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FitYaf's 1 Year Blogiversary

6/20/2014

Tomorrow marks the first day of summer, which is also my 1-year Blogiversary (check out my first blog post ever)! Although my blogging has been a little sporadic lately, I thought I'd update you all on how things are going over here at FitYaf! I first started this blog after running a "100 days till summer" Challenge Group. There were so many great things that came out of the challenge - I wanted a place to share it beyond my group.

What has my fitness been like lately?

When 2014 rolled around, I set myself some fitness goals for the year. I was very happy with everything I achieved in 2013, and was looking forward to what 2014 had in store. I also had some personal (non fitness related goals), and if you follow be on Instagram or Twitter, you might already know that my husband and I are expecting our first child in October of this year! While I planned to be (and to this day still am) very active throughout my whole pregnancy, I quickly decided that maybe this year was not the year for these goals. After talking to my doctor, I got the go ahead to continue exercising (and teaching fitness classes), but as far as pushing myself beyond my current fitness level - I just didn't feel comfortable doing that. I did manage to hit one of those goals about a week before I got pregnant, so I can check off "run a 5k in under 25 minutes".

Once I found out I was pregnant, I was a little scared to keep up with my workouts, specifically running. My running workouts were typically completed in the early hours of the morning, and while I was very lucky in the "morning sickness" department, I still didn't feel great in the mornings. At first I did try to keep up with my "1000 miles in 2014" goal, running 91 miles in January, 84 miles in February and 74 miles in March, but tracking the miles was putting a lot of pressure on me, so I decided to save this goal for 2015. As it turns out, at around 14 weeks, I developed some pelvic pain that has pretty much stopped all running for the time being. I was able to run the Philly Love Run in March, and although I didn't train to hit my "under 1 hour and 50 minutes" goal, I finished the race (came in at about 2 hours and 10 minutes) and felt AMAZING!

Not running has given me more time to try out other workouts, or spend more time doing the workouts I was already doing. I'm spending more time with Insanity (about 2 times/week) and Melissa Bender workouts (about once/week). I've also been able to continue teaching 3 classes/week (boot camp, Bodypump and step aerobics). Sometimes it takes a little extra creativity to motivate the class when my own energy is dragging, but I'm up for the challenge. I'm also BEYOND excited to start Chalene Johnson's BRAND NEW AT HOME PiYo workout program. I just ordered mine yesterday, and I think it's going to be a great way to add some variety to my fitness. PiYo is an amazing workout that previously was only available in select gyms, but now you can order your own at a HUGE discount (while supplies last). This program is a mix between Pilates and Yoga and helps build lean muscle! Think - fast hot yoga but with the air conditioning on and awesome music playing!

So for now, I'm still working out about 6 times/week and loving this whole pregnancy journey. I'm taking it day by day without any expectations. I'm trying my best not to worry about every workout or every pound gained, and I look forward to revisiting my 2014 goals next year!

What have I been blogging about?

Over the past year, my blog posts have covered topics from recipes to healthy habits to workouts and more! Below are my top 5 blog posts:

My readers come from all over the world, but here are the top 5 cities where people love FitYaf:

Philadelphia
New York
Chicago
Minneapolis
Los Angeles

And finally, here are the top 5 blog posts that people find through searching on Google:

What is coming in the future?

In the immediate future, I have two Challenge Groups starting soon: a Shaun T boot camp and a PiYo boot camp. You can email me if you have any questions or if you're interested in joining on of these.

I do have some exciting product reviews, giveaways and recipes, coming your way this summer, and I'm going to be posting some more Fitness Friday Workouts. I'm not signed up for any races, and I don't plan to race again until next year. I look forward to the second half of my pregnancy and of course meeting my baby fitness guru in October!

What do you want to see more of on FitYaf.com? Have you had experience working out through a pregnancy?

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BondiBand Review and Giveaway

6/2/2014

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If you've got long hair and/or you sweat a lot when you workout, you probably are constantly searching for the perfect headband to keep your face dry and hair-free during your workouts. If you're anything like me - you're convinced your going blind the moment your sweat drips into your eye.

