From Keg Stands
to Head Stands: Yoga
New York City
abounds with yoga studios. Yoga mats and yoga pants seem to be in rotation of
every New Yorkers’ daily ensembles. To be quite honest, it was only after I had
moved to this city that I decided to try a class. It has been four years since
that first class and I now have a firm grasp on the different varieties of yoga
and what I enjoy the most. Obviously everyone is different, but there is a
reason so many people take yoga religiously: It’s amazing.
for the people,
to the people
My current
obsession is a style referred to as power vinyasa flow. If you live in New
York, Seattle, San Francisco, or are by ASU or Berkley College, I highly
recommend Yoga to the People (yogatothepeople.com). With multiple locations here
throughout New York, YTTP offers vinyasa classes at a donation-based rate and
hot yoga for a nominal fee. The latest location offers specialized classes with
different focuses such as meditation or inversions. Even practicing once a week
has a considerable impact on my flexibility (not to mention additional bonus
points in the bedroom *wink, wink). Certain poses I once could barely fathom
getting into, I can now accomplish with the greatest of ease! What impresses me
about vinyasa at YTTP is the constant movement. And let me tell you, it is a
fantastic workout and you will work up a sweat. So tell your boyfriend (or
girlfriend) to give it a try and they will never tease you about it again!
hungover
warrior//finding a balance//detox to retox
Now to put it in
party-girl-perspective, this class is already challenging on a normal occasion let
alone with a hangover. That being said, my friend Loren somehow still manages
to complete two classes back-to-back the day after a late night out drinking.
She will ease into every pose as I shake and tremble uncontrollably. Without a
doubt, if you are able to make it to class post-party without passing out, then
you should be all the better. Loren’s detox-to-retox theory is that with all
the profuse sweating she experiences, yoga has a detoxifying effect to explain
why she’s ready to go again come evening.
everything zen
Ultimately, YTTP
is a convenient, inexpensive, and all around great studio for yogis at all
levels. It’s a comfortable place to find your zen….or what have you. Full
disclosure, I have found myself crying from time to time in the half pigeon
pose. I’m not quite sure why that particular pose triggers waterworks, but I’m
fairly certain the mood-setting tunes are a contributing factor. Either way,
sometimes a girl needs to shed a couple tears. If you were feeling nervous
about your date that evening, a 60 minute session later will make deciding on
that perfect outfit all the less stressful.
in’sync
If you need to
hit up some basics or want to define certain poses in a more intimate space, I
recommend SYNCYOGA (syncstudio.net). Sync first opened in North Carolina (my
home state whooooop whoop!!!) with its latest outpost now in Brooklyn. Don’t
worry “I never leave Manhattan”-ers, it’s right off the L train - Bedford stop,
one quick stop out of the city. They also offer SYNCCYCLE (More to come on this
in my Spin Blog), cycling classes with reasonable prices and package deals
available. I have to admit, I’m easily amused and wanted to giggle at some
things in this class (like what things? Other than om?). Maybe because my
friends were goofing off on either side of me “Om-ing”. It’s good to have the
fundamentals down so when you are working into the you are maximizing the
benefits and don’t risk injuring yourself. I enjoyed the inversions (e.g.
headstands, forearm stands, etc.) the instructor had us work on towards the end
of class. Talk about a serious head buzz.
some like it hot
Finally there is
Bikram/hot yoga. Everyone has his or her own opinion about this type of
practice. Personally I love it, but can only handle it in “small doses.” About
two years ago an acquaintance introduced me to Bikram. She was engaged in a
30-day challenge at the time. Of course I had to try it. I signed up at Bikram
Williamsburg (bikramwilliamsburg.com). Most hot yoga studios offer similar
promotions. I had never experienced a class like this before. It is typically
90 minutes long with the temperature cranked up between 102-109 degrees. This
is not for your faint of heart so I highly recommend the following:
- Buy your own yoga mat. Trust me on
this. After you first see what happens to these mats you won’t want anyone
else’s bodily fluids on your mat, but your own.
- Wear as little clothing as possible.
Most people are next to naked and now is not the time to care if you are
too. Believe me the less weighing you down, the better. And yes, you will
be exposed to a lot of, ahem, male genitalia.
- Be sure to have had a meal about two
hours prior. I would not recommend this on an empty stomach for many
reasons.
- Drink a lot of water before, during
and after. A LOT. And if you don’t already like coconut water, you might
want to learn to like it.
- Do NOT do this hung over. Seriously.
Trust a PartyGirl. Loren won’t even do this.
- Its ok to feel really awesome in class one day and than feel like crap the next. Get into child’s pose when necessary. No one is judging you.
The class is
intensely difficult, but you will feel utterly amazing afterwards. That’s was
the most flexible I have been in years and I felt fabulous. Many yogis are
obsessed with hot yoga because you are totally sweating out everything.
Everything. Note: After one of these you are transformed into “a cheap date” so
I suggest you hydrate to avoid it being the last date.Regardless of
where you are in your life, you will never regret adding a yoga practice into
your routine. Yoga can help alleviate an array of physical issues, soreness or
tension not to mention the mental and spiritual advantages. As aforementioned,
there are studios all over the city offering multiple class times to
accommodate your hectic schedule. Not to mention the most motivating aspect of
all—have you ever noticed the body of an avid yogi? Hot bodies hands down with
the added perk of and expanded lifespan. I’ve seen a 70-year old in better
shape than most 20-somethings I know. Moral of the story: Yoga will have you
living longer, better and looking a hell of a lot hotter.
Well, this would be "Happy Baby/ Dead Bug" pose being demonstrated by the one and only Loren Yandoc. After, ahem, a couple beers and a dare:
