Razzy Reads Blog

By Keith Wise

If you’ve checked Razz’s schedule recently, you may have noticed that this month, we are offering a couple new classes. Apart from a biweekly beginners yoga series, we are starting mat Pilates! Lauren O’Brien will begin teaching this six week series on Tuesday, March 6th at 4pm. Mat Pilates will also be offered Thursdays at 4pm and Fridays at 1pm, beginning March 8th and 9th, respectively.

What is mat Pilates?

Pilates can be described as “a low-impact exercise that builds strength, tones the muscles, and creates a long, lean body frame.” Borrowing tenants from dance, yoga, and classic calisthenics, the exercise has roots dating to 1920s New York City. The name comes from German physical trainer, Joseph Pilates (1883-1967), who developed the exercise specifically for injured World War I veterans so that they could maintain their strength while bedridden. During the 1990s, teachers in western countries adjusted and widely popularized the method that is most commonly practiced today. In Razz’s class, Lauren will have practitioners use rings, also known as “magic circles,” which provide gentle to moderate resistance during exercise. The magic circles give the body feedback and let practitioners know which muscles are being utilized.

Who should practice mat Pilates?

Everybody! Whether you’re in tip-top athletic shape, a regular yogi, a beginner, or someone suffering from back pain and/or recovering from an injury, Pilates is perfect for you. Because this fitness method is low-impact, it’s great for those trying to strengthen and tone their core, while avoiding too much stress on the joints. Let’s face it: a strong core means a sturdy center of balance for the rest of the body.

What are the physical benefits of mat Pilates?

Mat Pilates specifically targets the body’s core, which includes the abdominals, lower back muscles, pelvis, hips, and glutes. Combined with the occasional utilization of props, floor exercises help build, sculpt, and tone these muscles. Additionally, Pilates increases flexibility and improves posture. Despite its low-impact approach, Pilates helps the body burn fat during and after class as a result of continuous muscle contractions.

What are the mental benefits of mat Pilates?

Breathing is strongly connected to proper Pilates practice. Because you are encouraged to breathe from the stomach rather than the chest, the deepness of breath makes practitioners more adept at completing each movement. Deep breathing requires focus, which in turn has been linked to increased mindfulness, relaxation, and stress reduction. Therefore, the long-term benefits of Pilates are exponential, including decreased feelings of anger, anxiety, and depression.

Sources:

https://classpass.com/blog/2016/08/30/benefits-of-mat-pilates/

https://www.livestrong.com/article/401592-what-is-mat-pilates/

https://www.verywellfit.com/before-you-buy-a-pilates-magic-circle-2704340

http://peakpilates.com/education/certifications/mat/

By Keith Wise

If you found us on the Mindbody app, great!  However, we recommend that you switch over to our branded Razz Yoga app so you receive updates directly from us.  Often it takes several hours for our changes to take place on Mindbody, but they are instant on this app.

From there you can create an account and view a list of our classes or any special workshops and promotions that we’re offering. Sometimes our classes can fill up, but on the Razz Yoga app, you can register early and reserve your space. Registering in advance will also make check-in when you arrive at the studio, faster and smoother.

Another benefit of downloading our app is that you will receive our push notifications. We often send out special promotion codes, deals, and event announcements. With our app, you’ll always be the first to know! Lastly, if there is ever a change in the schedule, then you will quickly be alerted.

Download the Razz Yoga app today! The process is easy. Just go to the App Store on your phone and search “Razz Yoga”  or click on the links below.

Razz App on Google Play

Razz App on iTunes

By Keith Wise

With the start of the new year, you may have noticed that we’ve adjusted some of our packages. We’ve already introduced our unbeatable intro offer: 30 days of yoga for just $30. Well now, this February, Razz Yoga is thrilled to introduce buddy passes!

What is a buddy pass?

Beginning this month, all of our auto-renew members will receive one-week long buddy pass! That means seven free, blissful days of yoga for a guest of your choice. Plus, you’ll get a new buddy pass each month! We already know that you love it here at Razz, but now we’re giving you a chance to show off your happy place to someone different every month. However, this offer isn’t just for our auto-renew members. Anyone on our introductory offer will receive a free one class buddy pass to be redeemed anytime during their 30 day trial period.

