Last year, when students were scheduling classes for this year, many were ecstatic to see yoga offered for the first time. With five yoga classes offered, students are able to both exercise and relax throughout the day.
Yoga is an ancient practice that disciplines a person both spiritually and physically. Similar to meditation, yoga is very peaceful and promotes a calm and controlled mindset through poses and movements that enhance a physical well-being.
“Yoga has become a big part of my lifestyle,” senior Ronald Lagos said. “It is a nice stress-free break from the constant work and worry of school. It gets me in the right state for the rest of the day.”
During class, each student has their own mat and area in the dance studio, where they either follow along to the teacher’s guided yoga instruction or perform their own poses. A beneficial aspect of yoga is that almost anyone can practice it, so why not try it? Although starting out may be difficult and involve only very basic skills, improvement is inevitable and over time “yogis” can master the art of yoga.
“It has been great to see students come a long way from the more basic introductory yoga to complex poses that challenge their body and mind,” physical education teacher Stacey Krebs said.
Although Krebs had little yoga experience coming into this class, like most of her students, she takes her own classes and lessons outside of school to improve her own yoga practice. Krebs has already come a long way in her personal yoga journey and uses her experience to critique her students’ poses as well as to implement certain techniques and methods into her classes.
One of the most beneficial physical aspects of yoga is that it dramatically increases one’s flexibility and underlying strength. This aspect can be especially beneficial for athletes, as it decreases the chance and recovery time of injuries.
“It’s amazing how after only a few months of yoga my practice and well-being has improved so much and I feel like I just keep growing, ” junior Adi Golan said.
Whether you decide to try the class, learn through a group lesson, or practice on your own, yoga is an activity that can be beneficial in many ways and is definitely worth a try.