From "House" Yogi Chris!

Thank You Chris for sharing! We love to here from you!

The Hot Yoga House in Goodlettsville, TN

by Chris Kruger on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 9:13pm

I have been going to The Hot Yoga House since January 2nd so I am just coming up on the end of my second month. I went into the experience with few expectations but many hopes. I had researched yoga as a practice and had a little information and a lot of desire to get back into balance and shape. I found that a lot of yoga practices focused on a group of poses that would help you come back to an internal balance. Then there is hot yoga that adds heat and humidity to help to loosen the muscles and open the internals through the breaths. Since this is fairly new to this area and sounded perfect for what I wanted this was what I signed up for in my new year’s changes.

My first class I felt pretty clumsy, way out of physical shape and definitely challenged. The first class was very slow and was geared toward the first time student. This was a great thing given how much I was thinking at the start of the first 75 minute class "What in the world have I gotten myself into." But as minutes passed, and the heat kicked in, I found myself relaxing and just trying to flow to the best of my ability with the poses I was being offered. Now I did fall out of my poses often as my body protested emphatically about being told to get into poses I had never experienced but I continued at my own pace through class and soon we were lying on the mat in our final position for the day. I walked out of there feeling like a pencil with rubber bands for arms and legs but in my head I was clear. At this point it was clear that this was something that had in 75 short minutes become a part of my life I wanted to continue.

So now we get to some of the key things that make The Hot Yoga House so much different and a place I love and highly recommend. One of the keys to growth in any exercise program is cardio. You must get the heart rate up to burn calories. This is done through both slow and quick transition movements that allow the heart rate to get to an accelerated rate. There are also deliberately slow points in the sets that allow the heart rate to come back down before it is raised again. Now for those of you who like to count calories, we are talking 600 to 1000 calories burned per workout.

Now let’s talk about a key factor that allows The Hot Yoga House to excel over many others. When trying to build muscle one of the key components that will allow for optimal muscle regeneration is called muscle confusion. Any of you who have caught the Power 90X commercial on a Saturday or Sunday morning have heard that this is one of the keys to their system also. This is where The Hot Yoga House excels. I my time there I have been to 25+/- classes and have yet to go to two classes that were identical or, for that matter, even close to one another. Every class is difference and leads you though different poses and focuses (i.e. core strength, flexibility, stretching, etc.) but at the end of the class it is all the same. A feeling of release.

Here is another key to building muscle that is only recently getting notice, balance. Balance is also a key in allowing the muscles to grow or rejuvenate whatever you goal. This is also a key component to yoga in any form. As are muscles are re-taught to support the way they were designed to, they allow us to balance better. This balance will help you with so much of your daily life or your workouts if that is more your focus. In your daily life, it will help you walk easier, go up steps easier, sit up straighter and so many other things. We often forget how much balance plays a part in our lives. If you are a "gym rat", it is balance that allows you to do you lifts correctly, to attack both side of the body evenly, run faster, play racket ball better and the list continues here too.

Now for my last benefit, though this is just my view, flexibility. Few other workout practices work on flexibility as a core part of the system. Most other leave you feeling tight and in need of a sauna of hot tub. Not here. Any yoga practice will allow for you to gain flexibility through repetitions and movements designed to stretch muscles and open joints. Now imagine you are doing these same things in a sauna. Now you have hot yoga. You muscles get warm and in doing so are able to gain flexibility much quicker. I must say that in the short time I have been doing this my flexibility has drastically improved. I can now stand in "Tree" just fine where as when I started I could barely pull my foot up over my knee.

So now that I have tossed out my spiel, let me tell you about results. I have been doing hot yoga and The Hot Yoga House now for nearly 2 months. I have lost 19 pounds, have gained core strength in both my stomach and back, I stand up straighter, I can now stand unassisted and lift my leg to put on a sock or shoe, I run faster and longer and I am happier. Now most of you know I am Mr. Happy anyhow and ever so annoying at 7:00 am but I truly am happier now that I have been in years. I could not have done any of this without my friends and instructors at "The House". Now as I get ready for the next great challenge in this journey, I am looking forward to going in, laying out my mat, having some fun with my friends and enjoying one of the places I call home, THE HOT YOGA HOUSE in Goodlettsville, TN.

