How your enneagram center can guide your yoga practice to improve your ultimate game.

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Do you tend to become overly emotional when things dont go as expected? Have your teammates ever told you that you should learn to let go?

Have you come to realize that you need to strengthen your focus during games, but you dont know how to do it?

Would you like to find a way to relax your mind and slow down your thoughts after committing a mistake?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, yoga may help you reach your goals.

For LeBron [James], regular yoga has helped him to strengthen his muscles and avoid injury (he rarely misses a game), but as he correctly states yoga isnt just about the body, its also about the mind, and it helps him to stay focused throughout the season and in the playoffs.

When your name is Tom Brady, the pressure is doubled as expectations are so high and the critics are just waiting for him to slip up. Brady is able to perform to such a high level because yoga has helped him both physically and mentally. Brady states, its great for flexibility, its therapeutic, and great for your attitude.

With yoga, you improve mobility and flexibility, which reduces the risk of injury. You also develop better synchronization between movement and breathing during your sports practice, which leads to more efficiency. Furthermore, you become more aware of your body, your range of motion, your abilities, and your limits. You then become skilled at detecting muscle tension, which allows you to relax your body before you hurt yourself.

Yoga is a practice that has become increasingly popular with athletes in recent years. You may not practice it, and you may think this sounds a bit woo-woo or too out there for you. But did you know there are many types of yoga? Depending on your character, your state of mind, and your goals, it is possible to find the type of yoga that suits you and that will allow you to progress in sport.

In this article, I will describe different types of yoga, and give you tips so you can find the types that might be the most appropriate for you based on your personality traits and goals.

I have always been fascinated by the personality traits of athletes and the deep motivations that drive them to act in a certain way. There are many theories about personality and over the past decade I have studied some of them like the MyersBriggs Type Indicator and the Enneagram. Here are some of my discoveries, mostly based on the Enneagram Theory.

In our bodies, we have three centers of intelligence, that I like to call internal GPS, with which we interact to make decisions:

We all use the three centers of intelligence, but according to the Enneagram, in our childhood, we would have developed a preference: we tend to use one of our three internal GPS in a more natural and spontaneous way than the others.

We can compare this behavior to writing: we are able to use both hands, but when the time comes to write, we have a favorite hand that we use spontaneously.

The Instinctive Personality Type

A player who has an instinctive personality type likes competition and battle. They typically like universe points and meeting strong opponents! They are very energetic, focused, and intense on and off the field. They are quick-witted, decisive: they often want to conquer and they may sometimes be experienced as aggressive by others.

In stressful situations, a player who has a dominant action center could tend to become judgmental, intense, and very vocal with their teammates. They can be overwhelmed with anger and frustration. To regain their focus, they need to cool down emotionally, let go of blame, and learn to work with their teammates as a unit.

The Emotional Personality Type

A player who has an emotional personality type likes relationships, evolving in a harmonious atmosphere and being connected with others. They typically love the car ride to go to tournaments! They are very welcoming and they bring people together. They are sensitive, they usually dont like confrontation, and they want to contribute and help their team reach their goal.

In stressful situations, a player who has a dominant feeling center could tend to fear the opinion of others or become afraid of disappointing their teammates. They can be quickly overwhelmed with sadness, melancholy, or embarrassment. To regain their focus, they need to organize and structure their thinking, free themselves from social approval, accept change, and learn to let go of the past.

The Rational Personality Type

A player who has a rational personality type likes structure and knowing what to do in specific situations. They typically like talking about set plays and strategies! They like to analyze their sport and go deep in their understanding. They can be very creative and like to bring new concepts and ideas to their coaches. They want to master their sport, and they often have a solid understanding of the facts.

In stressful situations, a player who has a dominant thinking center could tend to over-analyze and think too much. They can quickly become overwhelmed with fear, worries, and anxiety. To regain their focus, they need to slow down their thoughts, get out of their head, and learn to get into action without needing to know everything.

Did you recognize some of your behaviors, thoughts, and emotions in the descriptions above? Have you identified your dominant center? Would you say you are more of a rational, an instinctive, or an emotional type of player?

According to your personality type, below are a few tips to select the type of yoga that can help you balance your emotions and stay focused in big games.

The Instinctive Personality Type

Players who identify as the instinctive type may benefit from practicing a relaxing type of yoga and avoid overheating. Because they have so much intensity and fire in them, they need to practice letting go of anger and competition, and feeling empathy, compassion and forgiveness. They want to learn to stay calm, cool and collected while focusing and leading their team to success.

Recommended

Best Practiced in Moderation

The Emotional Personality Type

Players who identify as the emotional type have a tendency to become over-sensitive, to fear judgment or to freeze and resist in difficult situations. For these reasons, they may benefit from practicing a dynamic type of yoga that will help them develop combativeness and courage. They need to challenge themselves, and to do so they must push themselves out of their comfort zone. Since they tend to be naturally kind, loving, and compassionate, what they could develop with yoga is discipline and structure.

Recommended

Best Practiced in Moderation

The Rational Personality Type

Players who identify as the rational type may benefit from practicing yoga slowly and deliberately i.e. consciously and intentionally. Because their mind is so hyperactive, they need to slow down, and learn to focus on the present moment and on their body. They want to avoid cold, heat and exhaustion, since it is demanding on their nervous system.

