Working out the Zen way

Published April 26, 2011
By Airman 1st Class Jessica McConnell
Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- When most people think of yoga, they might picture a person sitting cross-legged on the ground in the middle of a quiet area, perhaps in a field on top of some desolate mountain with nothing and no one around to bother them.

While meditation is part of yoga, it is actually also very focused on strength training and stretching.

Whether the goal is to relax, stretch, or tone muscle, Air Force Global Strike Command and Team Minot Airmen can take a yoga class, to do one or all three of these things, at the McAdoo Sports and Fitness Center here.

"The true yoga discipline is a lot of self meditation," said Kris Stivers, a fitness instructor at the McAdoo Sports and Fitness Center. "Yoga was designed to be mentally with physically stimulating. I try to give people the last five minutes of class to have some of that inner reflection time and to bring that positive energy in."

Although this might sound like the best part, Ms. Stivers has another opinion.

"Personal reflection is the hardest part of yoga to learn," she continued. "To lay there and not use the body, to just let one's body truly relax, is a very difficult thing to do," she said.

For those people who are more interested in the strength training part of yoga, not to fear. The physical part is Ms. Stivers' favorite part.

"I personally like the actual fitness side of it; the stretching," Ms. Stivers said. "It really is like weight training while one is stretching. For example, during most poses, the back muscle is stretched while the front muscle is being worked. It is a workout; I've had people leave here sweating."

Ms. Stivers noted that people of all shapes, sizes, backgrounds and abilities can benefit from practicing yoga.

"This is great for everyone," she said. "It's especially great for people trying to recover from an injury or surgery. Yoga is basically the same thing as physical therapy."

Aside from being great for those needing to recover, she emphasized the fact that everyone can benefit from yoga simply because people just don't stretch enough.

"Experts recommend we stretch at least 15 minutes following a workout," she said. "Most people are lucky if they even spend two minutes stretching afterwards. I always say this is the best class to take once a week and just stretch."

And for those worried about missing a workout because they're taking this class instead, she said not to worry, yoga will still provide the workout many are looking for.

"I have one person who comes in just because he needs to stretch," she said. "After his first class, he left here surprised, exclaiming he didn't ever think he'd leave yoga sweating."

Another class-taker, Ashley Stephenson, only takes the class when she can get to it, but says she practices it on her own as well.

"It's so relaxing," she said. "It's really not as hard as it looks and it's good for teaching people how to relax on their own."

For those who are just beginning, Ms. Stivers said to be sure to let the instructor know, not to be intimidated and to focus more on one's self than on other people in the class.

"The class is very individual-based," she said. "During the class, I usually will present two ways of doing the pose so people can choose which one to perform based on their ability."

Yoga offers many different benefits. Whether one is looking to improve muscle tone or just to escape the busy schedule most call life, yoga is sure to provide the balance many seek in their lives.