New to Yoga? Here’s What You Actually Need to Know Before Your First Class

If you’re thinking about trying yoga for the first time, you might have a few questions.

Am I flexible enough? What do I wear? What if I can't do the poses? Do I need to bring a mat? Is everyone going to be staring at me? What if I don't know what I'm doing?

First: take a breath.

You don't need to know what you're doing. That's literally what being new means.

And at Heart & Grit Yoga, we don't expect you to walk through the door already knowing how to yoga.

So if you're new to yoga, here's what we'd want you to know before you walk through the door.

1. You absolutely do NOT need to be flexible.

This is probably the biggest misconception about yoga.

You don't need to touch your toes.

You don't need to put your leg behind your head.

You don't need to look like the person demonstrating the pose.

And you definitely don't need to be able to fold yourself into a human pretzel.

At Heart & Grit, yoga isn't about achieving a particular shape. We're much more interested in how you move, how you control that movement, and how you can build strength and mobility that actually transfers to your life outside the studio.

Because let's be honest: nobody cares how beautifully you can put your foot behind your head when you're trying to get off the floor, carry your groceries, climb stairs or get up from the couch.

We want your yoga to help you live better.

2. You don't need to be "a yoga person."

In fact, we're pretty sure there isn't a yoga person. There are just people who do yoga.

Some people are naturally flexible. Some are incredibly stiff.

Some have been athletic their entire lives. Others haven't exercised in years.

Some are 25. Some are 65.

Some can balance on one leg like a flamingo. Others occasionally lose their balance putting on their pants.

All of them can benefit from functional movement training (the thing we do).

That's why we don't build our classes around what a pose is supposed to look like. We use science, biomechanics and functional movement principles to help you understand why you're doing something and how it should feel.

There isn't one "perfect" body for yoga.

There isn't one "right" way to look.

And nobody is grading you.

3. Wear something you can actually move in.

You don't need a special yoga wardrobe. Wear something comfortable and breathable that allows you to move without constantly adjusting your clothes.

Leggings, shorts, joggers, a T-shirt, a tank top, whatever makes you comfortable. This isn't a showroom and we aren't here to model our cute new outfits.

And yes, you will take your shoes and socks off for most classes. That's intentional.

We want your feet to actually interact with the floor because your feet play an important role in balance, stability and movement. Socks can also get slippery, which isn't exactly ideal when you're trying to stay upright.

Yin is the exception if you'd prefer to keep your socks on. 

4. Please get a decent yoga mat.

This is one place where we're going to encourage you not to grab the $10 yoga mat from Dollar Tree or Amazon.

You don't need a $150 luxury yoga mat either.

But a decent-quality mat with good traction is absolutely worth it.

A mat that slides around underneath you, or gets slippery when you sweat, is frustrating and can make certain movements less stable. Sometimes it can actually lead to injuries.

If you're brand new and don't know whether yoga is even going to be your thing, don't panic. We have a mat you can borrow for your first one or two classes while you figure out what you like. We don't rent mats, but we do have blocks and straps available for everyone.

And bring water. Your body will thank you.

5. Show up early for your first class.

This one is important. Give yourself 10–15 extra minutes.

You don't want your first experience with yoga to be running through a parking lot, trying to find the studio, throwing your stuff down and sprinting into the room as everyone else is settling in.

Give yourself time to park, come inside, introduce yourself and get situated.

At Heart & Grit, we'd much rather have the chance to say hello and help you get comfortable than have you walk in already stressed.

And there's another reason to arrive on time: we lock the doors once class starts.

It's not because we're mean. It's because we're trying to create a safe, calm environment for the people already in the room. A late arrival can disrupt the class, and we don't want someone walking in after we've started (including the Grubhib driver looking for the food next door).

So give yourself a little buffer. Your future, less-stressed self will appreciate it.

6. Your first class might feel a little weird.

And that's okay.