Why practice yoga with a buddy?

Yoga by yourself is always a treat, but everyone knows that yoga can be more fun when you share the experience with friends and family. Sometimes a yoga buddy gives you that extra push. Most of us didn’t come to yoga on our own. You probably had a friend or family member push you into trying yoga. Though you love it now, it may have taken a little convincing at first. (For some of us, a lot!) So think of the buddy pass as a way to introduce a friend to yoga, without any added monetary pressure on their first visit to Razz.

Yoga buddies are also nice because they keep us accountable. Have you ever planned on going to a class, but then thought, “I’m too tired tonight”? We’ve all been there. Skipping class might feel good in the short-term, but think of the long-term rewards that you’ll gain by attending that class. A buddy will incentivize you to put forth that extra effort.

Apart from keeping us accountable, yoga buddies are reliable. We can learn from them. If you feel that you can’t quite master a pose, look to your buddy. Ask their advice. Not only are buddies meant to comfort us, but they’re also looking out for our best interests, just like we’re looking out for theirs. With a buddy by our side, we’ll all become more confident in our practice.

And of course, the buddy pass is a great way to spend time with friends and family. Sure, meeting up for happy hour or catching a movie can be fun, but think of the physical and spiritual benefits that you’ll experience if you choose to get together for yoga instead. Yoga is all about unlocking the joy within us. When practicing with friends, yogis are better equipped to feel the universal connectedness all around us.

Sources: https://www.artofliving.org/us-en/yoga/yoga-for-beginners/yoga-buddies

http://thedailylove.com/why-practice-yoga-with-a-friend/

http://thechalkboardmag.com/the-power-of-practicing-with-friends

https://www.yogajournal.com/blog/yoga-with-friends

    

   

By Kuniko Kanawa

After several years of strictly practicing fitness types of yoga (like hot yoga), I felt truly happy and lucky when I first found RAZZ Yoga’s website with a breathtakingly, beautiful picture of a Yogi under the sunrise. It was like destiny. To me, exercise and fitness must involve both spiritual and physical practices in balance, as I have been dancing since I was a child.

After being blessed to experience different types of classes during a two week trial period at RAZZ Yoga last May, I discovered that this studio has both spiritual and physical practices in balance, and beyond! While I still do love dancing, going to RAZZ Yoga has become my major weekly routine to maintain both mind and body wellbeing, besides my own Shinto practices.

I love absolutely everything about RAZZ Yoga! The location. The studio’s exterior/interior. The facility equipment. The cleanliness. The aromas. The warm and relaxing lighting. The class materials. The wide variety of yoga classes, especially those involving the classical practice with meditation and mantra. The skillful instructors. The music. The welcoming atmosphere created by both instructors and fellow Yogis.

Not only is RAZZ Yoga located nearby enough for my convenience, but it is also located in a very special place. My yoga practice begins the moment that I head to the studio.

The driving path to the studio is amazingly beautiful. When I attend the morning classes, I drive through a deep forestry area, cross a river, and then catch the divine sunrise at an open plain. I hear the birds tweet, smell the pure air as the river flows. Feeling nature by all six senses, it’s like I’m on “a sacred journey” to connect with nature, the universe, and all living things. Being a Shinto Priestess myself, this journey is very special.

In ancient Shinto spirituality, the river represents a boundary between human life and the deities’ dwellings. Beyond this river boundary lies a sacred area of reverence, much like those of the mountains, forests, trees, waterfalls, gigantic rocks, etc.

Therefore, driving to RAZZ yoga is like a visit to the sacred shrine, which helps maintain and align Naohi: our truest nature, supreme self, inner wisdom, and inner divinity.

After discovering the remarkable, similar spirituality in both yoga and Shinto practices, I am very humbled and honored to offer a workshop, [Shinto & Yoga: Universal Spirituality], on Saturday, March 10th. I very much look forward to contributing to our RAZZ Yoga community.

By Keith Wise

Hot yoga. It’s often said by yogis that you either love it or you hate it. Susan Selckman, who teaches two heated classes at the studio each week, expresses a similar sentiment: “This is a subject with lots of opinions in the industry.” However, here at Razz Yoga, the overwhelming consensus seems to be the former. We love it! And for good reason, too. The heated classes typically tend to be our most popular. The 9:30am Saturday class and 8am Sunday class usually attract upwards 15 yogis a piece.

