90 min Yoga with Meghan of Imagine, a Yoga Studio

I used the last day of my new student pass with Imagine, a Yoga Studio to attend one of their 90 minute offerings. This time I brought along my roommate and friend, Keeley, who is also a yoga fan. Our instructor was Meghan Dunphy, who was (surprise!) around 28 weeks pregnant!

(Sidenote: I am writing this post a day late so my memory may be a bit foggy)

Something I loved about this class was the mix of students. It was my first evening class, taking place at 4:30 pm. There were a few more students than the afternoon classes. But here's the mix, 1 pregnant woman (in addition to the instructor!), 1 somewhat muscular looking guy in the late 20's- early 30's range,  a couple women who appeared to be 20's-30's, my roomie and I, and a couple women who had to be 40's-50's, and we were all shapes, sizes, and levels. Imagine seems to truly cater to everyone, with their motto, "Simply Yoga."Meghan was supportive of everyone's individual needs and how far they wanted to push themselves. I only hope that I am as active when I'm pregnant someday as Meghan is! It's not every day you expect to see a pregnant woman doing handstands.

The Class: (90 minutes)

We began with the lights very low, slowly stretching for a long time. It made me a little sleepy but I think it had to do with Meghan's focus on the meditative qualities of yoga (according to her teaching profile on the Imagine website). Eventually we worked into the "usuals", some sun salutations, warrior 2 (or warrior B as she called it), triangle pose, half moon pose, and side angle pose. This is the 2nd class I've been to at Imagine that skips warrior 1. I haven't really determined why, but I suppose you can't do all the poses!

There were a few unique elements to this class.
        We did one exercise where legs are spread wide and you squat, thighs parallel to the floor. With your hands behind your head, you lean to the left, touching your left elbow to your left knee, back to center, then right elbow to right now, back to center, and repeat about 10 times. It was hard! Great oblique and thigh workout though.
        Another great one was working against the wall. I had seen pictures of this on the website, but this was my first encounter with wall work in yoga. One variation included a supported L pose, with palms flat against the wall, torso parallel to the floor, legs perpendicular, creating an L shape, filling the upper back (not sinking in), and stretching through the shoulders.
        Another more difficult version was the inverted L, with feet flat against the wall, legs parallel to the floor and arms perpendicular. The challenge to this was getting up in the first place, definitely a danger of feet slipping down the wall.
        My favorite though was kicking up from downdog (hands by the wall) into a handstand against the wall. If you wanted, you could then slowly attempt to go into a full handstand by first bending one leg and floating the other off the wall, then unbending the other leg and meeting it. I have not mastered the full handstand but I love the challenge! We were then allowed to play a bit on the wall, so I did my usual headstand attempt, which went very well.

A variation a couple students did while in crow and some other poses, was tripod headstand, which is not something I've attempted. In the headstand (bound headstand) I was taught, you clasp your hands creating a triangle, elbows evenly spaced apart, and cradle your head with forearms flat on the floor as you walk your feet forward and lift into a headstand. The variation that the other 2 students performed was a balance on the head uncradled, with palms flat the the floor, arms in an L shape. And instead of walking the feet in, it began with a tripod balance, and lifting from there. It seems more difficult, and I'm interested in exploring it. According to FitSugar.com, there are four basic headstand variations! Also included are double arm headstand, and pinching shoulders headstand.


Overall, I enjoyed this class. Meghan was excellent, joking around to lighten things just a bit in class, and very supportive. The 90 minute length did not feel like too much, though it was lower impact than I expected. Loooots of stretching. My roommate was so happy with the class that she grabbed a printed schedule and has vowed to return by Monday! Meanwhile, I plan to attend another 4:30pm class tonight, despite sore shoulders and glutes. Getting back into the yoga swing of things feels great!

Yoga with Dede of Imagine, a Yoga Studio

I am continuing to take advantage of my new student pass at Imagine, a Yoga Studio. Today's class was another 60 minute, 12pm class, this time with Dede Fuentes, a regular instructor at the studio.

A side note from my last post about Imagine-- I said the class was 'moderately' challenging. Well my hamstrings felt VERY challenged for the following 2 days! Guess that's what happens when you're off the wagon for too long...a class that may not seem challenging actually is if you aren't practicing regularly.

