Etiquette for your new gym membership

I sometimes dread going to the gym in January. The recruiters have done a good job in selling memberships, but they fail to share etiquette tips for the new members.  Some things seem like common sense, but as an interculturalist, I realize one person’s sensibility does not necessarily transfer to the next person. O.K. maybe these are just my pet peeves, but it is my blog and I’ll nag if I want to.  And I am quite sure that despite my veteran status, I do things to irritate people.  Each gym or studio has a  unique culture but most of the suggestions below are universal.  If you plan to try yoga, perhaps some of the following suggestions will help.

1) Make sure you stop eating two hours before your class. The class may not appreciate the intro to your gastric juices during class. My Yoga Practice Online actually has a scientific explanation as to why this practice is in the best interest of your health.
2) Believe it or not, on your first visit, it is not necessary to be able to do all the things you see the instructor doing. It is alright to go down to your knees into child’s pose. Many experienced practitioners modify their poses.  It is kind of like doing low impact aerobic exercises in a high impact class.
3) We usually don’t clap at the end of class as we just spent an hour trying to relax.
4) It is probably best to leave your shoes and phone against the wall or the back of the room. It gets pretty crowded in most classes.
5) In yoga, the instructors rarely demonstrate poses repeatedly until you get it “right.” If your body isn’t ready to move into a pose, it just won’t. Eventually you will build enough strength and flexibility to stand on your head with the best of them.  I got a couple of videos when I first started practicing that helped.  I like Rodney Yee’s beginner series.

Namaste