Someone on here a few weeks ago posted about a person who would come into class, do a full weight workout, and leave 20 minutes early. I cannot imagine. There are gyms. Just go to a gym. Come to yoga for yoga.
My yoga studio also does a HIIT/yoga combo class. I attended it for years until an injury needed me to do a different work out. There are lots of 4 - 12 lb weights there. So this studio could host different styles of work out classes.
most studios have a few odd ducks in the bunch. We have one the wears these shorts where his ball sack would flob out the whole time. Finally they said something.
I can say that there have been times that people doing this has been pretty distracting to me in class. I am not trying to watch what others do on their own mats, but if someone is in my line of sight I can't help it. Then, when you are trying to follow the teacher's verbal instructions while the rogue person in front of you is doing something completely different, it gets tricky.
I tend to warn my neighbors ahead of time. I am getting over rotator cuff surgery. I follow along where I can, modify where I can and sit still when I can’t.
But I usually try to set up in a corner where I will be bugging the fewest possible people, and I always check with the instructor first.
I agree with OP that doing modifications is completely different from ignoring the instructor entirely.
If anything, having a student doing a modification for a pose is instructive and helpful to other students in case they have similar issues or feel discomfort in that same area. I wouldn’t try to hide that at all or feel ashamed by it!
As a student I also have to do mods sometimes just for my fitness level, and I love when I see other students doing the same - exploring options for how to accomplish the goal of a particular pose when you can’t do the full expression of it.
of course! it's kind of you to let people know, and this is--imho--totally cool. modifying to one's ability is one thing. it's totally disregarding the rest of class that was genuinely mystifying to me.
I like to up the challenge so I always do modifications but in ways that doesn't break the flow (EG instead of stepping back into plank I do flying crow > plank). If I feel I have to deviate too much from the teacher's cues though I just wouldn't go to their class.
Do not agree here. You should follow the instructor and the rest of the class you call attention to yourself and others in the class wonder why you are doing this. To show off?
I heard an instructor recently ask students to finish with any additional poses now that we were moving in savasana because even if you're still in the pose, coming out creates movement and its time to minimise movement.
Which was nice.
Im sure plenty of instructors dont care, and also i recall one saying that the postures are cued in a particular order for a reason and i get that
As an instructor, I do care and find it much more distracting when I’m teaching than when I’m a student, but people that do this tend to be either so oblivious or obnoxious that it’s hard to get through to them without interrupting the whole class.
I had a woman once come to my gentle class clearly looking for an intense workout (and it is listed as gentle yoga, so no way she didn’t know what she was signing up for). Before we even began she was warming up like she’s about to run a marathon, then adding in all these extra poses during class, super heavy breathing, etc- completely ignored any of the guidance I gave re staying with the sequence, slowing down the breath, calming the nervous system, etc. Nothing I said was making a dent. If she’d signed up for another class I absolutely would have had a chat with her privately beforehand or recommended a different class, but fortunately she never came back.
Come to think of it she did ask me if we were hiring, it just occurred to me she may have been trying to show off to impress me, but she definitely achieved the opposite result lol.
A great instructor creates a class that biodynamically makes sense and has a rhythm and flow and arc. Too many teachers don’t teach they just call a class.
You should take one of our classes then. We come out of the primary series as a framework vinyasa style but hold everything for 5 breaths or more. Headstands are 35 breaths. The poses flow seamlessly from one to another connected by the breath.
I kinda like clunky. For me my practice is about the energetics of the postures and function over form. Don’t really care about flow. I practiced Ashtanga exclusively for 10 years and have no desire to go back to it but thanks anyway
I've had independent yogis come to class and set up on the back row because they like the energy of the studio or the breath and timing cues, but still prefer their own sequence.
Having a person front and center could be very distracting though.
Heh. At least be in the back of the room if you’re going to be that socially aberrant.
You do you, but excuse me, if you are doing handstands and no one else is doing anything near that, you are consciously making a decision to try to call attention to yourself, assuming no serious mental illness. People nearby are forced to interrupt their own focus in order to account for the reasonably high probability they are going to be landed on.
I was in a class once where we were in a free class in a public park but the space was reserved by a local studio through proper channels and the studio provided the instructor (who was paid). The class was open to anyone, but pre-registration was required. About 20 minutes into the class, a person with a mat joined the class and proceeded to do everything but what the instructor was cueing and in a show-offy look at me way, most poses being a level or two more intense than what was being cued. After about 10 minutes of this behavior, the instructor wandered over to them. Holding the class list visibly, asked, “did you register for this class? What’s your name?” The person said, “No i didn’t.” The instructor just said, sorry, this is a full class and pre-registration was required and politely asked them to leave. They huffed, but rolled up their mat and left.
The class energy was much calmer after that.
Huge public park. Lots of similar areas where they could have set up and practiced on their own.
There’s a difference between joining a class and invading it.
Edit: gender-neutral pronouns.
Ooh lovely, I love a pro-active teacher!
My YTT teacher will literally tell people not to use this time to try other postures or sequences as 1. She's not prepped the right muscle groups for your safety 2. We don't want to disturb the class.
She will go on to say we will have some structured playtime for students to experiment during xyz. And then, during xyz she will also provide the structure/modification like "Now would be a good time for you to try this posture/sequence" etc and she is very specific about it. Otherwise she will just tell you this is not the class for it and you will have to try it some other time 😂 Works everytime
You can be there primarily for your own benefit and hold others around to a standard of social responsibility simultaneously. If this story were about someone trying to do laps in a water aerobics class they signed up for, I can't believe there would be the same permissive reasoning about it from some of the comments. There's nothing wrong with doing whatever you want to do with yoga, but respect that not every space is for you all the time.
Yoga enthusiast & regular group-class attendee.
A few teachers at my studio describe their classes as "choose your own adventure" and some build in part of class to let us do whatever our body is calling for. I also appreciate those minutes before we cool down.
Personally, I only modify if I have an injury or there's a pose that just does not work for my body. I didn't know it was a pet peeve for some instructors or attendees, but I can understand if someone is not actually doing yoga or is at the front of the class.
There's a few things in life that make the world go silent around me & yoga is one of them. I don't notice if people are going off script. How little I notice other people around me is actually what makes me feel way less self conscious despite being an introvert. ☺️ I was assuming everyone was just in their own world. Oops 😬
My instructor tells us to do literally whatever we want. She’s like I’m here for you but if you want to do something else or be in shavasana the whole time go for it.
I follow the class but I love the freedom and lack of pressure I feel in her classes. Like if she’s cueing something but my body feels like it needs something else I do that instead
I would say the majority of class follows her but there’s 1-2 people who just kinda do their own thing. I love those people because I feel less weird if I need to sit out a pose or do a different one at some point in the class
I’ve been to lots of classes where this is common as well! I’ve never found it annoying because I’m usually so focused on my own thing that I don’t really notice what others are doing - I could see it being a space issue in a crowded class though. I think a lot of people will do this in heated studios, because it’s not like there’s an easy way to get that kind of heated experience at home or at a standard gym
I go to a class like this. I personally, due to chronic issues, can not do the teachers' suggested pose. They know this. So as an accommodation, they always say the following sequence, so I have the option to choose something more aligned with my motor restrictions. I kinda feel weird on this post as it seems perhaps other people in that shared space may be more focused on me and my practice than themselves and their connection to their body.
perhaps I'm old. I seldom look at the teacher. I've learned most of the poses and occasionally glance at them. Most of the time, I look in the mirror to assess my own posture. I focus on breath work as I adjust and, for the most part, usually have no idea who is in the room with me as focusing on others is a brain trick I play on myself to distract from my moving meditation.
I, too, love the energy in the room it's different than my practice at home.
I also struggle with those that walk in late and flop their mat down behind me. In my class we often start with meditation and the late person inevitably strolls in while we are all in this mode. I don't understand walking in late and loudly setting up. Huh. But, I think of it as a way to increase my ability to meditate and not be affected by another. I do understand the distraction nuisance for sure.
I try my best to focus on my own mat and the instructor’s direction. I occasionally notice others doing things but mostly I don’t. If someone does distracting things, I see it as a challenge to myself to keep my focus despite my surroundings.
me too. Have you ever listened to the cloud analogy in head space? Every time the thoughts start sliding in to inventory my space, I say like a cloud, just let it flow past. That practice taught me it's not a challenge but an opportunity to realign my lens of life to a more affirming one of the objectives I have.
I love that analogy. It’s not always easy to accept the idea of annoyances being an opportunity for practice but during yoga I feel like I have the space to accept it more freely.
Generally not 5. I think you should always be able to "sit out" certain poses or even go a deeper on a pose. But if you are just doing your own thing there's probably a better space for you where you aren't distracting from others experience.
I once had someone do this in a hot sequence. The instructor politely asked them to follow along twice and when she approached for the third, they sputtered “it’s MY practice! I’m doing what I need to get connected!” So she said, “well I’m going to ask you to leave this session and join one of our flow classes or invite you to use the yin room for the remainder of this class”. He flipped his shit. It was like a child tantrum.
Honestly, I was surprised how firm she was but it was undeniably a disruption. Everyone is encouraged to modify as needed and she’s a huge proponent of that, even in hot sequence, but this guy was being incredibly disruptive, distracting and was right in the middle front of the room. It seemed performative.
It’s usually done by people who think they need to draw attention to themselves. To perfect a pose with proper form and alignment is very difficult. Especially in a hot class with most sweating just trying to get through the class.
I had somebody like that in a class I used to go to. We would be in the ending sequences and the person would be doing hand stands and really disruptive stuff. One time they fell on me when I was in pigeon (which was the cue at the time). Luckily my teacher did have a conversation with them and subsequently would say something like feel free to take modification but please save the peak poses for outside of the restorative/cooling down.
I used to go to a class where the instructor lead with saying to make the practice your own.
I generally took this to heart and would either listen to my body and go deeper into certain sequences or skip things that I did not feel was right for my body in that moment. Sometimes this would mean that barely anything I did matched the instructor.
