Schedule
[updated December 12, 2024]
No class TODAY because of the weather
Classes held at Living Arts Dance Studio, 120 E. Grand River, Williamston (between Ellie's and H & R Block)*
Gentle Yoga Mondays, 10:00 a.m. (1 hour class)
Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. (1 hour class)
Gentle Yoga is a practice for all levels which emphasizes stretching and breathing.
This is a drop-in, donation-based class. There are no punch cards and you don't need to purchase a large block of classes in advance. The suggested donation is $10 but it's whatever you feel comfortable with. If you have not done my Gentle Yoga class you can try it out for free.
NEW STUDENTS: Wear loose clothing, and please no perfume. I have extra mats you can use if you don't have your own. Please let me know at the beginning of class if you have any injuries or physical limitations (like a knee or hip replacement). The class runs approximately one hour.
Protocols for Indoor Yoga:
- Please be covid vaccinated.
- Masks are optional.
- Please set up your mat at least 6' away from a neighbor
- Sign a liability release form (there is a new one available below in pdf format)
- If you have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19, or have any COVID-19-type symptoms, please stay home.
Questions? text me at 517-420-2307 or email at purdum5@spamcop.net
Be well. Stay healthy. Breathe!
Certifications
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Certified Health and Wellness Coach, American Council on Exercise, April 2023
Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate, Cornell University, April 2023
Hatha Yoga certificate, 240-hr, Aura Wellness Center (2022, renewal)
CPR/AED/First Aid Certification, American Red Cross, Lansing, MI (2022)
Yin Yoga certificate, 50 hr, Aura Wellness Center, Aura Wellness Center (2020)
Hatha Yoga certificate, 240-hr, Aura Wellness Center, October 2017 (renewal)
Meditation Instructor certificate, 50 hr, Aura Wellness Center (2017)
Power Yoga certificate, 50-hr (Bryan Kest Power Yoga, 2016)
Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga certificate, 30 hr (2015)
Hatha Yoga certificate, 240 hr, Aura Wellness Center, August 2015
Class Descriptions
Gentle Yoga
Basic yoga poses and stretches suitable for beginners and those with physical limitations and varying levels of flexibility. Emphasis is on breathing. We usually start with a half hour of lying, seated, and kneeling poses designed to stretch the body. Then we might move on to some basic standing poses and add some twists. Then some seated and lying poses, and the relaxation pose of Savasana to round out the practice. Modifications are offered for those with limitations such as knee or hip replacements. One hour.
Power Yoga
A challenging, vigorous class with a focus on breathing. The class is modeled on the Power Yoga classes of Bryan Kest, where the emphasis is on doing what you can do and discarding the rest. We don’t keep score. We practice doing poses and movements calmly and relaxed, even under the most challenging of conditions. The first half of the class is usually a vinyasa flow of Sun Salutations and other movements designed to warm up the body and get some cardio exercise. Then we move to poses for strength, balance, and flexibility, where we might do a sequence of leg balances or arm balances. The class usually closes with a shoulder stand, lying spinal twists, and the relaxation pose Savanasa. One hour. Previous yoga experience is recommended but not required.
Deep Stretch
This class is a form of Yin Yoga and is suitable for beginners or those with no previous yoga experience. Most of the poses are done lying, seated, or kneeling. We focus on releasing tension, stretching muscles, slowing down, increasing flexibility, and holding some poses for several minutes to open up connective tissues. The poses are not strenuous and do not require much muscular strength to maintain. There are no standing poses or poses requiring balance. Emphasis is on breathing. 60 minutes.
Background
I took up yoga in 2013 as a means to ease chronic back problems. Although I was active as a distance runner and endurance bicycle racer, degenerative disc disease resulted in two back surgeries and the realization that yoga was a much kinder way to treat the body. I started teacher training in fall 2014 and the 240 hour Hatha Yoga teaching certificate was completed in 2015. I have also completed teacher certification for Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga, Bryan Kest Power Yoga, Yin Yoga, and Meditation. Previously I taught at the Williamston High School Adult Fitness Center and at Williamston Wellness.
On Gentle Yoga: “I wanted to create a class geared toward seniors but open and accessible to anyone, including beginners or those who have never done yoga. For many poses, I will suggest modifications or alternatives that you can choose from to suit your level of flexibility and your physical limitations. Many people in the 50+ age group have arthritis or problems with the spine, knees, or shoulders. I have some of the same issues myself, and have a good sense of when to urge caution and how you can experience the benefits of a pose without hurting yourself.”
Videos
Gentle Yoga, September 30, 2024 (60'): https://youtu.be/fn5RcR-p0a8
entle Yoga, September 26, 2024 (60'): https://youtu.be/SFI1y6_O-Vs
Gentle Yoga, September 23, 2024 (59'): https://youtu.be/ZVZ4sCebHf0
Gentle Yoga, September 19, 2024 (58'): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxFEcXlR27s&ab
Gentle Yoga, September 16, 2024 (56'): https://studio.youtube.com/video/_gHqfVBb3qs/edit
Gentle Yoga, July 24, 2017 (55'): https://youtu.be/V_onT_IDqrk
Gentle Yoga, July 28, 2017 (55'): https://youtu.be/HG_vpYDcDSQ
Deep Stretch/Yin Yoga, August 2017 (58'): https://youtu.be/DAsoN0zS9u4
Power Yoga, August 2017 (57'): https://youtu.be/A0fmiS7m8OU
Alternatives: youtube classes with Evita Ochel:(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li-2zZ56mUo)
Adriene has lots of Gentle Yoga videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHZPtn15agE
Power Yoga with Bryan Kest (from his VHS tapes of the 1990s):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTsyjBmTfKE&ab_channel=Vernyoga
Arm Balances Tutorial
A short tutorial on how to do the arm balances in our Power Yoga class.