Insider Guide.

Insider's Guide beauty fitness

How to seem at home in yoga class

By Seane Corn Corn, who has worked with Ashley Judd and Heather Graham, teaches at Yoga Works in Santa Monica and in the video Vinyasa Flow Yoga: Uniting Movement and Breath (Gaiam). I can spot a novice in the first five minutes of class -- sometimes in the first five seconds. Getting the protocol of the place will prevent you from feeling lost. * Start at the beginning. Call the studio ahead of time, and ask which class would be best for your level. Not only will you get more instruction; you won't be expected to do advanced moves, which could cause injury. * Dress the part. Many people come to yoga class for the first time wearing bad exercise gear and socks, and it just screams "beginner." One new student even showed up wearing panty hose and a long, flowing peasant skirt. Oversize T-shirts that can drape down over your face while you're doing a downward dog aren't a good idea. Neither are baggy shorts that reveal too much when your legs are up in the air. If you're wearing leggings, a sports bra or tank top, and your hair is in a ponytail, you're in great shape. Also, don't wear a lot of makeup; it's just going to melt down your face. * Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize. Bring a towel and a sticky mat, not a five-inch-thick exercise mat. Yoga mats should be thin and not squishy, so you'll be able to balance well. * No shoes, no kidding. Don't ever walk into a yoga room with your shoes on -- it's the number one giveaway that you're a newcomer. The studio is absolutely shoe-free -- ...