I do have a couple brands of go-to headbands, but I'm always looking for something new. That's why I was so excited when BondiBands sent me some to try out. Not only are these headbands fun and functional with great wicking capabilities, the company also donates 10% of all profits to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts.

There are headbands of all colors and sizes, and even ones with fun sayings on them. These are the ones I was sent to try out:

I tried these bands out for both a high intensity cardio workout and a weightlifting session. The bands staying in place and were able to wick-away all of the sweat from my forehead (which can be A LOT during those high intensity cardio sessions).

Here are a few facts about BondiBand:

Their products are unisex.
They are 100% American made.
They can be worn on their own or under other hats, helmets, and visors.
They are made of stretchy, breathable material which allows them to fit virtually every head size and shape.
Their fashion lycra fabric is fun and perfect for every day.
In warm weather the "No Slip, No Drip" moisture wicking headbands are great to wick away sweat, keep hair back, and keep ear buds in ears.
In colder weather, they are great to keep your ears warm.
Bondi Band donates 10% of pretax profits to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
In addition to the headbands they offer armbands, wristbands, wicking hats, wicking ponytail hats, wicking pigtail hats, wicking neck gators, wicking sweat towels, and even items for your children and dogs!!!
They offer customized products.

But don't take my word for it - try it out on your own. Enter below to win your own FREE BondiBand!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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What I love about group fitness

2/27/2014

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Recently, I was teaching a Bodypump class, and as I scan the room, checking people's form, I realized that a few people were flat out just not doing the workout the rest of the class was doing. Now sometimes in group fitness, a participant will come up to me in the beginning of class to let me know about an injury and ask for modifications, which I appreciate, but this wasn't the case in this particular class. At the end of the day, it's the participants' workout, but first and foremost is our participants' safety while engaging in group exercise, so I can't help but take it personally when participants come to my class, stand up front even, and then do their own thing. It makes me wonder why they are even coming to my class in the first place. There is so much I love about group fitness that I wouldn't get out of the experience if I was just chugging along doing my own thing. But everyone is different - and maybe you're taking a group fitness class for a completely different reason!

Which brings me to...

I feel like I'm a rockstar

Imagine you're running a race, and you all start and end at exactly the same time. Your feet hit the ground together with every foot strike. Pretty amazing, right? That's what every group fitness class is like for me. It's one thing to complete an awesome workout, but it's a completely different feeling when you're doing it with 30 other people.

It holds me accountable

Group fitness classes are at a specific time each day. Often times, you have your favorite classes and you create a schedule for yourself. The class isn't going to wait for you to finish watching that episode of House Hunters - it's going to happen whether you're there or not, which believe it or not makes it more likely you'll go. If you can do something at any hour of the day, you're more likely to procrastinate, but when you have one chance that day, you're going to be there!

It keeps variety in my workout routine

If left to do my own thing at the gym, I'm probably going to stick to the treadmill and some dumbbells - my comfort zone. Group fitness classes add so much more variety to my workout routine. I would never get on the stationary bike in the gym, but a spinning class? Absolutely!

The people I meet

I've said it before and I'll say it again - the people you meet in the group fitness setting are second to none. There is so much camaraderie and respect in one room, it's amazing the whole room doesn't explode.

What do you love (or not love) about group fitness?

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Philadelphia Diva Dash - Team FitYaf

2/20/2014

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Are you a runner who wants to take things to the next level? Or maybe you want to just have some fun with your girlfriends? Do you live in the Philadelphia area? Well, I have JUST THE RACE FOR YOU!

What is the SHAPE Diva Dash?

Forget barbed wire, fire pits and mud. We’re talking a women’s-only 5k course dotted with fun obstacles sure to challenge your agility, balance, strength and speed. Add in copious amounts of tutus, boas and bling, plus enthusiastic camaraderie, and you’ve got SHAPE Diva Dash.