Recommended

Best Practiced in Moderation

When you think about yoga, you probably already feel drawn to a specific style.

An instinctive personality type may like to practice a rather demanding and challenging type of yoga, such as bikram yoga. An emotional personality type may feel attracted by a more meditative and spiritual type of yoga, and a rational personality type may like practicing yoga in a very structured environment, where they can get lots of explanations from the teacher.

What if you tried something different? Practicing a new type of yoga, which you are less used to, could teach you new mental skills and allow you to explore different facets of your personality.

You could also transform the three types of personality described above into mindsets. Sometimes, at the end of the day you feel upset and impatient. You could then choose to practice a type of yoga that is recommended for the state of mind of the instinctive type of player.

If you participate in a yoga class with the goal of stretching, working on your mobility and endurance, it surely will be helpful. But what can be even more powerful is formulating a specific intention that involves both your body and your mind.

Start by defining what you need to work on physically, mentally, and emotionally, set a goal for yourself and choose a yoga practice that fits your goal. When you practice with intention, you accelerate the process of transforming your mind, body and emotions, and it will open up new horizons for you.

Link:
Tuesday Tips: What is Your Yoga Style, According to Your Personality Type and Mental Goals? - ultiworld.com

This spring weather had a lot of us in a good mood last weekend. Hopefully, that continues this weekend. We could all use a nice walk before we settle in for some fun virtual events. Maybe you can ask your mother to join you! Its almost like taking her to brunch, right?

Its graduation season and the disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic means a lot of folks whove worked hard wont get to walk in a ceremony. So how will Berklee College of Music make the best of the situation? The school's class of 2020 will join together in an ensemble to record a tribute to Berklees honorary degree recipients, which include John Legend and Sheila E. Watch the concert at 7:30 p.m. before the commencement ceremony, which happens Saturday.

The Somerville Arts Councils annual event, PorchFest, is not happening in the traditional sense. This year, the fest is moving to the couch with virtual performances from Somerville musicians. The event will be streamed via Facebook Live, so instead of watching from the street with other viewers, everyone can maintain social distance. The performances kick off at 12 p.m. and run to 6 p.m.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is putting together a Mothers Day performance with classical violinist Lilit Hartunian. She is set to play three pieces by composers who were active during French painter Claude Monets lifetime. Each artwork pairs with a piece Hartunian will play. Tune in at 2 p.m.

Grab your mom (virtually, if need be), make some waffles and get ready to dance. Who doesnt love a good, soulful party? Soulelujahs DJ Claude Money will spin for the ICA. (Soulelujah is a vinyl party hosted at The Sinclair in Harvard Square on Saturday nights.) Look forward to a morning of soul, funk and R&B songs that are sure to make you and your mom want to get on up. Catch the set on the ICA's Instagram Live at 11:30 a.m.

Listen, we could all use some relaxation. The days of self-isolation have turned into weeks and the weeks have turned into months. How overwhelming! Yoga is a great way to unwind and this Massachusetts studio has classes available for purchase. From 15-minute guided meditations to 60-minute power flow yoga classes, there is something for yogis at all levels.

Christian Burno Arts Fellow Christian Burno is the arts reporting fellow for The ARTery, WBURs arts and culture team.

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Originally posted here:
5 Things To Do This Weekend, Including A Virtual Yoga Class And A Mother's Day Violin Performance - WBUR

Coronavirus

Tessa Jenkins, training director and instructor for Bulldog Yoga, is teaching online workouts while overseeing her daughters' virtual schooling.

Tessa Jenkins is the training director and an instructor for Bulldog Yoga. Heres how shes been keeping up with teaching while at home. / Photograph courtesy of Tessa Jenkins.

Welcome to Sweat Diaries, Be Well Phillys look at the time, energy, and money people invest in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle in Philly. For each Sweat Diary, we ask one area resident to spend a week tracking everything they eat, all the exercise they get, and the money they spend on both. Want to submit a Sweat Diary? Email lbrzyski@phillymag.com.

Who I am: Tessa Jenkins (@tessajenkinsyoga), 44

Where I live: Chester Springs

What I do: I am the training director and a yoga instructor at Bulldog Yoga. Im also a wife and a mom to two daughters.

What role healthy living plays in my life: My first career was as an ICU nurse and I feel I have come full circle as a yoga teacher, assisting others in preventative wellness care. I have a history of cancer in my family, so I take steps living my healthiest life with an active lifestyle and eating well to allow me to be the best version of myself for my family!

Health memberships (and what they cost):

Jenkins takes an online plank-focused Bulldog Yoga class. / Photograph courtesy of Tessa Jenkins.

6:30 a.m. Even during quarantine Im making every effort to get up early and get a workout in before my daughters, Lola (11) and Sloan (8), wake up so I can do something for myself before online school begins for the day. I drink a glass of water and head to the basement to do a 30-minute run on the treadmill while catching up on the news. I actually hate running on a tread, but its raining and I need a little cardio to pick me up! I end my workout with a 10-minute plank focused class from Bulldog Yoga online.

