Come Early
For your first class, come 15 to 20 minutes before your class starts. This is one of the best things you, as a new student, can do for yourself.
Besides filling out a short application, we like to have some time to ask you about injuries and surgeries, old or recent, including any conditions, temporary or permanent, that might preclude you from executing the postures. We need to know if you are currently taking any medication for any reason.
With all this information, we can offer suggestions about some postures, pick a good spot for you in the room, and put you at ease.
Fluids
We recommend plain water in class. In some of the practices we offer, we don’t drink water for the first 20 minutes or so to warm up the body inside out. After that, there are some spots, every 3 or 4 postures, where the teacher will encourage students to drink. If you can, wait with everybody else, great. Otherwise for the first class, drink as you need but only between postures.
A feeling of dizziness is normal here and there during the first few classes. It will go away later on. If you feel at some point that it is absolutely necessary for you to leave the room, please do it at the end of the posture. Same as you re-enter the class. please do it between postures. Take it easy, don’t push too much and talk to the teacher after class about how it went.
Sipping water throughout the day is a great way to hydrate your body in preparation for yoga class.
Coconut water seems to be still the best way to replenish the minerals lost through the profuse sweating. Some students drink it before and some others after class.
Hydration is obviously an important element of practicing hot yoga. The New Students Seminar will cover this issue and much more.
Don’t Eat
Come on an empty stomach.
In any type of yoga, you will find postures in which a mild to vigorous massage of the internal organs occurs. Some postures are specifically designed to work on the digestive and elimination systems. For this reason, you should not go through the digestive process during a yoga class.
A regular meal should be consumed at least 3 to 4 hours prior to class to allow for full digestion. A banana or a power bar might be OK an hour before class, depending on your body.
What to Wear
If you take a class in the heated room, what you wear should not be too heavy or too loose either.
For men: Running trunks or swimming trunks will do it. You don’t really need a t-shirt, but if you don’t feel comfortable without one, wear it. Keep in mind that cotton t-shirts get soaked pretty quickly.
For women: A sports bra or tank top is fine. As with men, t-shirts may get in the way, but wear one if you feel more comfortable. For the legs, we see anything from short, to mid-thigh, to below-the-knee exercise pants. Sweat pants are not recommended. Pants down to your feet will get in the way of several postures.
If you don’t have yoga clothing, don’t worry. Come with what you have, look at what other students are wearing during the practice and ask for suggestions after class. Make some adjustments or purchases only when you know you want to continue with hot yoga.