Traffic, Arthritis and yoga

What's up with that title? What do traffic, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and yoga have to do with one another? Well let me try to link them together in my simple little mind.

Practicing YOGA....what does that mean to you? Is it coming to your mat and working thru a series of asanas that aren't a lot of fun but you do it because you feel amazing afterwards? or does it mean something very foreign to you and scary? Guess what...the asana practice of YOGA that you do on your mat doesn't really mean a bunch....nope it doesn't matter what you physically do or not do on that mat (isn't that a relief for some of you) What IS important is what you learn as you move thru your asana, what are you listening to, what do you take hold of and let go of.........this is where the traffic comes in.........

Traffic is very real to you isn't it? I love sitting on I-65 waiting to get somewhere, maybe a yoga class and the cars aren't moving. What can I do? Get frustrated, honk my horn, try to weave around and get more angry! What if I just took a deep breath and realized that everything is perfect, it's happening exactly how's it suppose to be so maybe I can just enjoy the scenery, pray, be still, be grateful because there's nothing I can do about it. IT took me a long time to get to that place and let's be honest it's not always there, but since I've been "practicing yoga" I try to take a step back and see what I can learn from any mountain or CAR in my path.....this is where the RA comes in.......

So I've had RA for about 13 years. My fingers and my toes are mostly affected but I have to tell you that the simple PHYSICAL asana of yoga changed my life with my RA. I have been able to keep the function for the most part (I'm not gonna lie the HEAT is the biggie). I've been pretty comfortable in my practice, I've tried to concentrate on the flexibility of my fingers and toes knowing that one day I may have joint deformities that could inhibit my movement. Sometimes the joints in my toes flare so to stand and try to balance is very painful, and other days there isn't any. Over the last two months my joints have started to change, they have continued to swell and asanas that were very "simple" for me before have become very painful, even a downdog or simply standing in tadasana. NOW I could roll up my mat and say well if I can't do those basic simple things then what kind of "yoga" practice can I have or much less teach my students. BUT I can choose to listen to my body, be grateful I can still get up every morning, I can share my story, keep moving and find NEW ways to get the blood flowing to heal my mind and body..........Get it...THIS is where it all comes together!

If I choose to bring my frustrations about my RA onto my mat and push thru pain what am I building and making stronger? PAIN and FRUSTRATION

If I choose to bring that traffic tie up that made me late into my asana practice then what am I making stronger? ANGER

If I choose to make my yoga practice all about the physical asana and get discouraged because balance or standing in tadasana is a challege what am I making stronger? DISCOURAGEMENT

BUT what If I choose to breathe, to listen to my mind/body, and to follow it's direction, to remain calm when things get challenging, to be grateful and happy for what I have, what am I making stronger? GRATEFULNESS, HAPPINESS, PEACEFULNESS, STRENGTH

WOW I am thinking THOSE are the things we want to make our world and lives better and stronger and happier!


That's where it all comes together.....whatever you choose to build on the mat that's what is going to get stronger.

You can feel the physical when you do 108 chaturangas (ha ha) the mental is harder to "see" but where the true magic happens!




It's all a practice....life...yoga...patience...stillness....happiness....gratitude..... come to your mat!

If you say BREATHE one more time....

I know you've felt like saying that sometimes during class....maybe you HAVE said it during class, but what happens when an instructor reminds you to breathe?

You probably become aware that you were holding your breath or that you had lost control of the pattern of your breathing or a calmness flows thru you because you ARE consciously BREATHING! Even when you feel like screaming because we are saying it AGAIN you become aware of your breath and that's all you have to do in yoga! YEP let your breath be your guide!

IF you truly listen to your body it will always tell you exactly what it needs, what is feeling good, what is feeling not so good. It will allow you to go deeper or it will tell you that's fine it's enough right now. Why is that we can listen to someone else tell us those things but we cannot listen to our own body!? Hopefully when you come to your mat that is one of the lessons you are learning....to slow down and really listen to what you need, it's all right there, whispering to you.

