Yoga at the Gym with Nuvana

Every Wednesday evening Nuvana teaches an hour class at my gym. I decided to start attending this class again to get back into the gym groove. This is a bizarre place to do yoga. It had a very open arboretum type area, with huge floor to ceiling glass windows in a semi circle. The windows face west, so on a sunny evening, you have the sun glaring into the teacher's eyes. Up above us is running track and a work out area, where they have this marvelous set of gym equipment and exercise bikes. There is also a piece of equipment which serves great to tie ropes and hang down in rope sirsasana. I bought ropes back from Pune so Nuvana showed me how to tie them and hang down. I am certain we were being gazed at by the crowd in horror as I hung down like a bat.

Doing yoga in this gym is not as peaceful and quiet as you would want. There are people running up on the track and constant thumping and shouting in the 4 basketball courts behind the wall. Reminds me of RIMYI yoga halls in Pune, with all the noise from the outside. Its so noisy around, that Nuvana has to yell instructions - one student comments "why doesn't she use the wireless mike?". Well she is probably used to shouting instructions from India I presume.

The class is intense. Its all about stretching your spine. Various twists and poses to lift up the sternum, stretching your spine, creating the space by further lifting the arms and eventually two variations of Downward Facing Dog by the wall, moving to Upward and Downward using blocks. My uttanasana seemed to greatly improve as I could finally touch the floor. I am sore, the whole class seemed to have a good workout.

This is what I like about Nuvana. Consistent well formed instructions and a flow of sequences to the final pose and then gentle pushes and corrections. Its all so logical. I am glad to be back in her class. Pune seems so much more different. But they all have the same purpose. Teach you great yoga! A fellow student asks me in the change room if I was as sore as he was. I said "yes" but its good sore and Nuvana is one of the best teachers in town. I think he is coming back again.

Namaste

The Yogi