I am the worst in class, How do I stop beating myself up about it?

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Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)
Forum Owner

March 6, 2008 at 6:02 pm

Post count: 3048

#1003

You are THE best! grin

I am hard on myself because I am the worst in my class!
There are a poses I am the only one who cannot do even close to 20% of correct pose.
I know, I know, I need to be patient and try really hard but it is not good feeling.
As your advice I will talk to my teachers to ask for help,

Thanks!

ela

Hello Ela

Thank you for your lovely words. I am using your post from Dhanurasana here to start a new topic.

I smile to myself knowing that in time you will have a realization that you don’t feel this way anymore.

I love Bikram yoga because of the way you learn to deal with such emotions. Be careful Ela it will sneak up on you. 😉

The teacher gives instructions and hopefully gives pointers along the way, distinctions on how to refine your poses. Remember when you first came to class and just about every time that the teacher said your name, you fell over? Maybe it still happens a bit.

Anyway, the teacher talks about the stuff in the room that is working and the stuff in the room that appears to be incorrect. In time you learn to keep your focus while you listen to the feedback. The feedback may not even apply to you. But little by little you hear everything, you work out whether it is stuff that is meant for you or meant for someone else. Then you start to hear it, check into your own body and instantly you unconsciously make any necessary adjustments if any at all.

You start to take on instructions and feedback without any emotion and certainly without beating yourself up about it. You begin to “be the observer” in a totally unemotional way, being able to comment on the way your skills are developing.

You will not care about your performance and you will stop comparing yourself to anyone. With that, Ela, you will feel free.

Finally please remember that breath comes first. Learn to breathe fully and deeply. Learn to approach each pose with the best alignment. And then, and only then work on depth.

Warmest wishes
Gabrielle 🙂

cheermom1963
Participant

July 25, 2012 at 6:04 pm

Post count: 5

#9784

OMG…I know exactly how you feel….I am very new to Bikram yoga (Ive only taken 2 classes) and last night was AWFUL! I thought my second class would be better than my first so maybe I went in there with higher expectations but I left feeling totally deflated! I was in the back row with some of my other fellow newbies and there was an older gentleman in there for the first time that could do more poses than me.

I left class wondering whether or not this was for me. Should I give it more time or is type of yoga only for certain people. I also noticed that I sweated way more than the other people in class. It was to the point where I could see the sweat streaming from my body…

Advice???

Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)
Forum Owner

July 26, 2012 at 2:18 am

Post count: 3048

#9785

Hi Sheree

Advice? OK! Here goes. Go back. But don’t stand right in the back with the newbies. Because most instructors teach to a script that doesn’t handle newbies, standing in the back row means you have to take your cues from people who may very well NOT know what they’re doing.

You should stand in the 2nd row, in between and behind 2 regulars who know what they’re doing. In that position too, you’ll probably have regulars at both sides. Surround yourself with them. You’ll be able to see them from behind and see their reflections too. Teachers actually rely on you looking around (even though a very good class, you should be able to follow the verbal instructions).

You will find the class very satisfying especially when you let go of how well you should be doing. Try to work on great alignment. The script won’t tell you that but you’ll largely have to guess what that means by looking at others and using your intuition. So once again, be surrounded by what you think will be good examples.

Normally the couple of classes AFTER the first one are the hardest because your mind thinks you know what you have to do. It’s impossible to know everything in such a short time! Hey it’s a process

Have a wonderful experience. Come back and let me know how you go

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Anonymous
Guest

September 14, 2012 at 8:52 am

Post count: 98

#9883

In the starting of Yoga we are not able to do all steps. We have to give some time to us for more practicing so that we can do the poses in a fluent way.
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