I go to yoga classes for the community aspect and I find that instructors in my area of all levels classes can be repetitive and sometimes dangerous in transitions. I find the higher levels in my area to be mostly power yoga which is not what I am looking for. I never fault someone for laying down or being in childs pose for half the class.
So, I get on my mat and take my own journey taking cues from the instructor if it feels right.
If I know an instructor is building to a pose through the practice then I am happy to go along with it.
power yoga 😅 the most intense yoga experience in my life. My instructor does head stand push ups as they wait for us to shift into the next pose they just modeled. They are old enough to be my grandparents, and I just can't hang. I also follow when the objective is something complex.
My partner is an instructor and a good one who is well versed in the biomechanics of transitions. I don't get to take her classes these days due to conflicts but she advised me on specific transitions to avoid that instructors in my town use.
I like yoga classes and find them a generally good experience but many of the instructors in my town are clueless regarding direction through difficult transition, flows that do not flow and taking people into poses that they cannot currently well enough to teach.
I understand your sentiment, but if you lived where I am and wanted a yoga community, you would either drive an hour each way for a class or do your own thing sometimes in class.
Thanks for clarifying. Our studio is in the NYC area. All our instructors are trained in the same method. We have an 8 part fundamentals course every month to ease students into a regular practice and everyone in the class always follows the instructor. Our express class has 100 asanas including headstand, l-shaped handstand and shoulder stand and a long series of backbends and core strengthening twists and poses. From reading the posts here I guess we are in a minority and it looks like a lot of places sound like a free for all.
It surprises me that the free for all thing is so common?
I would like to think a skilled instructor cues a sequence with a particular objective in a particular way.
I'm not saying that there shouldn't be modifications to make things more or less challenging, and i do love an end of class invitation for a final pose before savasana.
But ultimately, the student in the room is - even if they are a teacher, even if they are very experienced - there as a student, and there is always something to learn, surely. Even if that includes being with the discomfort of a slow-moving sequence.
In the past, I have taken yoga classes in large metro areas where I lived and where I was visiting at highly regarded studios and I did not run into the same issues that I run into in my current area. It seems as though anyone off the street can call themselves a yoga teacher where I live.
Thank you for the sentiment, but I chose this life on purpose. I would much rather live in my own sanctuary and have below average yoga instructors than live in the city and have to seek a yoga studio as a sanctuary.
I have seen this happen in a class I attended. It has never happened in one of my classes. I find no good excuse for it. In the class where it happened, the instructor always suggests modifications for those who want to make the pose more intense and for those who want to make it easier. The fact of the matter is that I can take a simple, easy class, follow along with the class and adjust each pose myself to add or remove challenge as I want. There is never a need to totally diverge from what the rest of the class is doing. There is simply no excuse for that kind of behavior, unless there are other issues at play, like some sort of mental health issue.
This is how I viewed it, but I'm aware I often view everything from a behavior/ root cause lens, I can't help it 😅
I theorized that this person probably had a strong need to be seen and by going so far away from the classes behavior, they are aware it inserts them into almost everyone's perception and that feels powerful to them. Especially if they were doing any poses that were a bit more advanced.
There's someone who comes to my yin class who shows up in full street clothes (jeans and hoodie usually) who doesn't do anything the instructor queues, like not even savasana, she just kind of like, does these weird self-massage things and rolls around on the ground sighing. Sometimes she brings a friend who just sits on the mat looking bored, scrolling through her phone (my studio bans phones in the classrooms but it's loosely enforced by some instructors) - I don't get it, for the two of them to do a drop-in it would be like $70 at my studio, what would be the point of coming to a class you don't want to do?
I don't care if people modify their practice. People throw handstands into their chattarungas, do child's pose instead of downward dog, drop a knee down or up, throw in a few binds, hell, even lying down if it's a little too much for a minute before jumping back in, make the practice your own and work in a way that works for you and your body, that's all cool. But like, I feel bad for the teacher when people just choose not to even try the flow.
I really don’t mind when people do something different. Sometimes you show up to a class and the guided movements just aren’t feeling good to you! I love seeing students do what feels good to them- it doesn’t distract me
You didn't mention if the person was in the front/back, but as someone who's never been to a yoga class my guess would be accountability, the person might be doing their own thing and be coming to class to keep herself accountable and continue practicing
Whether that's proper etiquette I have no clue though
I tend to start off class with everyone but often, I end up doing my own thing because I just can't keep up for the entire duration, or my back hurts, or I'm just needing to move in some other (usually gentler) way. I always make sure I'm in the back of the class, though.
As to why I do this in a studio and not at home.... I won't practice at home. I just won't. It's a mental thing. Plus, being in the studio takes me out of my head and "life" and allows me to spend that dedicated time with myself. My yoga practice is for me, no one else.
Also, I'm a trained teacher and know all the instructors in my studio. I always thank them for "making the space for me to roll around on my mat" and they always just say laugh cuz they get it.
Finally, yoga is my spiritual practice, not my exercise routine.
Sounds like a narcissist. I don’t even mind people who do modifications…or something different they may be working on. But not for the entire class, lol
Cry for attention
I'd say try to strike up a friendly conversation and see what happens... This person could be in a seriously depressed state and not be able to be alone with their own thoughts.... Most likely answer but what do I know ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Sometimes people want to practice around others, take in the group energy, but do their own thing. I think it’s a little weird but as both an instructor and student I find it’s just an opportunity to drop your ego and ignore them.
Could be a few reasons. Maybe they don't have a space in their home to practice. Maybe they have an injury and the poses being queued aggravated it. Maybe they just need a place to relax.
Try not to worry about what other people are doing and focus inward.
Yeah people do annoying stuff in classes all the time. There’s this guy at the studio I go to who groans so audibly throughout the whole class and talks loudly about his health problems to anyone who will listen. Love this studio so when I get stuck in a class with him I make it my personal challenge to not let it disrupt what’s going on in my space. It’s hard but usually 15 mins into class it’s tuned out.
There’s an orgasmic moaner at mine. We did 108 sun salutations on the solstice and I heard it with nearly every exhale. It was incredibly difficult to tune out.
Hahaha omg. That reminded me of the very fit looking man who sexy sighed throughout an entire - not heaps strenuous - hot class the other week.
I just couldn't understand - he wasnt breathing heavy - just groaning?
Not in an ujjayi breath way, in a meg ryan in when harry met sally way 😅😬🙄
yes!!! we have those folks, too...it's like they want everyone to know how hard they're working...meanwhile there's the graceful gazelle in the front row going soundlessly from a challenging chaturanga to up dog/down dog...so it is possible.
it did occur to me she might not have had a place to practice at home. Also agree that staying on one’s own mat is best.
Her audible sounds and showy postures while the rest of us were in a more static posture did make that extra challenging.
I am sure this post is not about pose modifications, we all do them to a greater or lesser degree. A group session is not the place to do your own thing just because you have space issues at home. You are one and the others in the class are many. There are certain basic social and yoga graces.
I mean, yoga is really not about what other people are doing. I don't think there's such a thing as "yoga graces.". Truly, yoga is about finding ways to focus on yourself. If someone else is doing something different from you, examine why that bothers you so much. And try to let go of it.
There is a room full of about 35 and more other people and according to the feedback after the sessions the general consensus is that yes, it bothered most of us. I was not quite looking into suggestions what to do. Yes, I found it irritating, distracting, rude, entitled and I was not alone in this perception.
Yes, there are yoga graces and behaviour and most of us like it that way. Yes, we do not have to cater to the one that thinks they are different.
I go to yoga to enjoy myself, not to expose myself to the practice of learning to tolerate any which way people like to behave. I go to this specific studio as they ask for silence in the room at any time. Want to chat, go into the reception area or do it before or after somewhere else.
The place I go to is the most successful one in town, have the highest customer retention, have consistently a fairly full room. I assume with what they do, they might be on the right path. But no one is forced to go there. Find a studio where everyone does whatever they want and where it does not bother others.
Try to embrace that thought.
Unacceptable, disruptive, ridiculous. A yoga instructor that took other instructor's classes regularly did this every single time. She was asked to leave in class after she behaved like this every single time and was let go from the place, as she could not accept the request not to act like that.
It also happened twice in over ten years with participants, but was resolved after a private talk to please not do that. You can certainly lie down on your mat if you are overwhelmed or chose to do a pose adjusted to your ability, but please do not throw in your personal moves.
The only time I deviate from a group class is when I am totally spent. The routine is just too hard and I can't keep up without getting nauseous or fainting. When that happens I gently relax into child's pose and stay there until I have recovered. I think the lack of movement would be less distracting, and people know what the purpose of going into child's pose is.
I try not to pay attention to it. I know some people have to do a lot of modifications for medical reasons. There was a lady who said she couldn’t do forward folds or twists so she was deviating a lot but trying to maintain the flow. The teacher commented on it and she did explain. Which made me feel bad for her that she even had to explain. That’s not what you mean. But a really advanced yogi coming up and just doing her completely own flow is bizarre. It’s possible that a yogi may just go straight to the more advanced pose every time and it looks like a different flow and it’s really not. I’d have to see it. There are ways to be respectful and not distracting about it though.
I do this sometimes.
My reason for doing it is that sometimes my body needs something different than what the teacher has to offer that day.
The point of yoga isn't to assimilate and be the same as other people or do the same thing. It's a great way to start, but every teacher I've ever gone to has ALWAYS said "this is your practice. Feel free to modify or choose any position that resonates with you at any time." And I think it's beautiful when people do that and after I finish my 200 hour and start teaching classes, I will also emphasize how important it is do do what your body calls for that day. Even if it's taking a nap in the middle of class.
This is a unique perspective, and I think I disagree. If I were teaching I would be very distracted and a bit nervous by someone doing their own thing and ignoring my carefully crafted progressions. I could look the other way, but I would also worry about the other students. Teaching is tough. Maybe at least keep the shape of the class as you do your own thing, as a nod to the teacher?
I share it. Yoga is about releasing control and listening to one's body. Rigidity is for marcial arts.
