Category — Yoga

A while ago I purchased an introductory pass for Energia Athletics on the Danforth. I’ve been wanting to go here for a while now as I have been intrigued by their concept – an interesting mix of yoga, spinning and running offerings. Oh and kettlebell classes!

I tried three different classes during my week there:

• Spin/Core
• Spin/Yoga Journey
• Spin

Of the three the one I enjoyed the most was the Spin/Core combo. They teacher was intense (very Lance Armstrong-esque!), the music appealing and the workout was just the right intensity. The additional draw to this class for me was that I had no excuses to not do any core work which I sometimes very conveniently avoid.

The one thing I’m still a little curious about is their run group. They do have a run club, but I didn’t get the opportunity to try it out yet. I think one of the draws for running out of here is the fact that you can complement your running with yoga and spinning.

The one downside to Energia is their bathroom/change room facilities. If you can change before. Trust me.

Credit: stock.xchng

This week I had my first beginner’s yoga class at 889 Yonge and I loved it. The studio was welcoming as was the teacher and I also had some personal “Aha” moments for the first time in a yoga class – I actually know now what it feels like to have all parts of your hands on the ground if that makes any sense. I loved the non-competitive atmosphere and being with others who were learning with me. I’m also proud of myself for trying something new.

I’m actually really glad that I have waited this long to take a beginner’s workshop. I think if I had tried to do this at any other point in my life I would not have been ready. Now, I feel that I am ready to take this step and at least try to embrace what yoga has to offer. The other main reason that I’m happy that I have waited this long is that I have found the right studio and teacher for me. I’m looking forward to what the next three classes in this workshop bring.

Some people have asked me why I chose to do enroll in a beginner’s yoga when I have done at least 100+ hours of yoga. You see I think sometimes it is not a bad idea to take a step back and learn the foundations of something and in my case…I truly needed to learn the right way to do these poses.

Dolphin Pose (Credit: Yoga Journal)

Last night I went to a Detox Flow class at 889 Yonge. This class is classified as level two in their schedule. Technically the fact that I am in a level 2 yoga class four days before I start a beginner’s yoga workshop could be considered somewhat ironic. I bumped into the beginner’s workshop teacher at the class as well and she looked a little concerned for me.

The main reason that I wanted to go to this class, though, is it was their form of hot yoga and I wanted to see what it was like. Nothing beats  little warmth especially in the winter months.

Verdict? Class was definitely harder for me, but there were ways to do it at my own level. The dolphin pose was the hardest thing for me as I had never done this before. Teacher as is usual at 889 was fantastic. Heat? Warm but not crazy, so if you are looking for alternative to Moksha or Bikram this may be the class for you.

Starting this Saturday I am going to be taking me, my new yoga mat and Yogitoes towel to a beginner’s yoga workshop at 889 Yonge.

For four Saturdays I will be going back to the basics of yoga and hopefully learning for the first time how to do things properly. I’m currently in the love stage of my love/hate relationship with yoga so am hoping these classes are going to finally put me on the right path.

Since I’m a big 889 Yonge fan I decided that taking the workshop here was probably the best bet for me – I love their urban tea sanctuary.

Flickr credit: mikecpeck

This afternoon’s Yoga and Pilates fusion class at YogaSpace in Toronto’s Little Portugal area was a good way to spend a few hours on this chilly Sunday. One of the main reasons that I went to this particular studio was because they actually had a Sunday afternoon class – in my experience this is somewhat difficult to find. I also was drawn to the Pilates element in the class. Truth be told I was hoping it would be a bit more Pilates than yoga.

The class, which the teacher described as “Vinyasa inspired with a section of core work”, had a lot of planks, planks and variations of planks. Not a bad thing, but pretty tough. I have a feeling my abs will be feeling this tomorrow. Only thing is I wish there was more Pilates in the class. 

Overall, I liked the studio and would go back. The one drawback for me is that it is really out of my way to get to, so may not make it back there as often as I would like to. It is a great location for anyone in that area though especially for people looking for a relaxed studio to practice.

PS: The bathrooms and changerooms look decent.