Join the competitive wave and battle for a top finish and prize or saunter along at your own pace. We’ll time your efforts (if you want), but there’s no pressure to finish fast, so have a great time as you run, walk, jog or slog your way to the finish.
Tackle tough obstacles that challenge you or take the easy route. It’s your call. Different degrees of difficulty on some obstacles give you the chance to make the Dash as hard…or easy…as you want.
Sign up with your favorite ladies so you can be in the same starting wave. And don’t forget costumes! Tutus, boas, bling, and whatever other embellishments you can dream up are all the rage at the SHAPE Diva Dash.

What is the SHAPE Diva Dash Course Like?

The SHAPE Diva Dash course covers about 3 miles of trail, sand, and road. Each course is different. And just to keep things interesting, we throw in some crazy obstacles to test your strength, agility, balance and sense of adventure. Some obstacles will have both tough and easy options so you can choose the level of difficulty that feels right to you. And if you’re just not up for an obstacle, skip it altogether. We won’t tell! You should expect 10-12 constructed obstacles, not including obstacles from natural terrain. Whatever you fancy, there will be something for you. You’ll wish every 3 mile run was like the SHAPE Diva Dash!

The course will be different at each of the Diva Dash venues, but here’s a general idea of what to expect.

It’s not ‘World’s Strongest Woman’ – but you’ll have to flex a muscle or two. There will be options to choose from for varying degrees of difficulty.

You’re gonna run fast and we’re gonna try to slow you down. It’ll be fun!

What do you think of when you hear ‘ropes’? Maybe climbing or swinging? That sounds about right!

There will be some ‘strategy’ - you’ll have to make a choice or two… hope you choose correctly!

You know, just like they do in Cirque de Soleil…well maybe not quite like that. But you’re going have to FOCUS on this one.

How do you sign up?

Are you as excited as I am? Even better, want to get $10 off registration? Go to the Diva Dash Website and click on Sign Up. Or use THIS DIRECT LINK to get to the Philly race page! Use the coupon code AXDIVAJILLIAN to get your discount.

Don't know how to prepare? Sign up for my training plan!

In addition to $10 off your registration, you can also sign up for my 2-month training plan and virtual training group. Just email me or comment below, and details of the training plan will be emailed as we get closer to the training start date (July).

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8 signs you're a gym rat

1/24/2014

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When people you know see you outside of the gym, they don't recognize you

You schedule your day (and possibly life) around your favorite group exercise class, which sometimes includes stay up until midnight to sign up online.

You know your "friends" by their workout routine and favorite brand of sneakers, but you may not know their names

After a long and tiring day at work, you still go to the gym because you're afraid people might notice if you're not there

You shower more times at the gym than in your own shower at home - you even have a favorite shower stall at the gym

You have at least on one occasion scheduled a date that involved working out

You wouldn't consider booking a vacation at a hotel that doesn't have a gym

You keep extra gym clothes at your desk or in your car just in case the opportunity arises

Are you a gym rat? How do you know?

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Chew on this - what motivates you to work harder while working out?

12/4/2013

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Chew on this - what motivates you to work harder?

Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live.

What if it were that simple - that was all you needed to hear to do all the healthy things we're supposed to do to live happy and healthy lives? But it's not that simple, right? For some of us, that statement might be enough, but we're all different! We have different personalities, professions, interests, wear different clothes, even like different flavors of ice cream. I've recently brought up the topics of "What do you look for in a group fitness instructor and class?" and "Where do you prefer to get your sweat on?" and it became clear to me that there really isn't a recipe for the perfect workout - we're all different. I truly believe that you have to find the workout and schedule that works for you and your lifestyle. We also all have different reasons for wanting to keep up with our fitness and different ways that we prefer to be motivated, which brings me to a recent issue that came up where I teach group fitness classes.

It was the week of Thanksgiving, and since I teach at a university, group fitness classes were canceled Wednesday evening through Sunday for the holiday. Tuesday night was my last class before the break, and I was teaching Les Mills Bodypump. I decided to motivate everyone by picking something you might find at your Thanksgiving meal before each track. We did the squat track for turkey, the chest track for stuffing, etc. By the end of the class, I ran out of food and asked the class for some suggestions. One participant suggested we do the ab/core track for "football" and all of the sitting around we'll be doing over the holiday weekend. I thought it was a great way to get everyone focused on the workout and kick off the holiday weekend. I ended the week on Friday, with a post-Thanksgiving workout asking YAFFIES to design their workout for the day based on what they ate the day before.