7:20 a.m. Enjoying the first cup of coffee with a splash of coconut milk creamer. I cant do coffee without the creamer. Its a guilty pleasure! I catch up on some emails while I sip.

8:30 a.m. Footsteps are slowly starting from upstairs and I make my kids a chocolate, peanut butter, and banana smoothie. Set the girls up for online classes, Zoom codes, print off materials, etc. I am an educator liaison these days, but not very good at it. Were all doing our best, though.

9:35 a.m. Head to my makeshift yoga studio (also known as my bedroom) to get ready to teach a power flow format at 9:45 a.m. Now that studios are shuttered, Ive been teaching virtually on Instagram Live and Zoom in an effort to stay connected with the yoga community. I take voluntary payments for each class and donate 50-percent on a rotation to local charities and support healthcare workers around the region.

9:45 a.m. Teach (and take) 45-minute power yoga flow. When I am in the studio I dont take class as I am usually walking in the room, but in this virtual space I am demonstrating the flow I teach to help virtual students if they get lost, so bonus workout for me!

11 a.m. Return to the kids and help them with the rest of their online school work. Our school teachers are saints!

12:30 p.m. Staying at home proves a lot more time making meals than pre-COVID did. Kids get bagels and fresh strawberries. I have become very good about using up all our produce and having less waste. I shred some kale and make an avocado and kale salad topped with lime vinaigrette and some crushed tortilla chips!

1:45 p.m. Work meeting with the managers of Bulldog consists of brainstorming how we can stay connected and serve our communities both online and near our locations. We also begin to work with the management team on our reopening plan, whenever that may be.

3 p.m. Mentor Zoom meeting with a newer yoga teacher. This connection is everything right now!! PS I have no idea what my kids are doing, but its quiet so lets just go with it.

5:30 p.m. Start prepping dinner while making new playlists for classes this week. At Bulldog, we take pride in our awesome playlists, so I like to keep things fresh. This week its Corona Mixtape.

6:15 p.m. Enjoy some leftovers of cauliflower curry that my husband made the other day. He makes a mean curry!

7 p.m. Sit my booty on the couch and catch up on Ozark for the night.

10 p.m. Goodnight!

Daily total: $0

Jenkins and her dog, Gypsy, out for a stroll. / Photograph courtesy of Tessa Jenkins.

6:15 a.m. Wake up! Once Im out of bed, I sip a hot water with lemon and roll out my mat to do a 45-minute virtual Bulldog class. After, I lift for 15 minutes with weights I have in the basement, concentrating on the upper body.

8:45 a.m. Get those kiddos up (quarantine life has them snoozing a bit longer) and get them some breakfast. I enjoy my first coffee of the day (and hello, coconut creamer).

9:30 a.m. Set up Zoom class for the girls, toggle in between their two school stations, and assist with questions and tech issues.

11 a.m. Head up to the virtual studio in the bedroom and teach a private yoga and meditation class to a group of athletes.

11:45 a.m. Kids plow through their work pretty early, so I decide to teach them some card games. Today is WAR and Old Maid!

12:30 p.m. Lunch for all of us is homemade acai bowls. Luckily, I stocked up on frozen acai at Trader Joes a few weeks ago. I blend in a perfectly ripe (almost too ripe) banana, and top off the creation with coconut flakes and granola. I add walnuts to mine for extra protein and fat. Its delicious and makes me think of the beach.

1:30 p.m. After loading the dishwasher, I plan for end-of-the-week classes, plus a virtual yoga retreat I am holding on Friday.

4 p.m. Weather is dry but cold, so I bundle up and take our dog, Gypsy, for a three-mile walk while the girls ride their bikes. Have I mentioned my husband is working from home too and we are a loud family? Outside is good whenever possible. Living in Chester County brings me beautiful views, rolling hills, and little traffic.

5:15 p.m. Snack time! Im making that trendy whipped coffee that has flooded social media. I sub out regular sugar with coconut sugar and reduce it by half. It turns out to be decadent and totally worth the hype!

6 p.m. Back to the kitchen, sheesh a lot of time here these days! Tonight is a Purple Carrot dinner of spring vegetable pilaf (super yummy).

7:15 p.m. Big trip to the couch. I try Ozark again, but I need something light tonight so Schitts Creek finale. Ewww David!

10:30 p.m. Lights out.

Daily total: $0

Jenkins own home-brewed kombucha! / Photograph by Tessa Jenkins.

7 a.m. I roll out of bed and head straight for the coffee. I decide to write in my journal, focusing on gratitude. Check some overnight emails while laying on my mat stretching out my hips. The hilly walk I took yesterday tightened my hips so laying in pigeon pose and working on my laptop were just right! After emails are scanned, I take a 20-minute hips and hamstring Bulldog class, which does the trick.

8 a.m. Teach (and take) a 45-minute invigorate yoga practice to our Instagram community. Invigorate is a Bulldog offering that is a power yoga class with lots of dynamic movement and awesome playlists! It was nice to see my students from the studio sticking to their yoga practice.

