To be annoyed with these yoga people

[ApocalypseNowt]

Ok, so the other day I went to a beginner's yoga class.

It was at this lovely yoga centre in a converted church....beautiful place and I'd heard lots of good things about it.

Anyway the yoga man teaching the class is up on the stage bit doing his thing and we all start copying him. Well, at a conservative estimate I'd say that more than three quarters of the class were sodding yoga gurus! They were flawless, bendy, did all the 'hard' versions of the poses without breaking a sweat!

These people could have folded themselves into an overhead locker had they a mind to.

The class had a couple of helpers that kept coming over to people me to help adjust poses, etc. Majority of people needed no help whatsoever. They could have run the class to be honest.

AIBU to expect there to be mainly beginners at a BEGINNERS yoga class?

I appreciate there will be some variance between people who have never done it before and people who are progressing but really, most of the ones here could and should feck off to intermediate or advanced hero superstar level.

It just doesn't seem very yoga-minded to keep to a beginners class when you're clearly way past that level.

Rant over...!

[BicycleRider]

The thing is, once you're comfortable in a class and with a teacher you don't want to change. I'd take it as a good sign OP, the teacher is probably excellent and the "advanced" ones probably started out beginners like you--in a few months you'll be able to fold yourself up in a locker as well.

[ApocalypseNowt]

In my head I know that Rider but the grumpy part of me wants them to go away. I find being in a class with lots of 'perfect' people is demotivating.

I want everyone to be chubby, sweaty and a bit shit like me.

[MakeItRain]

Sounds annoying! But keep going and you too may soon be a smug, perfectly bendy "beginner" casting sympathetic glances at sweaty newcomers. Maybe it's easier than you think to fold yourself into a locker?

[sonyaya]

I understand where you're coming from but one of the things I love about yoga is it's generally a very supportive environment with an ethos of doing what feels right for you, rather than there being any element of competition or mocking those who are struggling a bit. So don't worry if everyone else in the class is better at the moment.

Stick at it!

[penguincrumble]

YABU


----
Sent from my locker which I'm folded into

[Imamouseduh]

Why does it matter to you what anyone else is doing? Keep your focus on your own mat.

[ApocalypseNowt]

Why does it matter to you what anyone else is doing? It matters because I'm a bit shrewish and grumpy and want to drag everyone down to my level

Not really. It's just a bit annoying.....I can't imagine these people were ever as rubbish as I am right now!

[ApocalypseNowt]

Also they all look the same.

[KatieScarlett]

I do a beginners class once a week along with more advanced classes.
I like it as I'm concentrating more on getting the basic postures/breathing absolutely correct and have more time in that class to do it.
The harder classes are fast moving and my practice class helps me to get the most out of them.
Give it a few months, you'll be just like them, everyone was all over the place to start with

[Zephyroux1]

I'm with you and I'm finding it increasingly common, I went to a beginners learn to swim class and most of the participants could already swim well. Same with a language class, I was a complete beginner (who the class was advertised for) and almost everyone else there knew a fair bit already. It bothered me a bit but then figured it was probably because they had low self esteem and had to be better than everyone else!!!!

[londonrach]

Yanbu. Its the reason i gave up yoga after few sessons. Noticed a few bad ones like me gave up to.

[ApocalypseNowt]

I get what people are saying about sticking with it but there should be some differentiation between classes or why bother with beginner/intermediate/advanced labels in the first place!

I'm glad i'm not the only one to see it. I don't know what the solution is....perhaps the instructors should be a bit more proactive in guiding people to the right level?

[Thecontentedcat]

Well yoga is about your journey, not anyone else's so just focus on that. You will get better!

[ApocalypseNowt]

Also with the best will in the world i'm not going to be like the other people in a few months. It would take years to get to their level.....!

[isupposeitsverynice]

Dunno about having to be better - maybe they just don't think they're that good? I overstated my welcome in beginners class and my teacher told me (nicely!) it was time to move on but I just assumed I'd be a mess in the next class along. Honestly everyone has to start somewhere - my teacher always says yoga isn't for bendy people, it's for people who want to bend, or something like that but significantly more eloquent. I practise at home a lot (well sometimes!) and that really helps. Stick with it, it'll make you less grumpy too 🙏

[isupposeitsverynice]

Oh no honestly you'd be really surprised how much progress you'll make with a few months of regular practise. It's amazing, very satisfying

[ChuckSnowballs]

I went to a C25K run in January and there were about 25 of us. About 20 ran off during the warm up walk. Leaving 5 of us doing the actual C25K with the 'helper' shouting 'can you just run a bit' every time anyone did the middle walking bit.

I went to a yoga class, a couple of years back, and the 'Yogi' kept shouting at me [at the back] to try this way and that way if you can't do it the way everyone else is doing it. Yeah, I can't do that because my fucking arm doesn't straighten! Which I told you about so that you didn't shout at me. Yoga cow. I nearly left halfway through - I should have done.

[ApocalypseNowt]

Thecontentedcat I am literally at the 'opening the front door and stepping out into the stree' bit of my journey. The smug yoga people should be back packing round the far east part of their journey (have travelled for free in an overhead locker) but instead they are hanging around outside my house so I can't get past.

[ApocalypseNowt]

I love that yoga fans are telling me i'm being U but in a really calm kind supportive way . You're making very hard to stay grumpy. Stoppit.

Thank you chuck and others for agreeing with me. Always appreciated!

[Thecontentedcat]

My class is quite a mix, and even though a lot of the class are quite advanced in their practice the 'easier' asanas can still be very challenging if you are aiming for perfect alignment etc., which you should be! so they would still get a lot out of a beginners class.
Your class sounds very large, I think smaller classes are better for beginners really.

[KatieScarlett]

Haha, it's true. DH says I'm like a completely different person when I'm back from a class, he thinks we get given tranquilisers on the way out.

[Fighterofthenightman]

I don't understand why the people there would be judged to be smug?

[HappyFlappy]

I'd be the same Makeit

In a beginners' class I'd want to feel that we were all on a level and could laugh at our mistakes and hep each other - if there were some who seemed as good as the teacher, I'd be too self-conscious to give it my all.

[Thecontentedcat]

apocolypse the yoga people outside your house made me laugh, just keep trying a few classes till you find one you feel comfortable in and suits you. You've opened the front door which is more than most people ever do! Yoga is really challenging but absolutely worth it, I am stronger and calmer now than I have ever been.

[321zerobaby]

@KatieScarlett
www.northernyogi.com/wp-content/uploads/before-yoga.jpg