What even is power yoga? I wasn’t sure until I had the chance to join instructor Richard Li in PAC Studio 1 on Thursday at 1 p.m. for my first ever yoga class.
Everything that I’ve ever seen about yoga seems so relaxing and ‘Warrior 1’ is a pretty easy pose to do, right?
As the class began, I laid on the mat and Richard began telling us to relax and reflect. There was soothing music playing in the back, like the kind you listen to on YouTube when you try to study. He told us to let all our stress go, stay attuned to how we feel, our bodily sensations. It was kind of difficult to take seriously at first, because who actually does that? But being in a room with everyone doing the same and having someone calmly coach you through it actually does make you reflect.
We started off with breathing exercises, laying on the mat as Richard instructed us to breathe in and out, starting from the belly, ribs, then chest. I guess I also never really realized that there was a proper breathing form that I was missing out on.
We moved on to grab one of those half yoga balls – most of our exercises were based around this ball. Glute bridges seemed simple enough to me, but placing the feet on the wobbly half-ball made it significantly more strenuous. He continued to tell us to breathe in and out and with every set, he encouraged us to push our hips higher up and tense our muscles. For me, what’s most effective about taking a class like this is that I feel way less inclined to cheat, so even when I’m tired or feeling the strain, being told to keep going actually motivates me to keep going.
The next exercise was pretty similar, but with our legs a bit forward so our calves were on the ball instead. After that, there were exercises that completely tested the limits of how well I know my body and how well I can balance. Some movements required kneeling or standing with one foot on the ball, which not only requires a certain level of strength, but really a level of focus and balance that I completely lack. But every time I would fall off or put my hands down, the instructor was there to tell us to try again.
Between each exercise, Richard would tell us to get in tune and feel the sensations in our body, which really helped me recognize which of my own muscles were weakest. He would tell us to shake it out and we would move on to the next.
What’s great about the class is that you can tell different people are at different levels with their yoga experience and the class is able to challenge each level. For example, with one of the exercises, we were balancing with our left knee and right hand down on the ball, extending the left arm and right leg out. For me, staying in this position for 5 sets was challenging enough, but for progression options, Richard instructed bending your extended leg in and using your arm to grab it. And if anyone wanted to challenge themselves further, they were told to really press their feet against their hand. I tried to reach for my foot, but I didn’t even know where it was
Even with the Warrior 1 pose, something that I always thought to be simple and easy enough to do, maintaining balance on the ball while your hind leg burns is actually more challenging than it seems. Richard would motivate everyone in that class to push our legs further apart and our hips further down (which makes it more difficult).
I think because of the calm nature and simplicity of the exercises, doing each one really helps you recognize and feel the burn in the targeted muscles. I felt it in my glutes, arms, core, and calves, some at different times or some all at once.
To end the class, the instructor led us to breathe in and out again, calming our systems with some more motivational words. I didn’t realize but I actually momentarily forgot about my midterms in the class, which is a pretty nice mental break.
The instructor created an incredibly comfortable and welcoming environment, so even with a complete beginner like me, I felt safe to try and push myself without the fear of judgement. It’s a really great workout and a way to understand your body and what it can do. I’d highly recommend trying it out!
Anyone can sign up through UW Fitness Classes with a membership or day pass.
