New Student
New to the Studio | Tips for New Students | 10 Tips to Being a Good Yogi
New to the studio
Prior to your arrival:
View the schedule. If you’d like register ahead via the secure online system, allowing you to purchase classes and sign up for events, manage your account and see teacher substitutions and holiday schedules. The system recognizes you when you use the exact name and email address you gave us when you filled out your new student waiver form.
Park in the lot just east of the ONE Lexington building. It’s free, shaded & right next door. You can take the light rail and stop directly in front of our building.
Entering the Yoga Space:
Please remove your shoes and only take in what is absolutely necessary. Please leave cell phones, pagers and alarms in your car. During peak times, our classes are 15 minutes apart to get you out faster. We rent mats and towels. We sell water, coconut water, simple snacks, yoga mats, straps, blocks & yoga clothes.
We don’t mind if you’re late (we understand traffic around the valley can be tough) and we want you to be here to practice yoga! If you are late, please quietly enter the class and close the doors behind you.
We offer a limited number of lockers with locks as well as cubbies and shelving for you to leave belongings. We recommend not leaving your wallet or anything of irreplaceable value to you in these cubbies or on the shelves. No shoes or phones are allowed in the practice space.
Parental consent:
Students must be over the age of 14 in order to practice in group classes. If you are between 14 and 17 years old, please bring a waiver signed by your parent / guardian on your first visit.
Tips for New Students
- Be aware of students coming in after you who need a spot and be prepared to shift your mat a little bit to make the space more balanced for everybody.
- Leave no trace.
- Please clean up the floor around your mat before leaving.
- If you must leave early, practice by the doors and wait until a pose where students cannot see you go.
- Start simple – go for a Slow Flow or Foundations class.
- Practicing the poses correctly is the only way to have years of a fruitful practice.
- If you want to try deep stretching & meditation, take a Zen class. No beginners in Power! Even if you are athletic, try a Foundations course first.
- The poses & transitions are very important for the health and safety of your body.
- Try Foundations and Slow Flow first and once you have the technique down, come try it. Take a break when you need to and rest in a restorative posture like child’s pose, downward facing dog or table top.
- By the doors and windows is the coolest
- If people are already in the practice space, please respect the meditative environment.
- Our rooms are heated to 80-83degrees. The cool spots in the room are by the windows and doors.
- Bring an eye pillow or use a hand towel for an eye pillow for final relaxation pose.
- If balancing is a challenge, find a wall for support.
- Ask your instructor for help! Ask for variations and even quietly let them know of surgeries, limitations and health concerns you may be experiencing.
- Ask your teacher! Not sure if you’re doing a transition right, want to learn how to take a pose further? Go up to your teacher after class and ask.
- Shower Policy: Showers close 10 minutes after the last class. Please respect other students’ time by limiting your showers to 5 minutes.
- Hydrate! Replenish water and electrolytes!
- Lost and Found: Please check regularly. The lost and found is donated every 3 weeks!
- Furthering your Practice: Private sessions give you an opportunity to learn how you should approach each pose best suited for your body. Whether you are healing an injury, need support through an emotional time, a beginner wanting to learn more, or an advanced practitioner, you will dramatically deepen your yoga practice. Your instructor has ample time to devote & design the practice according to your needs with ample time for hands-on attention and support.
- Workshops: are typically on weekends and are not included in the regular group class packages or memberships (although discounts to members apply to most workshops). Often workshops have an additional fee and give you an opportunity to grow your practice in a number of ways. You can view our workshops and sign in on line.
10 Tips to Being a Good Yogi
1. Leave your phone in car. Decide whatever it can wait after you have your personal time on the mat. Don’t keep it outside the door or in a cubby where it buzzes, beeps & plays music at others.
2. Be as on time as possible. Remove your shoes and enter the practice space in a humble way. Delicately lay out your mat. Grab the props you may need and arrange them near your mat leaving room for other students to do the same.
3. Be kind and notice if you need to adjust your mat to make space for student(s) looking for a spot.
4.Stay through final relaxation pose, savasana. If you must leave early set up by the door, inform the instructor when possible, and quietly gather up your belongings making the quietest exit possible.
5. Wash your yoga clothes after each wear or at least air-dry them. Wear enough clothing to cover the essentials, please.
6. If you are sick, stay home and get better. Classes will be here when you feel better.
7. Stay with the poses being offered, modify if needed, and keep the practice healthy for your body. Try variations of the pose if you feel safe. If you take a little longer on one side, meet up with the class where they are & stay in the flow of the room. Inquire with the instructor before or after class if you have any questions or need guidance.
8. Take your practice off the mat. Allow your practice to bring more peace into your life and share that with others.
9. Check out our Karma classes on Sundays & the other charitable classes where we offer funds from classes to local organizations.
10. Ask questions. Be a curious Yogi & let us know how to better your experience at Urban Yoga. Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water!!!