| What Is Vinyasa Power Yoga? |
| Vinyasa Power Yoga is an energetic flowing practice including a series of asanas (yoga poses) linked together with the breath. Done to it's fullest, Vinyasa Power Yoga can be very challenging, but is presented in a way that can be modified or diluted to suit the beginner. Be ready to sweat, be challenged and transform. |
| The Healing Power of Heat |
| At The Yoga Project, in our "All Levels", "Basics" and "YIN Yang" classes we practice in a warm room kept at 90-95°F. Heat is healing and a huge part of our process is detoxification which occurs, largely in part, through perspiration. We also do a lot of lengthening and opening of joints and muscles which feels more comfortable in a warm room. The heat may seem intense at first, but after a couple of classes, you'll never want to practice in a cool room again. |
| What is YIN Yoga? |
| Yin Yoga, a non-heated class, contains the ancient, and some say original, form of asana practice. The sages who pioneered the path of yoga used asanas to strengthen the body, so that they could sit for long periods in contemplative meditation. If you have ever sat for a long time with legs crossed, you know the hips and lower back need to be strong and open. The sensations you felt were deep in the connective tissues and the joints. These are the deep yin tissues of the body, relative to the more superficial yang tissues of muscles and skin.
Yin Yoga opens up these deep, dense, rarely touched areas. Recently Yin Yoga has been "re-discovered", and more and more students of yoga are adding this challenging form of practice to their regular sadhana. Years of a dedicated asana practice will make anyone healthier, stronger, and more flexible, but at some point the muscles will have reached their limit of flexibility. New depths in postures, deeper ranges of motion, or an increased flow of energy may only be achievable by focusing on the deeper tissues of the body. This is why so many students are finding Yin Yoga to be the perfect compliment and balance to their more active, yang practices. Yin Yoga is a practice everyone can enjoy and also a great place for beginners to start. |
| The First Step is Showing Up |
Often times, just showing up at your first "power yoga" class can be quite intimidating. So, I acknowledge you for making the decision to give it a try! Be patient and give yourself time to acclimate to the heat. If you feel nauseated or light headed, you aren't the only one. The heat is intense and this practice is challenging and it's probably unlike anything your body is used to doing. So, be gentle on yourself and ease your way in. After a few times, you will become more accustomed to it. The sooner you come back in and the more consistant you are with the practice, the more natural it becomes for your body.
After your first class come back in and give it another try, sooner rather than later! For life transformation, practice 5-6 times per week! |
| What if I Can't Do All The Poses? |
| So what. Do what you can. So many times in life we focus on the things we can't do until they become roadblocks for what we can do. Take it one day at a time, one breath at a time and focus on what you can do. |
| Take Care of Yourself |
The number one thing to remember is to take care of yourself. If it doesn't feel right then modify and adjust until you get there. We will teach you to feel your body and listen to your intuition to do what's right for you.
- Modify - Every pose has a modification and it's always there if you need it.
- Child's Pose - This is a resting pose designed for you to reset and come back into your breath. This pose is always there for you and no one will be counting how many time you come here.
- Hydrate - Please make sure you drink plenty of fluids before and after class. A few common signs of dehydration can be chills, muscle cramps, and headaches.
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| Teacher's Assistant |
If someone places their hands on you during the class, it was either the instructor or assistant. All of our assistants have completed intensive hands on training with Stacy and Dave. The idea is not to "fix" or "correct" you but to help you find a deeper aspect of the pose. The best thing is to just relax with the assist and understand that it is beneficial to your practice. If you ever have an injury, please let the teacher and or assistant know, so they don't disturb you. If anything is ever done that causes you pain, please feel free to be verbal with the teacher or assistant, they would prefer that.
If you don't want to be assisted during class then please feel free to let the instructor or the assistant know. You won't hurt our feelings...... |
| Know Before You Go |
- This is Hot Yoga (Be ready to sweat!)
- Avoid eating 2 hours before class
- Always come fully hydrated & drink plenty of fluids after class
- Bring a towel, water and mat
- Wear comfortable non-restrictive clothing
- Try to arrive 5-10 minutes early
- Ask questions - the instructors are there for you!
- Please do not wear shoes inside the studio
- Turn off cell phones
- Please plan on staying until class is over
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