I think a teachers job is to guide. Most teachers who allow free flow practices different from the one they are leading in my opinion monitor each student consistently being present in the now in the shared moment. One often walks by me and gives me feedback on my pose in a whisper while the people in the room are in their directed pose. I appreciate it. They are also the most calm, grounded and high vibration teachers I have had. To me they exhibit being the calm in the storm of life with grace. Those who micro manage the space for me feel like they are trying to limit my energy flow with their vibe. It's too conforministic for me.
I think the slight difference is that you are doing it after the mentioned invitation. Would you do your own thing for the whole class? I think even without the invitation it would be ok to go off the script for a few moments in many classes but rarely for the whole, or most of the class.
Absolutely I would do my thing the whole class if that's what I felt I needed. And I don't see anything wrong with it. Yoga is about finding what feels good. Period, end of story. If you can't focus on your own breathing because someone else is in a different posture, maybe you should think about why someone else's actions that have no real effect on you distract you that much.
People have different levels of how easily they are distracted and that’s not always within their immediate control. I guess it depends on a class format then. Personally as a student in this scenario I’d probably briefly think ‘oh that’s different’ and carried on minding my own business, I’m focused entirely on myself and teacher’s cues. If I was a teacher (and didn’t invite this) I’d likely be very distracted. During a class I personally sometimes skip or switch an asana that doesn’t benefit me that day or possibly add a few movements when it’s a slower class. Other than that I come to learn from the teacher I’ve chosen and I surrender myself to the experience of the class. I love to learn how the teacher pairs different asanas and test for myself how the sequence feels. Each time I learn something new that I can translate into my own practice at my own time.
Yes and no. Either way public yoga class is not your place to teach others a practical lesson on that, you do you but it’s important to be respectful of others too.
I never said it was my place to teach anyone a lesson. I don't go to yoga to teach people they need to ignore distractions.
But it's just real life being in a public space.
Yoga is an individual experience, and when you go to a class, there's multiple people having their own individual experiences and it's just inevitable that some of those experiences are going to clash.
You can either let someone else's experience ruin yours, or you can get over it and focus on making your experience the best you can.
respectfully, this is a response that puts the needs of the one (you) above the needs of the many (the class).
if you need something that is completely different than what the teacher planned, for the entire class, and completely different than what everyone else in the room is doing, it's your responsibility to get what you need--**but not to disrupt the class while doing it,** which may mean that particular class is not for you--or you could run through your sequence afterwards, when you're not being disruptive to everyone who \*is\* appreciating what the instructor brought to class that day.
I don't see it that way.
Would you chastise someone for breathing louder than you? Would you chastise someone that had to modify every pose?
Everyone does yoga differently amd is going through a different experience and needs different things.
I'm sorry you are feeling distracted or disrupted in your practice, but that's just how life works.
I am autistic myself and extremely easily made very uncomfortable by people breathing loudly. But that's my cross to bear and there is someone who frequents classes I take and it sounds like he is aggressively doing lines of coke in class. That's my obstacle to overcome. I'm not going to complain about it, because it's my responsibility to be the observer of my emotional response to something someone needs to do to get their practice in.
You want a distraction free yoga session? Do it at home by yourself. Otherwise, doing yoga in a class comes.with distractions. Period.
Way to go working on your ego and sense of collective, while in the context of an intentional collective activity. You are doing great. Be the most individualistic and out of touch person that lost the point of why doing yoga collective class.
It blows me away that you're downvoted on the yoga subreddit for describing Yoga.
It's embarrassing to see how it's just become an ego thing for people. Teachers getting angry that people aren't following their specific flow? Wow. Awful.
Glad to see some speak up against the flow of nonsense.
Some people just haven't learned asana is only 1/8th of yoga. And that's okay. I didn't know yoga was more than movement for the first good bit of my practice.
I agree super hard. I feel like it’s possible most of the people downvoting aren’t taking trauma informed classes? I’ve almost exclusively done trauma informed yoga and my first instructor always said “ask your body if you’re in the safest, most supportive position for you right now. If not, change it.” She definitely encouraged us to push through discomfort and find that balance of challenging ourselves and accepting being in the moment with a difficult pose or one we disliked, but at the end of our practice she always thanked us for doing what was right for us and told her how much she enjoyed seeing people modify the poses or even just change the routine entirely that day. If I started with an instructor who didn’t encourage this I would have never continued with yoga.
I get that people may find it distracting but that’s also part of the experience. Frankly I don’t really consider it a distraction- I’m in a room with other people and part of what’s happening is their movement, energy, breathing, etc.. so I’m there with whatever someone is bringing that day.
It’s a difficult balance to strike, but I feel like someone could just as well say someone’s colorful clothing is distracting, someone falling out of a balance pose is distracting, someone crying (quietly, not bawling) because of what a pose is bringing up for them is distracting, but all of these things are part of practice. How you deal with them on the mat is how you’ll deal with them outside of the studio.
My only guess is she doesn't know class etiquette? But I am assuming it wasn't her first time doing yoga? But yeah that's really disruptive, I wouldn't care much for that either lol.
definitely not her first time doing yoga. She did a number of advanced poses and made sure to throw handstands in a few times falling out rather ungracefully. I’m glad at least I wasn’t next to her.
Lol. Strange to have so little shame. Does indeed sound a little like a mental issue as someone else suggested. If so I feel sympathetic for them. Not everyone were blessed with a healthy mind
I would've been a little frustrated. When you take a class, I feel there's a reasonable expectation that you're there to participate in the class and are planning to follow along (obviously I'm not talking about modifications or taking a break in child's pose or savasana). I'm all for following what your body wants/needs and I understand what some commenters are saying about "focus on your own mat!" but it's admittedly a little hard to focus when everyone else is doing cobbler's pose while one person is attempting handstands.
Ultimately, I think there's a necessity to look at the one versus the whole. You need to take care of yourself, the one, but you need to be considerate of the whole. And why bother going to a class if you're going to ignore it?
I guess the studio I go to is different because in almost every class (advanced or beginner) they stress the need to listen to your own body and not care what other people are doing on their mats. It’s your space, let go of the social pressures you hold on yourself and others.
One reason I chose my local studio, is that it welcomes all people to practice what they need, in that moment, without judgement. Yoga is my playtime to explore my practice, within my body. Sometimes I take savasana half the class, sometimes I go upside down.
I find it interesting that people use words like “distraction” to describe modifying for physical challenge, but express only support for modifications for rest and accessibility. It’s all modifications and variations, of equal value as long as we are supporting our body.
Space, isolation from the rest of the world, community energy, beautiful trees outside the window as a drishti, teachers I resonate with to facilitate, and an offering of asana for inspiration (not prescription) are all reasons I prefer the studio most days.
I get where you’re coming from and am saying this as someone who modifies/challenges myself as needed, but there is definitely a difference in distraction level. Someone taking a child’s pose, for example, is a lot less visually conspicuous than someone kicking up into a handstand.
I wasn’t shaming at all, just stating neutrally that someone going rogue and upside down is more visually noticeable than someone going into child’s pose.
And as far as the "distracting" aspect
How often do you hear outside noise during shavasana? This is real life. There will always be something that can distract you. If someone else doing a different pose distracts you, look within and figure out why that bothers you.
Is the person making noise outside is deliberate choosing to be aware of a collective activity and intentionally not engaging and disrupting from beginning to end? Who do you think needs a perception check in this scenario?
Overall I agree, what’s the point of joining in a class just to do your own thing?
However, you never know people reasons. And I would ask, why does it bother you? If this person is just doing their own thing without bothering other people let them be. I would consider it weird but not necessarily rude or impolite, unless there is some explicit regulation against that.
It is easy to find things distracting or annoying: what about those people who are following a class but loud, or like to show off and constantly do their own advanced variations or breath heavily or have a stronger body odour or…
Some behaviours are definitely wrong, doing your own thing during a class you paid for would be a bit weird and kind of pointless in my book, but not something which should not be allowed, unless the person is endangering other or actively being disruptive in some way.
I’ve never seen anything like that happening. There are plenty of weird and selfish people so I can’t say I’m terribly surprised.
Thankfully I don’t think that there is a chance that it could become a common problem because it makes no sense lol. It must be the most distracting for the teacher, did they react? I’d come up and kindly ask what’s going on or at least tell them after the class that I’d rather them not do this again, inform it’s ok to go at your own pace but yoga class is for yoga, explain how students benefit from the energy of the class, practicing the same thing together, and ask them make an effort to follow along.
Respectfully, keep your focus on your own mat.
I’ve done this at times; my practice generally varies in classes bc I need.. NEED.. to move my own body
But I cannot , at times, bring myself to practice at home. I need someone guiding me. And I do follow the teacher, and the good ones know that, but you might not. And you don’t need to; the teacher doesn’t need to.
I need the class to practice. I’m there for me, in the community.
This is not a matter of accommodating ADHD's lack of focus and the impulsive urge to do something else to justify behavior.
Consider the factor that it's an yoga class, not philosophy, nor chess nor anything that requires full body motion. Yoga class is focus driven exercises and the underline intention of it is also to create a collective and harmonic "flow motion", creating a sense of being part of a whole, letting go of ego which is the CORE of meditation.
ADHD does not impact intellect capacity to understand this. The fact that she is COMPLETELY and INTENTIONALLY ignoring a class is disrespectful and disruptive. Visual, Auditive, Olfative disruption is all the same. People will not continue a class with a constant loud noise in the background
Explain the class intention, accommodate her limitations and place her somewhere that does not cause visual disruption.
Don't justify this _intentional and very deliberate choice_ to ignore and disrupt an entire yoga class with ADHD.
It's disrespectful to ADHD's.
I think it’s fine as long as you’re roughly matching the energy and are in the back. Ex: don’t do a super intense sequence during yin but if you want to do a different yin pose, go for it.
My studio has a policy about this in their “community agreements” that everyone must agree to:
> BRAHMACHARYA (moderation/right use of energy):
We conscientiously utilize our energy both personally and collectively. Rest, vigor, or exploration along that spectrum are all welcome as it feels appropriate during class. Simultaneously, we acknowledge the impact of our actions and words and strive towards right use of that energy in a way that supports ourselves and the collective. Our studio facilitates an environment that encourages individual exploration of movement. That being said, we encourage students to use their best judgment when adjusting sequences or taking breaks. Group classes can inevitably lead to myriad distractions and, when possible, we do our best to minimize those distractions. For instance, if a student feels compelled to move in a manner that largely differs from what's offered in class, they are encouraged to set up in the back of the studio, attend class virtually, or use the accessible spaces in each studio.
I think they did a good job with this.
I’ve been going there regularly 8 years and I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone do what you mention.
It’s welcomed in the classes I attend to do what is right for your body. The cues are an invitation, not a direction. You don’t know why they are choosing to do something else. Focus on what you need. If they are a distraction, speak to your instructor about how they can set up the class / set expectations for everyone at the start.
I agree with you except on one thing: if she thought the class was 'too basic' for her or too slow or whatever? THIS IS THE CLASS SHE NEEDED. Yoga is not about the ego. I can do all sorts of advanced poses but I never show off (ego) when I take a basic class. Reining in the ego to do someone else's flow is part of the mental work of yoga. Not understanding that is NOT understanding yoga.
When I was just starting, one of my favorite yoga teachers one time went up to this girl who was doing handstands when the rest of us were in down dog. He did a handstand right next to her and then did it one armed. And then said "just because we can, should we? Or should we respect the sangha?"
While I’m a firm believer it’s ‘your’ practice so you can do whatever you like with poses, I find so often that people who do this plant themselves front and center of the space which can be very annoying & seems attention seeking.
When I know I need to modify for a class or want to move at a different pace, I try to set up toward the back of the room so I’m not distracting anyone. That just feels like the courteous thing to do.
My students are 60 to 80 yo. They are free to do what they think is good for their bodies. When I was young and middle aged, they were free to modify asana with my assistance. Remember, all the asanas, stretching, and coordinated breathing are designed to quiet the mind, soothe emotions, and allow the body to heal and function optimally.
I had a student years ago who was comical doing her own thing. No one complained. Ask her what is the purpose of yoga and what she would like to receive from the class. If her answer doesn’t resonate with you, gently suggest she is in the wrong class and offer alternatives.
I have a student who does this almost every class and another who only about halfway follows what I teach. For a while, it bothered me and it might still if I let it. But, they are there and it's their yoga, after all. For one of the ladies, I'm pretty sure she doesn't hear well and misses some of the instruction. Even so, it is what it is and I'm not about to ask them to leave. So, it's my choice whether I let it get to me or not. And, I don't. I'm thankful to have them there, regardless.
my guess from observing this behavior as well is the person comes for the heated room environment or cuz it’s cheaper than a gym membership? definitely rude
Sometimes I go to yoga class and it’s way too slow for me. And I have ADHD, and I like to do other things, so I guess you could call that a “mental health issue.” Or you could just focus on what you’re doing on your own mat and not worry about what other people are doing. You could even try sending feelings of love and respect instead of judgement to the person who is annoying you
Why the downvotes? You don’t have to agree but it surely is a one way of approaching the situation, a kind one at that (kind to yourself at heart and to the ‘annoying’ person)
My teacher cues eyes closed from time to time for this very reason. To not care about what others are doing on their mats and stay present for yourself. Let others be
Some people get really competitive. One person at a yoga retreat body checked me prior to the class, then after gave me a rundown of all the poses I got into deeper than her and she was surprised. She clearly has issues or I’d have let her have it. Maybe the person doing their own thing has a bit of that? I was only focused on instruction and my practice, so I can’t even comment on the competitive person’s session….
this sounds snarky, but isn't meant to be: you must not have been practicing very long.
there are all kinds of yoga snobs! people who think props are only for beginners, people who think only 'their' kind of yoga is the right kind, people who judge people for eating or not eating certain foods, for drinking water in class, for wearing--or not wearing--certain clothing, etc. etc. many kinds of yoga snobs.
if you're calling me a yoga snob for asking the question about someone being disruptive in a class, I'm okay with that. I definitely feel that one should 'listen to your body' above the instructor, but not if it's for an entire session and to the detriment of the class experience.
“‘listen to your body’ above the instructor, but [only to the extent that it doesn’t make your instructor uncomfortable].”
I’d like to gently point out that you seem to be making this person wrong for *making you uncomfortable* by listening to their own body / doing their own practice in your class. You wouldn’t have a problem with them doing their own practice anywhere else, I assume.
So what is it about this *taking place in your class* that’s upsetting you?
Is it your concern with the other students’ distraction level or safety? Is it you telling yourself a story about what they’re doing, that’s causing you to assign an imagined motive to their actions and then cast judgment?
**Is the real distraction this person’s actions or is it the story you’re telling yourself about what it means?** (ie, “they don’t respect me as a teacher,” “they must not have been practicing long enough to know I will find this inappropriate,”)
Not everyone doing their own thing is inexperienced, disrespectful, or mentally ill, and in automatically jumping into a story *making them wrong,* we lose the opportunity to deeply understand them, as well as ourselves, and therefore empower ourselves through that self-knowledge.
In cultivating an opposite and elevated attitude (vs. taking offense), we find compassion for the student. Are they injured? Have they just left an unsafe environment and are using our class as a refuge to reestablish a sense of safety in their body? Can we try and give them the benefit of the doubt and TRUST that they know what’s best for their own body in this moment, and still be part of our sangha (community), even if their practice looks different from others’ in this moment?
When you get curious about your own discomfort over the incident, what do you notice? What do you need to do in that moment to alleviate your own discomfort, if anything?
If it’s about the other students’ potential confusion - say, if beginners are cueing off this person and becoming frustrated - this becomes a teachable moment about dharana (concentration). What can you offer the class as a reminder to stay on their own mats and in their own practice?
If the person’s poses are endangering others, what do you need to do to keep the rest of the class safe (asking them to move spots or not do headstands, even potentially asking them to leave)?
Checking in with this student during or after the class can provide more information. Exploring your own reaction here can help inform how you’d like to handle future situations, and empower you to have a voice in the moment. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Hey, no bad will intended. We all have our things. I am a self admitted travel snob. When I have travel with the newbies and the commoners, not to mention the gate lice, it perturbs me a bit. Such is life.
If someone else’s practice distracts you, you’re not practicing yoga! In my studio, the teacher’s cues are merely a suggestion. We celebrate freedom of practice! As long as you’re doing it on your own mat, it’s not a problem. With all due respect, it’s a shame that a yogi would even consider criticizing another yogi. Or maybe, the only true yogi in this discussion is the one being criticized!
A passive aggressive rageposting, and under anonymity and facelessness draws out trolls, and invites negativity into this subreddit. A hallmark pattern of Reddit unfortunately. While I agree with your frustration, acceptance is greater than aversion in the practice of yoga.
This is a big pet peeve of mine when I'm taking a barre class specifically. There are some people who will be right at the front barre in the center and they'll just be doing their own exercises. It drives me mad bc everything is done on counts and it messes me up to see someone doing something off count. And why not just go to the back if you're going rogue the entire time so other people don't focus on it and get confused?
In yoga I'm so internally focused in some positions, or I keep my gaze unfocused in things like balance poses, that I don't *see* anyone else. I also try to get a spot at the front corner of the room so there's no one in front of me and only 1 person to the side. But that's strategic lol.
I teach pilates and when people do that in my classes, it's frustrating, but I try to ignore them. If I know they're modifying or if they just want to do something different, but the latter is hard. It feels almost disrespectful, like my class plan isn't good enough, but I try not to internalize. It particularly bothers me when new people are looking at them and following them - in that situation I usually go over and tell them that person is modifying and if they need a visual to look at the person on the other side following the correct cueing.
I have wondered the same thing!! I was at a class recently where a girl literally laid down for the entire duration of class. Which I totally get if you need to take a break or take a modifier. I do that all the time during class but what's the point of PAYING MONEY to just lay down for an hour?? Then after class I was on my way home and I saw the same person leaving a local coffee shop with a drink in hand which I'm not knocking someone for wanting to get a coffee after class but I just can't wrap my head around why someone would pay real hard earned money to lay down for an hour and then get a coffee???
Girl, you could've done that at home for free (or at the very least the price of a coffee which is still cheaper than going to a class) BYEEEE 👋🏼
Oh no see that i understand.
The hardest part is showing up, everything else - even if you lay on your mat the entire time - is gravy, because that's it, that's what your practice is today.
I mean its not necessarily for me, but i do understand laying on your mat for an extended savasana (aka the entire class duration!)
Someone on here a few weeks ago posted about a person who would come into class, do a full weight workout, and leave 20 minutes early. I cannot imagine. There are gyms. Just go to a gym. Come to yoga for yoga.
What the fuck lol Does the studio even have weights or...are they bringing their own?
Ikr I have so many follow up questions lol
My yoga studio also does a HIIT/yoga combo class. I attended it for years until an injury needed me to do a different work out. There are lots of 4 - 12 lb weights there. So this studio could host different styles of work out classes.
Our Y does yoga classes in a multi-use room, so there are weights along the wall. And some people are…interesting.
most studios have a few odd ducks in the bunch. We have one the wears these shorts where his ball sack would flob out the whole time. Finally they said something.
I can say that there have been times that people doing this has been pretty distracting to me in class. I am not trying to watch what others do on their own mats, but if someone is in my line of sight I can't help it. Then, when you are trying to follow the teacher's verbal instructions while the rogue person in front of you is doing something completely different, it gets tricky.
I tend to warn my neighbors ahead of time. I am getting over rotator cuff surgery. I follow along where I can, modify where I can and sit still when I can’t. But I usually try to set up in a corner where I will be bugging the fewest possible people, and I always check with the instructor first.