The class: (60 minutes)

There are few more people in this class than last time, maybe 8 of us. Dede is a pleasant instructor, young and provided plenty of excellent modifications to further challenge the poses. She seemed to make a concentrated effort to give the entire room equal time, walking back and forth across the floor and instructing from various points throughout the room. In a studio like Imagine's, this is really important, since it is much longer than it is wide and makes it difficult to see the instructor. That can be frustrating if it's a pose you're unfamiliar with!

The music had a little Christmas thrown in early on, but switched to lyrical contemporary singer/songwriter type tunes as we progressed. I got to thinking about how a yoga instructor might develop a playlist for a class, and if it's ideal to make a new or tweaked one for every class, and whether the playlist comes first, or the chosen set of poses come first. I would assume some treat the music as merely background, while others fuse the music with the movement. Something to look into! I like the idea of "choreographing" a class to a playlist. It would also be an ideal way for the instructor to track time. Once you get to a certain song, you know it's time to cool down, that sort of thing.

These classes feel short to me. Maybe it's because I'm used to a 90 minute practice. The 60 minute version is more convenient for the sake of saving time in the day, but it feels incomplete when we don't get to touch on so many common poses.

Crow pose with toes together

This class had a similar feel to the previous one. Perhaps slightly more challenging, with more hip openers and the inclusion of crow and pigeon poses, and the exclusion of plow and shoulder stand. Dede had a way of doing crow which I found very interesting. Normally I align the bend of my elbows with the bend of my knees and balance looking forward with my feet pointed behind me, straight out. Dede had us bring our knees as far up our arms as possible, allowing the toes to come together creating a diamond-like shape. It actually seemed more symmetrical and 'crow-like' in this fashion. I'm not sure if there is a "correct" way to do crow, but this variation seems to be on par.

Another fun, holiday themed variation was "Christmas Tree" pose. Which was really just tree-pose, arms in the air, and allowing yourself to "light up" from within. It is so strange, with tree pose, sometimes I can get my foot right up against my thigh, and other times it slides right down immediately. I think wearing tights today may have contributed to the slipping, but it happens even without tights. The half-lotus allowed a fuller stretch, better balance, and far less slipping. Of course, half lotus is not tree-pose.

Dede did not adjust any of us during final savasana, which is perfectly fine. Many people prefer not to be adjusted. I always find it to be helpful in order to fully extend and relax. This studio does not observe either of these practices, but during savasana I have always found the heated/scented eyebags and the tibetan singing bowl to be wonderful additions. Let me explain why. Many people forget to let go of the tension in their face during savasana, or have a hard time keeping their eyes closed. This added weight, warmth, and pressure forces those muscles to relax and for the yogi to more easily withdraw into themselves and block out any outside disturbances. I like the singing bowl because of the roundness of the tone and its ability to mute outside sound. It gives the yogi a tone to focus on and let external thoughts float away.

Overall, this was a good class. Her style was not radically different from Leona's, so I am interested to see if this is the case with the other teachers. A cohesive style is a worthy goal for a studio, however, I am on the hunt for variation.

PS In reference to the article I posted in my previous blog post about an attempt to copyright yoga poses- it turns out the person suing for copyright is Bikram Choudhury, the creator of Bikram Yoga. There just so happens to be a Bikram Yoga studio, licensed by Choudhury, in the River North neighborhood of Chicago, a couple blocks from my work. As it also happens, one of the individuals being sued is Greg Gumucio, former student of Choudhury and founder of Yoga to the People-which as you may recall is the studio that produces the podcasts I use at home! As a final note, I would like to post Yoga to the People's mantra, which I find inspiring and pointed. Take from it what you will.

1st visit, "Imagine, A Yoga Studio"

I made it out of my Chicago apartment for some yoga (finally)!

Today I attended my first class at Imagine, A Yoga Studio, just a couple blocks away from my residence. It's a small storefront, with a single studio set up lengthwise, with full windows at the end facing the train. The sun created beautiful light through the windows, diffused through japanese paper room dividers, with soft wood floors and light purple and gray walls. There was a lingering scent of incense, but not overpowering. I came early to register, and was greeted by the sister of one of the owners, Beka Olsen (I'm having trouble recalling the sister's name).

