Yogalife

"Mat Savvy" - by Erin Hobday

Yoga's fun, easy, and safe (not to mention a bargain). You're going to love it - even more so when you use these eight key beginners' tips from our master teacher. This way, you'll look like a pro from the get-go.
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Before you set foot in a yoga class, you should be able to wrap your legs around your head, keeping a beatific smile on your face while choking on incense and simultaneously engaging your bandha (yes, that's legal).

Just kidding! None of this need apply - provided you act on our advice. Here's how to avoid common pitfalls and surprises, as well as looking like the rank amateur you are. Baron Baptiste, a tough-love teacher who specializes in boot camps for the uninitiated, is here to guide you. His need-to-know info:

*This is not a cult
Closer to physiology class than a Trekkie convention, yoga is a bona fide science. Yes, some instructors talk of prana (the life force), display Hindu or Buddhist deities, or lead classes in brief chanting. Don't let this stuff spook you; just consider it something to focus on, rather than, say, the sirens outside or your neighbor's cute toe ring. Concentrate on the techniques you're learning, especially matching your movements to your breathing. "Focusing on the physical aspects of yoga is where you start," Baptiste says. "The rest is yours for the taking but entirely optional."

*Give your Visa card a breather
Your "new" yoga clothes are already in your chest of drawers. Forget baggy sweats and tees, though: "Tight-fitting clothes allow teachers to see how your body is set, so they can adjust your pose," Baptiste says. A tank top with a built-in bra and capris or boot-cut leggings with Lycra will do the job. Don't waste cash on yoga shoes; bare feet are the rule. Do buy a new mat. Germs thrive on studio-owned mats, and yours will probably pack more cushion and stickiness than the studio's tired stock.

*Your yoga's only as good as your teacher
Teachers registered with the Yoga Alliance have had 200- to 500-plus hours of training at an approved studio. (Go to yogaalliance.org and click on "Registered Teachers" to plug in a name.) In class, an experienced instructor will recognize when a student is struggling and "allow individuals to adapt each posture to themselves," Baptiste says. Another clue you're in good hands: The teacher asks new faces in the room to describe their experience levels and injuries before class.

*The front row is for geeks
Okay, not really. But new students should choose another spot. "Start in the second row or the middle of the room so you can see what the teacher is doing and what the rest of the class is doing," Baptiste says. You might want to take a spot near the wall for support during balancing moves and standing stretches. (And, no, that's not considered cheating.)

*Don't freak out - call time-out
Anytime you feel that you can't hang in class, just take a break by going into child's pose: Kneel on the floor, sitting on your heels. Bring your big toes together and your knees about hip-width apart, then lean forward, lying facedown on the mat with your torso between your thighs. Breathe, counting to four on the inhale and four on the exhale. "At first this might feel like admitting defeat, but it's really a sign that you own your own practice," Baptiste says, "and that you're cool with your body's limitations."

*Sometimes blocking is a good thing
Grab two of those foam or wooden bricks piled on one side of the studio and keep them next to your mat. (Phone books work at home.) If you can't bend over and reach the ground in standing poses, these props will allow you to stretch deeper and align better. You can also wrap a canvas or cloth strap around the foot of an outstretched leg during seated poses to prevent back strain.

*Wetter is better
Yoga can be hot, slippery, and thirsty work. Make sure you bring a water bottle- grab a biggie for vigorous Vinyasa or power yoga. Hydrate yourself, knocking back plenty of agua before class, then again both during and after. Have a headache? You haven't drunk enough.

*Don't slip up To avoid pushing up into downward dog only to have your hands whoosh out from under you, "place a towel over your mat and under your hands and feet," Baptiste says. And don't forget: "If you find yourself getting dizzy, go into child's pose until you feel clearheaded again."

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