About two months ago I was at a convention for women athletic administrators and within that program we had a half hour session of YogaFit. The conference was VERY intense so they brought this teacher in as a little treat. I've practiced yoga on and off since I was sixteen or so. First with a book that my sister and I found in our mom's attic, then through Gaiam DVDs. A few years ago Amy and I took classes at Matri Yoga in Media after we both were going through ridiculous breakups (Tina was my favorite teacher!!) and most recently on the Veria cable channel with my DVR every morning (mostly b/c I can't afford to $12+ cost of sessions in good studios.) I'm certainly not what I would refer to as a "crunchy hippie" so when we practiced YogaFit and I discovered that it was hatha yoga...geared for athletes, I was in.
Although I don't have any money, Todd and I talked it over. I'd really like to bring some of the techniques to my teams and since my grad class tuition is waived because I work at a University hopefully this will work out. Also, training to become a yoga teacher was something that I've always been interested in. Being any kind of teacher is an interest, really, just not one on the outskirts of West Philadelphia...tangent...read this. My grandmom lives close by. This makes me want to buy a gun and become a vigilante.
I digress.
So I signed up for the Level 1 YogaFit training this past weekend (which is another thing I like about YogaFit- you don't have to go to a week or two week long submersion program to become a teacher.) I was pretty nervous. In the past I've read that a person is "ready" to become a yoga instructor after they're able to do a headstand unassisted for a minute or over. I can't do that just yet... or at all, really- so I was pretty nervous that the class was going to be filled with your stereotypical yoga people. Instead, I was greeted with people of all ages, shapes and sizes- some where practicing for ten years, some for ten months- either way, they have an interest to take their practice further. Long story short, after this weekend (and after I complete eight hours of community service teaching free yoga classes) I'll be able to teach a basic yoga class and I'm signed up for level 2 training in October.
The best parts of the weekend other than the yoga and hopefully making a little money:spending time in Center City Philadelphia. I love this city. I had lunch in the Comcast building market place and I spent lunch on Sunday at the Gallery Mall. I know it's just the Gallery...but I like to call it the Gallery Mall.
The classes were at the Phila Sports Club at 1735 Market- right on the Market Frankford Line. About ten minutes into the first class, we heard the El go by and at first, I was a little pissed because of the noise and the frequency of the passing trains. But, with each passing of the El, it actually was soothing and I couldn't put my finger on exactly why. And then I remembered...
Growing up, we lived on the 101 trolley line (my mom still lives there.) When friends would come over to spend the night, they would have a tough time sleeping since the trolley ran until 1am- and that last train went BLAZING by the house nearly peeling the paint off the outside with it. SEPTA fired service up again at 5am so if a person wasn't used to it- they didn't get the best night sleep. It was a nice, cozy feeling in class this weekend.
I forget about that sound from time to time but it was nice to be reminded of the happy memory of the past while being trained in something I'd like to use in the future.
Comments
Nice Will Smith reference.
You guys should move here.