All classes are $10 (very reasonable), but they offer a 2 week unlimited pass for $25 for new students, so I decided to go with that and try out as many different teachers as I could. Imagine's philosophy seems unique. Unlike many studios, they do not prescribe levels or descriptions to their yoga courses (though there is a 90 minute course as opposed to the usual 60, a 'yoga basics' workshop for beginners, and 'gentle yoga' for a gentler practice). In general, their courses are designed to work for all levels, and are unique through the teaching methods of each individual instructor. Modifications are provided by the instructor to adjust the level of difficulty in either direction. There is something communal and all inclusive about this method that I admire, though I am a fan of changing up what type of class I am going to. Once I try several teachers, perhaps I will find that these classes are more radically different than they appear! Every instructor does have their own style, after all.

I went to the 12pm class, which is usually taught by Beka, one of the owners. However, today we had a sub, Leona (I hope I've spelled her name right). I was looking forward to instruction from the owner of the studio, but Leona did a lovely job. Maybe next time! There were I think 6 total people in the class. The room appeared to be able to accomodate maybe 10-13 comfortably.

The class: (60 minutes)
We began seated, but elevated. Most of us elected for a block, some used a towel or pillow. I opted for the block. This places your hips above your knees in a seated position, which is a refreshing change. Best not to cross the legs entirely, but let the ankles gently cross.

Leona began and ended the class with a single "Om". I like the symmetry and singleness of this, however I realize some people find the "Om" a bit silly or alienating. Having done plenty of Linklater vocal exercises for theatre looking and sounding ridiculous, the "Om" isn't too big a deal for me. The class did contribute a hearty Om, though there could have been tenfold more power and depth behind it. If you're gonna Om, then OM!

We went through the usual breath awareness exercises, breaking into some moderately difficult lunges (after some cat/cow stretches) with prayer twist that came a bit to early on for my taste. I prefer to ease into the more difficult stuff by going through familiar stand-bys first, such as the warriors and sun salutations. The very next thing after  lunging and flowing into downward dog, came a forward fold which progressed into sun salutations and warrior variations.

She varied the warrior sequence a bit, going from warrior one, then placing the arms in eagle, moving into warrior three, then back to one, unwinding the arms, and flowing into warrior 2, and eventually triangle. It is nice to shake out of old patterns, so I appreciated the variety. I really liked her approach to triangle. From warrior 2, she had us reach and reach with the front arm until you couldn't anymore, and then leave the torso where it is, but drop the front arm to your leg, and raise your left to the sky. This really helped me keep my torso in proper alignment for triangle.

Half Lotus in Tree Pose

For balance, we did variations on tree pose. I chose to attempt half-lotus, which she offered as a modification. I've never actually attempted half-lotus, where instead of placing your foot on your upper thigh, you go beyond and place your foot on top of your thigh, resting on the hip socket; and I'm always up for a challenge. From there we went into a forward fold, still in half lotus, and then jumped back into plank, STILL in half-lotus. While in standing half lotus, you can hold your foot in place, however, jumping into plank made my foot slide down to just about the knee, though still on top of the leg. This seemed to be the case for everyone. From there we moved into side plank, which I did normally, though you could pursue it in half lotus as well. I actually found half lotus more balancing then the usual tree pose. It would interesting to explore why that is.

She definitely stressed spreading your toes widely for all of the standing poses, which was very grounding and balancing and I enjoyed.

We also did some twists, plow, shoulder stand, and fish poses, which are some of my favorite stand-bys. I missed camel pose, crow, side-crow, and the headstand, though! Of course, there's only 60 minutes, and you can't do EVERY pose.

Overall, it was an enjoyable, and moderately challenging class. It was perhaps a tiny bit too difficult too early on (in regards to the order of the poses), but the overall difficulty was mid-range. The music was faint and not distracting, the studio was warm and beautiful, and Leona was encouraging and sweet. I am interested to see what new insight the other instructors at Imagine can provide.

