8 Little Things Yoga Instructors Really Wish You’d Stop Doing in Class
What to do instead: Ask yourself what’s going to give you the most effective version of the pose that day. And remember that taking a different variation is just another option, Elena says. “It doesn’t mean that it’s less hard or less good or less challenging.”Maybe one day you feel strong and powerful by fully extending your torso in upward dog, while the next you want to zero in on the biceps and triceps challenge of cobra pose. “Acknowledge the changes, the ebbs and flows of our bodies,” Paris says. This is what makes yoga sustainable as a long-term practice throughout our lives.7. You go rogue with your poses.Yes, many poses are meant to be scaled up or down. But when you pull out a fancy upside-down inversion or arm balance that’s wildly disconnected from what the rest of the class is doing, you’re disrespecting the teacher’s intentions, and could distract students around you.“That really bothers me as a teacher when it feels less about adapting the practice for you and more about, How can I show off this handstand in the middle of class?” Elena says. Result: It can seriously disrupt the energy of the room.What to do instead: Many teachers offer a couple of minutes for “yogi’s choice” at the end of class before settling into Savasana. This is your moment to try any skills you’re interested in working on, Elena says. If you never get that opportunity, consider seeking out a different class that might be a better fit for what you’re interested in, she adds.You can also take advantage of transition times between classes. “Chat with the teacher either before or after class,” Elena suggests. A good instructor will then give you one-on-one feedback if the pose does come up during class, or at least suggest exercises to work on in your own time.8. You always hide in the back—or hog the front.It’s pretty common to have a go-to spot in the room when we hit up the same class regularly. “Maybe you go to the back or go to the front,” Paris says. Although there isn’t necessarily anything wrong with that, it can be a missed opportunity.Many of us assume that when we’re in the front, all eyes are on us. However, “I really think most people are only thinking about themselves,” Paris says. But even just the thought of being in other people’s field of vision can affect your approach—and it can be good for you. “If you’re like, ‘You know what? Today, I’m going to go in the front and I’m going to commit to not being perfect, but I’m showing up,’ that is going to translate into any area in your life where you are challenged,” she says.What to do instead: Switch up your place in the studio. “Showing up on the front could be an opportunity to take up space,” Paris says. “And then also, some people who are always in the front, they have an opportunity to give space to someone else to step into that.”She suggests finding a balance, and questioning whether your comfort zone is serving you. “It’s just an invitation to try new things—and not to be in comparison,” she says.If any of these habits seem all too familiar, know that they simply represent an area to grow.There’s a reason yogis call it a “practice.” The point isn’t to be perfect, but to embrace where you are even as you work to become stronger and more flexible (both physically and mentally). Learning about habits that may be holding you back is simply part of the journey. “Don’t beat yourself up about it,” Elena says.Although it might surprise some to hear it, Michelle actually encourages students not to take yoga so seriously: “It’s okay to laugh!”Similarly, Paris also suggests not overthinking your yoga experience. “Just show up and fall out of the pose and get back up and take a break, go into child’s pose, drink some water, maybe go to the bathroom if you need to, and come back to it,” she says. “And as you continue to come back, as you are, you’ll continue to grow.”This article originally appeared on Self.
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