New to yoga? What to expect at your first class

Starting yoga can feel like everyone else already knows what they're doing. At Om Yoga Studios in Amsterdam West, our beginners' classes are built so that isn't true.

Here's what actually happens.

Before class. Arrive five or ten minutes early. Come to Willem de Zwijgerlaan 350 — the building with Hotel G on the ground floor — and take the lift or stairs to the third floor; we're on the right. Leave your shoes at the entrance and wear something comfortable you can move in. Mats and props are here, so there's nothing to buy.

During class. A foundational class is slow and clearly guided. The teacher introduces each posture, shows you where it should be felt, and gives you time to find it. Nothing is rushed, and there's nothing to get right. Breath comes first — most of what makes yoga feel different from a workout is the attention to breathing, and that's where beginners start.

Afterwards. Most people feel a little quieter than when they came in. If you'd like to come back, your teacher can point you to the right class next.

One more thing: your first class is free. Book online, use the code FIRSTFREE, and just turn up. If you have a question before you come, call us on +31 6 38024263.

Book at omyogastudios.nl or follow @omyogastudios.