PS I'd like to share this important article I came across today. Someone thinks they have the right to copyright yoga poses. Ridiculous, IMO. http://www.jdjournal.com/2011/12/12/yoga-cannot-be-copyrighted/

Discoveries, Flow on My Own

Well I decided to do a vinyasa flow on my own once again. I was actually gearing up to go to my 1st class at the studio around the corner from me (Imagine, A Yoga Studio), but I ended up not getting ready quick enough for the start of class. This flow wasn't too different from the previous one, though it was about 20 minutes shorter, I did a more traditional sun salutation series, and I didn't narrate the flow this time. Also added some deep lunges, bridge pose (always reminds me of kiddie gymnastics!), some jumping jacks, and some deep leg stretches combined with triangle pose variations.

Discoveries:

• I can do side-crow!! On both sides!! Not for a super long time, of course, but I used to be unable to do side-crow at all. I can definitely tell I'm getting stronger and my balance is improving. I think a lot of it is also a matter of your muscles adjusting to new contortions until it becomes "normal". I LOVE the feeling of conquering a pose I previously found impossible! Regular crow is practically cake for me at this point (not bragging, just happy!). Still need to keep working on that upper-body strength!

• Tried to listen to a 'genius' (iTunes mixing program) "Indie Rock" mix to work out to. It was okay. The lyrics were kind of distracting. I think I'm going to create a specific yoga playlist of music. Fitz & the Tantrums was perfect last time, but I don't want to listen the same music every time I practice on my own! Looking for music that is fairly upbeat but not distracting, lyrics you don't necessarily have to pay attention to, and NO 'traditional' yoga music. Suggestions welcome!

• Headstand was much less wobbly today. Still not where I was while in yoga classes in my last semester of Butler. I think the key may be in not applying TOO much pressure in my forearms, it creates a tendency to overcompensate and push my legs off balance. 

Now I just have to get my butt to one of these studios around here!! 

Vinyasa Flow On My Own!

First official yoga-post from CHICAGO! I'm living in the Rogers Park neighborhood, and its very cute, interesting, and diverse.

There is literally a studio down the block from me, how cool is that?? I've also got a LivingSocial deal for a studio downtown for some hot yoga classes, so expect some posts to come from both locations!

For today however, I decided to just flow on my own in my living room facing our beautiful bank of windows while listening to music from "Fitz and the Tantrums".

I want to find a set format for these posts so they're easy to search and find what you're looking for. Not there yet but hopefully something will evolve in the near future!

Overview:
I did a basic vinyasa flow to music, starting from child's pose into downward dog. D-Dog is homebase for my flow. I started slowly, doing some standing stretches and backbends as well as tree pose. I then worked through Warrior 1 & 2, 3-5 breaths for each, and then did a rapid flow 1 breath per move working up a good sweat, moving through the warriors into plank, chaturanga, and into D-dog. Basically a modified sun salutation. I threw in some basic sun salutations as well, as well as chair and thunderbolt poses. One thing I've realized is that I don't know the true name for several poses I do regularly. Such as modifications after I lunge with one arm up one arm down, over the head, stretching backwards, etc. I think side-angle & half-moon pose? I'll have to look it up. I also did some of my favorites such as plow, fish, and shoulder stand. I also worked on my headstand a little bit, which was a bit wobbly today. I finished by doing camel (on your knees, bending backwards and grabbing your ankles, heart center to the ceiling), which is such a wonderful and powerful release, a cycle of different types of crunches in counts of 8, followed by of course, corpse pose and cool down.

All in all, this flow was about 50 minutes long, which is about as long as I like it. 90 minutes sometimes feels like too much, but there is something to be said for pushing yourself beyond what's comfortable.

Sidenote:
I like to include some kind of basic core work in my flow such as intervals of different kinds of crunches or doing the pilates 100. Something all my yoga (and dance) teachers have stressed is a strong core, and I have to agree. While doing the yoga work certainly helps strengthen the core, I find it necessary to supplement in some way.

Right now, I'm feeling those creaky bones and unworked muscles burning after that work out. I think I pushed myself in a good direction. Something really different I tried was pretending I was teaching the class and seeing how it affected me and how confident I felt about it. It went pretty well! I definitely need to learn the correct names of the poses better, but I think I have a good 'teaching voice' and a calming but supportive presence. I wonder how much teachers plan their classes and how much is just a general outline or if they make it up on the spot? Something to find out. I feel good about continuing on the path of certification though!