The following week it was brought to my attention that another instructor at the gym has a similar idea and led a class dedicated to working off your Thanksgiving meal ahead of time. I wasn't at this particular class, but a participant shared some concerns about the overall tone of the class, expressing that it reinforced negative associations between eating and guilt, suggesting that exercise is chiefly a means of alleviating this guilt. The participant found these messages particularly concerning because one of the primary populations in our group exercise classes are female undergraduates, who are disproportionately at risk for eating disorders and disordered eating and exercise habits. In addition, it was expressed that for all class participants, an emphasis on guilt and self-punishment shifts the emphasis away from potentially more positive themes of stress relief, self-empowerment and building strength and endurance.

While I do believe there was a difference between the way I approached my Bodypump class and the way this particular instructor approached the class, the fact remains that not everyone is motivated to push themselves harder when associating exercise with food and guilt. There are so many different reasons and motivations that result in someone stepping foot in a gym. I recently asked my readers to finish this sentence: "I run because _________". No two answers were the same. Because I teach at a university, I agree that as instructors we should be aware of specific concerns of the student population. But that doesn't take away from the fact that many people are exercising right along side a nutrition plan to lose weight and/or stay in shape.

But, this raises this issue - what DOES motivate someone to push harder while working out? And is there a "right" way to motivate yourself or someone else? For some, it indeed might be food-related, guilt-associated or not. For others, it might be fear of embarrassment in front of peers. For another group it could be fitting into a pair of pants that haven't fit in a while. Are these ALL "unhealthy" ways to motivate yourself? Certainly the reaction to this type of motivation isn't all bad (as seen by the tweet at the right). Would it be great if we could all be motivated by stress relief, self-empowerment and building strength and endurance, and perhaps the notion of taking care of our bodies? Ideally, YES! Realistically, this is probably not the case, especially in this student population.

This is fun! >>>> Thanksgiving Fitness Friday Workout - http://t.co/aLLk8XFlFL http://t.co/Vn5Gsu6efz
— Tiffany Henness (@RunningHutch) November 29, 2013

So how do we find the balance? Is it "wrong" to be motivated to work harder if we know we're going to have a big meal? How do we as instructors motivate in an emotionally healthy, but effective way? What if the way one participant is motivated is different from another?

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Learning to improvise (and laugh a little too)

11/22/2013

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Do you get nightmares? As a group fitness instructor, my nightmares are usually along the lines of showing up late for a class, not having the right equipment or music, or showing up without knowing what I'm going to do for a workout. Well yesterday, one of those nightmares unfortunately came true! As I was climbing up the four flights of steps to get to the group fitness room for my step aerobics class, I realized I left my iPod charging on my desk at work. That desk is about a 15 minute walk from the gym, so going back and getting it was not an option.

Learning to improvise (and laugh a little too)

After about 5 seconds of panic, I thought there HAS to be some music with a constant beat somewhere in this building. I called down to the group fitness director and she said she'd send some music up. Great, crisis averted. Or, so I thought.

The first fifteen minutes of class is for first time steppers, where I just go over some basic moves before the class gets going. We don't use music for this, so everything is good. As everyone is arriving and setting up their benches, I couldn't get the CDs to play! It wasn't that long ago when I made the switch from CDs to iPod, but I couldn't figure it out. At this point, we're about two minutes into class, and everyone is just standing around. My last resort?

Me: "Does anyone have an iPod with music on it?"

Participant: "Can we play Pandora?"

Me: "Sure, fine, anything!"

I had to get these people MOVING! So, we put on the pop station, and I start the warm-up. Only the music is pretty slow. Rihanna, I love your beats, but they're just not for my step class. Good enough for the warm-up, but it wasn't going to cut it. "Okay, what else do we have?" A participant reluctantly volunteered her iPod with her running playlist. She was afraid to be judged by her music - isn't it funny how personal our running playlists can be? We got started, and the second song that came on was the perfect speed - Can't Hold Us, by Macklemore. We're flying through the workout, my heart rate is climbing and I'm starting to sweat. Step class has been saved! I was planning on just playing Can't Hold Us on repeat - I didn't want to risk a slower song coming on, but the next song was Pump It, by Black Eyes Peas - even faster! I'm now confident that the workout is going to be okay, and I started to relax. We used those two songs for the rest of class (sorry to my class if you guys are now going to dream about them), and we managed to still get through three combos! At the end of class, one of my regulars said, "I think that wound up being harder than a normal class!" Mission accomplished? I think so! The joint was fizzlin' & we put our hands up!

Would I plan for a class to go this way? Absolutely not! But sometimes, you just have to improvise and "roll with the punches". I'm so thankful that my participants were patient with me and were able to laugh with me about the mistake. I apologize for forgetting my music, but please don't forget - we're human too! Thank you steppers! I'll be thinking of you as we stuff our faces with turkey next Thursday! I'll see you in December.

Have you ever had a fitness nightmare come true?

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Confessions of a group exercise instructor

11/8/2013

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It's hard to believe that it has been over seven years since I started teaching group exercise classes. According to my quick calculations, that means I've taught about 900 classes. While according to Malcom Gladwell, author of, "Outliers", I have a long way to go before I become an expert (approximately 9,100 classes), I have certainly learned a lot over these past seven years. It is often the highlight of my day, and a extra special class can maybe even be the highlight of my week. I've made such great connections with not only the participants in my class, but the other instructors as well. When you get a group of instructors together, you can't help but talk about your classes that week, and yes, sometimes we even talk about the participants (mostly good things, I promise). So, I put together a list of 10 group fitness instructor "confessions". ENJOY!

Confessions of a group exercise instructor

We like the music loud

And I mean LOUD! In a perfect world, the music would be so loud that you couldn't hear me, even with the mic - you would be able to read my mind to know what we're doing next. I may have the music taste of a 12 year old girl (cue the Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift), but I like my music loud. It gives me energy. Some people drink Red Bull, I listen to my music loudly!

music_w8themes.com

We have bad days too

We all have bad days, but as a group fitness instructor, you check your day and everything that went wrong at the door. You put on a happy face for your participants because they paid to get a great workout in a happy environment. The beauty of it? By the end of the class, we usually forget what was bugging us that day.

We are not impressed by all the weight you can lift or pushups you can do if you don't have good form

We put a lot of time into putting together a challenging workout for you. We aren't keeping track of your weight, so don't try to impress us. We will notice and correct you if you aren't using proper form though - we don't want you to get hurt! You want to put a ton of weight on your bar for the bicep track in Bodypump and then do bicep rows the whole track? Oh, that's nice, but we're curling over here. We're not impressed.

We love it when you smile

eofdreams.com

Just like loud music, smiling and happy faces give us energy. We're not comedians, and I know most of the time our jokes aren't funny, but humor us and give us a chuckle. It lets us know you're paying attention!

We might not know you're name, but we know your capabilities, potential and preferred brand of sneaker

It sometimes is embarrassing to ask you your name for the third, fourth or even fifth time. It's even more embarrassing when we've had about ten conversations about your new sneakers, your upcoming wedding, your kids, but I don't even know your name. Personally, I'm terrible at remembering names, so I apologize. It doesn't mean I don't remember you. I remember that you did your first push-up on your toes last week, I remember you finally got that hamstring combo, but I most likely don't know your name.

We encourage feedback (good or bad)

Unless your feedback is that the music is too loud. Just kidding - it's your class and if you want the music lower, I will begrudgingly oblige. Some people wear earplugs to my class - just saying. But seriously, we want to make the class the best for you as the participant, so be sure to let your instructor know your thoughts!

