Student Highlight: An Interview with Nicole Wiseman
by Melody Mayes
When my dear friend, Nicole Wiseman, happened upon the Baptiste Power Yoga studio just down the street from her home she was insistent that the 502PY community was different than other yoga studios. She is the reason I ended up here, sweating it out next to her on my mat. Nicole is always a giver of herself to others. I’m elated that I was able to sit down with her and dig a tad deeper into her yoga practice.
Describe your first experience with yoga: My first experience with yoga was nearly 12 years ago at the University of Louisville. I was looking for something that would motivate me to work out and a grade certainly helped. Prior to that class I wasn’t particularly athletic or really even that active. Sure, I walked to class and moved around but I would never say that I “worked out” and definitely wasn’t what you’d call athletic in high school. That yoga class came at a very challenging time when I was thinking about changing majors and career paths and essentially the trajectory of my life. It was a pretty pivotal moment and yoga happened to be a large part of it.
How do you do it all? : There are way too many important and worthwhile things and I can’t do them all. And it’s ok. I prioritize (and reprioitize) every day. I try to keep the most important people and things first and let the rest go. I schedule my yoga classes using the MindBody app because it keeps me accountable. That 2 hour cancellation window prior to class is coincidentally the same time period when I often would rather take a nap or catch up on Netflix shows. This keeps me honest and helps keep the rest of my life in balance. So far I’ve never regretted showing up on my mat.
Pose that causes you struggle: Crow pose. Freakin’ crow pose. I once asked Sarah if it was lack of arm strength, lack of core strength, fear of falling on my head or all of the above. She agreed that it was probably a little of all of the above. Every day I’m working at all 3 and getting closer. I’m also learning (trying to learn) that I am where I need to be and it will happen when it needs to happen.
What keeps you going when the going gets tough? I love a challenge. That’s one of the things I love about 502PY. They are forever offering challenges, whether they are single verbal cues in class like to breathe through the discomfort, physical cues from the assistants in class or structured ones like the September Sunrise Challenge.
*(That same attitude is how Nicole completed the September Sunrise Challenge AND was one of the winners.)
What pose gives you the greatest peace? Child’s pose. It helps me settle in and refocus on being present.
What does yoga provide on a daily basis? It gives me peace. It helps me focus. And Ujjayi breath. Strangely enough, giving blood is a great opportunity to practice ujjayi breathing. It’s funny because a lot of times they’ll ask me if I’m ok and I assure them that yes, I am and my breath is getting me through. Note: I hate needles so every time I give it can be a struggle. Another side note: my blood pressure has gone down each time I’ve given blood in the past year since starting at 502py!
Who inspires you? It probably sounds trite but truly everyone inspires me. The cancer survivors I work with daily inspire and amaze me because they keep showing up to provide support to those that are beginning a very similar journey as theirs and sometimes the person they support doesn’t survive, but they keep showing up and giving. Other yogis inspire me especially when I see someone that’s been struggling with a certain pose totally nail it. When I see anyone give of themselves in any way; that inspires me. Yoga has taught me to find inspiration and beauty in a lot of things that I probably wouldn’t have noticed before.
You won the Sunrise Challenge, now what?! It’s back to 6PM for me. That was a nice experiment but I’m still not a morning person.
Nicole enjoys spending her time with her husband, Mason, her supportive circle of friends and family, and doing awesome work as Assistant Director at Friend for Life Cancer Support Network (www.friend4life.org) and part-time with the Crisis & Information Center hotline. Say hello to Nicole next time you see her!
Where Should I Put My Mat? A Yoga Studio Geography Lesson
By Becca Washer
It can seem like a silly question but every time you walk into the studio, mat rolled under your arm, balancing a block, towel, water bottle, and an eagerness to practice, you are faced with the decision, where should I put my mat? I’ve traveled my way around the room of 502PY and can tell you the ins and outs, tips and tricks, air flow pattern, etc of almost every spot. Here is my personal, in no way professional, view of the best spots in the room depending on your needs.
1. Your first class
It may be your first instinct to go in the back row, but I disagree. There will be times when you are facing the back of the room and it is helpful to have people behind you in case something is called you are not familiar with. The transition from Down-Dog to Flip-Dog comes to mind here. The fourth row in a full class is the best (or the second to last row if it is not a full class).
2. When you’re finding your own practice
After a while, you will get the hang of Journey Into Power (the sequence taught in all 502PY classes), and you will start to find what works for you. Breaking out from the back can be a challenge, but I promise, the front row is perfect for this. Take time with no distraction of people in front of you. When you can’t see what other people are doing you start to find things out for yourself. New transitions present themselves, challenging poses stop being a competition, you become very familiar with the Om painting on the front wall, and you find your flow.
