I was recently asked the question “Is there such a thing as yoga class etiquette?” I was pleased to answer this question and I would like to share the answers with you.

YOGA CLASS ETIQUETTE

1.  COME TO CLASS CLEAN.  Personal Hygiene is good for you and the students around you. Make sure to shower before coming to class for cleanliness and to reduce or eliminate unpleasant body odor.  If you are unable to shower, take a few minutes in the bathroom before class to clean your feet and wipe off your skin with a wet wash cloth or towel.

2. DO NOT CARRY ON A CONVERSATION DURING CLASS.  Talking to a friend next to you or talking on the cell phone is very disruptive to the students and yoga teacher. Remember to turn off your cell phone and turn on awareness and concentration.

3. TELL THE TEACHER IF YOU HAVE TO LEAVE EARLY. If you have to leave early, make sure to tell your yoga teacher.  It is a sign of respect.  If you leave without telling your teacher, she/he may think you are injured and it will cause class disruption.

4. IF YOU LEAVE EARLY, MAKE SURE TO DO SAVASANA (CORPSE POSE) ON YOUR OWN.  Savasana is an essential part of the practice. Some believe it is the most important asana and that all other poses prepare our mind/body for Savasana. Do not leave without doing corpse pose, even if it is for a minute.

5.  LISTEN.  In class, the yoga instructor will provide verbal instructions, in addition to some demonstrations.  Do not rely on watching the teacher perform the postures. In fact, many yoga teachers are taught in school to give verbal instructions only.  Therefore, listen to the teacher’s verbal  instructions, tune into body awareness, and apply the instructions into your own body.

6. BREATHE SOFTLY DURING SAVASANA.  During Savasana, although it might be tempting to let out a big sigh or continue with ujjayi breathing, it is important to keep your breath to yourself.  Meaning, do not breathe so that your neighbor can hear you.  Savasana is a time to dive deep into relaxation and it is challenging to do that with a heavy breather by your side.  Savasana breath should be soft and natural.

7.  IF YOU SWEAT, BE CAREFUL NOT TO SPLATTER YOUR SWEAT ON YOUR NEIGHBOR.  In most yoga classes, you will perspire.  If you tend to sweat a lot, be mindful of those around you.  Bring a towel or two to class, so that you can wipe the sweat off your body when it gets heavy.

8.  APPROACH YOGA LIKE A MEDITATION, RATHER THAN A WORK-OUT, KEEP GRUNTING OUT OF IT.  Yoga class can be an excellent source of exercise for the body and mind.  Still, yoga is not like being in the weight room or like taking an aerobics class.  Practice yoga like you are meditating in motion.  Keep the breath long and deep, rather than short and shallow.  Soften and relax your facial muscles.  Do not grunt or make disruptive sounds when poses are challenging.  Move with grace and put your awareness on your inner environment.  The intention is to create a calm and content inner world, stress-free.

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We workout to improve our health, but we need to be aware of risks and preventable accidents that lurk at the gym.

Get a Yearly Check-Up: Most gyms and exercise programs will request or require that you get a check-up to ensure you don’t have a health problem that could be made worse by certain types of exercise. But medical conditions such as diabetes and heart disease can sneak up even for active people, so don’t skip your yearly check-up. Discuss your fitness plans with your doctor, especially if you have a pre-existing condition or are on medications. Most often your doctor will applaud your decision to get more active, but may have some restrictions or cautions if you have certain health problems or risks.

Don’t Skip the Warm-up and Cool-Down: Research on warm-ups and stretching has shown the warm-up to be the most important factor in preventing injury. As part of your cardio exercise session, start out at an easy pace and light exertion for 3 to 5 minutes before increasing your exertion to your target level. Take another couple of minutes to cool down at a lower exertion level after your main session. For strength training and other exercise activities, 3 to 5 minutes of walking on a treadmill or walking in place will help get the blood flowing to your muscles so you will be able to perform better.
Warm-ups vs. Stretching Research

Make Gradual Increases: Your body will experience a great training effect if you increase your time or intensity or reps of an exercise gradually. For strength training, start with lighter weights and increase the reps and sets before you increase the weights. For cardio exercise, increase the time and work on your form before increasing your speed and exertion level.

Use Good Technique: How you do the exercise is critically important both for getting good results and preventing injury. If you are lifting weights in a way that strains your lower back, eventually you will feel the strain. If you use bad posture and overstride on the treadmill, you will get aches and pains and overuse injuries. Working on core stability, positioning, and posture will help prevent injuries and sore muscles. Use a personal trainer for a couple of sessions to ensure you are doing the moves correctly.

Keep it Clean and Neat: One of the biggest risks of a gym accident is tripping over something left lying around. Clear the area of objects you may stumble over during your moves. Clean the equipment after you use it to prevent sharing colds and flu. Most gyms have disinfectant available for wiping down equipment.

Machine Safety: Treadmills, exercise bikes, and weight machines all have moving parts and the risk of pinching and crushing your fingers and toes if you aren’t paying attention. This is why most gyms do not allow children (no matter how well-supervised) in the workout area. Make sure pins and collars are used properly on weight machines and barbells. Be aware of who is working out around you, what motions they are using, and stay out of their way.

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