What to wear or bring
Wear something comfortable enough to bend, reach, sit, and lie down in. Bring a mat if the space does not provide one. A light layer can be useful for the quieter parts of class.
Before your first session
Before your first yoga session
What a first session usually looks like, without any assumptions about what you already know.
What happens on arrival
You will usually choose a place for your mat, gather any props, and hear a little about the class before moving. Classes may begin seated, lying down, standing, or with a few quiet breaths.
Experience needed
None. You do not need to know pose names or be flexible before you begin.
If you cannot do a movement
Use a prop, make the shape smaller, choose another position, or rest. You can skip a pose without explaining yourself.
Private or group
Both. Group classes vary widely in pace and style. Private sessions can be useful when you want more time with particular movements or want help finding a way of practicing that fits.
Good to tell them
Share any movement limitations, balance concerns, pregnancy, or preferences about hands-on adjustments before class begins.
What surprises people
A yoga class can include effort, sweat, long pauses, props, and rest. Flexibility is not the price of admission.