The Value of Studio Yoga Classes

Before the pandemic, many of us went to a yoga class without a second thought; the regular Vinyasa Flow class on Tuesday evenings or the slow stretching on Sundays to prepare us for the week ahead (or to recover from the weekend!). However, in the midst of 2020 and 2021, the health and fitness industry has had to think quickly and make changes literally overnight to maintain hope of staying afloat and continuing to serve the members and clients who needed stress-relieving, mood-boosting, and immune-boosting exercise now more than ever. As 2022 begins, yoga studios have reopened with cleaner protocols than ever before, while continuing to offer online classes so students can choose where and when they want to practice. To celebrate the reopening of studios and give them the support they need now, we thought this would be the perfect time to remember the profound value of studio classes. I asked on social media“What do you love about practicing at your local studio?”and the endless responses I received all revolved around these key points. Read on to rediscover the value of studio yoga classes!

Community

The answer I received most was simply the wordCommunity.Humans are literally designed to live in community, work together, and socialize regularly. Studies show that loneliness and isolation are incredibly harmful to health as these feelings put the body in a state of stress and loneliness is now even considered a serious carcinogen. When we make it to a regular yoga class, we begin to immerse ourselves in a community of like-minded people who are all on the same journey of self-discovery and wellness of mind and body. The sense of community gives us a sense of belonging, which reduces the risk of mental health problems, reduces mortality and contributes to better overall health, says theAHC(Alliance for Healthier Communities). Especially after being so separated these past few years, our minds and nervous systems need a sense of community more than ever.

Connection

How does “connection” feel to you? When we move in sync with a yoga class and breathe in the same rhythm, the way we feel sends out a vibrational frequency that connects with those around us and influences how they feel. This process is called “entrainment”. Think of it as the feeling that your mood and energy increases when you're around people who have "good vibes," as opposed to people whose energy doesn't resonate with your gut. When you move around on your yoga mat in a class and feel more relaxed, you are also helping the entire room feel more relaxed. If the person on the mat next to you feels calmer, it will help you feel calmer too. Entrainment is a powerful force; Studies conducted on heart cells show that when two different heart cells are placed in a petri dish, they soon start beating in the same rhythm and maintain that rhythm - joining without touching! Humans need this connection, just as birds fly together and mammals move in packs, we need to deeply sense others around us.

My time

Okay, practicing yoga at home via Zoom was a saving grace at first, but let's be honest - when you practice via Zoom, are you really as present as you could be in class? So many people responded to my question“What do you love about practicing at your local yoga studio?”by telling me it's the only time they'll get justicebe.Practicing at home often means that the needs of children, animals, or partners come first, or that the constant interruptions of opening the door or phone fragment the practice and negate its healing benefits. When we practice at home, it is also easier to let the mind take over and perhaps abandon attitudes we might otherwise have encouraged and supported in order to try them out in class, or to quickly read texts and emails when we should be relaxingSavasana.In fact, sometimes taking a yoga class is the only moment we can escape the reflex to scroll through social media or answer emails, so make the most of this escape!

Learn

One of the biggest benefits of a physical yoga class is that the instructor is right in front of you and can help you and adjust posture if you're open to it. It could be a tiny cue that helps us go deeper into a stretch with ease, or a physical support that allows us to rise into a position of balance we've never experienced before. In addition to allowing us to move deeper and further, taking a physical education class essentially helps us practice in a safer environment, with experienced eyes on the lookout for common mistakes that can lead to injury. Your yoga teacher can help you move in a way that fully supports your body and what it needs in that moment, and if they can stand next to you in class, they can help you maintain a sustainable practice with less potential for injury.

humanity

Finally, I found that many people appreciate the pure humanity in a yoga class. As we spend more and more of our lives on screens, in “virtual” situations, and completely disconnected from other people, being in a yoga class with real people and real teachers can remind us of the importance of just being human. We now interact less and less with others due to self-checkouts, payment services in garages, shopping online instead of going to the supermarket, and even calling the doctor instead of in-person visits. In a world that needs more humanity and connection, supporting your local yoga studio is one of the most powerful things you can do to support your own health and the well-being of the community around you.

Bonus! Yoga studios have the best props...

Yoga studios invest heavily in ensuring their props are top-notch and sparkling clean. So if you're tired of using an old yoga mat, tea towel, or stack of books as makeshift props, take a look at the props from Yogamatters you might find at your local studio to enhance your practice:

• Die (Link entfernt) wird aus einer erneuerbaren und recycelbaren Quelle hergestellt und ist ideal, um das Gewicht zu erhöhen oder sich selbst in Körperhaltungen zu unterstützen. Bei der Herstellung dieser 100 % natürlichen Steine ​​werden keine giftigen Chemikalien verwendet, was sie perfekt für den umweltbewussten Yogi macht.

• Die (Link entfernt) hat eine Außenhülle aus 100 % Bio-Baumwolle und ist mit natürlichen Buchweizenschalen gefüllt. Als Favorit von Yogalehrern finden Sie diese Rollen in Studios auf der ganzen Welt, und der abnehmbare, waschbare Bezug sorgt dafür, dass die Rolle bei jeder Verwendung super sauber ist.

• Der Klassiker (Link entfernt) ist auch in Klassen weit und breit zu finden, insbesondere in den Iyengar-Studios. Die Gürtel werden regelmäßig in Posen wie z Paschimottanasana (Vorwärtsbeuge) und Gomukhasana (Kuhgesicht) zur Erweiterung und Verlängerung der Reichweite und aus 100 % natürlicher Baumwolle.