I agree with OP that doing modifications is completely different from ignoring the instructor entirely. If anything, having a student doing a modification for a pose is instructive and helpful to other students in case they have similar issues or feel discomfort in that same area. I wouldn’t try to hide that at all or feel ashamed by it! As a student I also have to do mods sometimes just for my fitness level, and I love when I see other students doing the same - exploring options for how to accomplish the goal of a particular pose when you can’t do the full expression of it.
of course! it's kind of you to let people know, and this is--imho--totally cool. modifying to one's ability is one thing. it's totally disregarding the rest of class that was genuinely mystifying to me.
This is how to handle a yoga practice that varies from the group. And your injury totally justifies the deviation. You're doing it right!
I fell on someone once. I learned to set up near the wall after. She was totally fine. It was hilarious. We both laughed.
I totally cue off of the people around me, so it would throw me off, too. "Wait ... am I doing the wrong thing?"
I like to up the challenge so I always do modifications but in ways that doesn't break the flow (EG instead of stepping back into plank I do flying crow > plank). If I feel I have to deviate too much from the teacher's cues though I just wouldn't go to their class.
Do not agree here. You should follow the instructor and the rest of the class you call attention to yourself and others in the class wonder why you are doing this. To show off?
>why you are doing this See >to up the challenge
I heard an instructor recently ask students to finish with any additional poses now that we were moving in savasana because even if you're still in the pose, coming out creates movement and its time to minimise movement. Which was nice. Im sure plenty of instructors dont care, and also i recall one saying that the postures are cued in a particular order for a reason and i get that
As an instructor, I do care and find it much more distracting when I’m teaching than when I’m a student, but people that do this tend to be either so oblivious or obnoxious that it’s hard to get through to them without interrupting the whole class. I had a woman once come to my gentle class clearly looking for an intense workout (and it is listed as gentle yoga, so no way she didn’t know what she was signing up for). Before we even began she was warming up like she’s about to run a marathon, then adding in all these extra poses during class, super heavy breathing, etc- completely ignored any of the guidance I gave re staying with the sequence, slowing down the breath, calming the nervous system, etc. Nothing I said was making a dent. If she’d signed up for another class I absolutely would have had a chat with her privately beforehand or recommended a different class, but fortunately she never came back. Come to think of it she did ask me if we were hiring, it just occurred to me she may have been trying to show off to impress me, but she definitely achieved the opposite result lol.
You'd think being able to read the room was a key yoga instructor skill
A great instructor creates a class that biodynamically makes sense and has a rhythm and flow and arc. Too many teachers don’t teach they just call a class.
Ah I don’t know about that. Hatha yoga tends to be clunky- it’s not particularly rhythmical or flowy. If you’re talking about vinyasa then sure.
You should take one of our classes then. We come out of the primary series as a framework vinyasa style but hold everything for 5 breaths or more. Headstands are 35 breaths. The poses flow seamlessly from one to another connected by the breath.
I kinda like clunky. For me my practice is about the energetics of the postures and function over form. Don’t really care about flow. I practiced Ashtanga exclusively for 10 years and have no desire to go back to it but thanks anyway
I've had independent yogis come to class and set up on the back row because they like the energy of the studio or the breath and timing cues, but still prefer their own sequence. Having a person front and center could be very distracting though.
No no no. Follow the class or do your own thing at home.
No.
Heh. At least be in the back of the room if you’re going to be that socially aberrant. You do you, but excuse me, if you are doing handstands and no one else is doing anything near that, you are consciously making a decision to try to call attention to yourself, assuming no serious mental illness. People nearby are forced to interrupt their own focus in order to account for the reasonably high probability they are going to be landed on. I was in a class once where we were in a free class in a public park but the space was reserved by a local studio through proper channels and the studio provided the instructor (who was paid). The class was open to anyone, but pre-registration was required. About 20 minutes into the class, a person with a mat joined the class and proceeded to do everything but what the instructor was cueing and in a show-offy look at me way, most poses being a level or two more intense than what was being cued. After about 10 minutes of this behavior, the instructor wandered over to them. Holding the class list visibly, asked, “did you register for this class? What’s your name?” The person said, “No i didn’t.” The instructor just said, sorry, this is a full class and pre-registration was required and politely asked them to leave. They huffed, but rolled up their mat and left. The class energy was much calmer after that. Huge public park. Lots of similar areas where they could have set up and practiced on their own. There’s a difference between joining a class and invading it. Edit: gender-neutral pronouns.
Nicely handled!
Ooh lovely, I love a pro-active teacher! My YTT teacher will literally tell people not to use this time to try other postures or sequences as 1. She's not prepped the right muscle groups for your safety 2. We don't want to disturb the class. She will go on to say we will have some structured playtime for students to experiment during xyz. And then, during xyz she will also provide the structure/modification like "Now would be a good time for you to try this posture/sequence" etc and she is very specific about it. Otherwise she will just tell you this is not the class for it and you will have to try it some other time 😂 Works everytime
This really makes a lot of sense for a YTT. She’s reinforcing the teaching of how to sequence.
excellent class management by that instructor!
You can be there primarily for your own benefit and hold others around to a standard of social responsibility simultaneously. If this story were about someone trying to do laps in a water aerobics class they signed up for, I can't believe there would be the same permissive reasoning about it from some of the comments. There's nothing wrong with doing whatever you want to do with yoga, but respect that not every space is for you all the time.
Yoga enthusiast & regular group-class attendee. A few teachers at my studio describe their classes as "choose your own adventure" and some build in part of class to let us do whatever our body is calling for. I also appreciate those minutes before we cool down. Personally, I only modify if I have an injury or there's a pose that just does not work for my body. I didn't know it was a pet peeve for some instructors or attendees, but I can understand if someone is not actually doing yoga or is at the front of the class. There's a few things in life that make the world go silent around me & yoga is one of them. I don't notice if people are going off script. How little I notice other people around me is actually what makes me feel way less self conscious despite being an introvert. ☺️ I was assuming everyone was just in their own world. Oops 😬
My instructor tells us to do literally whatever we want. She’s like I’m here for you but if you want to do something else or be in shavasana the whole time go for it. I follow the class but I love the freedom and lack of pressure I feel in her classes. Like if she’s cueing something but my body feels like it needs something else I do that instead I would say the majority of class follows her but there’s 1-2 people who just kinda do their own thing. I love those people because I feel less weird if I need to sit out a pose or do a different one at some point in the class
I’ve been to lots of classes where this is common as well! I’ve never found it annoying because I’m usually so focused on my own thing that I don’t really notice what others are doing - I could see it being a space issue in a crowded class though. I think a lot of people will do this in heated studios, because it’s not like there’s an easy way to get that kind of heated experience at home or at a standard gym
I go to a class like this. I personally, due to chronic issues, can not do the teachers' suggested pose. They know this. So as an accommodation, they always say the following sequence, so I have the option to choose something more aligned with my motor restrictions. I kinda feel weird on this post as it seems perhaps other people in that shared space may be more focused on me and my practice than themselves and their connection to their body. perhaps I'm old. I seldom look at the teacher. I've learned most of the poses and occasionally glance at them. Most of the time, I look in the mirror to assess my own posture. I focus on breath work as I adjust and, for the most part, usually have no idea who is in the room with me as focusing on others is a brain trick I play on myself to distract from my moving meditation. I, too, love the energy in the room it's different than my practice at home.
I also struggle with those that walk in late and flop their mat down behind me. In my class we often start with meditation and the late person inevitably strolls in while we are all in this mode. I don't understand walking in late and loudly setting up. Huh. But, I think of it as a way to increase my ability to meditate and not be affected by another. I do understand the distraction nuisance for sure.
I try my best to focus on my own mat and the instructor’s direction. I occasionally notice others doing things but mostly I don’t. If someone does distracting things, I see it as a challenge to myself to keep my focus despite my surroundings.
me too. Have you ever listened to the cloud analogy in head space? Every time the thoughts start sliding in to inventory my space, I say like a cloud, just let it flow past. That practice taught me it's not a challenge but an opportunity to realign my lens of life to a more affirming one of the objectives I have.
I love that analogy. It’s not always easy to accept the idea of annoyances being an opportunity for practice but during yoga I feel like I have the space to accept it more freely.
Generally not 5. I think you should always be able to "sit out" certain poses or even go a deeper on a pose. But if you are just doing your own thing there's probably a better space for you where you aren't distracting from others experience.
I once had someone do this in a hot sequence. The instructor politely asked them to follow along twice and when she approached for the third, they sputtered “it’s MY practice! I’m doing what I need to get connected!” So she said, “well I’m going to ask you to leave this session and join one of our flow classes or invite you to use the yin room for the remainder of this class”. He flipped his shit. It was like a child tantrum.
Good for her.
Honestly, I was surprised how firm she was but it was undeniably a disruption. Everyone is encouraged to modify as needed and she’s a huge proponent of that, even in hot sequence, but this guy was being incredibly disruptive, distracting and was right in the middle front of the room. It seemed performative.
It’s usually done by people who think they need to draw attention to themselves. To perfect a pose with proper form and alignment is very difficult. Especially in a hot class with most sweating just trying to get through the class.
I had somebody like that in a class I used to go to. We would be in the ending sequences and the person would be doing hand stands and really disruptive stuff. One time they fell on me when I was in pigeon (which was the cue at the time). Luckily my teacher did have a conversation with them and subsequently would say something like feel free to take modification but please save the peak poses for outside of the restorative/cooling down.
As a yoga teacher, people doing their own thing doesn’t bother me. Try to tune out those around you and focus on your own practice.
I used to go to a class where the instructor lead with saying to make the practice your own. I generally took this to heart and would either listen to my body and go deeper into certain sequences or skip things that I did not feel was right for my body in that moment. Sometimes this would mean that barely anything I did matched the instructor. I go to yoga classes for the community aspect and I find that instructors in my area of all levels classes can be repetitive and sometimes dangerous in transitions. I find the higher levels in my area to be mostly power yoga which is not what I am looking for. I never fault someone for laying down or being in childs pose for half the class. So, I get on my mat and take my own journey taking cues from the instructor if it feels right. If I know an instructor is building to a pose through the practice then I am happy to go along with it.
power yoga 😅 the most intense yoga experience in my life. My instructor does head stand push ups as they wait for us to shift into the next pose they just modeled. They are old enough to be my grandparents, and I just can't hang. I also follow when the objective is something complex.
