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...!

God how dispiriting to find people bitching about beginners at Yoga classes. Namaste.

Interesting, randomer how differently people read threads: to me, this thread contains a lot of encouragement to beginners, a lot of posters explaining why there may be people who don't look like beginners in a yoga class, pkus reassurance to the OP that nobody really looks at other people in a yoga class, and she should just do her thing for herself.

The bitching I've read on this thread has been towards people who dare to try to be good at something. Nasty tall poppy stuff. That's very dispiriting.

I haven't seen anyone disparaging beginners. Just people who give up on a class simply because others there have been doing it longer.

On the cost of classes: the iyengar class I go to is taught by two senior teachers. That's nearly 40 years of yoga experience between them. They are brilliant. They provide all the props, (mats, blankets, blocks, chairs, bricks, weights, belts and some really special stuff to support headstands and back bends) though you are also free to take your own. Each class is 90 minutes and they quite often teach longer. It's £12 for a drop-in rate, £40 for a block of 4 and I pay a £90 pcm saver pass which gives me unlimited access - I could go to four classes a week, but generally manage three. It may be more expensive than zumba or a class provided as a bundle with gym membership, but I'm getting really great tuition from people who have seriously invested in their own practice and - most importantly - are really good teachers. If you are finding your class too expensive, might be because the teachers aren't providing good enough value. The classes are often quite mixed levels, because it's difficult to get enough people through the door to make the class economic if you're going to 'stream' people too rigorously but good teachers manage the class well and Iyengar yoga 'grades' postures and the props make asanas accessible to different levels. So, OP, congratulations on starting yoga, and maybe experiment with different schools of yoga - I love Iyengar, but there are others.

Had a similar scenario with adult ballet class, but told the other "beginners LOL") how marvelous they were and found they would help me as well as the tutor.

I've enjoyed this thread - I too have been 'corrected' in savasana
Also second Iyengar, the class I go to at the moment is very inclusive of different people's abilities and welcoming. Plenty of grimacing and laughter when something is really challenging. You need a smaller class with a more accessible teacher, I think.

A practical suggestion if you would like to be with people who were all absolute beginners is to see if anywhere near you runs beginners courses (as opposed to classes). I went on one when starting out and everyone on a course is quite likely to be at the same stage (not many will repeat a 'course' in the same way that they will continue to come to lower level classes) and you get a really good grounding in the basics, with a clear progression in what you're being taught. So I'd recommend seeing if anywhere offers that near you.

Why would someone not want to be corrected? Surely one major advantage of a class over a DVD is getting the benefits of being taught how to do it properly? Are there people who actively want to hurt themselves and stunt their progress?

Oh, PoorYorick I've seen it with adult beginners in ballet. They don't like corrections because they feel embarrassed or that the teacher is telling them off. It's lack of knowledge and experience about how one learns a complex physical skill. Hopefully, a teacher will explain that that's the way to improve. But I've also seen beginners get a bit huffy at being corrected. I don't understand it - don't they want to learn & improve?

Personally, I am always very grateful for a correction - I have one teacher (in a beginners ballet class) who has the eyes of a hawk, and will always correct my alignment. At my advanced age (late 50s) I'm still learning. Hands on adjustments (corrections in the dance world) are the BEST way to learn a physical skill.

I've never been corrected in savasana (probably snoring too loudly!) but there's a ballet saying:

"The plié is the first thing you learn, and the last thing you master."

I had a correction on my demi-plié only last week.

Wow. Well if I was paying a professional for their time and expertise, I'd be pretty pissed off if they saw me fucking it up and didn't tell me.

That saying about the plié also explains why more advanced people might want to go to a class that's also suitable for beginners....because drilling the basics is important. It's easy to fall into bad habits as you progress and need to go back to the roots.

because drilling the basics is important

Yes yes yes. It's why I do at least 1 beginners class (ballet) most weeks (and my ageing body, dammit)

I really wouldn't worry about others in the class or what you think others are thinking about you. What I love about yoga is that everyone can progress from the place they start from. And even really advanced yogis who have been doing it for years struggle in some poses, practice leads to amazing progression but anatomy sometimes intervenes! Anyway, ultimately it's all about you, not anyone else!

don't think i could keep quiet though so maybe not a retreat

Not all retreats are silent!

When (due to timings) I have to go to the "beginner" class, the teacher makes me do the simpler versions of the postures but expects me to do them PERFECTLY
its good discipline

in ballet a perfect batement tendu is as much an achievement as a fouette

And actually much harder! (but I'm a turner)

SoOveritNow - this thread made me look at the website (it was a sent brochure when I went!)

It still looks heaven. Although expensive! I'm sure it was about £475 for two weeks in June and September. Ok that was about 17 years ago...

My mum trained as a yoga teacher several years ago and now does classes in France - wonder if I can convince her to go with me (and pay...)

So funny. I have been attending a yoga class for a year now. I may not be quite the least bendy but I'm at the low end. Once you get familiar with the moves, you can keep your eyes closed. Bear mind some people will hav been doing this for 20 years, some do more than the weekly class, and some are hypermobile. Of course, some are fitter and more flexible, but that is our aspiration!