What is Yoga?

I do not recall ever taking Yoga before I decided to try my teacher, Raghavan's class over 10 years ago.  What I loved about it, was that it was a little bit of everything, not too hard, not too easy, and afterwards you really felt relaxed.  I am a Libra, and the symbol is balance, and I am all about the happy middle.  Even my major in college was Hospitality Management, because it was a little law, engineering, tourism, cooking classes, all about the hotel and restaurant industry.  Some people are great at focusing or doing one thing, I love to have a few different things on my plate.  After I took my first Yoga class, I called my father and told him I needed his help to do the training, I had found what I want to do for the rest of my life.

It was a 6 month training, where we learned about the science, philosophy, and different Yoga poses and styles.  The most important was the routine that my teacher passes on to his students, which is like a formula, and everyone no matter what their level, age, body type, etc. benefits tremendously in mind and body.  I was already a certified Group Exercise Instructor, and teaching a fun weight based class called Bodypump in 24 Hour Fitnesses.  That was so much fun, and so high energy, my students from that time still remember the intensity and my energy in that class.  Once I found Yoga, I was drawn to teaching something that would counterbalance our non stop lives, and it did the same for me.  I was able to start in 24 Hour Fitness as soon as I was ready, and it was a great way to grow in my skills of flow and reading the crowd.  I felt comfortable because these were the same students that would take Raghavan's classes, so they knew the routine and they knew and supported me.  When I teach, I literally turn off my brain, step off the world, no thoughts of kids, errands, or work, just in line with the Yoga that flows through me. 

I am grateful for Bodypump, that is the class that I was teaching in a few different Gyms, and long after I stopped teaching it in 24 Hour Fitnesses.  I had a group of students in a small gym near Beverly Hills that loved the class so much, and I liked them, so I kept on Bodypumping there even though I really just wanted to teach Yoga.  The universe kept me there because one of my regulars and friends is the wonderful woman who set me up with my husband.  Her son and my brother in law went to school together, and she thought of Sam for me because he was closer to my age, I am 2 years older and I like it, two years longer in the world deserves some special respect right :)  The funny thing is that Sam loves older women like Jane Seymore and Sofia Vergara, the older I get, the more beautiful I get - Thank You God!

So What is Yoga?  I break it up into 3 categories:

1. Meditational

2. Little bit of Everything

3. Power

Most Yoga is Hatha Yoga based, which is basically physical, movement Yoga.  The meditational adds chanting, and long rest periods, plus constant movement in the poses.  The Power Yoga holds poses longer, and has many levels, more of a workout.  The Yoga I teach is like a full body massage, every point inside and outside the body is activated, and we move constantly, so the mind is kept occupied, and it really turns off from the world.

I feel so blessed to introduce Yoga to beginners and show them that this is the one place where there is no comparison or competition.  There is no perfect way, just Your Way, and when it feels good, then you are doing it right.  Everywhere else in the world we are never satisfied, always reaching higher, ego and competitive drive in full force.  This is great, it leads us to achieve great things in our life, but we have to balance it with rest, nutrition, and exercise.  Yoga is a great part of any workout, but I always recommend variety.  Cardiovascular, Strength Training, and even playing a sport you love, and that is a key. 

Tip of the day:  Get your Nutrition right, and then your Healthy Active lifestyle is for fun.

Enjoy your Sunday and have a Fabulous week,

Coach Yulia