Hatha Yoga in NYC

@Yogaworks Eastside    

8.30am - Yoga Blend with Brian

A lovely little studio upstairs with a very comprehensive shop full of a range of yoga products. I specifically chose this studio because they have several studios in the US and also because they stock Manduka Travel Yoga Mats!  The girl at Reception was nice enough to let me use one for the class so that I could test it out before I bought it. I loved it of course, but they didn't have the colour I wanted, "Acai" (purple).  I just love how companies find fancy names for colours courtesy of hotshot marketing teams that predict consumers will more likely buy something if it's lavender, instead of purple or mint instead of light green.  Nevertheless, I really had my heart set on this Acai-coloured mat, so I asked if any of their other studios in New York may have one and she said she could get one messengered over. How cool is that?! Like, one of those bike messengers you see weaving between traffic! So very New York! Later today, I received an email from her saying that my mat had arrived from the Union Square studio and was waiting for my pick up. Very impressive. I heart New York! 

On to the yoga. The studio itself was a lovely long room with floorboards, high ceilings and a lovely outlook to the courtyard below with a DOG!  It was stocked with very colourful straps, blocks and blankets which I love. I am definitely a colour person. It also had both air con and central heating. Seeing as it was 90 degrees Farenheit today (32 deg Celsisus!), the room was already quite hot and muggy. This is where class got interesting.  It was quite full, about 18 people all lined up in ros of 4 or 5 and right before we were about to start, a skinny sort of late 50s typical New York lady hurried in and excused herself to squash her mat right next to mine. She then straight away asked me, is it supposed to be this hot in here? I just shrugged my shoulders. She then interrupted the poor teacher, Brian, and was all like (said in very loud, New Yorker accent) "Ummmm, could we open a window in here or something?" To which Brian replied, "Yes, it is quite hot, we might put the air conditioning on." The woman clearly wasn't listening and proceeded to open a window nearby, beckoning others to open their windows, as another lady switched the air conditioner on at the back. Both ladies returned to their mats and the air con lady said to the window lady, "You should close that window now that the air conditioning is on", to which the air con lady was like: "Um, well, I'm not the one in charge here". As the discussion was becoming more heated, my lovely friend Sammie who I dragged along with me today, and I just looked at each other and giggled as the two women grew more annoyed at each other! I thought I would see this happen in the streets perhaps with a couple of people fighitng over a cab or something, but not in a bloody yoga class! Priceless. New York yoga at it's finest I guess. Brian then piped in with: "Okay ladies, let's just all settle down, shhhhh....shhhhhh" It was astounding. Everyone seemed to calm down and on we continued with the airc onditioning blasting and the open window left to suck all the cold air out!

Teacher:

Talking yoga and real estate in NYC.
(Sammie took this pic papparazzi style...SORRY BRIAN!)

The teacher, Brian, was a nice guy who I later found out was actually a Real Estate Agent. He quit the business to become a full-time yoga teacher, such a common theme I'm seeing.  He then ended up running his own studio with his wife and he was teaching up to 20 classes a week. He quickly grew tired of it, saying it had become more of a business than a passion, so reduced his class hours, went back to selling real estate and now just teaches a few classes on the weekends. The more I do my research, the more I realise that I will need to go back to my full-time job (excuse me while I just huddle int he foetal position and sob for a minute whilst I compose myself) and just teach yoga on the side. *sigh*  Anyway, at the beginning of class, after the air con vs. window incident, he ensured we were all settled, despite being cramped, and asked for injuries. He then personally went over to the people with the injuries to have a quick chat. I thought that was very thorough. Good on you Brian for being so safe!

The class was called Yoga Blend, which basically caters for the teacher's different styles of teaching and gives them a bit more creative freedom. I specifically chose this class for that reason. I am a very think on my feet type of gal and am always changing things up as I go along, not really sticking to a session plan, despite the general hours of planing; and happy to adapt to whatever and whomever. I think this will be my style.

Sequence:
We started off with a few Surya Namaskars (Sun Salutations), to which he referred to them specifically as Surya Namaskar A, followed by a few rounds of Surya Namaskar B, including Utkatasana (Chair) and VIrabadrasana 1 (Warrior 1). This is the first time I've ever heard a teacher distinguish between their proper names ie. A & B. It was pretty cool. The class then proceeded with some more difficult combinations involving the usual suspects, Warrior 2, Half moon plus reversed, extended side angle + bound; all leading up to Handstands and Headstands. It was a lovely comprehensive class, perhaps a little too intense for my poor friend who hasn't done yoga in about a year, but I loved it. I fell out of Headstand though and made a massive crash on the wooden floor bringing unnecessary attention to myself.  This is where window lady came back into play. For the entire class, she was still visibly flustered with the air conditioning lady and couldn't really settle, kept looking around and then shuffling through her handbag etc. She was really fidgety and quite a distraction. I tried to not let her get to me and concentrate on myself. So anyway, after I fell ever so ungracefully out of headstand, she then asked if I was okay and then offered to hold my legs, which was very nice of her. Apparently, I replied promptly with a "Ah, no...thanks". We then did a few more poses on the floor. Oh like 4 different variations of Salabasana (Locust) which were cool. One with hands interlaced behind the back, ensuring to keep the palms together (I've heard this tip a few times now and will definitely do it), then arms to the side, then arms to the back etc etc. It felt goooooood.

It was soon time to do Savasana (Corpse) and as Brian talked us into it, the window lady, very loudly packed her stuff, rolled up her mat and headed out. I've really only ever seen students do that in a "gym" yoga class, not an actual proper studio! It was odd. Clearly she was helping herself by doing some yoga, but to not stay for the best part was just a waste of her time! Anyway, the best part of the Salabasana was the meditative breathign beforehand. Brian told us to talk ourselves into the breath by saying "inhaling" and "exhaling" at the approritae times, which takes you out of your head and into yorurself. Brilliant!

Overall a nice class and lovely, caring staff. I will definitely go back one day!

Coffee: Dean & Deluca on 85th St and Madison Ave.