9:15 a.m. Kids are sleeping later and later! They are finally up, fed, and at their workspace for the day. Teaching 3-D geometry to a second grader is NO joke!

12:30 p.m. Lunch time! Having leftover vegetable pilaf with some chickpeas added in to boost the protein.

1:15 p.m. Lola, Sloan, and I make a 10-minute kid yoga video to share with the online Bulldog community. Since so many of us are at home with kids, we wanted to give a PE option. These girls are handling quarantine so well, and I am so proud!

2:30 p.m. Both girls play soccer and this week they were assigned drills to do, so we bundle up and head out to practice.

3:30 p.m. Back to the computer to respond to emails, update social media for teaching schedules, and shoot some photos with my husbands help. Kids are in the kitchen looking for more baking recipes. Again.

4:15 p.m. I brew my own kombucha, which is actually quite simple and saves major coin! Today, Sloan is helping me bottle the brew and we make a quick tutorial about it. Peach ginger this week!!

6:15 p.m. Dinner tonight is homemade black bean burgers and sliced sweet potatoes with avocado sauce, served up from an old Purple Carrot recipe. Thankfully, the kids like this particular veggie meal, so everyone is happy. Girls and hubby clean up. I am off for a date with the laundry.

7:30 p.m. Watching Trolls World Tour with the kids. I taught the girls how to make stove-top popcorn with olive oil and some salt, so its a great movie night.

9:45 p.m. Early to bed.

Daily total: $0

Jenkins completes a strength training workout in her basement. / Photograph courtesy of Tessa Jenkins.

7:45 a.m. Decide to skip the morning workout today. During this stressful and unprecedented time, sometimes rest can be the greatest gift. So I sit at my desk with some hot lemon water and do some journal writing. After, I listen to a meditation session on the Bulldog app, which makes me feel rested but ready to start the day.

9 a.m. Settle the kids into the online classes. Today is hard. We learned that PA schools will remain online for the remainder of the year. Lots of tears and snuggles, and we decide its a pancake kind of morning.

12 p.m. For lunch, I make a green smoothie from the last of the kale, celery, ginger, lemon, some frozen pineapple, and lots of cayenne pepper. Love me some spice in a green smoothie.

2 p.m. We watch Trolls again to brighten the disappointing news of the day.

4 p.m. Im feeling a bit restless, so I head to the basement to do an upper body weight circuit and take an online Bulldog Yoga class with Brittany, my co- manager who I miss a lot. It was like I got to spend time with her, which is the real win of this workout!

6 p.m. Dinner time. I really wanted takeout, but we have plenty of fresh food that needs to be used. So its Purple Carrot again, this time an Asian stir-fry.

7 p.m. After a family clean up and more laundry folding, I learn a TikTok dance with my 11 year old. Not her idea. MINE. Like many others, I am finding joy in the strangest things but we laugh and have some fun then watch some more TV.

8 p.m. Zoom meeting with the soccer team parents. We discuss how well move forward with the training of the team and what the future might look like when the kids can play again. Lots of unknowns. But, nice to see everyone!

10 p.m. Kiddos asleep, and I am in bed listening to one of my favorite podcasts before bed. I think its how I am socializing these days?

Daily total: $0

Jenkins leading her virtual yoga retreat. / Photograph courtesy of Tessa Jenkins.

7 a.m. Up and at em! I drink some hot water with lemon and head out for a 35-minute run.

8 a.m. Home with coffee in hand, and prep for the virtual retreat I am hosting. I had to cancel my first yoga retreat that was planned for May, so I decided to make the most of it and host a virtual retreat with a full yoga class followed by a discussion by my friend who is a mental health therapist.

9:30 a.m. Virtual retreat begins! Amazing fun flow with a great turnout. My friend discusses adapting to this new world and processing emotions in a healthy way. Its enlightening and powerful. Over 45 people attend via Zoom and all money collected goes to charity. It was a fantastic morning of community.

12 p.m. Two over easy eggs with green salsa and coffee, obvs. I feel a bit dehydrated so I filled up a huge water bottle to encourage some fluids.

1:15 p.m. Weekly grocery trip. This is one of the biggest differences to my routine now. I used to go to the store several times per week, now my husband and I rotate the daunting task. My turn today. Throw on my mask and get the hand sanitizer and head to the grocery store, which is now a surreal experience with arrows, signs, gloves, and masks.

3:30 p.m. Family workout! While my husband and Lola do more soccer drills in the basement, Sloan and I both do 20 minutes on the treadmill, followed by a push-up, sit up, and plank competition. To finish off the family sesh, Lola and I do a Bulldog core-focused workout.

6:30 p.m. TAKE OUT TIME!!! Having takeout once per week during quarantine just gives us a cooking break! We have a fantastic restaurant near us, Epicurean Garage, that does curbside delivery and has great vegetarian options ($65). The family enjoys a day off of the dishes and we teach the girls how to play black jack. That counts as math right?

8:30 p.m. Girls go and hang on their own in the basement, so the hubs and I hang upstairs and watch Ozark.

11 p.m. OMG my kids are still up! Its a weekend. And we are in quarantine. Ill allow it.