3. When you get stuck
When only staring at the wall in front of you becomes stagnant, and you are ready to be inspired by your fellow yogis, place your mat in the center of the room. Connect your breath with everyone around you. Feed off the energy of your neighbors and let it fuel your practice. 502PY has a contagious vitality and the best way to reap its benefits is by immersing yourself in the middle of it. Start by literally being in the middle of the room and then expand that into joining conversations, coffee dates, events, and all the other aspects of the 502PY community.
4. When you’re working on a new pose
The walls offer great support when you are working on a new pose or modification and that goes for so much more than inversions. Try dropping back and walking up the wall for wheel pose. Float your hand while balancing on the wall in half moon. Press your hand into the wall to reach your foot higher in dancer. Yes, over time the wall can become a crutch, but it can also show you what is possible.
5. When you just want to be where it’s the coolest
From only my own perspective, the front row can tend to feel the steamiest especially in fuller classes where there is not much space between the front of your mat and the wall. Also, the corners offer less air flow and can feel a touch hotter. In the morning, avoid the center of the first two rows where the sun glares in through the windows (aka the death ray) or take on the challenge of a little extra heat. Take all this worth a grain of salt though (like the kind you’ll be sweating out) because the room is 90 degrees and that is hot no matter where you are.
The single most important thing I can tell you about where to put your mat is that there is magic inside those studio walls. All you have to do to be a part of this community is show up. Wherever you are in your practice, and wherever you are in the room is going to be just perfect; you can plant yourself in the same spot or move every day. As long as you’re unrolling your mat you are setting yourself up for taking your day to the edge.
Next week is the start of the 2015-1016 Teacher Training at 502PY and for those who have signed up, there are probably a lot of questions with what to bring. Though you will want to take the usual items for a power yoga class (see some pro-tips here) you will need to add some additional items to your list. Here is the very unofficial, not-all-inclusive, 502PY TT packing list. All of these things are items that I found to be personally useful, have used again in various workshop/program capacities, and would recommend.
1. Bag – Choose a bag big enough for all your stuff, but that can be squeezed into a lobby cubby. Mine has a zippered part for wet clothes, this was an awesome feature, but if your bag doesn’t have a separate zipper for sweaty clothes, bring some Kroger bags for your post-practice goods.
2. Lunch Bag/Cooler – Nothing huge, just something to keep your cold stuff from getting up to 90 degrees in the steamy studio.
3. Water Bottles – I had two bottles, one for water and one for Powerade. Personal preference here but make sure you always have water with you and something with electrolytes to replenish. Coconut water is another great option in addition to your usual water. #Protip: Hydroflasks keep water cold throughout the day (and they are sold in the studio!)
4. Yoga Clothes – I recommend two full sets of clothes for each full day.
5. Comfort Items – For me this was Glide, deodorant, contact solution, and chapstick. #Protip: Vaseline on the brow can help keep sweat from dripping into the eyes.
6. Liquid BandAid – Lots of yoga means dried feet and hands in the winter months. I had cracks/cuts on my toes and this is the only thing that stayed on during sweaty classes.
7. Baby Wipes – a.k.a “showers”
8. Towels – Mat and hand towels. I also used two mats during teacher training, so I could have one drying and one in use.
9. Pens/Pencils – Bring extra, they get lost and you will loan them out.
10. Hair Bands/Bobby Pins
11. Electrolytes – Personal preference here and there are lots of options, I like Honey Stinger Chews and Powerade.
12. Study Materials – Breaks are for eating, changing, and studying. BONUS: Here are my online Sanskrit flashcards, because I love you all!
13. Nail Kit
14. Selfie Stick (Optional) – Because it’s fun to act like goobers.
Not Pictured: Binder, journal, and books. A watch. Food and snacks (bring a variety – sweet and salty, granola bars, fruit, sandwiches, salads, chips and salsa or guac – whatever you will actually eat and will not make you want to throw up after a few leap frogs). Wallet – I just threw my wallet and phone in my bag.
Fellow TT Grads comment below with your must-have items!
Most importantly, know that all you need is to show up ready and willing! And that CVS is right across the parking lot and Jimmy John’s delivers.
by Chelsea Raff, written the day she went into labor with her first baby
It’s hard to believe, but this time last year I was participating in 502 Power Yoga’s Teacher Training program. I left that program with many things, and one of them was the strongest yoga practice of my life. I felt powerful and adventurous—truly up for anything! Fast forward a couple of months to when my husband and I found out I was pregnant. We were so very excited (and a little terrified)! One of the first things that crossed my mind was, “What will happen to my yoga practice?” I had worked so hard to build strength and flexibility, both in my physical body and my mind—did I have to give that up? Nine months later, I can answer unequivocally, “No!”
