Vinyasa Yoga

I've been attending Yoga classes at Truth in Motion Yoga for a week now.  They offer 2 free weeks of classes and I've been trying to get the most out of it.  I blogged about my Gentle Yoga class and I've attended that same class 4 times since Thursday.  I'm hooked and I'll definitely continue.  I went to Gentle Yoga on Saturday after my Kickboxing class on Friday and it really helped me stretch out an manage the soreness from the intense kickboxing workout.  I can see myself using Gentle Yoga as a part of my recovery routine as I attempt more intense fitness classes for the blog.

Yesterday, I attended Vinyasa Flow in order to try a new class for this blog post and also to explore the other offerings before I buy a package.  This yoga class was a challenging workout lead by the owner of the studio, Irina.  Irina is a beautiful red-head with a thick Russian accent.  She's no nonsense, but compassionate as well.  She began the class with a lesson on one of the philosophies in yoga and drew parallels between the physical aspects of yoga practice and the things we may experience in our daily lives.  I'm not as eloquent or as well versed as she is, but it was basically about dealing with change and our choice to fight against it or accept it and settle into it.  I hope to be able to notice physical changes as I continue with this blog project and to be able to understand and utilize my body better than I able to now.

The Vinyasa Flow class wasn't difficult, but it was challenging.  Irina kept us moving but when we stayed in certain poses, I could feel the engagement in my muscles. By the middle of the class, I was sweating plenty!  My heart was pounding and as we twisted and bent into different positions, I could feel the blood rushing to the areas we were targeting.  Today, my hips, legs, shoulder, and back muscles are sore, but in a way that makes me realize I used them.  As opposed to after kickboxing, when my muscles felt injured!  Throughout the class, Irina came by and corrected our positioning/alignment or showed us ways to modify the poses to our abilities.  After class, she talked to me about the poses that I need to work on as well as focusing on releasing the tension from my shoulders and lower back. Ha!  Easier said than done, right? I know my chiropractor agrees with her about that!

As far as yoga for fitness, I enjoyed this class a lot, but I don't see Vinyasa Flow as something I'm looking to add to my current routine (especially if I'm using Gentle Yoga for therapeutic reasons). 

Overall, I'm glad to have found this studio and I'd encourage anyone else in the area to try out the free 2 week trial to see if it's a fit for you too.

Cost: First 2 weeks free, $16 per class, discount for class packages
Fun Factor: Moderate
Difficulty: Moderate