Daily total: $65

Money spent: $137 Workouts complete: Seven Classes taught: Four

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Originally posted here:
This Philly-Area Yoga Teacher Is Juggling Virtual Workouts and Her Kids Education - Philadelphia magazine

Jewelyn Butron

A true yogi knows that the practice is about finding balance and grounding yourself, but it can be really hard to get Zen or master even beginner yoga poses on the floor when you're in pain, amirite? If that's the case, and you're sick of doubling up your regular yoga mat for seated asanas, it may be time to opt for some extra cushioning.

Thick yoga mats are a great option for people with band knees or sensitive wrists. In addition, Candace Moore, an E-RYT500 yoga instructor and owner of Namaslay Studios, says theyre also ideal for seniors or anyone looking to primarily practice hatha (a slow style of stretching) or restorative yoga, as thick yoga mats provide extra layers of support.

To put things into perspective, a standard yoga mat is usually 3mm (1/8 inch) thick, while a thick yoga mat starts at approximately 5mm and goes up from there. The most important thing when picking at your own is personal comfort. That said, if you don't have bad knees or prefer a more dynamic form of yoga, stick to a traditional mat as those provide a more stable surface for your practice, says Moore. "A regular yoga mat, due to its stickiness and thinness, will be better for balancing on, she explains.

On the fence? There are yoga mats that do strike a fair balance between supporting your joints and providing stability. If you think you can benefit from a little extra cushioning, here are the best thick yoga mats you can buy right now. All of the below are best-sellers with A+ reviews from real people who swear by them.

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Best For Yogis Who Still Need Good Grip

Thickness:5 mm

Don't worry about unintentionally losing your balance while trying to master eagle pose. This Manduka matdelivers shock-absorbing cushioning so that it hurts a little less when your joints literally hit the mat.

Rave Review: "Used it about 10 times so far and I couldn't be happier. Strikes the perfect balance between price and quality. The mat is a great thickness and length. Really grippy and kinda heavy but not terrible."

Best Foam Thick Yoga Mat

Thickness:15 mm

Want extra, extra cushioning? You got it. This mat delivers 3/4 inches of high-density, non-stick foam. It's also made with a non-slip bottom to keep the mat in place and prevent injuries as you work out.

Rave Review:"This is the thickest yoga map I've ever seen. It's greatvery comfortable for knees and lying postures."

Best Sustainable Thick Yoga Mat

Thickness:6 mm

Perfect for those who like to sweat it out during hot yoga sessions, this yoga mat is made with a charcoal-infused natural rubber that absorbs sweat and eliminates odor. The material is also anti-slip, so that means more protection for your joints.

Rave Review: "I practice six days a week and sometimes twice a day. I was using a towel but after practicing on the GRP, I do not need a towel and the grip is outstanding. Ive been recommending it to fellow practitioners. The only issue I have: I wish I purchased it months ago."

Most Stylish Thick Yoga Mat

Thickness:6mm

This mat is as beautiful as it is durable. It doesn't sacrifice design for comfort and durability, but it still checks out all three. The cushioning is made with a slip-resistant texture to support your balance as you go.

Rave Review: "For about a year, Ive been doubling my mat for some poses. I decided to admit Im not as young as I used to be and bought the 6mm mat. Its very comfortable and just what my old boney knees were asking for."

Best Extra-Long Thick Yoga Mat

$39.99

Thickness:6 mm

Ever feel like you're only working out on half a mat? This Merrithew mat was specifically made for those with long limbs, akataller people, and keeps comfort and stability in mind.

Rave Review: "As a tall person, I needed a little bigger mat. This was just right. In addition, the thickness was comfortable."

Best Budget-Friendly Thick Yoga Mat

$19.99

Thickness:5 mm

If you want an inexpensive buy that's worth it, try this yoga mat, which can seamlessly take you through your yoga sessions, but can also be used for other kinds of mat-based exercises. Two other perks: it's non-slip and easy to clean.

Rave Review:"Just started yoga classes and didn't want to spend a fortune on a mat. This does everything I needed. Thick enough to protect knees, but thin enough for good stability."

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Go here to read the rest:
6 Best Thick Yoga Mats For Joint Support - Women's Health

Since going into quarantine, I've seen two of my budgets skyrocket: my coffee spending, and the money I put into fitness. With studios in my neighborhood and across the country closed due to coronavirus restrictions, I didn't exactly see that second one coming (admittedly, I could have predicted the caffeine spike). Yet now that I don't go anywhere, I've had far more time and energy to work out and with all of my regular studios having moved to virtual sessions, I'm burning through my class cards so fast that I'm on the verge of investing in multiple memberships, just to save money.

Of course, what would really be the frugal choice would be for me to not attend my virtual classes at all. Not to drop fitness entirely working out is, with no exaggeration, all that is keeping me sane at this point but to switch to the plentiful, easily-accessed free workout videos that are offered online. Since the outbreak, many major studios and gyms, including Barry's Bootcamp, Orangetheory, CorePower Yoga, Rumble boxing, Blink Fitness, Planet Fitness, and more, have started offering free daily workout routines on their websites and social media. You could, with not very much trouble, stitch together an entire week of free workouts that would have cost hundreds of dollars before the outbreak.