There is no one size fits all advice for continuing your practice while pregnant. The most important thing is that you listen to your body—I cannot stress that enough. Luckily, I was surrounded by wise yogis who gave me great advice. Here are some of the tips I found most useful for continuing my yoga practice through pregnancy:
Hold the heat?
Heat (tapas) is one of the pillars of Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga, and our studio is heated to between 85 and 90 degrees for most classes. I encourage you to speak with your doctor if you’re concerned about practicing in a heated environment, especially in early pregnancy. My doctor reassured me that 90 degrees was not dangerous. Of course, you must listen to your body and watch for signs you may be overheated. I always brought a full water bottle to class and drank from it liberally.
Take a step back
If you have a practice of jumping back and forth to chaturanga, it’s a good idea to take step back from that (literally). Take this opportunity to appreciate your sun salutations and vinyasas in a new way. Believe me, they will be just as powerful and challenging!
Ditch the deep twists
Deep, closed twists such as twisting crescent lunge and twisting chair can constrict blood flow to the uterus and should be avoided. Modify by twisting with your torso upright so that you still experience a rotation along your spine, while maintaining space in your abdomen.
To invert, or not?
As always, listen to your body. However, if you had a strong inversion practice before, then you should feel comfortable continuing as long as you feel steady. Personally, tripod headstand felt amazing to me throughout my pregnancy. What I may have lost in core strength I made up for by using my new belly as a counterweight!
Embrace the blocks!
Do not get discouraged by the need to modify as your pregnancy progresses. One of the many reasons I love Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga is that it encourages modifications and the use of blocks and straps for everyone, at every level of practice. These are powerful tools that have the ability to help you gain access to something new. I have come to love using a block in many places, especially extended side angle and triangle – I’m able to find length and expansion through my upper body that would have otherwise been lost during the last several months.
And finally:
Give up what you must
Yes, there are poses to which you will have to temporarily bid adieu (we shall meet again one day soon, locust…) But that’s not what I mean here. For me, one of the most challenging aspects of my practice has been dropping ego. Maintaining my practice the last 9 months didn’t come easily. There were times when I walked off my mat frustrated and ready to give up. But I didn’t&emdash;and for that I am so grateful. My life, both on and off the mat, has been a constant practice in equanimity; between knowing my body and mind are strong (even during so much change) and knowing when to take a step back (and being okay with it!).
Regardless of whether you’re pregnant or just dealing with change in your life, I encourage you to show up on your mat, listen to your breath, listen to your body, and know that you’re capable of so much!
by Becca Washer
As a Forecastle first-timer, I was relieved to find that I was quite prepared thanks to poses and skills learned at 502PY. While it was melt-your-face-off hot out there, we’re all pretty used to that at 502PY! Here are some things that made it a little bit of an easier weekend:
1. Being Used to the Heat – Seriously, it was hot. Triple-digit heat indexes are more brutal than a hot yoga class, but my body did seem to handle the heat remarkably well. I am used to sweat and how to stay comfortable when soaked to the bone during a double-header 502PY session. Sports bras, yoga tanks, and the well known french braid-yoga bun were the high fashion of the weekend. As an added bonus, for those of you who have completed Teacher Training or Hands on Assisting, you know what it is like to compound sweat on top of sweat.
2. Tadasna – I dance like a college girl who’s had one too many at the bar. Hands-up all the time. My mountain pose dancing game is strong, next time we’re in a Friday Flow together you’ll see.
3. Forward Folds – All the standing, dancing, and backpack wearing can start to take its toll on your lower back, I found the occasional forward fold to help release any pressure building up at the base of my spine. Best done where you butt is not directly in front of someone…but to each their own!
4. Utkatasana (Chair Pose) – While Forecastle is one of the cleanest events I’ve been to, every girl knows the chair pose squat is helpful in a porta-potty.
5. Waterfall – While this pose probably got me quite a few stares, I can guarantee it was nowhere near the strangest thing people saw at the Waterfront. When your feet are swollen from walking (dancing) all day, find a clear spot, lay down, put your makeshift block (water bottle) under your hips and send your feet to the sky. Your feet and back will thank you. Or at least it will give those passing by a good chuckle.
6. Drinking Water – I used to live on coffee and diet coke, then came my love of hot yoga and something had to give. My body requires a steady stream of hydration to make up for all the sweat lost on my mat each week, and Forecastle just upped the ante. Provided with free water fill-up stations, there was no reason to go dehydrated, my wallet and body thank you Forecastle and Kynect!
7. Community – Thanks to my 502PY connections, I not only received the opportunity to attend Forecastle (thanks, Kristen and LIBA!), but I was never without a friendly face. From the people I worked with, to those I met randomly in crowds and lines, the community of 502PY was deep and wide in the Forecastle sea.
A day at Forecastle was just like a practice filled day at the studio but with a little more heat, a lot more sun, and (of course) some bourbon.
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