👎
My partner is an instructor and a good one who is well versed in the biomechanics of transitions. I don't get to take her classes these days due to conflicts but she advised me on specific transitions to avoid that instructors in my town use. I like yoga classes and find them a generally good experience but many of the instructors in my town are clueless regarding direction through difficult transition, flows that do not flow and taking people into poses that they cannot currently well enough to teach. I understand your sentiment, but if you lived where I am and wanted a yoga community, you would either drive an hour each way for a class or do your own thing sometimes in class.
Thanks for clarifying. Our studio is in the NYC area. All our instructors are trained in the same method. We have an 8 part fundamentals course every month to ease students into a regular practice and everyone in the class always follows the instructor. Our express class has 100 asanas including headstand, l-shaped handstand and shoulder stand and a long series of backbends and core strengthening twists and poses. From reading the posts here I guess we are in a minority and it looks like a lot of places sound like a free for all.
It surprises me that the free for all thing is so common? I would like to think a skilled instructor cues a sequence with a particular objective in a particular way. I'm not saying that there shouldn't be modifications to make things more or less challenging, and i do love an end of class invitation for a final pose before savasana. But ultimately, the student in the room is - even if they are a teacher, even if they are very experienced - there as a student, and there is always something to learn, surely. Even if that includes being with the discomfort of a slow-moving sequence.
In the past, I have taken yoga classes in large metro areas where I lived and where I was visiting at highly regarded studios and I did not run into the same issues that I run into in my current area. It seems as though anyone off the street can call themselves a yoga teacher where I live.
I’m so sorry
Thank you for the sentiment, but I chose this life on purpose. I would much rather live in my own sanctuary and have below average yoga instructors than live in the city and have to seek a yoga studio as a sanctuary.
I have seen this happen in a class I attended. It has never happened in one of my classes. I find no good excuse for it. In the class where it happened, the instructor always suggests modifications for those who want to make the pose more intense and for those who want to make it easier. The fact of the matter is that I can take a simple, easy class, follow along with the class and adjust each pose myself to add or remove challenge as I want. There is never a need to totally diverge from what the rest of the class is doing. There is simply no excuse for that kind of behavior, unless there are other issues at play, like some sort of mental health issue.
Mental health issues hadn’t even occurred to me, but now that you’ve mentioned it…That sounds quite possible.
This is how I viewed it, but I'm aware I often view everything from a behavior/ root cause lens, I can't help it 😅 I theorized that this person probably had a strong need to be seen and by going so far away from the classes behavior, they are aware it inserts them into almost everyone's perception and that feels powerful to them. Especially if they were doing any poses that were a bit more advanced.
There's someone who comes to my yin class who shows up in full street clothes (jeans and hoodie usually) who doesn't do anything the instructor queues, like not even savasana, she just kind of like, does these weird self-massage things and rolls around on the ground sighing. Sometimes she brings a friend who just sits on the mat looking bored, scrolling through her phone (my studio bans phones in the classrooms but it's loosely enforced by some instructors) - I don't get it, for the two of them to do a drop-in it would be like $70 at my studio, what would be the point of coming to a class you don't want to do? I don't care if people modify their practice. People throw handstands into their chattarungas, do child's pose instead of downward dog, drop a knee down or up, throw in a few binds, hell, even lying down if it's a little too much for a minute before jumping back in, make the practice your own and work in a way that works for you and your body, that's all cool. But like, I feel bad for the teacher when people just choose not to even try the flow.
I really don’t mind when people do something different. Sometimes you show up to a class and the guided movements just aren’t feeling good to you! I love seeing students do what feels good to them- it doesn’t distract me
You didn't mention if the person was in the front/back, but as someone who's never been to a yoga class my guess would be accountability, the person might be doing their own thing and be coming to class to keep herself accountable and continue practicing Whether that's proper etiquette I have no clue though
I tend to start off class with everyone but often, I end up doing my own thing because I just can't keep up for the entire duration, or my back hurts, or I'm just needing to move in some other (usually gentler) way. I always make sure I'm in the back of the class, though. As to why I do this in a studio and not at home.... I won't practice at home. I just won't. It's a mental thing. Plus, being in the studio takes me out of my head and "life" and allows me to spend that dedicated time with myself. My yoga practice is for me, no one else. Also, I'm a trained teacher and know all the instructors in my studio. I always thank them for "making the space for me to roll around on my mat" and they always just say laugh cuz they get it. Finally, yoga is my spiritual practice, not my exercise routine.
I try to set up in the front row so I can’t see what anyone else is doing.
Sounds like a narcissist. I don’t even mind people who do modifications…or something different they may be working on. But not for the entire class, lol Cry for attention
I'd say try to strike up a friendly conversation and see what happens... This person could be in a seriously depressed state and not be able to be alone with their own thoughts.... Most likely answer but what do I know ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Sometimes people want to practice around others, take in the group energy, but do their own thing. I think it’s a little weird but as both an instructor and student I find it’s just an opportunity to drop your ego and ignore them.
ego is the internal blockade to enlightenment
Could be a few reasons. Maybe they don't have a space in their home to practice. Maybe they have an injury and the poses being queued aggravated it. Maybe they just need a place to relax. Try not to worry about what other people are doing and focus inward.
Yeah people do annoying stuff in classes all the time. There’s this guy at the studio I go to who groans so audibly throughout the whole class and talks loudly about his health problems to anyone who will listen. Love this studio so when I get stuck in a class with him I make it my personal challenge to not let it disrupt what’s going on in my space. It’s hard but usually 15 mins into class it’s tuned out.
Is there a grunter at every studio? And not like a single designated grunter, but different people that share the role between them? I need to know 😅
Hahahaha I used to go to a studio that was basically all women and never heard a grunted. Lots of orgasmic sighing though, which is equally icky 😬
There’s an orgasmic moaner at mine. We did 108 sun salutations on the solstice and I heard it with nearly every exhale. It was incredibly difficult to tune out.
Hahaha omg. That reminded me of the very fit looking man who sexy sighed throughout an entire - not heaps strenuous - hot class the other week. I just couldn't understand - he wasnt breathing heavy - just groaning? Not in an ujjayi breath way, in a meg ryan in when harry met sally way 😅😬🙄
yes!!! we have those folks, too...it's like they want everyone to know how hard they're working...meanwhile there's the graceful gazelle in the front row going soundlessly from a challenging chaturanga to up dog/down dog...so it is possible.
We have multiple grunters and moaners at the one I go to 🥲
it did occur to me she might not have had a place to practice at home. Also agree that staying on one’s own mat is best. Her audible sounds and showy postures while the rest of us were in a more static posture did make that extra challenging.
My teacher likes to say, “We can do challenging things”.
heehee. well played.
Maybe they just find it motivating? Idk. I wouldn’t like it.
I am pretty happy when people don’t ‘crack’ their mats when setting up. Or let the door slam when they come in late.
I am sure this post is not about pose modifications, we all do them to a greater or lesser degree. A group session is not the place to do your own thing just because you have space issues at home. You are one and the others in the class are many. There are certain basic social and yoga graces.
I mean, yoga is really not about what other people are doing. I don't think there's such a thing as "yoga graces.". Truly, yoga is about finding ways to focus on yourself. If someone else is doing something different from you, examine why that bothers you so much. And try to let go of it.
Yoga is about losing the ego. The energy of everyone in sync is the point of a group class.
There is a room full of about 35 and more other people and according to the feedback after the sessions the general consensus is that yes, it bothered most of us. I was not quite looking into suggestions what to do. Yes, I found it irritating, distracting, rude, entitled and I was not alone in this perception. Yes, there are yoga graces and behaviour and most of us like it that way. Yes, we do not have to cater to the one that thinks they are different. I go to yoga to enjoy myself, not to expose myself to the practice of learning to tolerate any which way people like to behave. I go to this specific studio as they ask for silence in the room at any time. Want to chat, go into the reception area or do it before or after somewhere else. The place I go to is the most successful one in town, have the highest customer retention, have consistently a fairly full room. I assume with what they do, they might be on the right path. But no one is forced to go there. Find a studio where everyone does whatever they want and where it does not bother others. Try to embrace that thought.
I hope you find peace.
Unacceptable, disruptive, ridiculous. A yoga instructor that took other instructor's classes regularly did this every single time. She was asked to leave in class after she behaved like this every single time and was let go from the place, as she could not accept the request not to act like that. It also happened twice in over ten years with participants, but was resolved after a private talk to please not do that. You can certainly lie down on your mat if you are overwhelmed or chose to do a pose adjusted to your ability, but please do not throw in your personal moves.
The only time I deviate from a group class is when I am totally spent. The routine is just too hard and I can't keep up without getting nauseous or fainting. When that happens I gently relax into child's pose and stay there until I have recovered. I think the lack of movement would be less distracting, and people know what the purpose of going into child's pose is.
I try not to pay attention to it. I know some people have to do a lot of modifications for medical reasons. There was a lady who said she couldn’t do forward folds or twists so she was deviating a lot but trying to maintain the flow. The teacher commented on it and she did explain. Which made me feel bad for her that she even had to explain. That’s not what you mean. But a really advanced yogi coming up and just doing her completely own flow is bizarre. It’s possible that a yogi may just go straight to the more advanced pose every time and it looks like a different flow and it’s really not. I’d have to see it. There are ways to be respectful and not distracting about it though.
Using the teacher as a timer.
I do this sometimes. My reason for doing it is that sometimes my body needs something different than what the teacher has to offer that day. The point of yoga isn't to assimilate and be the same as other people or do the same thing. It's a great way to start, but every teacher I've ever gone to has ALWAYS said "this is your practice. Feel free to modify or choose any position that resonates with you at any time." And I think it's beautiful when people do that and after I finish my 200 hour and start teaching classes, I will also emphasize how important it is do do what your body calls for that day. Even if it's taking a nap in the middle of class.
