The biggest obstacle to a first class is almost never fitness. It is uncertainty: what to wear, which door to use, what if I am the only one who cannot do it, what if everyone is watching.
This piece answers all of that in advance, so that all that is left is the genuinely hard part - turning up.
Where and when
Ziherlova 44, Ljubljana. Lower hall, entrance on the right. The door you are looking for is on the right-hand side, not the main one. If it feels like you are in the wrong place, you are probably in the right one.
Come ten minutes early. Not because you have to, but so you can change without rushing, say hello to the teacher and mention that it is your first time. Nobody expects you to know where anything is.
Slots: morning classes Mon, Tue and Thu from 6:00 to 7:15. Afternoon classes Mon and Wed (beginners) and Tue and Thu (regular group), Qi Gong 17:30-18:30 and Kung Fu 18:30-19:30. Children’s group Mon & Wed or Tue & Thu, at 15:30 and 16:30.
What to wear and bring
- Comfortable sportswear you can squat deeply and lift a knee to your chest in. Anything that does not restrict your hips.
- We train barefoot or in thin training shoes. Bare feet are perfectly fine for a first class - in fact preferable, since you feel the floor better.
- A water bottle. A towel if you sweat easily.
- No uniform needed. You never need one straight away, and nobody will push you to buy one.
- Leave jewellery and watches at home, or take them off before class.
How a session runs
The exact split shifts; the structure does not.
Warm-up and stretching (about 15 minutes). Dynamic, without long static stretching on a cold body. The aim is to take the joints through their range, not to develop flexibility - that comes later.
Basic stances and technique (about 30 minutes). This is where most corrections happen. A correction is not criticism; it is the fastest way to get information into the body.
A form or Qi Gong sequence (about 20 minutes). You will be behind the first time and that is expected. Stand at the back of the line, watch your neighbour and do it approximately. Approximately is enough.
Winding down and breath (about 10 minutes). The part new students most often underestimate and the one they miss most after three months if it is ever skipped.
What not to worry about
“I am not fit enough.” The practice adapts to you, not the other way round. The first month is for letting your body get used to the load and the rhythm, not for proving anything. If you need a break, take one - nobody is counting.
“I will be the only beginner.” The afternoon slot has a separate beginners’ group (Mon and Wed). Everyone in it once walked in for the first time, most of them fairly recently. In the regular groups there is always at least one person who joined a month ago.
“I will not be able to follow the movements.” Nobody can. A first class is not a test, and nobody is grading you. If you leave knowing one thing you did not know before, it worked.
“I will have to spar with someone.” Not on your first day. Sanshou comes gradually and never before you are ready - first technique with a cooperating partner, later with resistance.
“Everyone knows each other and I know nobody.” True, and it passes faster than you expect. The group is small and a new face gets noticed by everyone - not to be assessed, but to be greeted.
A journey of a thousand miles begins beneath one’s feet.
Afterwards
Your thighs will most likely ache the next day - often also muscles you did not know you had. That is normal and passes within a few days. The second session is frequently harder than the first because of it; the third is already easier.
One important distinction: if a joint hurts rather than a muscle, tell the teacher. Muscle soreness is part of the process. Pain in a knee, shoulder or lower back is not part of the plan - it usually means a position needs adjusting.
Do not try to make up for lost time in the first week. Twice a week for two months gives far more than every day for two weeks.
What happens next
You can join at any point in the year, mid-season included. After your first visit we will tell you which slot fits you best - and if you decide this is not for you, that is entirely fine too.
Write to us or fill in the sign-up form and we will arrange a time.