Music:
I LOVE doing yoga to music! You have to make sure the music you choose isn't distracting, and it doesn't have to be tibetan monk singing or anything. Just something with enough energy to drive but not so much craziness to clash. Create your own mix if you want! The vibe from "Fitz and the Tantrums" was kind of perfect. It's funk and soul, with enough energy to really drive but not to distraction, and it flows together well just like the practice. I think music should always be in the studios too. Most do some kind of typical "yoga" music, tibetan monks or flutes or something, but popular music certainly works too. If you want to take out the "uber-hippie" element that drives some away, I think contemporary or at least not "traditional" music, is the way to go. I'm sure there are some very traditional yogis out there who might object to this....but I've never really been one to stick to tradition. Update tradition!

Trying to get back on the wagon with yoga, hopefully lots more posts to come! Keeping a regular practice really is important, and I'm not very good about it. Practicing regularly really is the only way to master your balance and go deeper into the poses, working towards those really challenging ones.

Repost from Motus Dance Theatre

This is a lovely blog post from a member of Motus Dance Theatre (Indianapolis-based) on connections she's made in her life through yoga and dance. Interesting read!

http://networkedblogs.com/n34Ne

Yoga and Dance

SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

by Motus

I remember taking my first yoga class in college, when Katie Teutchler decided to teach yoga instead of her regular advanced modern class one day. Even though admittedly my first yoga class did feel a little awkward and foreign, I remember leaving the class feeling refreshed and connected with my body and the world around me, as if my senses had been heightened.

When I moved to New York, I started a work-study program at a Bikram yoga studio in Brooklyn, and later decided to pursue a teaching certification though Integral Yoga NY. It wasn’t until then that I first really began noticing what yoga had done for my dancing. The benefits of yoga for dancers go way beyond building core strength and improving flexibility. Through yoga, I was able to finally begin filling out my movement – finding energy, extension, and fluidity in and between every movement. This was something that I’d always struggled with in the past and even through college. I’d returned to dance later in adolescence after years away, and didn’t have a great deal of confidence – so I shortened my lines and was a somewhat timid mover.

I always say that Sarah Mangelsdorf taught me how to breathe my freshman year of college. Yoga didn’t necessarily teach me how to use my breath to support my movement for the first time – although for dancers in all genres, this can be another important benefit of developing a yoga practice. Through my teacher training courses, I learned different breathing techniques and how to use breath or Prana – the life force – to help clear my mind. I believe that dancers, by nature, are perfectionists, and this perfectionism carries through to other aspects of our lives. It’s easy to dwell in the past, or get wrapped up in what is going to happen in the future – later today, next week, next year. Learning how to use breathing and meditation techniques to quiet the chatter of the mind and live in the present moment, which has helped me find better focus in technique class and while performing. I’ve gotten to the point where I can really feel a deeper connection with what was going on in my body, and have a much better awareness of where I’m placing it in space.

I find myself often wondering what kind of dancer I would have been when I was younger if I’d found yoga earlier and practiced consistently. I am constantly reminded of how fortunate I am to have discovered yoga when I did, in my early 20’s, and how I am so lucky to be able to continue learning, growing and evolving in dance and in yoga. I feel strongly that for me, the two are interconnected.

KR

Hatha Yoga Podcast #5 from "Yoga to the People"

So I first did these podcasts from NYC (and multi-city) yoga studio, Yoga to the People, last summer, with a group of friends as we were all on the road touring a fringe festival show. Since then I've sporadically done the podcasts on my own. There's a total of 9 different podcasts from this studio, and there hasn't been a new one since late 2009. Regardless, of the podcasts I've tried, these (especially those led by Greg) are the easiest to follow and have the best workout.

The good: It's definitely a workout! All of these podcasts will get you sweating in no time, which I am all about. It's a great hip-opener, and it's a familiar flow. It's all poses any beginning yogi should be fairly accustomed to (Warrior 1 & 2, chair pose, down dog, plank, chair pose, etc). Greg does a good job of guiding you through each transition into the pose. What I like about his teaching style is that he uses words like "glide" "flow" or "breathe" to describe getting into a pose "breathe your way deeper into the lunge" etc. It adds a positive spin to the flow. And this class definitely flows. You generally do a set on each side at normal speed, and then do 2 or 3 sets at a faster pace (set by you), of the same, and that will really get your heart pumping. This podcast is heavy on the power lunges held for long periods of time which can be really difficult (I know I had to modify it). Again the pros and cons of practicing alone-- I mean it's good because there isn't the distraction of others who you might compare yourself to, but you also don't have the opportunity for adjustments from the instructor. Greg is also great about sharing positive tidbits during the practice and connecting you to what you are passionate about and reaching for it through the pose. He also occasionally curses, which I find hilarious but some might be thrown off...