But the real question is: Should you?

The fitness industry right now is hemorrhaging money. Last summer, months before anyone had ever heard the word "COVID-19," experts were already warning that despite "a record 71.5 million consumers" who attended health clubs in 2018, the fitness industry could be devastated by a recession. "Consumers are going to be dropping [boutique fitness] from their budget," Kristen Geil, the editor-in-chief of aSweatLife, told NBC News, explaining that such costs are "the easiest thing to cut." And, well, the rest is history. As coronavirus broke out, it left in its wake hundreds of empty gyms and studios; the subscription fitness app ClassPass reports that 90 percent of its 30,000 gym, studio, and wellness partners worldwide have "indefinitely closed their physical locations." For some, it's even more dire: In April, YogaWorks announced it'd be permanently closing its last four New York City locations due to the blow dealt by the pandemic. Gold's Gym, meanwhile, has filed for bankruptcy.

Small, independent studios have had to swiftly adapt in order to stay afloat. Blue Lotus Yoga and Barre Studio in Annapolis, Maryland, might be taken as a model for how to successfully transition; the studio closed its doors on March 16 and now streams between 15 and 20 live virtual classes a week in addition to offering an impressive library of yoga and barre videos that you can purchase for $8 each. "It was a complete overhaul of our business model," Blue Lotus co-founder Duffy Perkins told The Week. "Within days, within 48 hours we moved my entire business online."

Yoga is a particularly tricky space for the debate about free classes, in part because many operators consider it a spiritual practice in addition to being a fitness business. Ingrained in yoga are philosophies like seva, which promotes the generous and selfless teaching of yoga, as well as the concept of "karma yoga," when teachers, for any number of reasons, donate their services for free. Many socially-conscious studios, aware of the criticisms of yoga in the United States as being too exclusive, have long sought to make classes accessible for people who don't fit the stereotypical yogi image (thin, white, in possession of a Peloton or Equinox membership) by offering donation-based or free community classes.

Advocates, though, have sought to highlight the potential for the exploitation of yoga instructors in the studio space, where there can also be an expectation that teachers offer classes, or out-of-classroom assistance, for no pay. "[I]f anyone asks you to teach yoga for free, the answer is: No," writes New York-based instructor Tara Purswani in a Medium post that predated the pandemic, titled "Teaching Yoga Is a Real Job and You Should Be Paid for It."

"My concern with yoga teachers going drastically underpaid is that it keeps our industry and it's teachings small," wrote Francesca Cervero, a private yoga instructor, in a somewhat controversial post that also predates the outbreak. Importantly, she adds that "arbitrarily reducing the price of yoga classes can drive down the value people place on yoga instruction."

The belief that yoga teachers are performing a valuable service is part of why Perkins and her team decided against offering free classes at Blue Lotus. "The motto we have stuck to throughout this is that once you know your worth, you will stop discounting your time," Perkins said. She and her partner, Julie Nogueira, try to impress that message on their students in their teacher training courses, and it is also what has propelled them away from posting their workouts for free on Facebook or Instagram during the pandemic. "The problem with the free classes is, that basically undercuts your entire business model," Perkins explained. "Once you train your clients to think that everything is free, then it's hard to get them back to paying for anything."

And yet, many studios have made the decision to not charge for their classes. Yoga Home, in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, is airing free classes "as an offering of community care as we move through these challenging times together," according to their website. Small World Yoga, in Nashville, likewise explains that its Zoom classes are free because "we are committed to our mission [to connect people and create community by increasing access to yoga] even during this pandemic." Or as Rachel Goodale, the owner of Long Island's Stroller Strong Mamas, told Northforker: "The money is not what's important to me at the moment. I just want everyone to feel like we're not in complete isolation and that we can still kind of come together. Everyone has been so supportive of my classes, so this is my way of giving back."

Free classes aren't entirely without potential business upsides, either. Perkins, for example, told me that she doesn't see the wildly popular and free "Yoga with Adriene" YouTube videos as being competition for her own library of yoga videos. After all, "Yoga with Adriene" existed long before the pandemic, and has likely brought many newcomers to yoga, including, perhaps, any number of future Blue Lotus members. Similarly, prior to the outbreak I'd been eyeing 305 Fitness' dance workout classes, but a crippling terror of breaching a new studio (much less dancing in front of strangers with my two left feet) kept me from showing up. After having popped into a handful of 305's free YouTube workouts, I've become hooked and will almost certainly visit one of their New York studios once they reopen.

Still other studios have sought to navigate the new terrain with a sort of middle ground, offering free or steeply discounted classes to essential workers, or to people who've lost their jobs. Shaktibarre, in New York, for example, already had a radical sliding-scale membership plan prior to the pandemic, and now offers an even more steeply discounted option for those unemployed due to COVID-19.

Ultimately, the circumstances behind every practitioner and studio are different. Free classes might be what are available to you right now, or perhaps shelling out $8 to tap into your local studio's live streams, even when tempting no-cost options abound, is reasonably within your means. "Everybody is doing things differently," Perkins said. "We're all trying to figure this out. There's no right or wrong."

