MANAYUNK

When the neighborhood of Manayunk is brought up, two things are often mentioned; food and fitness. For every wonderful restaurant on Main, there is a gym in every flavor (e.g. yoga, cycling, rowing, boxing, dancing, etc.). I can only assume that outsiders perceive a local’s struggle as a constant cycle of glutton and fitness. I know people who will put in an hour on the elliptical so they can have the mac and cheese at The Goat’s Beard (seriously, though, it is quite delicious).

I don’t consider myself a physically fit person, but I do think of myself as someone that wants to stay in motion. It’s a blessing that Manayunk offers so many fitness options. However, this blessing brings about the curse of having to choose an endeavor in which to invest. The purpose of this article is for me to take that leap for you. I will sacrifice life and limb (not to be dramatic or anything) and test some of the more popular fitness options our neighborhood has to offer. I suspect that I will complete most challenges only to regret them the next day in a state of agonizing soreness. I started this journey with the first step. Yoga.

Tapasya Yoga Manayunk, located on Levering Street just off Main, recently began a new class, Hot Yoga Dynamics. The class is designed to focus on movement, balance, agility, flexibility, and motor control. They state on their website that this is not a Vinyasa class or typical Bikram, but something else that also incorporates “pranayama, shavasana practices, and simple meditations at the completion of every class.”

Being a layman to the various types/practices of yoga, I’d be lying if I told you I understood what most of that means. The impression I had going in is that this would be a semi-structured hot yoga class that flows from one move to the next. Being less of a checklist of poses and more of a seamless series of motions into the next position. I would learn that I was not wrong, but the word “seamless” should never be used when describing yoga and my attempting of it.

Schuyler, the soft-spoken instructor that would be pushing my feeble limbs to the limit at 8am on a Sunday morning, greeted me warmly as I walked into the studio. Seven months ago I had taken a handful of beginner Bikram classes. Because of this, I had an idea of the kinds of positions that would be asked of me, the feeling of a 105 degree room for a long period of time, and just how bad I am at yoga (I’m so inflexible I can barely sit on the floor with my legs crossed). Also, because of this, Schuyler was familiar with my try and try until I smile or get frustrated yoga demeanor.

I recall the first few times I tried yoga, feeling disappointed at my absolute inability to complete poses. Any honest adult will admit that it’s difficult to be that terrible at something. Early on I would feel like a toddler struggling to get a shirt over my head and gritting back frustration about my inability. Essentially, being inches from a tantrum. Over time, I got a little better, but I had a love/hate relationship with yoga. How can something be so maddening, yet, I end up relaxed and feeling accomplished after every class?

The classes I had taken prior were only 60 minutes long, making this 30 minutes lengthier than anything I’d attempted before. This fact worried me. Thanks to genetics, I am practically bio-engineered to break a sweat. When I see the sun from inside an air-conditioned room, I glisten. I wasn’t sure my mind or body could survive a full 90 minutes. 5,400 seconds of inferno-like temperatures, people! I’m not above hyperbole. It may be the hottest room, ever.

Finally, the time for doubt and dilly-dallying had passed. The moment had come to take a deep breath, walk into that muggy room, and give it the ole’ well-past-college try. So, how was it?

To my own surprise, it was kind of great. With a comforting but authoritative command, Schuyler talked us through each and every move. There was an almost narrative flow from one section of the course to another. Unlike the prior classes I had taken, missing was that pressure I used to feel about keeping up or hitting poses before moving on to the next one. It was that very pressure that would lead me to become frustrated during classes. And yes, I am fully aware that feeling pressure to do well while attempting yoga is counterintuitive, but I’m only human. Specifically, I am a human who likes to work hard at something and notice improvement.

Alternatively, the structure of this class felt like it had time baked into it to allow for a more meaningful and engaging experience. We had the ability to ease in and really settle into our poses. I’m sure there was little difference in the amount of time given compared to other types of classes, but this felt more organic.

With that also came the logically placed resting points between poses, which allowed us to really feel what we had just done. Not to sound too crunchy about it, but there were definitive moments of relaxation between the sweaty attempts to stretch. For someone (coughcoughMEcough) who does not possess the ability to easily relax, that is truly saying something.

Would I recommend this class? Yes. I would do so for every level, including those that have never tried hot yoga before. The class progressed in such a way that helped me understand what part of my body I was using and how. Knowing the kind of person I am, perhaps had I started with this class, I might’ve skipped that frustration part all those months ago.

Hot Yoga Dynamics is running multiple times a week. Check here for details and be sure to say hello to the instructors and staff for me. If they can be patient with me, they are inherently good people.