The bad: You're working alone, so no instructor adjustments. Also if you are super new to yoga this podcast may not be for you. While he describes some of the steps to the poses, he also assumes you know what needs to happen with Warrior 1 & 2 and so on, so if your vocab is limited, maybe wait before trying out this podcast. Also, there are only 9 podcasts, and Greg is by far my favorite, he does all but 2 or 3 of them I think. It'd be nice to get some new classes in there! It's a 60 minute flow, so you do have to give yourself a full hour, just like any class. I know sometimes I only have time for a 30 minute workout but I'd like to follow a podcast so that can be annoying.

Love these podcasts overall, and I always feel very refreshed afterwards. Greg has a great philosophy on these practices too. That is, your practice is about you. If you need to adjust and move to child's pose for a while, even if that's 90% of the time, that's okay. It's all about how YOU feel, today, in this moment. Do what's best for your body, and listen to what your body is telling you. At the same time, don't be afraid to push yourself beyond what you think your limit is.

Yoga on Wii Fit Plus

Ok.... I want to blog about ALL kinds of yoga I encounter, so I think it's fair to include Yoga for Wii Fit Plus. For those less tech savvy, Wii Fit Plus is a fitness video game for the Wii Nintendo System, which uses a "balance board" that you stand on as your controller. It senses your movements and thats how you do the activities in the game, more or less.

The good: Each pose is carefully explained and shown to you step by step, with useful tips on breath and body placement. For most poses that use the Wii balance board (essentially your controller for the game), it tracks your balance. So for example, half moon pose will track how your weight shifts on the board and it will guide you to balance yourself properly.

The bad: Super limited on the number of poses. I think there were like.... 18 or so? Had most of the basic stuff, but missing a lot of classic poses too. Some of the poses were very awkward to align correctly using the balance board. The gate pose, for instance, requires you to keep your extended foot on the board, but the added elevation of the board cocks your ankle in a way that is really uncomfortable. Also, the most basic pose for any yogi, downward facing dog, just felt totally wrong on the balance board. It required you to put your hands on the board and "evenly distribute" your weight between your hands and feet. Except for me, the amount of pressure it measured on my hands wasn't "even", so in order to even it out I had to add more pressure, throwing off my usual alignment. I've been doing downward dog long enough to know that the way it was trying to make me do it was not correct. Finally, as always when you do yoga on your own, you have no one there to make adjustments so its hard to be sure you are really doing the poses correctly if you are newer to the practice.

My yoga workout that I constructed took about 40 minutes, and it was maybe marginally challenging. The nice thing about this program is that you can pick and choose as many poses as you want and repeat them as much as you want and build your own flow. So if you want to do the same yoga practice every time, you can. Or if you want something different every time, you can do that too. The game itself has a very clinical healthclub feel to it, which kind of takes away the serenity and 'zen' nature of yoga that I enjoy so much. No good cool down or Namaste. It is nice to see how some of the poses relate to your balance though.

PS The big Chicago move is happening Aug. 30, and in an effort to save money I will be doing most of my practice at home when I can! I'll try to blog about those experiences as well, I'm hoping to do at least 2 more classes before I go (still have a Cityoga pass & a Mindful Movement Studio's class I've paid for!)

Pilates @ Cityoga (yes....I know it's not yoga!)

So I tried out the Pilates class at Cityoga today. I know, I know, it's not yoga. However, I've noticed most yoga studios I've been to often offer a pilates class, and the two are often paired together, so I feel it is relevant. I've also noticed that pilates borrows from yoga, and I've been to many yoga classes which borrow from pilates as well.

Let me just say, this was by far the hardest pilates class I have ever taken. I've only taken a couple, but I always left those classes feeling like I didn't even work out. Well my whole body is telling me right now that I have definitely worked out. This was mat pilates class meant for all levels.

