Newbie Questions :)

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hello everyone! I will be starting a Power Yoga class as part of my Gen Ed requirements at my community college in a few weeks and I have a few questions. I’m not completely new to yoga, years ago in high school my friends and I used to do yoga using DVDs and we had a few books, and I took one yoga class last year when my Women’s group instructor offered us one at her studio as part of a “field trip”. I believe it was Hot yoga, but I just looked at their website and maybe it was actually Power yoga, I really don’t remember.

I ended up buying a mat only because I didn’t feel comfortable using the mats provided by the school…my class is the last yoga class that day that they offer, and well I just didn’t feel like using one that had been used 2-3 times before. I went with The Mat from Lululemon, I read good reviews about it preventing people from slipping (I had problems with that at the actual yoga class I went to last year). And I really liked the thickness of it because occasionally I have knee problems and I just figured that the extra padding would help. I was wondering if anyone had any good suggestions as to how I could get the rubber smell out of the mat? Would it be ok if I submerged it in warm water with a little soap? Should I use something like Dawn? Also, how long do you think that the smell will linger? Should I wash it more than once?

I’m also wondering what all I should take with me to class. I know my professor will go over it, but I like being prepared. I assume I should get a towel to bring along, do you think that I also need to get a mat towel like the Skidless? Or is that just something that I should wait and see?

I don’t have a whole lot of clothes for yoga, while I was at Lululemon I purchased the Wunder Under Capris, and I do have maybe one or two other workout capris from nike I could use…I just don’t really have a lot of shirts that aren’t t-shirts…do you think that t-shirts would be ok, or should I start investing in more yoga-type tops?

At the moment that’s all that I have to ask…thank you! :slight_smile:

#2

Good for you for getting going.

You bring up a very interesting point about mats. When the studio (or venue) does not care for the mats and other props (including the floor) then it is absolutely prudent to bring your own mat, clean it, and wash up after class.

Of course the opposite is also true (as Niels Bohr said "the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth); when a venue has respect for the practice and that associated with it, then things are very tidy, frequently cleaned, and often very safe for you to use without a second thought.

You ask specifically about the off-gassing of the current mat you have purchased. Please do not immerse it in an off-the-shelf dish washing liquid. Many of them contain perfumes and there’s no reason to squirt lighter fluid on a burning fire. You can uses a gentle liquid soap like Dr. Bronner’s or you can wipe the mat down with vodka - it is odorless and evaporates very quickly while completely disinfecting the surface. Howeverrrrr in many of these instances the mat will still have an odor and it simply takes time to wear off. It’s one of the things to look for before making the purchase. In the meantime feel free to wash it as much as makes you happy, then roll it in a bath towel and hang it dry for about 8 hours.

As for things to take, it really depends on the class, location, style, and in this case temperature. Power yoga is typically conducted in a room about 83?. Most people perspire, er “purge toxins” in such a climate. A towel might be very helpful. Water might also be helpful however hydration is something that happens BEFORE you go, not while you are going. Some mats are actually better when there’s a bit of damp on them while others are a calamity. Don’t know the one you’ve got. Try it at home.

Sounds like you’ve got enough clothes for now. How about determining your commitment to the practice itself before gearing up?

#3

[QUOTE=mysticallstar;68975] I went with The Mat from Lululemon, I read good reviews about it preventing people from slipping
[/QUOTE]

Hi! I’m [I]very [/I]curious to hear your thoughts about this mat after you’ve tried it out!!!

Don’t have much to add except maybe loose t-shirts might tend to slip up over your face when you are inverted, so if they do you might want to wear more form fitting tops.

Have fun, enjoy your classes!