We would rather you didn't bring your cell phone to class

I'm actually pretty lonely in the camp of "I don't care if you bring your phone into my class as long as you aren't disrupting the class", but most (if not all) of my instructor friends think you should leave your phone in your locker.

We take other instructors' classes

At least half of what I've learned about group exercise classes has been from taking other instructors' classes. It helps us develop as an instructor and also gives us an idea of what else is going on at the gym.

We sometimes prefer to workout on our own

We LOVE teaching group exercise classes. I mean REALLY REALLY REALLY love it! But, sometimes, we like to work out on our own too. It's a much different type of workout, and it gives us time to work on things that can't be addressed in a group setting (and time to come up with those crazy moves we're having you do during class).

You make our day!

I've said it before and I'll say it again - one of the best part about teaching group exercise classes is the connections we make with other people. We watch people struggle, reach goals, smile, grunt - really every emotion comes out during our classes, and we're there for it all. This hour is often the best part of our day, and YOU are the reason why!

Are you a group fitness instructor with a confession? Share below!

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Les Mills BODYPUMP 87 Launch & the importance of strength training

10/30/2013

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Les Mills BODYPUMP 87 Launch & the importance of strength training

Launching a new BODYPUMP workout is always an exciting time, and the launch of 87 certainly did not disappoint. This release is one of my favorite BODYPUMP workouts yet - the music is great and the back and lunge tracks are KILLER! My favorite tracks are squats & biceps for the music and back & lunges for the challenge. This year, the launch coincided with our Freaky Fitness Fest at the gym - a full day of free group fitness classes, prizes and even a dance class to learn the moves from the Thriller video. It was double trouble for me - I started my day team-teaching the 7:30am class with Jackie, and finished things up at the 6:30pm class with Alex and Carrie.

Why is it important to strength train?

It is important to understand the basics of strength training and why you should incorporate this activity into your training program. Muscle mass naturally diminishes with age. "If you don't do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, you'll increase the percentage of fat in your body," says Edward R. Laskowski, MD, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic and co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center. "But strength training can help you preserve and enhance your muscle mass — at any age." It's the good old "use it or lose it" phenomena. The lean muscle mass that we all work so hard for decreases with age. If we don't add strength training to our routine then it will turn into fat. Below are some specific benefits of strength training.

Develop strong bones. By stressing your bones, strength training increases bone density, resulting in stronger bones and reduced risk of osteoporosis. One of the best ways you can control bone loss as you age is to add strength training into your workout plan.
Control your weight. Strength training will not only make you strong, but will also help with managing your weight. As you gain muscle, your body begins to burn calories more efficiently because your body works harder to maintain muscle over fat. The more toned your muscles are, the easier it is to control your weight. Controlling your weight can also improves your quality of life as you gaining body confidence. In a specific study where BODYPUMP™ was used for strength training, An average of 483.1 (males) and 338.9 (females) calories can be burned during a BODYPUMP™ session. This equates to 8.4 (males) and 5.9 (females) calories per minute. An additional 10% of calories have been shown to be burned after the cessation of a BODYPUMP™ session, due to Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). Who doesn't want to burn more calories?
Boost your stamina. As you get stronger, you won't fatigue as easily. Building muscle also contributes to better balance, posture and functional fitness.
Manage chronic conditions. Strength training can reduce the signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions, including back pain, arthritis, obesity, heart disease and diabetes. It not only builds muscle, but increases the strength of connective tissue, muscles, and tendons. This leads to improved motor performance and decreased injury risk. Strong muscles, tendons and ligament build up in the joint and back areas making these areas less likely to give way under stress.
Muscle tone. The conditioning effect will result in firmer and better-defined muscles.
Improved aerobic fitness. In the same study as mentioned above, it was found that during a BODYPUMP™ session the mean oxygen consumption was 21.5 ml/kg/min (males) and 19.0 ml/kg/min (females), with an average intensity of 41.6% VO2 max (males) and 39.8% VO2 max (females) observed. Males spent an average of 11.6 minutes and 3.2 minutes, and females, 8.0 minutes and 0.6 minutes, above 50% VO2 max and 70% VO2 max, respectively, during the same BODYPUMP™ session. The average heart rate during a BODYPUMP™ session has been shown to reach 138.2 beats per minute (males) and 132.6 beats per minute (females). Males spend an average of 37.4 minutes, and females 40.2 minutes, above 70% of maximum heart rate during a BODYPUMP™ session.