The class: There were only 3 of us, plus the instructor, so we certainly got some individual attention. We started off using 3 lb weights right away doing some arm exercises. We were in the hot yoga studio, so it was kind of dark and warm, so that was a little uncomfortable. We did some really difficult plank work which I definitely struggled with. Later we did a lot of work with the ring (is that what you call it?) between the knees, the ankles, etc working different areas, which was also very challenging. Serious leg-shaking stuff. I will tell you what though, I definitely feel like I got my workout. Serious muscle fatigue right now. I think what made it challenging was the amount of reps, and variations on each area (for example, we'd work out the left side for what seemed like forever, doing tiny variations, then move to the right). I think the other part is that I do virtually no weight training, so adding the weights made a huge difference.

I think I've been going to too many classes/gyms frequented by an older demographic and so the classes are lower impact. With Cityoga, that is NOT the case, which I love. It certainly has made me re-evaluate my fitness level! I'm definitely open to more pilates, but now I know it can kick my ass!! I just wish there were a way to distinguish the levels of difficulty. This class was considered all levels, but it felt advanced to me. Another studio I took pilates at for all levels felt like a light stretch session.

Vinyasa Flow at Cityoga (not the core one, this is new) tomorrow. I have a feeling I may be hurting still from pilates. No pain no gain?

Update: Skipping Vinyasa flow. I am SO SORE. I don't want to injure myself :(

Jason Mraz loves Yoga too!

http://freshnessfactorfivethousand.blogspot.com/2011/06/lean-into-discomfort.html

Check out this awesome post by one of my favorite musicians, Jason Mraz! How fitting that the day I start blogging about yoga, Jason puts out this great post on why yoga is awesome?

Hot Yoga (1st Class) @ Cityoga

Major discovery - I need a towel for my yoga mat!!!!

I've gotten away with not having one for a long time, and sure I'd slip a tiny bit but nothing crazy. Hot yoga is a whooooole other story. I was slipping and sliding everywhere. Luckily, I brought a small hand towel anticipating the heat, and did my best with that to help with my footing.

I've never taken hot yoga before, but it's very popular right now and I've been dying to try it (I'm always going on to my friends about how I want to do yoga that works up a sweat.) Well, I think I released my body weight in sweat after this class.

The class: About 7 people total. The room started at about 86 degrees, but by the end got up to about 90 degrees (I was close to the thermostat). We went at a fairly slow pace, doing only 1 or 2 sequences a little faster.  Vinyasa flow was incorporated and the poses were kept fairly basic. Even the most basic poses get a LOT harder when its HOT though! My hamstrings were still somewhat sore from the Core Vinyasa Flow class a couple days ago, so I wasn't 100%, but still. I'm not sure I've ever sweat that much in my life. Absolutely dripping. Downed my big bottle of water in a heartbeat. It was definitely worth all the sweat though! We wound down class in corpse pose, and used eye-bags scented with something (lavender?). I felt like I was literally melting into the floor, and the eyebag along with the scent really helped to open my senses and calm me.

The skinny: I felt absolutely FANTASTIC coming out of that class. I was soaked in sweat head to toe, but was so full of endorphins and zen-y goodness that I didn't care. And the class was challenging, but not impossible, which is a plus for me. I would definitely take this again- consider me a new fan of hot yoga! Also, if you are going to do hot yoga, a mat towel is a MUST.

Side note: A bath towel works just as well as one of those designer towels! It may not look as snazzy, but if you're on a budget like I am and don't care what your towel looks like, a bath or beach towel is just fine!

Core Vinyasa Flow (1st class) @ Cityoga

So I've taken advantage of a local Groupon deal for a 5 class pass to Cityoga here in Indianapolis. It's a little bit of a drive for me, but it's a great opportunity to try some new classes (and Cityoga has a lot of offerings).

The 1st class I tried was Core Vinyasa Flow. I'm most familiar with Vinyasa work so there were not a whole lot of surprises, but the Cityoga studio was new to me.