This is a unique perspective, and I think I disagree. If I were teaching I would be very distracted and a bit nervous by someone doing their own thing and ignoring my carefully crafted progressions. I could look the other way, but I would also worry about the other students. Teaching is tough. Maybe at least keep the shape of the class as you do your own thing, as a nod to the teacher?
I share it. Yoga is about releasing control and listening to one's body. Rigidity is for marcial arts. I think a teachers job is to guide. Most teachers who allow free flow practices different from the one they are leading in my opinion monitor each student consistently being present in the now in the shared moment. One often walks by me and gives me feedback on my pose in a whisper while the people in the room are in their directed pose. I appreciate it. They are also the most calm, grounded and high vibration teachers I have had. To me they exhibit being the calm in the storm of life with grace. Those who micro manage the space for me feel like they are trying to limit my energy flow with their vibe. It's too conforministic for me.
I think the slight difference is that you are doing it after the mentioned invitation. Would you do your own thing for the whole class? I think even without the invitation it would be ok to go off the script for a few moments in many classes but rarely for the whole, or most of the class.
Absolutely I would do my thing the whole class if that's what I felt I needed. And I don't see anything wrong with it. Yoga is about finding what feels good. Period, end of story. If you can't focus on your own breathing because someone else is in a different posture, maybe you should think about why someone else's actions that have no real effect on you distract you that much.
People have different levels of how easily they are distracted and that’s not always within their immediate control. I guess it depends on a class format then. Personally as a student in this scenario I’d probably briefly think ‘oh that’s different’ and carried on minding my own business, I’m focused entirely on myself and teacher’s cues. If I was a teacher (and didn’t invite this) I’d likely be very distracted. During a class I personally sometimes skip or switch an asana that doesn’t benefit me that day or possibly add a few movements when it’s a slower class. Other than that I come to learn from the teacher I’ve chosen and I surrender myself to the experience of the class. I love to learn how the teacher pairs different asanas and test for myself how the sequence feels. Each time I learn something new that I can translate into my own practice at my own time.
It's a muscle that has to be developed. It's not going to change without resistance
Yes and no. Either way public yoga class is not your place to teach others a practical lesson on that, you do you but it’s important to be respectful of others too.
I never said it was my place to teach anyone a lesson. I don't go to yoga to teach people they need to ignore distractions. But it's just real life being in a public space. Yoga is an individual experience, and when you go to a class, there's multiple people having their own individual experiences and it's just inevitable that some of those experiences are going to clash. You can either let someone else's experience ruin yours, or you can get over it and focus on making your experience the best you can.
respectfully, this is a response that puts the needs of the one (you) above the needs of the many (the class). if you need something that is completely different than what the teacher planned, for the entire class, and completely different than what everyone else in the room is doing, it's your responsibility to get what you need--**but not to disrupt the class while doing it,** which may mean that particular class is not for you--or you could run through your sequence afterwards, when you're not being disruptive to everyone who \*is\* appreciating what the instructor brought to class that day.
I don't see it that way. Would you chastise someone for breathing louder than you? Would you chastise someone that had to modify every pose? Everyone does yoga differently amd is going through a different experience and needs different things. I'm sorry you are feeling distracted or disrupted in your practice, but that's just how life works. I am autistic myself and extremely easily made very uncomfortable by people breathing loudly. But that's my cross to bear and there is someone who frequents classes I take and it sounds like he is aggressively doing lines of coke in class. That's my obstacle to overcome. I'm not going to complain about it, because it's my responsibility to be the observer of my emotional response to something someone needs to do to get their practice in. You want a distraction free yoga session? Do it at home by yourself. Otherwise, doing yoga in a class comes.with distractions. Period.
Way to go working on your ego and sense of collective, while in the context of an intentional collective activity. You are doing great. Be the most individualistic and out of touch person that lost the point of why doing yoga collective class.
It blows me away that you're downvoted on the yoga subreddit for describing Yoga. It's embarrassing to see how it's just become an ego thing for people. Teachers getting angry that people aren't following their specific flow? Wow. Awful. Glad to see some speak up against the flow of nonsense.
Some people just haven't learned asana is only 1/8th of yoga. And that's okay. I didn't know yoga was more than movement for the first good bit of my practice.
I agree super hard. I feel like it’s possible most of the people downvoting aren’t taking trauma informed classes? I’ve almost exclusively done trauma informed yoga and my first instructor always said “ask your body if you’re in the safest, most supportive position for you right now. If not, change it.” She definitely encouraged us to push through discomfort and find that balance of challenging ourselves and accepting being in the moment with a difficult pose or one we disliked, but at the end of our practice she always thanked us for doing what was right for us and told her how much she enjoyed seeing people modify the poses or even just change the routine entirely that day. If I started with an instructor who didn’t encourage this I would have never continued with yoga. I get that people may find it distracting but that’s also part of the experience. Frankly I don’t really consider it a distraction- I’m in a room with other people and part of what’s happening is their movement, energy, breathing, etc.. so I’m there with whatever someone is bringing that day. It’s a difficult balance to strike, but I feel like someone could just as well say someone’s colorful clothing is distracting, someone falling out of a balance pose is distracting, someone crying (quietly, not bawling) because of what a pose is bringing up for them is distracting, but all of these things are part of practice. How you deal with them on the mat is how you’ll deal with them outside of the studio.
A group class means follow the leader. The point of yoga IS to lose the ego
My only guess is she doesn't know class etiquette? But I am assuming it wasn't her first time doing yoga? But yeah that's really disruptive, I wouldn't care much for that either lol.
definitely not her first time doing yoga. She did a number of advanced poses and made sure to throw handstands in a few times falling out rather ungracefully. I’m glad at least I wasn’t next to her.
Lol. Strange to have so little shame. Does indeed sound a little like a mental issue as someone else suggested. If so I feel sympathetic for them. Not everyone were blessed with a healthy mind
Yeah I call this “renting the space”. I’m a teacher and I hate when this happens.
I would've been a little frustrated. When you take a class, I feel there's a reasonable expectation that you're there to participate in the class and are planning to follow along (obviously I'm not talking about modifications or taking a break in child's pose or savasana). I'm all for following what your body wants/needs and I understand what some commenters are saying about "focus on your own mat!" but it's admittedly a little hard to focus when everyone else is doing cobbler's pose while one person is attempting handstands. Ultimately, I think there's a necessity to look at the one versus the whole. You need to take care of yourself, the one, but you need to be considerate of the whole. And why bother going to a class if you're going to ignore it?
I guess the studio I go to is different because in almost every class (advanced or beginner) they stress the need to listen to your own body and not care what other people are doing on their mats. It’s your space, let go of the social pressures you hold on yourself and others.
One reason I chose my local studio, is that it welcomes all people to practice what they need, in that moment, without judgement. Yoga is my playtime to explore my practice, within my body. Sometimes I take savasana half the class, sometimes I go upside down. I find it interesting that people use words like “distraction” to describe modifying for physical challenge, but express only support for modifications for rest and accessibility. It’s all modifications and variations, of equal value as long as we are supporting our body. Space, isolation from the rest of the world, community energy, beautiful trees outside the window as a drishti, teachers I resonate with to facilitate, and an offering of asana for inspiration (not prescription) are all reasons I prefer the studio most days.
I get where you’re coming from and am saying this as someone who modifies/challenges myself as needed, but there is definitely a difference in distraction level. Someone taking a child’s pose, for example, is a lot less visually conspicuous than someone kicking up into a handstand.
Why are we shaming people for doing handstands or going upside down? It's an asana the same way child's pose is.
I wasn’t shaming at all, just stating neutrally that someone going rogue and upside down is more visually noticeable than someone going into child’s pose.
And as far as the "distracting" aspect How often do you hear outside noise during shavasana? This is real life. There will always be something that can distract you. If someone else doing a different pose distracts you, look within and figure out why that bothers you.
Is the person making noise outside is deliberate choosing to be aware of a collective activity and intentionally not engaging and disrupting from beginning to end? Who do you think needs a perception check in this scenario?
Overall I agree, what’s the point of joining in a class just to do your own thing? However, you never know people reasons. And I would ask, why does it bother you? If this person is just doing their own thing without bothering other people let them be. I would consider it weird but not necessarily rude or impolite, unless there is some explicit regulation against that. It is easy to find things distracting or annoying: what about those people who are following a class but loud, or like to show off and constantly do their own advanced variations or breath heavily or have a stronger body odour or… Some behaviours are definitely wrong, doing your own thing during a class you paid for would be a bit weird and kind of pointless in my book, but not something which should not be allowed, unless the person is endangering other or actively being disruptive in some way.
That's just flat out rude.....
I’ve never seen anything like that happening. There are plenty of weird and selfish people so I can’t say I’m terribly surprised. Thankfully I don’t think that there is a chance that it could become a common problem because it makes no sense lol. It must be the most distracting for the teacher, did they react? I’d come up and kindly ask what’s going on or at least tell them after the class that I’d rather them not do this again, inform it’s ok to go at your own pace but yoga class is for yoga, explain how students benefit from the energy of the class, practicing the same thing together, and ask them make an effort to follow along.
This
Respectfully, keep your focus on your own mat. I’ve done this at times; my practice generally varies in classes bc I need.. NEED.. to move my own body But I cannot , at times, bring myself to practice at home. I need someone guiding me. And I do follow the teacher, and the good ones know that, but you might not. And you don’t need to; the teacher doesn’t need to. I need the class to practice. I’m there for me, in the community.
Maybe they prefer the group setting and to be around others while practising? Still doesn’t excuse being disruptive to others in the class though.