And when it comes to BODYPUMP specifically? Well it's just downright FUN!

Have you tried Bodypump yet? What are you waiting for?

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Friends of FitYaf - Lisa answers, "Wanna be a yogi?" & more tips for finding the perfect yoga class

10/21/2013

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I met Lisa in Deanna's step aerobics class at Club One Fitness in Pittsburgh, PA. She always stood in the front row and had a TON of energy. I still remember her taking class right up until days before her second child was born - and she still could kick her leg higher than me! Lisa was also extremely supportive when I began teaching step aerobics - she was super patient with me as I navigated my way through those first few classes. Having a passion for yoga, Lisa became a certified yoga instructor in 2009. She now teaches at Amazing Yoga, is a Lululemon Ambassador and recently co-taught at Lululemon's Yoga and Yarn event on the Andy Warhol Bridge. Below Lisa shares some tips on finding the perfect yoga class for you!

A friend recently asked what a yoga class is like. "Could I watch to see if I would like it?" Um, no, that would be inappropriate. "Then how will I know what I'm getting myself into?" Good question. And the answer is: (wait for it) you won't! Yoga, on oh so many levels, is designed to allow (or maybe force) us to open up. Physically, the practice can open up tightness in muscles, joints, and even deep connective tissue. Spiritually, mentally, whatever term you chose, it can open us up to our inner power and greatness, our true selves, new opportunities, thoughts and ideas. And to get to this place where we're more open we are encouraged to try new things, to step out of our comfort zone and to do something that may even scare us. So even though your first yoga class may be a bit of an experiment, you can and should do some research and inform yourself beforehand.

First, pick a style. There are many different styles ranging from very athletic (power vinyasa, ashtanga) to very meditative (restorative). There's hot, not hot, yin, vinyasa, the list goes on. How to choose? Talk to your friends, friends of friends etc. See if any like-minded peeps in your life practice yoga. Word of mouth is a great reference. Just be a bit wary of online reviews. In my experience, people are very quick to complain and very slow to compliment. Take web ratings with a grain of salt. Think about your likes/dislikes, your level of fitness and your reason for wanting to try yoga in the first place. If you prefer Alaska to Texas, then a hot class (where the temperature can be anywhere from 90-104 degrees or more, depending on the style) may not be for you. If you've just completed your umpteenth marathon, love to spend hours in the gym or consider yourself a fitness junkie then maybe try power, vinyasa, bikram or ashtanga. If you don't want anything very physical, but want to breathe, relax and maybe even meditate a bit then seek out a restorative or Hatha class. You may not find your perfect match on the first try so if your first date is not your soulmate then try someone else.

Next, see what studios are nearby and check out their websites. You'll find information about their teachers, what style they teach, how experienced they are as well as information on what to bring for your first class, pricing and any new-student specials offered. Unless a particular teacher has been recommended to you (by one of your peeps) I recommend taking the owner's class. That way you'll get a feel for the studio from the person who created it. I'm told that owning a studio is a lot like having a baby, and the owner typically cares about it more than anyone else. It was created in their image, from their heart, hard work and unyielding attention.

Once you've got the where, when and possibly even who down, pack up your sticky mat (if you don't have one, most studios will have some available for you to borrow or rent), your open mind and whatever else you need to take (see the studio website) and do your best to get there a bit early. You'll need extra time on your first visit to sign in and get the lay if the land. Let whoever checks you in know that you're new (yoga teachers love having new students in class!) and they'll be able to give you an idea what to expect, as well as offer any tips to make your first visit a pleasant experience. Once class begins, do the best that you can, listen to your body and stay until the end because savasana, the final resting pose, is possibly the most important posture of all!