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Original post:
Your free workouts have a cost - The Week

Dr Charu Arora, 34, lives and works in Mumbai as a director with a health tech company. In early March, she decided to quit her job and move to Goa to teach yoga, hoping to tie up with hotels and independent yoga studios. I knew I was not going to make a lot of money, but I dont need a lot, and I was happy if I could sustain myself, she says. When the coronavirus lockdown struck, Arora took back her resignation, and has now begun to look at plan B with yoga.

Her first move was to go online, to YouTube (Yoga Heals), Instagram (@yogaheals2020), and Facebook (Facebook.com/YogaHealswithDoctor) where she has begun to teach people the basics of yoga: how to eat mindfully, how a daily practice can help with anxiety, even asanas for high blood pressure. As a doctor, people are more inclined to trust her with serious medical conditions, she says.

She found this especially with her first job that was with Myyogateacher.com, a website and app started by an IIT Kanpur graduate, to link Indian teachers with international students. My yoga teacher, Rohan Shroff, had suggested that I apply even though I was not very confident because I had just completed my training. But, she says, as she began to work with people who had an injury or health condition, developing a practice for them was intuitive, because she understood anatomy and physiology. Some of the students told me me theyd selected me because I was a doctor.

Arora began practising yoga about five years ago, after a personal setback that led to a stress build-up and serious GI tract issues. At first, she dabbled in it when in Bengaluru, during her years in med tech there, but when she moved to Mumbai, she slowly began to explore its deeper aspects to help her out of a dark place. After some time, It drew me inwards and my dependence on people came down, she says.

Last year, she was diagnosed with a few more health problems, and decided to take a deep dive by enrolling in a 200-hour (the minimum, usually covered in about 26 days) teachers training programme at The Yoga Institutes Goa chapter, at Chorao. We learnt asana, pranayama, and meditation of course, but also anatomy, yogic philosophy, and other yogic practices such as reflection and gratitude, she says, adding that a sattvik diet changed her lifestyle when she came back to the city.

Taking her background in Medicine and her yoga practice a step further, she recently co-authored a proposal with a classmate, Dr Saswati Das, in answer to the Government of Indias Department of Science and Technologys call for a yoga and meditation intervention suitable to fight COVID-19. The purpose is to improve immunity, lung function, and mental health; develop a protocol, and conduct a pilot study of 100 COVID-19 patients, she says, adding that she is keeping her fingers crossed about getting the project.

Irrespective, Charus idea is, to share my experience of yoga with as many as possible, and help people benefit in the same way I have. I feel yoga healed me to the point that I feel stronger, happier, and more in control of my life.

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AMD Ryzen 7 4800U in Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 surpasses Intel Core i7-10750H in Geekbench; puts Core i7-10710U and Core i7-1065G7 to the sword too -...

SUNRISE, Fla. When the NHL season was put on hold back in March, Chris Driedger and the rest of his Florida Panthers teammates were in Dallas preparing for a game they would not end up playing.

As the days off turned into weeks, Driedger decided to go back to the minors.

Sort of.

Driedger still had an apartment under lease in Springfield, Mass., where he had started this season with the Panthers AHL affiliate.

Instead of staying in a mostly empty hotel in Fort Lauderdale one without a kitchen or his girlfriend Driedger packed up what little he had and headed north.

So, Driedger has been spending his quarantine time in western Massachusetts, doing online yoga classes and heading outdoors for hikes when the weather is nice enough to do so.

If the Panthers are allowed back into the team training facility in Coral Springs in the coming weeks, Driedger says he will waste no time getting...

Excerpt from:
Chris Driedger preps for a return to Panthers with yoga and old Disney movies - The Athletic

In 2018, the market size of Pilates and Yoga Studios Market is million US$ and it will reach million US$ in 2025, growing at a CAGR of from 2018; while in China, the market size is valued at xx million US$ and will increase to xx million US$ in 2025, with a CAGR of xx% during forecast period.

The report on the Pilates and Yoga Studios market provides a birds eye view of the current proceeding within the Pilates and Yoga Studios market. Further, the report also takes into account the impact of the novel COVID-19 pandemic on the Pilates and Yoga Studios market and offers a clear assessment of the projected market fluctuations during the forecast period. The different factors that are likely to impact the overall dynamics of the Pilates and Yoga Studios market over the forecast period (2019-2029) including the current trends, growth opportunities, restraining factors, and more are discussed in detail in the market study.

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This study presents the Pilates and Yoga Studios Market production, revenue, market share and growth rate for each key company, and also covers the breakdown data (production, consumption, revenue and market share) by regions, type and applications. Pilates and Yoga Studios history breakdown data from 2014 to 2018, and forecast to 2025.

For top companies in United States, European Union and China, this report investigates and analyzes the production, value, price, market share and growth rate for the top manufacturers, key data from 2014 to 2018.