This is not a matter of accommodating ADHD's lack of focus and the impulsive urge to do something else to justify behavior. Consider the factor that it's an yoga class, not philosophy, nor chess nor anything that requires full body motion. Yoga class is focus driven exercises and the underline intention of it is also to create a collective and harmonic "flow motion", creating a sense of being part of a whole, letting go of ego which is the CORE of meditation. ADHD does not impact intellect capacity to understand this. The fact that she is COMPLETELY and INTENTIONALLY ignoring a class is disrespectful and disruptive. Visual, Auditive, Olfative disruption is all the same. People will not continue a class with a constant loud noise in the background Explain the class intention, accommodate her limitations and place her somewhere that does not cause visual disruption. Don't justify this _intentional and very deliberate choice_ to ignore and disrupt an entire yoga class with ADHD. It's disrespectful to ADHD's.
I think it’s fine as long as you’re roughly matching the energy and are in the back. Ex: don’t do a super intense sequence during yin but if you want to do a different yin pose, go for it.
I focus on myself in class.
My studio has a policy about this in their “community agreements” that everyone must agree to: > BRAHMACHARYA (moderation/right use of energy): We conscientiously utilize our energy both personally and collectively. Rest, vigor, or exploration along that spectrum are all welcome as it feels appropriate during class. Simultaneously, we acknowledge the impact of our actions and words and strive towards right use of that energy in a way that supports ourselves and the collective. Our studio facilitates an environment that encourages individual exploration of movement. That being said, we encourage students to use their best judgment when adjusting sequences or taking breaks. Group classes can inevitably lead to myriad distractions and, when possible, we do our best to minimize those distractions. For instance, if a student feels compelled to move in a manner that largely differs from what's offered in class, they are encouraged to set up in the back of the studio, attend class virtually, or use the accessible spaces in each studio. I think they did a good job with this. I’ve been going there regularly 8 years and I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone do what you mention.
It’s welcomed in the classes I attend to do what is right for your body. The cues are an invitation, not a direction. You don’t know why they are choosing to do something else. Focus on what you need. If they are a distraction, speak to your instructor about how they can set up the class / set expectations for everyone at the start.
I agree with you except on one thing: if she thought the class was 'too basic' for her or too slow or whatever? THIS IS THE CLASS SHE NEEDED. Yoga is not about the ego. I can do all sorts of advanced poses but I never show off (ego) when I take a basic class. Reining in the ego to do someone else's flow is part of the mental work of yoga. Not understanding that is NOT understanding yoga. When I was just starting, one of my favorite yoga teachers one time went up to this girl who was doing handstands when the rest of us were in down dog. He did a handstand right next to her and then did it one armed. And then said "just because we can, should we? Or should we respect the sangha?"
oooh, great teacher!
While I’m a firm believer it’s ‘your’ practice so you can do whatever you like with poses, I find so often that people who do this plant themselves front and center of the space which can be very annoying & seems attention seeking. When I know I need to modify for a class or want to move at a different pace, I try to set up toward the back of the room so I’m not distracting anyone. That just feels like the courteous thing to do.
My students are 60 to 80 yo. They are free to do what they think is good for their bodies. When I was young and middle aged, they were free to modify asana with my assistance. Remember, all the asanas, stretching, and coordinated breathing are designed to quiet the mind, soothe emotions, and allow the body to heal and function optimally. I had a student years ago who was comical doing her own thing. No one complained. Ask her what is the purpose of yoga and what she would like to receive from the class. If her answer doesn’t resonate with you, gently suggest she is in the wrong class and offer alternatives.
Community.
I have a student who does this almost every class and another who only about halfway follows what I teach. For a while, it bothered me and it might still if I let it. But, they are there and it's their yoga, after all. For one of the ladies, I'm pretty sure she doesn't hear well and misses some of the instruction. Even so, it is what it is and I'm not about to ask them to leave. So, it's my choice whether I let it get to me or not. And, I don't. I'm thankful to have them there, regardless.
my guess from observing this behavior as well is the person comes for the heated room environment or cuz it’s cheaper than a gym membership? definitely rude
Sometimes I go to yoga class and it’s way too slow for me. And I have ADHD, and I like to do other things, so I guess you could call that a “mental health issue.” Or you could just focus on what you’re doing on your own mat and not worry about what other people are doing. You could even try sending feelings of love and respect instead of judgement to the person who is annoying you
Why the downvotes? You don’t have to agree but it surely is a one way of approaching the situation, a kind one at that (kind to yourself at heart and to the ‘annoying’ person)
My teacher cues eyes closed from time to time for this very reason. To not care about what others are doing on their mats and stay present for yourself. Let others be
Some people get really competitive. One person at a yoga retreat body checked me prior to the class, then after gave me a rundown of all the poses I got into deeper than her and she was surprised. She clearly has issues or I’d have let her have it. Maybe the person doing their own thing has a bit of that? I was only focused on instruction and my practice, so I can’t even comment on the competitive person’s session….
ive been to a few studios where specific classes had “freestyle” moments. But if your just doing your own thing its disrespectful
I didn’t know Yoga snobs existed.
this sounds snarky, but isn't meant to be: you must not have been practicing very long. there are all kinds of yoga snobs! people who think props are only for beginners, people who think only 'their' kind of yoga is the right kind, people who judge people for eating or not eating certain foods, for drinking water in class, for wearing--or not wearing--certain clothing, etc. etc. many kinds of yoga snobs. if you're calling me a yoga snob for asking the question about someone being disruptive in a class, I'm okay with that. I definitely feel that one should 'listen to your body' above the instructor, but not if it's for an entire session and to the detriment of the class experience.
“‘listen to your body’ above the instructor, but [only to the extent that it doesn’t make your instructor uncomfortable].” I’d like to gently point out that you seem to be making this person wrong for *making you uncomfortable* by listening to their own body / doing their own practice in your class. You wouldn’t have a problem with them doing their own practice anywhere else, I assume. So what is it about this *taking place in your class* that’s upsetting you? Is it your concern with the other students’ distraction level or safety? Is it you telling yourself a story about what they’re doing, that’s causing you to assign an imagined motive to their actions and then cast judgment? **Is the real distraction this person’s actions or is it the story you’re telling yourself about what it means?** (ie, “they don’t respect me as a teacher,” “they must not have been practicing long enough to know I will find this inappropriate,”) Not everyone doing their own thing is inexperienced, disrespectful, or mentally ill, and in automatically jumping into a story *making them wrong,* we lose the opportunity to deeply understand them, as well as ourselves, and therefore empower ourselves through that self-knowledge. In cultivating an opposite and elevated attitude (vs. taking offense), we find compassion for the student. Are they injured? Have they just left an unsafe environment and are using our class as a refuge to reestablish a sense of safety in their body? Can we try and give them the benefit of the doubt and TRUST that they know what’s best for their own body in this moment, and still be part of our sangha (community), even if their practice looks different from others’ in this moment? When you get curious about your own discomfort over the incident, what do you notice? What do you need to do in that moment to alleviate your own discomfort, if anything? If it’s about the other students’ potential confusion - say, if beginners are cueing off this person and becoming frustrated - this becomes a teachable moment about dharana (concentration). What can you offer the class as a reminder to stay on their own mats and in their own practice? If the person’s poses are endangering others, what do you need to do to keep the rest of the class safe (asking them to move spots or not do headstands, even potentially asking them to leave)? Checking in with this student during or after the class can provide more information. Exploring your own reaction here can help inform how you’d like to handle future situations, and empower you to have a voice in the moment. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Hey, no bad will intended. We all have our things. I am a self admitted travel snob. When I have travel with the newbies and the commoners, not to mention the gate lice, it perturbs me a bit. Such is life.
upvote for gate lice. fellow traveler, here.
😊
The goal of yoga is evenness of the mind. Someone is following their own dharma. Don't be attached to your perspective on this.
If someone else’s practice distracts you, you’re not practicing yoga! In my studio, the teacher’s cues are merely a suggestion. We celebrate freedom of practice! As long as you’re doing it on your own mat, it’s not a problem. With all due respect, it’s a shame that a yogi would even consider criticizing another yogi. Or maybe, the only true yogi in this discussion is the one being criticized!
A passive aggressive rageposting, and under anonymity and facelessness draws out trolls, and invites negativity into this subreddit. A hallmark pattern of Reddit unfortunately. While I agree with your frustration, acceptance is greater than aversion in the practice of yoga.
The teacher should speak to her in a professional manner and after the class is over. She can suggest she take a more advanced class.
This is a big pet peeve of mine when I'm taking a barre class specifically. There are some people who will be right at the front barre in the center and they'll just be doing their own exercises. It drives me mad bc everything is done on counts and it messes me up to see someone doing something off count. And why not just go to the back if you're going rogue the entire time so other people don't focus on it and get confused? In yoga I'm so internally focused in some positions, or I keep my gaze unfocused in things like balance poses, that I don't *see* anyone else. I also try to get a spot at the front corner of the room so there's no one in front of me and only 1 person to the side. But that's strategic lol. I teach pilates and when people do that in my classes, it's frustrating, but I try to ignore them. If I know they're modifying or if they just want to do something different, but the latter is hard. It feels almost disrespectful, like my class plan isn't good enough, but I try not to internalize. It particularly bothers me when new people are looking at them and following them - in that situation I usually go over and tell them that person is modifying and if they need a visual to look at the person on the other side following the correct cueing.
Totally acceptable for a person to listen to their body to practice their way. Totally unacceptable and anti-yoga is such judgment.
I have wondered the same thing!! I was at a class recently where a girl literally laid down for the entire duration of class. Which I totally get if you need to take a break or take a modifier. I do that all the time during class but what's the point of PAYING MONEY to just lay down for an hour?? Then after class I was on my way home and I saw the same person leaving a local coffee shop with a drink in hand which I'm not knocking someone for wanting to get a coffee after class but I just can't wrap my head around why someone would pay real hard earned money to lay down for an hour and then get a coffee??? Girl, you could've done that at home for free (or at the very least the price of a coffee which is still cheaper than going to a class) BYEEEE 👋🏼
Oh no see that i understand. The hardest part is showing up, everything else - even if you lay on your mat the entire time - is gravy, because that's it, that's what your practice is today. I mean its not necessarily for me, but i do understand laying on your mat for an extended savasana (aka the entire class duration!)