As soon as I open the door, the screaming rock’n’roll from musicians who never made it to my heart, coupled with an aerobic class instructor’s high pitched calls to “Push it, ladies” overwhelms me. Years ago, I joined the quiet sanctuary of this women’s gym when the place was serene with its pale yellow and blue walls and a dressing room full of Enya’s singing. While it’s still that place between weight-lifting, step and aerobic classes, it seems that yoga classes are often held simultaneously, although thankfully in different rooms. I rush up the stairs, past the rows of stair-stepping and rowing machines, treadmills, and stationary bikes, most with their own mini televisions, and all within a few feet of six large elevated televisions, continually playing soap operas, news shows, and 80′ sitcoms. No matter, I tell myself, waving to some of the in-motion, out-of-awareness people on these machines. I kick off my shoes and push open the door into the yoga room.
Peace amidst chaos
Here, despite our one large wall of all mirror and the way the noise, lights, and motions from the rest of the gym bleeds through, is a bit of a sanctuary. Here is Mariana, leading us in relaxation yoga, sometimes up to 30 women, mat to yoga mat, breathing together while Krishna Das sings on a CD. Here is Francie, facilitating us through a combination yoga-Tai chi-pilates class, set to music, and ending with 15 minutes in corpse pose. Here is Rita kicking my ass in a challenging blend of vinyasa flow and power yoga after we chant, “Shanti, Shanti, Shanti” together. While I also take classes at an Iyengar-style yoga center with its wide room and walls through of ropes, and at a small Bhaktivana studio in the country, overlooking ox, peacocks and kittens, I continue to drop in on classes at the women’s gym because of convenience, the excellence of teachers and company of pals new and old. At the gym, however, getting into the mood is akin to getting into the mood for sex (at least for me) after age 50. It takes a little time, struggling to be free of distractions, the right music and motion, and the sudden realization that although I forget sometimes, my body loves this.
10 Benefits of Yoga Classes at the Gym:
The Yoga practices and movement exercises at the gym are fun and an excellent stress reliever. For me it is a way to stay fit in a more natural environment. I did a yoga class at my gym, and it really got my blood pumping, my muscles working, and also brought me away from my desk. I worked up to doing 45-60 minute sessions and it had a noticeable effect on my energy level.
1. Blowing Off Stress.
Joanna Williams, the owner of Miami Reggae, felt that the basics of yoga helped her cope with stress. “Yoga seemed to lift my mood and bring me into a new physical and spiritual condition,” she says. Williams says she didn’t make much progress practicing yoga at her regular studio for a couple of weeks, so she went to a yoga class at the local health club. She says she didn’t know that her relationship problems would soon get much better. It wasn’t long before she found herself in a spiritual paradise in a West Village apartment, with the sound of a female voice singing namaste from the ceiling and her ex-husband.
2. Save money.
A yearly gym membership costs between $60 and $100, including regular classes, for newbies and experienced yogis alike. This is a more affordable way to get the same benefits and similar yoga experience without the high expense of a monthly studio yoga membership for $115-200/month.
3. Get the same benefits as yoga studio classes.
The benefits of yoga are manifold: strengthening the body, changing the mindset, and breathing exercises get all the way to the bottom of the spine. Yoga is another foundation that you don’t put all your eggs in one basket. When you are practicing yoga, you are practicing everything. We do our flex ball routines and twist exercises like the Vinyasa style of yoga.
4. Make friends.
You will bump into all types of people your local health club. This makes it fun to meet new people and build your social circle at a gym yoga class.
5. Build a strong body.
Working out on the gym’s machines and lifting weights can help you lose excess fat. It can also make you look and feel like the body you want. Many people think that to get a good workout, they need to be a bodybuilder or other athletes. In reality, it’s impossible to build an all-round muscular body if you’re inactive, say researchers at the National Institutes of Health.
6. Build a healthy metabolism.
Regular exercise as well as yoga poses can burn fat, boost your metabolism, and help you lose weight.
7. Improve mental outlook.
A feeling of calmness and depression can be caused by stress, illness, or a lack of social contact.
8. Reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Yoga students who exercise regularly have lower chances of developing heart disease and stroke.
9. Rejuvenate the brain.
Regular exercise promotes neurons and healthy cell growth. This gives your mind a youthful, renewed look.
10. Enhance memory.
During moderate exercise, your brain releases the chemicals melatonin and acetylcholine, which strengthen your memory.
Conclusion
The great thing about yoga is that it can be practiced almost anywhere. A lot of people think that to practice yoga you need to be in an actual yoga studio where there are lots of candles and soft music playing in the background. Or that you need a super expensive yoga mat and special clothing to be able to practice yoga. This is not true! There are many people that practice yoga at the gym, and you can too.
No matter where you decide to do your yoga practice, you can still reap the many health benefits of this wonderful practice in your life. The good news is that there are more and more gyms offering yoga classes these days, and it’s not just limited to the stuffy classes where women in yoga pants sit around doing downward facing dog. Pop into your local fitness center and you’ll find a wide variety of classes that cater to all levels, from people who only want to take a leisurely stroll through a class to those who want to really challenge themselves.
I love my gym yoga classes!