Jo-z Bernhardt, who teaches heated classes on Thursday and Friday, says that she prefers hot yoga because the heat removes all other stressors from the room. “The heat makes me focus solely on my practice,” she says when I speak with her after the beginners vinyasa series. Another instructor, Stacy Fritz, tells me after her Tuesday night class that she likes hot yoga because she used to be a runner. “The heat adds an element, and gives me a longer warm up so that I can stretch further into a pose.”

Though speaking with them at different times, both Jo-z and Stacy give me the same caveat. “The student in me loves hot yoga,” says Stacy, “but the instructor in me is weary. People sometimes overstretch by mistake.” This accidental overstretching occurs because the heat causes our body’s blood vessels to expand, and this increased circulation allows greater movement in the muscles. Sometimes too much movement. Illustrating this point, Jo-z recounts a personal experience that she had while earning her teaching certification. “I accidentally hyperextended my elbows. I wound up in physical therapy with golfer’s elbow. I told my doctor: I don’t golf,” she laughs. “It was the yoga!” That’s why both Stacy and Jo-z stressed how important it is for yogis to know their own bodies and their limits.

Still, if practiced correctly, research indicates that hot yoga has many health benefits. “I like that it helps a student’s heat tolerance off the yoga mat,” says Susan Selckman. Not only does hot yoga build tolerance, but Erin Leach, who teaches heated vinyasa on Monday mornings, says, “The heat allows the skin to release toxins. I feel good after any kind of yoga, but I always feel better after a heated class.” Ever heard of a hot yoga glow? Sweating detoxifies the pores and gives your skin a refreshed appearance. In fact, body fat burns more effectively in the heat, so hot yoga can lead to noticeable weight loss. Still, it’s important to hydrate before, during, and after class. Remember your water bottle, and after class replenish your body with electrolyte-rich food. Fruits, vegetables, and nuts are always a good option.

With our overhead panels that radiate dry heat, Razz Yoga is the only local studio capable of offering authentic heated classes in the Phoenix-Jacksonville area. A glance at the schedule shows that our studio offers at least one heated vinyasa class every day. However, Susan explains that “heated vinyasa” is actually an umbrella term for the hot yoga classes here at Razz. She says, “The Saturday 9:30am is really a hot power yoga class, as is Monday night at 6pm.” Other hot yoga advocates have discussed this sense of personal power that develops with a rise in room and body temperature. The heat pushes yogis past their approximate edge and comfort zone. If practiced safely, this added element can make a positive release of energy more accessible. After all, says Susan, “Power is a good thing!”

Sources: https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5985/5-Reasons-to-Practice-Hot-Yoga.html

https://www.rodalewellness.com/food/food-for-fitness-electrolytes

By Keith Wise

Think about your typical work day. You probably spend a fair amount of time sitting. You drive to work. You sit at your desk. You drive home from work. Maybe you lounge on the couch, sitting before the TV. Maybe you prop yourself against the headboard to read a bit before bed. You sleep and repeat these motions. The act of sitting is necessary, healthy even. It’s a comfortable way to both work and relax. But after awhile, it may become disagreeable. At its worst? Unbearable! If this is the case, you can probably guess what the issue so often is. Bad posture.

Posture is the way that we hold ourselves when sitting and standing. Of course, it’s possible to have bad posture when standing–to slump our shoulders–but for some reason it’s so much easier to fall trap to this negative habit while seated. So what’s one way to offset these countless hours of bad form? You may have already guessed it. Yoga!

Yoga is a fabulous way to improve your posture. Good posture means standing or sitting in a way that causes the least strain on the muscles and ligaments by keeping proper spine alignment. The spine is naturally curved but the trick is to sit or stand in a way that keeps your shoulders aligned with your ears and the upper back backward behind your head, while the lower back is inward compared to your backset hips. It sounds complicated, but the key to good posture is to sit or stand in a way that feels most comfortable to you for a lasting period of time.

In order to release the pain that often arises from misalignment, we have suggested several yoga poses to improve your posture!

