Fit Milwaukee » yoga

Try out a free fitness boot camp at Bayshore Town Center

Amy — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:07:17 +0000

Does the thought of a fitness boot camp intimidate you? Maybe you’re more likely to go shopping than try bootcamp. You could do both this Sunday!

The Jewish Community Center is hosting free fitness boot camps every Sunday in the Town Square at the Bayshore Town Center.

The hour-long class is led by certified instructor Heather Prach and will include 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of yoga.

In case of rain, the class will be taught in the center of the mall.

Head on down to Bayshore this Sunday, July 18 at 8:30 a.m.

101 Days of Yoga

Tracey — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 11:31:00 +0000

Want some more evidence that are bodies are capable of achieving more than we think? Katie Felten has just completed her 101 Day Bikram yoga challenge. That one hundred and one days. In a row. Doing yoga in a 105 degree room. I believe that congratulations are definitely in order! Watch her recap of the experience:

You can also read about taking a Bikram class as a beginner here. Or why not check out the studio for yourself:

Bikram Yoga Milwaukee
2084 N. Commerce St.
http://www.bikramyoga-milwaukee.com/

Adventure: Ashtanga Yoga Class

Tracey — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:16:00 +0000

This weekend I decided to take a trip over to Invivo FItness–not only to check out the facility but also to try one of their (free!) Sunday yoga classes. First of all I have to say that this was place is a real treat. The gym itself is lovely. It’s a bright, open space with huge windows overlooking the Milwaukee River. Even on a crummy January day in Wisconsin the view and all the natural light that came with it was gorgeous. In addition to the traditional cardio room and yoga/Pilates studio they also have a spa where you can spoil yourself with a massage, facial, or other body treatments. Plus, there’s a wellness center that houses various physical therapists, a chiropractor, acupuncturist and more. Basically, anything health or fitness related you can find within their walls. It was pretty impressive.

This day, however, I was there for yoga. More specifically, Ashtanga Yoga. This class leads you through the Ashtanga Primary series- a specific grouping of postures (or asanas) that are moved through quickly in order to build strength and stamina. The practice begins with sun salutations, then moves through a a set standing postures that really work the hamstrings, a seated series that focuses on opening the hips, and finishes with a sequence of backbends and inversions.

In addition to the physical asanas, Ashtanga teaches set of philosophies that are to be applied to other areas in your life, long after you’ve gone home and put your yoga mat away. One of the instructors there on Sunday had just returned from a silent retreat and talked to us in detail about the “eight limbs” of yoga. He described to us the ‘”yamas” and “niyamas”- which are kind of like moral guides and laws that you should adhere to in your everyday life. Really, the actual yoga postures are just the tip of the iceberg.

So how was the actual class? Well, if you are looking for a soft, meditative style of yoga this is not it. Ashtanga is extremely structured, down to the number of breaths you take during each posture. Also, the transition between almost all of the postures in the second half involves lowering yourself to the floor from a plank- which may sound not too bad but after you’ve done it twenty plus times it really starts to make your arms burn. That being said, much like with the Bikram studio, this class did have a fair amount of beginners present the day I was there. At one point the instructor had us just sit and watch the more advanced students do a few of the more difficult asanas. Basically there are a few things you won’t even want to attempt if you are a first timer! For me though, I didn’t find it frustrating that I wasn’t flexible enough to wrap my legs around the back of my head. There was such wide range of ability in the class that I was very comfortable just to work at my own level and not worry too much about it.

Overall I was impressed not only by the yoga class but by Invivo in general. If Ashtanga sounds a bit intimidating to you, they do offer a more beginner level class on Sunday morning which is also free. Yes, FREE! I do recommend that you get there at least 15-20 minutes early to secure your spot because space is very limited.

Where:

Invivo Fitness
2060 N. Humboldt Ave.
414-265-5606

When:

Sunday Renewal Yoga (All Levels)
10AM-11:15AM

Ashtanga Yoga
1:15PM- 2:30PM

You can check out Invivo’s full schedule of classes- which include Pilates, circuit training and martial arts- here.

Photos by gbSk.

Adventure: Bikram Yoga Class

Tracey — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:23:00 +0000

So, what exactly is Bikram yoga? Sometimes referred to as “hot” yoga, Bikram consists of a series of 26 postures (asanas) and 2 breathing exercises (pranayama) practiced in a heated room, most commonly around 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The extreme heat- and excess sweat that comes with it- is thought to help your body release toxins and allows your muscles to relax so you can work deeper into each posture.

I took my first two classes at Bikram Yoga Milwaukee this past week and though I was a bit hesitant when I heard they heat the room to 105 degrees, after attending they completely made a convert out of me. I’ve taken yoga in the past, but this was many, many years ago and never this particular style so I welcomed this new challenge. Plus, I kept hearing how you can burn anywhere from 600 to 1100 calories per class- something I was very interested in doing. I thought I’d recap my experience to give you an idea what to expect if you’re considering trying out a Bikram class for yourself. Here are some of the questions I’ve been answering all weekend:

Is the heat unbearable? Come on, tell the truth:

Honestly, it really wasn’t that bad. It’s kind of strange at first but I wouldn’t say it’s unbearable. It actually felt pretty good after a while because the heat really does help your muscles loosen up. I felt like I could stretch much further than I would have been able to had I been in an average temperature room. On the morning of my second class I felt very stiff when I came in the door but after ten minutes of just stretching in the room before class started, my aches had subsided and I was ready to work. Overall, it made me feel very strong and focused to be working so hard under such conditions. One thing that did take some getting used to though, was the smell in the studio. (There’s a lot of sweating going on in that enclosed space so it can’t really be helped but I feel I should put this information out there since some people can be sensitive to that.) For me, I got used to it just like I got used to the heat and by the end of the class it wasn’t even an issue at all.

What should I wear?

You really want to wear as little as possible while still remaining comfortable. I wore an old dance leotard and a pair of capri leggings but I was wishing the entire time that I had worn shorts. Most of the women had on tank tops or sports bras with yoga shorts and the men wore shorts and tank tops or went shirtless. You’re going to be sweating A LOT and there’s going to come a point where you just don’t care how you look. Everyone is sweaty, gross and working their butts off and nobody is looking at you or concerned about how you look in your outfit. There were all shapes and sizes of people there too so don’t think you have to look like a supermodel in order to show some skin.

I’ve never done yoga before. Can a beginner take this class?

Yes, a beginner can surely take this class but don’t get discouraged by more advanced students who might be present. I noticed there were some students who had obviously been coming to class for a while and were very flexible but there were many others who were clearly beginners and were doing modified versions of the postures. It’s important not to view a class like this as a competition. If you focus on yourself and your own workout rather than getting discouraged if your leg isn’t lifting as high as the person on the mat next to you then you’ll be much happier AND get more out of the class in the end. Learning yoga is a long process and if you stick with it you WILL get better.

What should I bring?

You will need a yoga mat, a large towel to lay on top of your mat and a water bottle. You can bring these from home but all of this is available for rent or purchase at the studio. I’d even suggest bringing another smaller towel to wipe away sweat in-between postures. You’ll want to drink plenty of water after class too in order to replenish the fluids you’ve lost.

Where is the studio?

Bikram Yoga Milwaukee
2084 N. Commerce St.
414-264-9642

Anyone else taken a Bikram yoga class? What has your experience been like? Fellow #fitmke-er @KatieFelten is in the middle of a 60-day Bikram yoga challenge so be sure to cheer her on!

Photo by localfitness.com.au.