Yoga: More Than Being a Human Pretzel
by Robin Peglow, M.A., H.H.C.



Five years ago “Type A” was branded on my forehead. A crowd of perfect strangers could tell from across the room — I walked fast, talked fast and was always rushing. Focusing too long on one thing was tough and I felt it was not only impossible to sit still, but a total waste of time. Six days a week I did weights, spinning , aerobics or kickboxing classes — I loved it! Yoga? Forget all that meditation and “ohmmmm . . . mumbo jumbo! I want a REAL workout.” (Little did I know!)

Eventually the lesson came. I tried my first class and was amazed that I actually sweat, got tired, and was SORE the next day!? “What? Yoga is a workout?” Blew the doors off what I thought I knew about yoga.

That was the beginning, I became easily hooked — it is athletically challenging — not just a spiritual pursuit. What happened over the next several months and years was a slow shift in my whole way of life.

The Benefits I Didn’t Know About . . .

Power of Breath
The simple act of breathing relaxes, energizes and increases athleticism. Breathwork creates “heat” inside the body, rather than from the outside. Breathwork helps you learn how and where to breathe, and to use muscles that stimulate relaxation. For example, breathing into tight muscles, and opening shoulder blades or your rib cage. Breathing techniques increase lung capacity, which helps with any sport! The best thing is that breathwork is perhaps the best combatant of stress and it is portable, free, efficient and effective! Plus, it is impossible to be in challenging postures, focused on breathing and still worry about if you look sexy.

Strengthen Your “Core”, Heal Your Back
Without yoga, my back is a mess — tight and sore and achy. Your core muscles from your hips to your collarbone, are the ones that support posture. Unused or underdeveloped, these muscles weaken, slowly leading not only to physical slumping, but energetic slumping or fatigue. Strong core muscles can increase energy, confidence, abdominal muscle tone, decisiveness, and even grow taller! Spinal alignment affects every aspect of your body. Weak muscles and poor posture may cause neck and shoulder tension, headaches, belly aches, tingling arms, back aches . . . the list goes on.

Metabolism Boost
This was a total surprise. Yoga is a way of turning on the “burner” inside your body, and people often experience these burner benefits as a byproduct. Most people do not come to yoga to lose weight, but it can support this process by increasing circulation, energy and removing stagnancy from your body. This inevitably has a positive affect on your metabolism.

More Benefits Than Excuses
There are innumerable benefits to yoga. If you have not tried yoga, do it. Do not worry if you “are not flexible”. It is not about flexibility…it is about challenging your body and mind… a personal, non-competitive process. No gym teacher screaming to “suck it up!” So eliminate reasons why you can’t, and simply begin. I promise you’ll experience benefits specific to YOU. There are at least 15 styles of yoga. Experiment. Every teacher is different. Experiment. It is like your high school English class; you could love it or hate it depending on who your teacher is. Keep trying until you find one and ask the teacher to let you sample a class. Come sample one of mine.

Classes are open to anyone, gym member or not. I call it Fusion Yoga, a blend of styles that is flowing, similar to Ashtanga, and rooted in Hatha. And, I add humor, perhaps taboo in some circles, but I find it helps to laugh at ourselves a little while stretching who we are.

Yoga Class Schedule

My “day job”, as a Health and Life Coach, is to help people rediscover their living potential. Using Simplicity and a Whole Life Approach I assist people to maximize energy and health. Please call (303) 282-1077 or email me for more information or if you would like to sample a yoga class.

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