Get Out There (Again), Part 2
My brave and adventurous buddy Liz, who is looking to leave her home gym and get out there again, has been letting me drag her all over the Main Line to take a bunch of introductory classes. Liz was already pretty well-versed with yoga so I needed to find a newbie for this next program… enter… ME!
I am fairly new to yoga. And while I currently do yoga more regularly than I ever have before (my goal for 2022 is to practice at least once a week), I started right in on the advance flow classes at Bulldog Yoga and was never really trained on the basics. I have so many unanswered questions (mainly, if I am even doing the poses correctly), so I enrolled in one of the most well-known starter programs in the area.
If you want to practice traditional yoga, Verge Yoga Center is your place. Main Line yogis all know it. Verge Yoga in Wayne has two large studios and offers a wide variety of classes from 20 yoga masters. In fact, some of my favorite yoga teachers trained there and taught there. I figured that this was the best place for me to have my questions about the practice of yoga answered. So I signed myself up for their 3-week Yoga and Mindfulness Starter Series.
Janine Greenwood teaches the Starter Series, and there could be no one more perfect for this role than Janine. Janine is so kind and knowledgeable. You can tell right away how central yoga is to all parts of her life. I found Janine to be very accepting. She eagerly welcomed any and all questions. There was zero intimidation in the room at all times. And in fact, one of the most meaningful things I took from this program was that each yoga pose is what it is for you! Each pose is different for every body. Because I am so tall, my poses look different than someone who isn’t as tall. If Janine’s downward facing dog is done with slightly bent knees, then my variations were totally acceptable. I learned not to compare myself with anyone else during a yoga class. And I graduated the program with this major myth about the “perfect yoga pose” shattered.
The 3-week starter program is offered at Verge once a month. There is usually an evening class and an afternoon class. Each small group (we had a total of 3 students) meets in person once a week. And during the next 30 days, students are encouraged to take as many yoga classes at Verge in order to use their classroom knowledge in their practice. The program costs $100 but the value is enormous because it includes all of those “free” yoga classes that you should take all month long. Our group met in the back studio, which has a mirrored wall so that we could check in on our form. While most yoga studios do not have a mirror, I like practicing with one since I am still uncertain about my poses.
During the first class, we each spoke about why we enrolled. Most of the students in my class were there to improve mobility and flexibility. Janine told us about the different types of classes offered at Verge and the classes that we should be taking (mainly, Prime and Stability). Then, beginning with the proper way to stand, Janine took us through the poses that we would do in a Stability class, starting with the standing poses— Chair Pose, Eagle Pose, Triangle Pose and Warrior II. My favorite part of class was using the wall for some of those tricky balance poses. We ended class with a few floor poses and a meditation.
In the second class, we started with the yoga breath. I finally got to ask the question “why is the yoga breath a nose breath?”. I didn’t know that it’s to keep the heat in. I am a mouth breather so this breath is challenging for me. Now that I know the reason, it makes sense and it’s easier for me to breathe properly during my practice. We walked through some of the standing poses again and used the wall for some new balancing poses, such as Dancer Pose. Janine also took us through Plank Pose and Downward Facing Dog. I found this most helpful because I do so many Flow classes. Using the wall again for form and positioning, we first did a wall Plank and a wall Downward Facing Dog. I never really learned how to do Downward Facing Dog and had just looked at others in class. I had a few questions about this pose. This was the perfect place to ask. I also learned the proper head and neck position for a Plank— a position that I use in almost every kind of workout that I do!
Janine showed us how to do Dancer Pose first using the wall.
Janine used blocks to show us how to position our upper body for a plank.
While learning the poses of a Flow class was not part of the starter program, I did ask Janine to show me Vinyasa after class. Flow is what I tend to do most, but I had never actually learned how to do an Upward Facing Dog Pose. Using 4 blocks, Janine showed me what Vinyasa should look and feel like before she removed the blocks for me to properly flow through Vinyasa. And I have already taken this knowledge into my practice.
I wasn’t able to attend the last class of the program because of a conflict, so I will be joining that final class this month to complete the program. But I can tell you that I have already gotten so much out of it. In addition to the free month of classes, you also get an excellent pamphlet, which serves as a guide for the poses. If you are brand new to yoga, need a refresher, or are looking to have some basic questions answered in order to enhance your practice, the Starter Series at Verge Yoga Center is an excellent way to go and I highly recommend it.
In my opinion, one of the most effective pieces of equipment is the Pilates reformer. This machine helps to create long and lean muscles; strengthens your core and back; increases overall performance; posture, flexibility and balance; and helps to prevent injuries. It accomplishes all of this with springs of resistance that result in a low impact and even workout that is safe and supportive. So who wouldn’t want that?
There aren’t very many places in the area that you can use the Pilates’ reformer. These classes tend to be a little more costly because of the reformer. But I promise you that the workout is worth every penny. I regularly use the reformer at LSF Pilates. LSF has 6 Allegro2 Balanced Body Reformers, which is the top of the line machine. My friend, Liz Patterson (not to be confused with Liz McKee, the owner of LSF), who had been trying out the beginner programs with me, was already pretty familiar with the Pilates reformer. So for this workout, I needed someone else— someone who was brand new to the reformer. My friend, Allyson, had never been on a reformer before. She has seen me post about LSF and was eager to give it a try.
Liz is showing Allyson some exercises to warm up her core.
LSF Pilates’ Owner, Liz McKee, is one of the most knowledgeable instructors that I have come across. I love to bring new people into her beautiful studio…especially those that have never tried the reformer because Liz is an excellent teacher. Liz offers a limited beginner Pilates program at LSF. But for those who want to jump in sooner, Liz recommends starting with a PiLength class or booking a 1-1 session with any of the LSF instructors. PiLength is a slower paced class that focuses on range of motion and stretching using the reformer. Because there are only six reformers in the studio, there is always individualized attention in any class and newbies are fine to join a class. Just show up a few minutes before class to talk to the instructor and learn a little about the reformer.
Allyson was in for a treat to have Liz all to herself for a private session, but they let me join in. (Even though I regularly take the more advanced PiStrength class at LSF, it was so nice to check back in on my form and my breath. The little movements and holds that Liz put us in, had my muscles (esp my core) shaking!). This one-on-one session was a nice way for Allyson to learn the machine and the terms that she could expect to hear in a class. Liz could also focus in on where Allyson was feeling various movements and adjust her appropriately.
Because every Pilates class at LSF is always different, there is no set routine for a “first reformer class”. You can expect to start with some movements to warm up the core. There will be a focus on range of motion. You can expect to learn about the Pilates breath and how to use it with each movement. There will be foot work, feel good stretching on the machine, and you will learn how to engage the pelvic floor. And of course there will be planks. Liz likes to have everyone do a modified knee plank because she says that people tend to cheat by going into their quad muscles instead of using all core with a full plank. I didn’t even realize that I was doing that, but Liz is so right!
Allyson’s goals are to strengthen and tone. Liz says Allyson can accomplish this by simply using the reformer 1-2 times a week. Liz recommends that Allyson take piLength and piFlow classes first for a few weeks before she tries the more challenging, piStrength class (that I frequent regularly and absolutely LOVE!). Has Allyson caught the Pilates bug like so many others? I think so!