The class: About 7 people in the class. It was a pretty typical practice, with a focus on how each pose is approached. So for instance triangle pose was approached first from the top, then the middle then the bottom. It was interesting to see the different ways in which you could flow into a pose. It's definitely useful for when you practice on your own, so that the flow can go on uninterrupted because you don't know where to go next (there's always somewhere to go!).  I expected to do more core work as in targeting the abs but perhaps that is not what they meant by 'core'? Regardless, my hamstrings have been burning for about 2 days! I definitely worked up a sweat, and it was high impact enough that I would go again. Robbin was also a great teacher, very easy to follow.

The studio: Cityoga has 2 studios, a large windowed studio and a hot yoga studio, both with wooden floors, and fairly plain decor. It's a really nice set-up with a very spacious lobby. I was impressed by how well put-together the studio seemed to be. I think my only deterrent to becoming a regular frequenter of the studio is the price-- its $15 for individual classes, $65 for 5 classes, $120 for 10 classes, and so on. They do occasionally have "community" classes for $5 and $10 so once my Groupon runs out I will try to attend those. $15 may not seem like a lot, but for a girl on a budget it sure is! The great thing about this studio is the variety of styles of yoga they offer. (Hot Yoga, Vinyasa Flow, Slow Flow, Core Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Kundalini-just to name a few). They also frequently hold unique workshops (I'd love to try Acroyoga) and they allow you to schedule classes online (with payment) in advance.


Overall, I came away very happy with the class. I felt like I got a workout but it was also spiritually refreshing and centering as well.

The Journey Has Already Begun

Hello!

I intend to chronicle my yoga practice and discoveries in this blog in the hopes that it will help and encourage others in their practice, but also as a reminder to myself of where I've been and where I hope to be in my practice!

That being said, a little history.

My first experience with yoga occurred in high school. I took a couple classes at a local studio, and enjoyed the experience, but I wasn't quite ready to commit. I think the incense threw me off a bit (and gave me a headache... don't get me wrong, I love incense, but inhaling that much made my head spin).

I didn't encounter yoga again until college. I majored in theatre, and our stage movement teacher, Melli, incorporated yoga into our warm-ups. This is when yoga really started to click for me. I loved the way it made me feel, and I discovered that the stretching and focus on alignment was actually alleviating some minor lower back pain I'd been having trouble with (flat feet....it's a curse).

From there I decided to try a class setting again, this time at my college's health complex, and fell head over heels (let's be honest, in yoga this is pretty common) for yoga. I took classes when I could fit them into my schedule, and discovered that my favorites were combinations of yoga and pilates, and the vinyasa flow classes. The higher impact and level of difficulty the better. I'm also very competitive with myself and a bit of a daredevil, which can sometimes lead to injury, but if focused, has enabled me to achieve poses I would have never thought possible.

My exploration deepened when I embarked on a nationwide theatre fringe festival tour as a cast member of a show. Several other members of the group enjoyed practicing yoga, and so we began to practice together in all sorts of odd settings on the road. Our fearless leader Megyn helped to guide us through podcasts published by a studio she frequents in NYC (Yoga To the People, I highly recommend it). This was a really valuable time for my practice, as I began to see it as not just a form of exercise but as a way to clear my mind and focus and to do something for myself and my body.

I graduated from college this past May, and made it a goal for myself to become certified as a yoga teacher. I haven't set a specific time by which I hope to achieve this goal, but I'm not necessarily in a hurry. For now, I think it is more important to explore the many forms of yoga, find what works for me, and build a more consistent practice. I am trying out different studios and classes in Indianapolis for the summer, and I hope to find a studio I like and become a member/regular of in Chicago when I move there in August.

So why Yoga?

I played many different sports as a child, but set aside athletics in high school to pursue other interests. It always has been and still is my goal and dream to become a professional actor. The demands of a stage and film actor generally include a fit body. Yoga for me has become a way to work out and stay fit. It is never boring, never the same, and never a chore, which was always my problem with hopping on the elliptical or going for a run. What's even better about yoga is that is has greatly improved my posture and body and breath awareness, which all play into my abilities as a performer as well. Its helped me become more graceful, balanced, and able to center and focus myself.  Yoga grants me the ability to calm myself and discover inner peace unlike anything else has. For me, after I complete my time on the mat for the day, it is the closest thing I have come to a religious experience. I want to share with all who are willing to listen the many benefits of yoga.