I used to associate yoga with the stereotypical “chill babe.” She wears cutout pastel leggings with a flowy tank. She drinks organic non-GMO, non-dairy, sugar-free and gluten-free green juice. She strolls slowly while you frantically speed walk everywhere.
Yoga had no hype in my hometown, and I made fun of its association to stress relief. I thought, “How could moving your body like a sloth constitute exercise or lower stress?”
I discovered I couldn’t have been more wrong after coming to college. Yoga comes with a variety of health benefits, including improved flexibility, energy levels, respiration, mental wellness, concentration and more.
UF’s exercise opportunities extend far beyond running (read: dying), which both excited and scared me. The thought of attending a yoga class was intimidating, especially with no experience or flexibility. I felt ridiculously nervous at my first class. Once my friends and I started in downward dog, I knew that I was freaking out for nothing. Pop culture poorly portrays the practice, but it is not as “cliquey” as it seems.
In fact, yoga instructors at UF support novices by using modified poses. They also describe the poses rather than use purely “yoga slang.” All the yoga classes I’ve taken at RecSports have people of all genders, body types and ages in attendance, so if you don’t fit the stereotypical mold (like me), there’s no reason to feel intimidated. Classes focus on channeling your Zen by taking care of your body. This is especially important since we put our bodies through the wringer, whether it’s multiple all-nighters or five tumblers of coffee.
I’ve attended every type of yoga class offered at both Student Rec and Southwest Rec, so here’s a list I’ve compiled of the types of classes along with recommendations for each one. You don’t even need to bring a yoga mat; just bring yourself.
Vinyasa Yoga
A.K.A. sleepy time yoga. There’s a reason this class is offered at 9:30 pm. This is considered more traditional yoga with slow easy movements and a heavy focus on breathing. The instructor makes the room dark, and I struggle to stay awake. This could have been beneficial had I not taken the class in the middle of the day, so you can imagine how I was in my long lecture class afterward. A morning class is also offered, which might just be the stress reliever you need before a hectic day. Overall, the poses were super simple, and the instructor guides you through the breathing patterns. This class is definitely effective in lowering your stress levels, but it focuses heavily on breathing rather than getting your heart pumping. I recommend this class for those who have trouble falling asleep at night or who want to “peaceify” their morning routine.
Power Yoga
This is my favorite class Rec Sports offers. It’s more cardio focused than Vinyasa is, but still has most of the spiritual components. It emphasizes dynamic movements and quick transitions rather than breathing. The instructor provided both modified and advanced versions of the “flow” (a yoga term for routine), which allows you to work at whatever level you may be. At first, the challenging poses made me go, “ah heck nah,” but now I feel confident enough to attempt almost anything.
The ending is my favorite part of these yoga classes. For the last five minutes of class, we get to “Shavasana.” For those who thought that this is the name of a shoe brand, you’re wrong. It’s when you lay in whatever position makes you feel most relaxed and just do nothing. People take this time to reflect on what they are feeling or appreciate their day, which is a practice of mindfulness absent from college culture.
Yogalates
When you think of Pilates, you probably think of that woman named Karen you always see asking to speak to the manager. I’ll admit I wasn’t sure what Pilates was, but after this class I realized why Karen likes it so much. While Power Yoga speeds up how quickly you transition between poses to pump up your heart, Yogalates focuses on creating a burn in your muscles through slow, deliberate movements. With a focus on abs, this class is for people who want to feel sore after a workout but don’t enjoy cardio. At the start of the class, I wasn’t sure if it was going to feel like a workout. I realized after the first few poses that I probably wouldn’t be able to climb stairs the next day, especially when we had to hold the “Goddess” pose, which is basically a squat with outturned legs while going up and down on your tiptoes to flat feet. While this class is certainly challenging, the instructor took the time to explain tips if we were struggling and encouraged us to go into child’s pose (knees on the mat, body folded over with forehead on mat) if we needed a rest.
Acro Yoga
If you’re looking for a fun time with your BFF, this class is it. I wouldn’t call it a hard workout, but it is the most interesting one I’ve done. You must have a partner, or they pair you up with another single in the class. This class focuses on fun compared to the others. My friend and I were doing the silent seal laugh because it’s not every day you get to put your friend on your feet and play “airplane.” I only attended this class once, but I will definitely sign up again. Pro tip: make sure to wear tighter clothing so your baggy shirts don’t fly up or get caught during the poses.
Yin Yoga
This style reminds me of Vinyasa but with more stretching instead of breathing. This means that poses are held longer and are more complex to stretch uncommon muscles. This class doesn’t make you work up a sweat, but I put it between Vinyasa and Yogalates in terms of sweat factor. It didn’t make me sleepy — instead, it quieted my thoughts and helped my body relax. I recommend this if you want a little mindfulness in your day but don’t want to get tired.
Recovery Yoga
This one is pretty self-explanatory, but it’s best for after a tough work out. It uses foam rollers to massage your muscles so you’re not as sore after you torture, I mean, work out. It beats paying for a professional massage or getting a charley horse in the middle of the night, with the added benefit of the mental Zen that yoga provides.
I can say that yoga is my go-to class from Rec Sports. Each offering serves its own purpose, but all are positive to our stressful lifestyles, especially with all of the health benefits. Who knows, maybe you’ll like it as much as I do, and you’ll want to join with yoga mats and reusable Boba tumblers in tow.