In global Pilates and Yoga Studios market, the following companies are covered:

The key players covered in this study Alona Pilates Authentic Pilates Body&Soul yoga club(china) CORE PILATES Fitness Firm Yoga and Pilates Studio Fitness Unlimited Flex Studio M Pilates+Yoga Pilates Plus Studio Pilates & Yoga

Market segment by Type, the product can be split into Yoga Classes Pilates Classes Pilates & Yoga Accreditation Training Merchandise Sales Market segment by Application, split into Private Group

Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report covers North America Europe China Japan Southeast Asia India Central & South America

The study objectives of this report are: To analyze global Pilates and Yoga Studios status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. To present the Pilates and Yoga Studios development in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India and Central & South America. To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their development plan and strategies. To define, describe and forecast the market by type, market and key regions.

In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Pilates and Yoga Studios are as follows: History Year: 2015-2019 Base Year: 2019 Estimated Year: 2020 Forecast Year 2020 to 2026 For the data information by region, company, type and application, 2019 is considered as the base year. Whenever data information was unavailable for the base year, the prior year has been considered.

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The content of the study subjects, includes a total of 15 chapters:

Chapter 1, to describe Pilates and Yoga Studios product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market driving force and market risks.

Chapter 2, to profile the top manufacturers of Pilates and Yoga Studios , with price, sales, revenue and global market share of Pilates and Yoga Studios in 2017 and 2018.

Chapter 3, the Pilates and Yoga Studios competitive situation, sales, revenue and global market share of top manufacturers are analyzed emphatically by landscape contrast.

Chapter 4, the Pilates and Yoga Studios breakdown data are shown at the regional level, to show the sales, revenue and growth by regions, from 2014 to 2018.

Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to break the sales data at the country level, with sales, revenue and market share for key countries in the world, from 2014 to 2018.

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Chapter 10 and 11, to segment the sales by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2014 to 2018.

Chapter 12, Pilates and Yoga Studios market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2018 to 2024.

Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Pilates and Yoga Studios sales channel, distributors, customers, research findings and conclusion, appendix and data source.

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Globally Leading Manufacturers of Pilates and Yoga Studios product Scale up Production to Meet Sharp Spike in Demand Fueled by COVID-320 - 3rd Watch...

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. Crissy Jory is a holistic health specialist who offers custom movement treatments and personal care to her clients, so not being able to see them right now is difficult.

We closed pretty early on because a lot of my clientele is over 65 years old and as an everyday ayurvedic practitioner I do a lot of 1-on-1 work, Jory says.

When COVID-19 happened, Jory spent days trying to figure out how to continue helping her clients and keep that close connection since so much of what she does is individual bodywork.

I became a tech wizard. Im so used to being with people 1-on-1 and a lot of them are not too computer savvy, Jory said. They want to be in the community and see each other in person.

On top of that, internet connections would cut out and live Zoom classes would become disrupted, which would make the distance communication even more frustrating.

So, I started pre recording classes that people can watch and I use a live chat box to interact with them as they watch the videos, she added. Im lucky that my husband is a videographer and can help me, but its tough being at the mercy of Zoom and its glitches. Im trying to get my classes to work online and hopefully it happens for them when they hit play, but were such a personable studio that its been challenging. Ive been spending a lot of time talking clients through on how to get them online and some just arent that interested and give up. So, since I know all of our clients personally, Ive been doing a lot of phone conversations with them. Some have been empowered and others have gotten further away from it, they dont want to use their phone, computer, or anything.

Her younger clientele has been a bit easier to work with, though. She said they havent missed a beat and they show up for their online appointments with no trouble.

About a year ago, I was lucky to work with college students who helped me put together an online HIPAA-compliant platform and its really helping out that side of the business right now, Jory said. Im also lucky to have a 10-year-old who kind of gets it and a husband whos super techy. The hours spent educating some about how to access online sessions are grueling but then some others have embraced it. Its like they have been exposed to a new world and its boosted their confidence.

Like many other health studios trying to keep her businesses alive while being apart, The Studio Lake Tahoes offerings are all donation-based right now so that the community doesnt have to become even more stressed in their transition to an online platform but Jory appreciates seeing people step up and pay for classes that in turn allows others to try it out.

Its great seeing the community take care of each other because it helps everyone else have the tools to cope with stress, the isolation and changing lifestyle, she said.

All of The Studios classes have downsized 80% due to moving everything online, but luckily Jory still has a little savings to get by on and help from the Lake Tahoe Mindfulness Community until hopefully she receives some assistance through the SBA loan programs.

She says that shes never been this busy in her life working through this abrupt business model change with less money coming in, but she trusts that if she can do whatever she can to give back to the community that it will in turn support her.

Ive been writing little notes, sending birthday cards, and pictures of stretches to send in the mail to my clients, Jory said/ Im doing a lot more with that side of it, going back to the traditional way of doing things with handwritten notes and phone calls, connecting with people that way. Because were a community studio and its all about walking the talk and supporting them in a way that goes beyond business.

I cant wait to get back to my classes since most of our clientele works with us in private 1-on-1 sessions, but I can see the silver lining in the way that the community is coming together, she added. Well all make it; well all be okay, and this is proving that were all here for each other. Trying to keep The Studio open is really scary and hard, but these are our people and we have to take care of each other. And it helps knowing that Im not in this alone.

Link:
From my computer to yours: Yoga with The Studio Lake Tahoe - Tahoe Daily Tribune