What to Bring (and What to Leave) for Your First Class

Half the questions at our front desk come from people who haven't been yet. "Do I need my own mat? Special clothes? To be flexible already?" Here is the complete, honest answer from someone who has welcomed thousands of first-timers.

Bring: yourself, in stretchy clothes

Leggings, joggers, a t-shirt — anything you can fold forward in. You will be barefoot, so skip the fancy socks unless they're the grippy kind. Tie long hair back; it will fall in your face in downward dog otherwise.

Bring: water and an open half hour early

Arrive fifteen minutes early, not fifty. That gives you time to meet the teacher, mention any injury, borrow a mat and pick a middle-row spot where you can copy neighbours without performing for anyone.

Leave: the mat, the worry, the flexibility

Mats, blocks, straps, blankets and bolsters are all free to borrow — buying gear before your first class is like buying ski boots before seeing snow. And flexibility is the result of yoga, never the entry fee. Our stiffest beginners become our most loyal regulars.

Still nervous? Book a Relaxing Pose evening first — it's candlelit, fully supported, and roughly as intimidating as a warm blanket.