[Thinfor5Minutes]

I went back several pages and couldn't find any. I took a class with a new instructor the other night. Was a bit disappointed...first time I took a class from a man, and he didn't explain much, just would announce the pose in its proper name ("tadasana" instead of "mountain," for example) and everyone would just go into it. I knew some of the more basic poses, but he used a lot that I've never seen before. He's also something of an overachiever, choosing poses that are way beyond my abilities. In fact, they are above everyone's abilities except for his own. I will have to continue my quest for a teacher who is both affordable and realistic, I suppose. This is the third yoga instructor I've been to. The first was in a school, where they assigned her a filthy math room to hold her classes in. The atmosphere is just not right...second was at a chiropractic office. Loved the teacher, loved the ambience, but classes are held at 8:30 at night, and that's just too late for me. It's frustrating.

[ladybugfun]

Have you tried buying a dvd for home use instead? I use to have one and am going to get one agian. i really liked it. good luck

[Thinfor5Minutes]

but I really do much better in a class setting. I tend to baby myself too much at home. When I am in class, I can't cheat because someone else is watching!

[YP1]

I'm another one who cheats with the dvds! I have a couple of dvds at home, but always end up doing it a bit half hearted or giving up midway through. In the class I actually push myself that bit further when the teacher corrects my pose or tells me to stretch a bit more, and I'd never do that on my own. Maybe once I'm better, but while I'm learning and don't know exactly what I'm meant to do I have a tendency to do too little left to my own devices!

My instructor is almost the opposite of yours. Every week he demonstrates poses really carefully in case there are any new people, even though most of us are getting the hang of it by now (the course has been running for nearly 2 months).

[Thinfor5Minutes]

and after all, I think that is what teaching is all about. Some people who are very good at what they do, though, can't resist showing off, and I feel as if that's what he is doing here. If most of the people in the class have never taken a yoga class before, they wouldn't necessarily even know that this is not the norm.

I had an aerobics instructor like that once too. It was supposed to be a beginners' class, but she couldn't resist speeding up the music and adding in all sorts of complicated choreography. The one I have now is great. She spends plenty of time teaching and helping people to do it better.