I missed a Wednesday a couple of weeks ago while fighting a cold and now I’m scrambling to make up ground – so today will be my first ‘three-a-day’. I’ve already done the grueling CardioSculpt class this morning and I need something to balance that off before finishing the day with a water aerobics class. Luckily, there’s a yoga class at 5:15 that I haven’t taken yet – that’s the ticket.
The Club often tries to offer “companion” classes at the same time on Monday/Wednesdays or Tuesday/Thursday and that’s true with this yoga class. On Monday at 5 p.m. Breezy teaches a “flowing” yoga class, which is similar in style to the class that Mike teaches on Wednesday. Both classes are intended for all levels (we started the Intro to Yoga series as a ‘feeder’ to these classes so participants would have some background in yoga) but as 55 minute classes they are more basic in nature. The classes on the schedule that are specifically designed for intermediate or advanced students are: Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. (Sherry) and Saturday at 11:40 a.m. (Mike).
Mike teaches a really nice class today. We flow in and out of many core yoga techniques such as: downward dog, low and high lunge, warrior II, triangle, side angle, plank, cobra, chair, wide leg forward bend, tree and others. It feels really good to me to be doing yoga after the more intense and high impact workout from this morning.
As we practice tree, Mike reminds us that “wherever you are in your practice is exactly where you are supposed to be”. Tree is a balance pose and is challenging for just about everybody. There’s something about losing one’s balance that is frustrating or even embarrassing, as if the ego can’t take this minor ‘failure’. Hence Mike’s gentle reminder to simply accept where we are today because it’s fine just the way it is. Truthfully, this is great advice for all aspects of our life.
Tree Pose
Mike Danley has been teaching Hatha yoga for 2 1/2 years. Mike refers to the Hatha method as “meditation in motion”. Mike is a gentle and encouraging teacher – he continually walks around the room as he instructs, making adjustments to individual students wherever necessary. Outside of practicing and teaching yoga Mike’s interests include fencing, tennis and hiking.
Mike Danley
In order to do yoga correctly and with good balance, it’s necessary to have a strong core so in about a quarter of all classes there is an ab section. Naturally, I would come to a class that includes the ab work. After all, what would a group exercise class be without some abs. Mike’s version today is short and sweet – just enough to feel a gentle burn – it’s all good.
There are about 15 fellow yogis and yogini’s in class today. The $25 gift certificate goes to Karla Back.
Next up for me is the 7 p.m. water aerobics class….gotta go put on my bathing suit.
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