1. The standing forward bend enables the back muscles to both contract and stretch with the forward and backward bending motion.
2. The bridge pose can align your spine by bringing your hips skyward.
3. Upward-facing dog is great for releasing pressure on the lower back.
4. The cow face pose will enable you to release the pain in your hips from uncomfortable sitting by interlocking your hands to stretch those back muscles.
5. And finally the table top pose, by keeping the spine perpendicular to the floor, offers great realignment by putting pressure on your shoulders and upper back.

Set aside time to practice these poses, and your posture should improve in no time! Check out this article for further instructions and images of each pose: https://www.prevention.com/fitness/yoga/get-good-posture-from-yoga

Which of the abovementioned poses works best for you? Do you have any other pose suggestions that you find improves your posture?

Do you ever suffer from stiff knees or an aching back? Or perhaps, you find that you’re tired and rundown, desperately looking for a boost of energy. Maybe the opposite holds true; you have too much energy and erratic thoughts that prevent you from focusing. If any of these apply, then you might want to consider trying yin yoga!

First, let me give a brief history on this very unique form of yoga. Although yin yoga has Taoist roots, recent medical research suggests that the energy pathways mapped by the ancient Chinese may hold true for the body’s connective tissues. Before we discuss this further, let’s go back, (maybe way back–all the way to our middle school social studies classes), and refresh ourselves with the definitions of yin and yang. Yin is the stable, unmoving, hidden aspect of things. Yang is the changing, moving, revealing aspect. Because these are comparative terms, they can only be discussed in relation to one another. In other words, without yin, there is no yang. Now, you may wonder: how does this apply to yoga?

Yin and yang have often been applied to the human body. For example, yang tissue would include the muscles because they are fluid-filled, elastic and soft. Conversely, yin tissues are the body’s connective tissues (e.g. tendons, ligaments, and fascia) and bones because they are dryer, harder, and stiffer. Most yoga that we practice and offer here at Razz is considered yang yoga because it involves more movement and faster transitions between poses, in relation to yin yoga. So then, what is yin yoga?

Yin yoga is a slow paced style of yoga when postures are held for long periods of time. These postures are called asanas . Beginners are typically encouraged to hold poses for one to three minutes; whereas, frequent practitioners can learn to hold the same asana for five minutes or more! The key to yin yoga is find your approximate edge . This mean that you should move slowly and gently into the pose, so that you do not unintentionally overstretch. Try to remain still without fidgeting or shifting position too much in order to appreciate the benefits that arise from this form of yoga.

This more meditative approach to yoga is slower because the connective tissues are often not exercised regularly. Yin yoga targets joints often thought as non-malleable like the hips, pelvis, and lower spine, as a means to strengthen them without causing strain. Furthermore, because the asanas are held for long periods of time, they provide the ideal space for hidden thoughts to arise. You will learn to observe your unconscious
emotions without being swept up by them. Gradually, these thoughts and emotions will empty from you, lifting a burden you never wholly recognized.

Hopefully, yin yoga will not only allow for longer sitting mediation, but leave your mind refreshed as qi (our body’s circulating life force) flows through the connective tissues. Quite possibly, yang yoga will also become easier for you. Stronger connective tissues increases your potential to strengthen the attached muscular tissue.

So, are you thinking about trying yin yoga? Slow Flow & Yin Yoga is offered every Sunday evening from 6:30-7:45pm with Susan Selchman. See this article for more tips to prepare for your session: https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/4-tenets-of-yin-yoga

Sources: https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/yin-yoga-2
https://www.ekhartyoga.com/articles/the-benefits-of-yin-yoga

By Keith Wise

Though this question might seem simple enough, the word “yoga” actually means different things to different people. The Yoga Alliance defines yoga as a system of techniques and guidance practices that lead a person to enriched living. However, there are many approaches to teaching and practicing yoga because it’s always a personal experience. Oftentimes, yoga is practiced to raise the quality of life in areas like fitness, stress relief, wellness, vitality, mental clarity, healing, peace of mind, and spiritual growth.

In that same spirit, Razz Yoga wants to hear from each of you! For our first blog post, we want to ask a few questions along those lines. What does yoga mean to you? What benefits do you gain from practicing yoga? How does yoga make you feel?

We cannot wait to read your thoughts! Thanks in advance for sharing 🙂