TAYLORSVILLE COM ED CLASS

Wednesday nights I teach a Community Ed class for Granite Peaks at Taylorsville High.  It's an hour and a half.  The students are about 60% over 40, with 4 or 5 over 60 years old.  The others are younger than 40.  I have a challenge with the age range, as it is important to me to keep everyone getting the most out of the class regardless of their ages and ability levels.  It needs to be challenging enough for the older and more regular students who've been doing it a long time, and it can't be too hard for the new people or the beginners.  

I've found that if we use props a lot (blocks, straps, blankets) it helps with every level, allowing everyone to get the most benefit out of the poses.  We start with a short 5 minute seated meditation, allowing everyone time to quiet down from the day and tune in to their bodies.  This creates a space for them unlike the frantic day that we all seem to have.  This way the day is not carried into the practice, we have space to just be with our bodies.  

I often ask the class if they have any special requests, such as areas of the body they want to work on.  Many of them are sore or have problems with shoulders or hips for example.  Sometimes they want a more intense workout and they ask for core work.  That can be iffy on the first day of class when we have new people, cause I hate to overwork them and scare them away. My formula is to warm up the spine first.  We do yoga breathing first, then twists, forward bends, shoulder openers, lateral spine stretches, and a couple of back bends.  Then we go on to warm up the hips and feet and knees.  All of these poses are pretty gentle and on the floor (seated).

From their it varies each time, but I try to build up the intensity so that by about 2/3 through the class they are working very hard.  Then I throw in a new pose or a fairly difficult pose that gives them a good sense of accomplishment, a triumphal feeling of "Oh, yeah!  I can do that!"  Then I wind them down.  Class is never the same, even if they request the same thing.  There are so many thousands of poses, I try to never get stuck on a few same ones over and over.

This class has a lot of people who come over and over, a core group so to speak.  It is really fun, the students and we banter about a bit, and it is lighthearted . Sometimes funny cracks are made. The class is set up in 6 week blocks, at the moment it's about $49.00 for six classes, which is an excellent deal here in the Salt Lake area.  The Com Ed closes over the summer, as the local high schools have to shut down for maintenance and cleaning to get ready for fall start up. They start up in the fall about mid September.

Last night we did a series of core poses with a block between the thighs, the one in the current Yoga Journal.  It was an excellent work out, and the students seemed to enjoy it. If you're interested, my classes are at Cottonwood High School on Tuesdays at 7:30-8:45, and my Taylorsville High classes are on Weds. at 7:15-8:45 (15 mins. longer).  I like this length of time for the classes because it gives them a full 15 min. savasana or final relaxation.  They need it so much! 

You can sign up at www.granitepeaks.org if you're interested.  You'll need a mat, a 6' yoga strap, a block, and a stiff blanket.  We also recommend you bring an eye bag or eye cover.