We are all on a journey, we all go on different paths, some of us get lost and wander off but find our way. When we aren't sure at times which way to go we may stop and ask friends or strangers for directions or "what would you do" (or if you are a guy you may never ask for directions) But again, we ask someone else for something about OUR life and sometimes we listen and depending on the answer you may still be lost! Guess what? We had the MAP all the time!

YES

We are all born with a map it's called your BREATH!

God Breathed into Adam's nostrils and he became a living being!

We have all been given that same LIFE and BREATH!

So why in the world don't we listen to it. Have you ever noticed HOW you are breathing when you are pondering on something? Is your breath shallow or deep? Is it rapid or calm? Are you lungs even filling, or is your belly fully rising and falling? IF you slow down and really become aware of your breath it will tell you ever time what is right and what is wrong for you in that moment. We all are given this gift we just have to tap into it.

Slow down today.....enjoy the colors of fall.....BREATHE in the crisp fall air....feel the sun on your face. Know that you are special and that you have the answers if you slow down enough to become aware.

Come to your mat this weekend, become aware of your breathe, learn to use this innate gift, I promise you, you will never regret it!

What kind of yoga do we do at Hot Yoga House?

What a loaded question….let me tell you what we do and then YOU come and do a little yoga!!

Hatha Yoga by definition is “HA” meaning “sun” and “THA” meaning “moon”, hatha yoga can be translated as the yoga that brings “union to the pairs of opposites”. Sometimes it’s translated into the “forceful yoga” because it is the most physical type of yoga. This type of yoga is the most popular in the west.

Hot Yoga House’s definition of the hatha yoga we do? We have power classes, iron classes, fast tempo classes and they are HOT to get you more flexible so you are able to go deeper “physically” but then we “pair the opposites” as we cool you down and take you to a state of calm and peace, maybe even stepping into the meditation room to go a little deeper still

Karma Yoga basically consists of entirely selfless service, where ego is given up to serve God in everything, be it man, animal or planet. It’s about doing the right thing.

Hot Yoga House’s Karma yoga? Well it’s the countless people at the studio who give their time and talents to create a place where everyone feels welcome. It’s Robin who paints and decorates without wanting a thank you, it’s Ron who makes shelves and fixes lights, it’s Sherrie who brings toys and has even taken laundry home, it’s Keith who shoveled snow so everyone could park safely, it’s Michael who spent hours working on a pond just so we could enjoy the sounds of the waterfall, it’s Rupert who makes fabulous meals for us to enjoy at our get togethers… WELL….it’s SO MANY wonderful people who make up the “house” you’d have to come and meet them all!

Bhakti Yoga by definition is pure spiritual devotion of love for God which is Love

Hot Yoga House’s Bhakti yoga? This is very personal for each person who enters. For ME the physical part of hatha yoga gave me an opportunity to SLOW DOWN from the busy lifestyle and truly focus on what’s important. I was able to come to a place after my asana practice and BE STILL! If you come into our meditation room you will see posted over the door “Be still and know that I am God” Psalms 46:10 because for me yoga allowed me to be still enough to spend time with God. I often say you can’t minister to others until you minister to yourself, come and spend 75 or 90 minutes on getting filled so that you can give to others.

Ashtanga yoga purifies the mind thru 8 steps or “limbs”..the 8 Limb Path:
Yamas (control), Niyamas(rules of conduct), Asanas (postures), Pranyama (control of breath), Pratyahara (withdrawal of sensory perception), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (uninterrupted meditation), and Samadhi (complete equilibrium)

Hot Yoga House’s Ashtanga yoga? We strive to be on this path and we aren’t necessarily walking together, we are all at different places but on the same path. But at some point we strive for these in every class. For example, we all want to be good people (Yamas and Niyamas). We practice Dharana (concentration) thru the asana practice, think of when we do bow! AND I don’t’ know anyone who has practiced hot yoga that wouldn’t tell you that it takes meditation to get thru the class! It’s a moving meditation during the practice and then stillness at the end.

We practice this and so much more at Hot Yoga House. There are so many more things I could say but to truly feel yoga in all of these examples just come in...that’s all…..just come in….let yourself be bathed in the love and compassion of our house, I promise you will leave with much more then you came in with!