My first yoga class
Whatever fears you may have going into your first yoga class, don’t worry… Tina McAra has been there, done it, and lived to tell the tale
I have my yoga mat and blanket in the back of the car, that’s all the advert said I needed to bring (I’m looking forward to the blanket bit). I’m wearing new leggings, they are a kind of jungle camouflage. With any luck they will camouflage all the unsightly lumps and bumps – they are tight, they are ‘4-way stretch’ (blimey, I hope that doesn’t mean I have to stretch four ways?).
On the subject of leggings, should I wear pants? I’m in my fifties and have never been anywhere without my knickers on! I’ve decided to wear my big M&S pants; I hope that the camouflage will hide any tell-tale elastic.
I’m wearing my old trainers, I don’t want to look like I’ve ‘got all the gear but no idea’. I think that I’ll have to take them off anyway…oh no I should have probably got a pedicure! One last look in the rear-view mirror to check my lipstick – do you wear lipstick to a yoga class? Lipstick is a bit like knickers, I never go out without wearing both!
I hoick up my yoga bra straps. As a larger busted lady I haven’t been able to find a yoga bra that fits properly, but I don’t know if you can just wear a normal one? Can you wear just a yoga bra? Or should you wear something over it? Again, I’ve never been out in just a bra.
So, I have knickers, lipstick and bra – I’m ready!
What will they all think of me? Although I’m fairly slim and petite I’ve never really done any exercise. Will they all laugh at me?
Oh, I nearly forgot my water bottle. If I take my water bottle I can pretend that I’m ‘rehydrating’ if I need a bit of a break.
Later on…
Well, that was really lovely, especially the blanket bit. I found out that when you all have your bums in the air in ‘downward dog’ you can’t see anyone else; that obviously means they can’t see you either.
In fact, I can’t actually remember looking at anyone other than the instructor. I didn’t notice if anyone was wearing knickers, lipstick or a bra, I was too busy concentrating on myself and what I was doing.
I didn’t get all the poses correct: my ‘tree’ was blowing in the wind, I was very tempted to moo in ‘cat/cow’ and I’m not sure that ‘mountain’ is a particularly well-named pose. But, I enjoyed it, all the same. I’m feeling calm, serene and stretched.
Will I be going back next week? Absolutely!
Tina McAra is the yarn half of yoga-and-yarn.co.uk
Om Magazine
First published in November 2009, OM Yoga magazine has become the most popular yoga title in the UK. Available from all major supermarkets, independents and newsstands across the UK. Also available on all digital platforms.