You're learning new movements. You're hearing unfamiliar terminology.

You're trying to figure out which foot goes where while simultaneously wondering what everyone else is doing. That's a lot for your brain.

And here's the thing we really want you to understand:

You aren't supposed to be good at something you've never done before.

Our teachers will explain things. They'll demonstrate. They'll give you options. They'll help you understand what you're doing and why.

You don't have to nail every pose.

You don't have to keep up perfectly.

You don't have to know what "down dog" means before you walk in.

You just have to be willing to try.

7. You are allowed to take a break.

This is one of our favorite rules: You are in charge of your body.

If you need to rest, rest.

If something doesn't feel right, back off.

If you need water, take a drink.

If the teacher gives you an option and another one feels better for your body, choose the one that works for you.

Yoga isn't a test of how much discomfort you can tolerate. Our science-backed approach means we're interested in creating appropriate challenge, not forcing everyone into the same shape regardless of their body, experience or limitations.

There is a difference between something feeling challenging and something feeling wrong.

Learning that difference is part of the practice.

8. Don't compare yourself to the person next to you.

We know. It's hard not to.

But here's the truth: You have no idea where that person started.

And they have no idea where you started.

Yoga isn't a competition because your body, history, strength, mobility, injuries, experience and goals are completely different from the person beside you.

So your job is not to do their practice. Your job is to learn your body and to create your unique practice.

That's one of the reasons we keep our classes relatively small. It is common to see our classes half full and we like it that way. And in a room that could hold 30 people, we cap our biggest classes are capped at 20 people, with smaller limits for Yin and Dynamic Strength, so there's room to move and teachers can actually see what's happening in the room.

9. Start with the right class.

If you've never done yoga before, we recommend Mindful & Strong as your starting point. Or check in to see if we are running a Beginner Series.

It's slower, breaks down the poses and gives you more opportunity to understand what you're doing.

Once you get comfortable, you can explore the rest of the schedule and find the classes that fit your goals and personality. We find that most beginners who walk in are doing all of our classes within 30-60 days of starting.

You can check out a detailed description, and the class schedule HERE.

10. You might actually sweat.

Despite the stereotypes, yoga isn't necessarily lying quietly on a mat while listening to peaceful music. Some of our classes are definitely going to make you work.

We incorporate strength, mobility, balance and control into our classes because getting stronger is part of staying capable as you age.

And no, that doesn't mean we're going to throw you into a 90-minute pretzel-making session. And no, we don't crank the heat to 90 degrees and toss you into a sweat box (curious, why, read about it here.)

Our classes are designed to challenge you appropriately while giving you options based on your body and experience.

11. You don't have to buy into the yoga stereotypes

You don't need to become a different person.

You don't need to change your lifestyle.

You don't need to wear a certain outfit, adopt a particular philosophy or suddenly start saying "namaste" to everyone you meet.

You can simply come in, move your body, learn something and leave feeling a little better than when you arrived. That's enough.

12. You might be surprised by how quickly things change.

The goal isn't to become amazing at yoga. The goal is to become better at being in your body.

Maybe stairs feel easier.

Maybe you can get off the floor more comfortably.

Maybe you notice you have better balance.

Maybe you feel stronger.

Maybe your hips and shoulders don't feel quite as stiff.

Maybe you're more aware of how you move.

Those are the things we care about.

Because the real measure of a yoga practice isn't what you can do on the mat.

It's what your body can do because of it.

So…are you ready to try?

If you've been thinking about trying yoga but have been waiting until you're more flexible, stronger, thinner, less nervous, less busy or somehow more "ready"…

Stop waiting.

You don't have to get ready to start yoga. Starting is how you get started.

At Heart & Grit, beginners are welcome. Our classes are intentionally designed for real people, real bodies and real life.

Come exactly as you are.

We'll take it from there.

Get started with our New Client Offer and special rate 👉🏼 SPECIAL OFFER