Yoga Beginners: Here’s What to Expect in a Yoga Class

Stephanie Gonzalez
Jun 14
4 min read

If you’re looking for a way to move your body, ease your mind, calm your nerves, or even find relief from chronic pain, yoga is a great option. It’s no wonder the number of people who practice yoga in the United States has tripled in the last 20 years.

We love yoga beginners at Delta Groove Yoga in Midtown Memphis, and we understand that it can be intimidating to try something new. In this blog post, we’ll break down what you can expect from your first yoga class.

What happens in a yoga class?

At Delta Groove, yoga classes start with a period called centering where you are invited to set aside whatever was on your mind before you arrived or anything you have to do later and drop into your body. You do that by noticing sensations and concentrating on your breath. Each teacher does this in their own style, and techniques might include:

Scanning your body and noticing areas of lightness or heaviness
Following the path of your breath as it travels through your body
Bringing your attention to different parts of your body
Working with different breathing styles, otherwise known as pranayama

After centering, classes move into a warm up where you start with slower movements that open the body and start to work different body parts. Most styles of yoga follow an effort arc, where you warm up at the beginning, have a period of effort in the middle, and then cool down at the end. The period of effort varies based on the class though. For example, in a gentle class, the middle will be a less vigorous form of effort than in a slow flow or vinyasa class. And in restorative and yin classes, there will be less of an arc altogether.

>> Read more about the different styles of yoga here.

Every yoga class ends with a resting and integration period known as savasana. During savasana, you lie still on your mat and surrender to relaxation, letting go of physical effort and letting the practice work on your body.

What should I bring to a yoga class?

We have everything you need. Unlike many studios, we let you borrow mats for free rather than rent them, and we supply props like blankets, blocks, and bolsters for use during the class. Our yoga teachers will give you prompts for how and when to use yoga props to support your practice.

>> Read more about how to use props to support your yoga practice here.

Many people decide to purchase their own yoga mat, and some bring their own props to class as well. The Delta Groove Yoga Boutique has all of these items for purchase if you decide you’d like to have your own. Otherwise, just bring your beautiful self and an open mind.

What should I wear to a yoga class?

The most important thing to keep in mind when dressing for yoga is that you can move freely and that you’re comfortable in whatever you’re wearing. Some people choose to wear stretchy yoga pants, others prefer loose cotton clothing. Really it’s up to you and what feels best on your body as you move.

Keep in mind that depending on the class, you might want different clothing. A more dynamic class might involve a lot of stepping forward and back, so pants with baggy legs could get in the way during that class. However, during a gentle class or restorative class, where most positions are on the floor and movement is much slower, baggy pants or looser clothing might be just fine.

Tips for yoga beginners

One of the most important things to remember as you begin your journey into yoga is that it is for you and only for you. I assure you that there is not a teacher at the Groove who is judging your ability to get into a pose. The thing that impresses us the most is the ability of our students to take care of their own bodies and meet themselves fully where they are today. So a few other tips:

Tell your teacher if you’re new to yoga. They’ll make sure to provide you with some ideas for modifications and tips on how to use props and they’ll keep a general eye on you to provide support along the way. Yoga teachers love nothing more than helping new students grow their love for yoga.

Remember that it’s your practice. You’re doing yoga to benefit you, not to prove anything in class. If you need a break, take a break. If you need to skip a pose, do it. If a teacher cues a pose that doesn’t feel good in your body, just come out of it. And that goes double if it feels like joint pain. In yoga, we work with our edge, and that might mean effort and it can mean muscle soreness, but it should never mean pain.

Embrace the beginner mindset. There’s no graduating from yoga. No matter how long you’ve been practicing, there’s always something new to learn — and that’s part of what makes yoga so interesting! It’s a journey into your body and how things feel in your body. So continue to listen to cues and search for them in your body. Continue to inquire into what different poses feel like and how making small micro adjustments in your body changes the pose, maybe giving you exactly what you need out of that pose. Yoga is a process of self discovery and it never ends. Treat every class like it’s your first class and you’ll learn something new every time.

Find the right class for you. Delta Groove offers more than 40 classes per week, ranging from gentle to slow flow to vinyasa to kundalini. There’s no better way to find the right class for you than to try a number of classes, so don’t be shy about checking a class out and adjusting the class for your body.