Once Goldilocks found the right chair she was content. Once you find the right place to sit in yoga class you will be content too.
We all remember the story of Goldilocks and the three bears. In that story Goldilocks sat in three chairs. One was too hard and uncomfortable. Another was so soft that she sank into it and almost disappeared. The third chair was just right. Not too hard. Not too soft. Just firm enough to make her feel really comfortable and want to stay there for a long time.
Much like Goldilocks and her three chairs, there is a place in your yoga class that is just right for you. Not too close to the front and not too far in the back. In the middle is the best place for the person that is new to yoga or this style of yoga. Let’s have a look at each of these places and see what is good and bad about each of them for the new person.
Chair too hard – sit at the front of the class
When you sit at the front of the class you have the benefit of being near the teacher. You will be able to see the teacher demonstrating the pose that you are about to attempt. You will also be able to hear them quite well.
The teacher will be able to see you clearly as well and will be able to give you feedback on how well you are doing the pose.
If you need an assist with getting the proper alignment the teacher is very close and will able to help you quickly
This is all good however when you are at the front of the room there are very few people that you can check on to see how to do the pose from a different angle.
As a new person you may not like being at the front of the class where everyone will be able to see you and how well or poorly you are doing the poses. This can be a very big concern for you.
You can fix this by moving to the back of the room.
Chair too soft – sit at the back of the class
When you set up at the back of the class you are far away from the teacher. As a new person you may prefer this position.
There will be very few people able to see how well or poorly you do the pose.
You will be able to escape the class room if things go very badly.
There will be lots of people in front of you that you can check out to see how to do the pose from many different angles.
However you are very far away from the teacher. It will be difficult to see the teacher demonstrate the pose and you may not be able to hear their explanation all that well.
The teacher will be able to give you less feedback on how to do the pose, because you are hidden at the back of the room. The less feedback the less benefit you will get out of the yoga pose and out of the class.
You can correct these problems by trying another position in the class.
Chair just right – sit in the middle of the room
When you sit in the middle of the room you will be getting the best of both sitting at the front and sitting at the back.
You will not be at the front of the room where everyone can see you and you will not be at the back of the room where it will be difficult to see and hear the teacher.
In the middle of the room you are close enough to the front that you can easily see and hear the teacher as they demonstrate the pose and tell you how to do it.
There will be lots of people around you that you will be able to check out how to do the pose from many different angles. People will be in front, behind and to both sides of you.
I am new to this class, where should I sit
If this is your first time doing this style of yoga or the first time with this teacher you should talk to the teacher about your situation.
They may pair you with a person that has more experience. This practice buddy can help you to gain additional insight into the pose and how to do it.
The teacher may have a preference for where they like to have new people located in the room. If the teacher is aware that you are new they will be able to keep an eye on you and provide any additional guidance that will help you get more benefit from the class. Knowing where you are located in the class will help them do this.
Summary
Much like Goldilocks found the chair that was just right for her, you and your teacher can find the place in the class that is just right for you.
Setting up in the middle of the room, not too close to the front and not too far to the back will give you the most benefit from your yoga class.
Next steps
If you are new to yoga, or new to this class, ask your teacher where you should setup your yoga mat.
