges in the studio’s boutique!

32. After a good class, it can be REALLY challenging not to forget your water bottle, your keys, your mat, or your flip flops, let alone what planet you’re on. Consider yourself forewarned.

33. A good yoga mat makes a big difference. After my first two classes, I went out and bought an $85 super grippy mat and my experience changed immensely for the better. I’m still using it.

34. Yoga is not a competition—with anyone else or with yourself. There is no “winning” in yoga.

35. Listen to your body before you listen to your teacher.

36. Your life will change for the better with a regular yoga practice.

37. Breathe through your nose.

38. Not every class is going to turn you into a pretzel.

39. It can feel like yoga heals the parts of you that feel broken. It might do that. But it might not. Don’t let it take the place of the other support you need.

40. Just because you can find a more intense version of a pose doesn’t mean that you necessarily should. You don’t need to constantly push your limits for yoga to be an effective practice.

41. Yoga is not a performance.

42. You don’t necessarily need to buy a yoga mat before your first class. Most studios will let you borrow or rent one.

43. Some people at class will know each other and it can be easy to feel excluded. It’s okay not to know anyone and maybe feel a little awkward at first.

44. It’s also okay to say hello to a stranger on the mat alongside you!

45. Your yoga practice doesn’t have to look like anything in particular.

46. When you get to yoga class, quietly unroll your mat. Do NOT, for any reason, slam, flop, or otherwise announce your arrival at class by loudly thwapping your mat on the floor.

47. There’s no “arrival” in yoga. It’s an ever evolving practice.

48. If you don’t like the vibe of your first class, try a different teacher. Or style. Or studio, gym, or community center. Much about the experience of yoga depends on the delivery system. Give it a second (or maybe even third) chance.

49. Go to more than just one class at a studios before making a commitment to any sort of monthly membership.

50. Just because the teacher is looking in your direction doesn’t mean you need to do anything “perfectly.”

51. There is no such thing as “perfectly” in yoga.

52. It’s okay if you find yourself indecisive about where to place your yoga mat.

53. Savasana is the best part. Don’t skip it!

54. No matter how long it’s been since your previous class, you can come back.

55. The one thing that no teacher tells you but that is one of the most essential lessons of yoga? That 72-by-24-inch inch rectangle of natural rubber you’re confined to during class is essentially a case study in observing how you show up to anything in life. Because how you do yoga is how you do life. You’ll start to notice that you tend to respond to discomfort in a pose in the same way you respond to discomfort in a work situation, a challenging conversation, or something not going your way. We call that awareness “self study.” And it starts to happen when you start practicing yoga whether you intend for it to or not. In fact, that’s sorta the point.