Healthy happy you.
Yoga
1 What You Can Learn From a Back-to-Basics Yoga Class
Fitness
2 Speak Up: Mirrors in Fitness Classes?
Fitness
3 Speak Up: What Fitness Class Have You Always Wanted to Try?
Fitness
4 Speak Up: What's the Worst Fitness Class You've Ever Taken?
Fitness
5 Don't Judge a Fitness Class by Its Teacher
Yoga
6 Class Act: Koga
Fitness
7 Invest That Tax Refund Back Into Yourself
Fitness
8 How Much Do You Pay For Fitness Classes?
Fitness
9 Class Act: Power Pilates
Fitness
10 Is an Exercise Class Only Part of Your Workout?
During my hour-long circuit-training class, we always spend a few minutes at the end for a cooldown stretch. It's an important part of your workout, so our teacher never skips out on making us do it. At my last class, however, I noticed that while everyone else was stretching, one of my neighbors continued her own workout — planks, push-ups, crunches, and all — even when the class was over. Read more
Even though I have taken a few yoga classes here and there, I've never decided if the practice is for me. So when a friend suggested a beginning series at my favorite yoga studio, I jumped at the chance. A basics class is important in any learned skill, and yoga is no different. During our first class we learned basic standing poses like Warrior 1 and Warrior 2 and Triangle Pose, which our Read more
In my experience, if the word "power" appears in the title of a fitness class, be it yoga or weight lifting, be prepared for a challenging workout. My expectations were in no way dashed when I tried Power Pilates at Sports Club LA recently. This was definitely a Pilates mat class on steroids. Classic moves like the 100s and single leg stretch definitely made an appearance, but only after many, Read more
At my yoga studio, classes are pretty reasonably priced. Since I teach, I'm given one free class per week, and I pay $13 for every other class I want to go to (a 10-class card costs $130). It's not exactly cheap, but I just visited a friend, and at her studio, classes cost $20 for a drop-in. And some Bar Method classes can be over $25. Since many of you are into group fitness classes such as Read more
It's always exciting to receive a check from Uncle Sam come tax season. Like Savvy, I try to save some of my refund and pay off debt. I also invest the money too, and I'm not just talking stocks and bonds. If you've got a little extra money this year, use it toward your health. It's a worthwhile investment that definitely keeps on giving back to you. Here are a few healthy ways you can start Read more
Yoga is so beneficial that everyone is trying to find ways to build on this ancient practice. There are so many variations out there, from Yogilates to water yoga, and you can even sign yourself and your pooch up for Doga. Add to the list Koga, which blends yoga with kickboxing. Creator Jon Koga, an instructor of both yoga and kickboxing, realized the two programs were quite complementary. Yoga Read more
When I first started getting into yoga over a decade ago, I went to every kind of yoga class I could find, to see which type was right for me. I also tried out different instructors, since it was clear that some were more experienced than others. One class I took was an Anusara-inspired class. The instructor was a lean and tall guy in his late 20s. He had extremely long hair that almost reached Read more
Since I'm a yoga instructor, I love to try out different types of yoga classes when I'm traveling. I've taken Jivamukti yoga classes before and really like the flowy movements and the spiritual side, so I was excited to try out a class while visiting some family recently. I'm so glad that this wasn't my first Jivamukti class, because I almost walked out halfway through. The instructor had an Read more
To keep my fitness life fresh I've tried a variety of classes: Brazilian martial arts Jiu Jitsu, spiritual aerobic dance Nia, and Hooping to learn some impressive Hula-hoop tricks. Now I really want to try Jukari, a fitness class that combines cardio and suspension. Designed by Cirque du Soleil, it has to be both fun and challenging like Circus Arts. I can't wait to try it when classes begin in Read more
If you belong to a gym that offers fitness classes or you take classes at a yoga, martial arts, or dance studio, there's a good chance that one side of the room is covered in wall-to-wall mirrors. Now I'm all for using mirrors to check my form and alignment while lifting weights or doing strength-training moves, but what do you think about having a huge mirror opposite you for an entire class? Read more
