Your first vinyasa class in Copenhagen: what to expect

By yum · Updated 9 November 2026

Your first vinyasa class is less dramatic than most people fear. You arrive ten minutes early, take your shoes off, grab a mat and let the teacher lead the way. Class starts calm, warms up in the middle and ends lying on the mat. At yum by the canal in Sydhavn, there are a maximum of 18 people per class, and all props are free to borrow. Here’s what to expect, from booking to sitting in the café afterwards.

In short

• Book on the schedule or in the Mindbody app. If you’re brand new, start with yum basic elements. yum in the sky is the slow vinyasa flow for intermediate yogis.
• Come dressed and ten minutes early. The doors close when class starts.
• Mats, blocks, straps, bolsters and blankets are free. Bring a water bottle, warm socks and a sweater.
• Eat light, and skip a big meal in the last two hours before class.
• Child’s pose is always allowed. You set your own pace.

Before class: booking and preparation

Pick the right class. If you’re brand new to yoga, start with yum basic elements, where you learn the basic poses. yum in the sky is a slow vinyasa flow for intermediate yogis (not brand-new beginners). yum on fire is for advanced yogis. See levels on class descriptions and times on schedule and booking. Not sure? Read vinyasa yoga for beginners.

Book your spot. Book on schedule and booking or in the Mindbody app. If the class is full, join the waitlist. If a spot opens up until two hours before class, you’re added automatically.

Can’t make it after all? Cancel at least four hours before. Otherwise it costs 75 kr. for members, or your clip is used.

Eat light. Avoid a big meal in the last two hours before class. A banana or a handful of nuts is fine.

What should you bring?

• Comfortable clothes you can move in. Come dressed if you can. There are no changing rooms, but you can change in the café bathroom. There are no showers.
• A water bottle.
• Warm socks and a sweater for the relaxation at the end, when your body settles and cools down fast.
• No mat needed. Mats, blocks, straps, bolsters and blankets are free to borrow. You’re welcome to bring your own.

When you arrive

yum is at Alliancevej 22 in Sydhavn. Take the metro to Sluseholmen or Enghave Brygge, the harbour bus to Teglholmen, a bus, the S-train or your bike. If you drive, there’s two hours of free parking on Alliancevej.

The studio entrance is to the left of the café, by the canal. Arrive ten minutes early so you can settle in. The doors close when class starts, so no one is disturbed.

In the studio, take your shoes off and switch off your phone. Place your mat facing the teacher and the water. The teacher marks you in. It’s also a good moment to mention that it’s your first time, and whether you have an injury or are pregnant, so the teacher can offer alternatives along the way. Have a look at our studio code of conduct before you come.

What happens in class?

Every teacher’s vinyasa class is a little different, but most follow the same arc:

1. Arriving on the mat. You sit or lie down and find your breath. It sounds simple, but this is where you land after your day.
2. Warm-up. Gentle movement for your back, hips and shoulders.
3. Sun salutations. You move through the same poses several times with your breath: forward fold, plank, cobra and downward dog. This is where the flow begins.
4. Standing poses and balance. The class warms up. In yum on fire there are also arm balances, head- and handstands. You choose how much you join in.
5. Cool-down. Seated and lying poses that stretch and settle.
6. Relaxation. You lie completely still on your back for a few minutes. This is where the socks and sweater come in.

If you can’t keep up, take child’s pose and breathe. Everyone does at some point, including the person on the next mat. All classes are taught in English.

After class

The café is right next door. With yum intro you get 10% off in the café, so many people stay for a coffee by the canal with the people they’ve just been sweating next to. Read yoga and coffee by the canal in Sydhavn.

Want to get to know your new yoga neighbours? Join our community dinner on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 18:00. See the dates in the event calendar.

How we do it at yum

• Small classes: a maximum of 18 per class.
• Free props: cork mats, blocks, straps, bolsters and blankets.
• Three levels: beginner (yum basic elements), intermediate (yum in the sky) and advanced (yum on fire). See every class in class descriptions.
• Local: yum is by the canal in Sluseholmen, with studio and café under one roof.

Ready for your first class? With yum intro you get 30 days of unlimited yoga for 399 kr. (359 kr. under 30). After that it continues as a membership at 799 kr./month (729 kr. under 30) unless you cancel before the intro ends. No binding period.

FAQ

What should I bring to my first vinyasa class?

Comfortable clothes, a water bottle, warm socks and a sweater for the relaxation. Mats, blocks, straps, bolsters and blankets are free to borrow at yum.

When should I arrive?

Arrive ten minutes early. The doors close when class starts.

Are there changing rooms and showers?

No. Come dressed if you can. You can change in the café bathroom. There are no showers.

Can I eat before yoga?

Eat light. Avoid a big meal in the last two hours before class.

What if I can’t make it?

Cancel at least four hours before. Otherwise it costs 75 kr. for members, or your clip is used.

Are classes in English?

Yes, all classes are taught in English.