Allison Roberts

In search of the right style for the right need.

by Allison Roberts

I know some people have a hard time getting off the couch to exercise. I wish I could sit on the couch and not exercise. For me, relaxing is the challenge, which is how I’ve come to earn my aches and pains (that, and reaching a certain vintage).

So I set my sights on yoga to see how it could help. My idea was to compare three different approaches to see how they might benefit me in different ways. Could yoga meet many of my fitness needs, from relaxation to exhilaration? Call me a downward-dog guinea pig on the quest to feeling better.

Power Vinyasa

Heated Power Vinyasa, which I tried at Midtown Athletic Club, takes place in a room that feels like a sauna. I immediately felt stifled by the heat, then sleepy and relaxed—so far, so good.

Men and women stretched and chatted or stared at the ceiling in what looked like meditation (probably they were just going over their grocery list). I sat down and tried not to groan too loudly while stretching out my neck. Immediately my cell phone rang, nearly giving the woman behind me heart failure.

More reasons to feel self-conscious: I then noticed a woman elegantly launched into a full-blown headstand, her legs in a full split. I’m in trouble, I thought. I tried to remember the last time I’d even attempted a headstand—now I remembered: never. My head hurt just looking at her.

Try not to worry. I said to myself. Everyone is where they are. You aren’t in bad shape and you don’t have to be a master yogi to enjoy the benefits of this class. Plus, you can get a smoothie after at their nice café.

As the class progressed, I realized I had done enough yoga to get by, though as we moved along, I certainly wound up in positions that challenged both my mental and physical stamina. A few times I wondered if I could maintain some of the poses, but that was part of the challenge for me, and if I needed to rest in downward dog for a few minutes, I did. I know when it’s OK to rest (you know, like when your thigh is shaking).

A woman next to me, at least 10 years my senior, was kicking butt. I felt an enormous sense of hope, watching her lock her strong legs and arms into various stances. In 10 years, I figured, I could still be in good shape.

By the end of the class, I was definitely sweating—especially doing a full bridge. It felt wonderful to be that hot, to feel my muscles straining to work and to feel that release from pushing myself. I knew that I would be sore the next day, and I was. But in a good way.

After the class, I asked our instructor, Randi Moss-Lattimore, how she got into yoga. “I was just like you—into all the high-impact aerobic classes and running—and then one day a friend of mine mentioned yoga. I was not interested, thinking it wouldn’t be hard enough. But I decided to try a class. Wow. I wound up crying through the class. Tears just gushed out,” she explained as I devoured my Chunky Monkey Protein shake smoothie.

As Randi explained it, yoga uses and then releases muscles, and along with that comes a release in emotion: “The things I need to work on—aside from the physical—can be worked on through yoga because we hold our thoughts, feelings and emotions in our muscles, and moving our bodies gives us access to these areas.”

Restorative Yoga

Restorative yoga—as I experienced it at Full Circle Massage & Wellness in Fairport—is in many ways the opposite of power vinyasa: mellow, slow and serene. The Cheshire cat image you didn’t like? It just seems sort of non-descript now..or sort of expected imagery, like mellow slow serene without an image is sort of…expected or am I not making sense?….It uses some of the same stances and positions as other yoga, but it incorporates “props” such as pillows and foam blocks to help support the various positions so you can “relax” into them.

Even our instructor, Mackenzie Welch, exuded relaxation with her calm voice, starting us with meditation. It seemed to go on forever, and I kept waiting to get going. But, of course, the meditating was the “getting going”—settling our minds into the present.

All that relaxation is the opposite of what I usually look for in a class. It is not intense, I did not sweat and it is very low-key. Which, of course, is the point. As I let go of the idea of having to “do” something, I began to enjoy the process.

Throughout the class, Mackenzie quietly reminded us that we did not have anywhere to go except right where we were, and that it was OK to let go of all the stuff we were holding onto in our busy little brains.

My mind would return to the moment (back from ruminating on whether I needed to stop on the way home to buy toilet paper) and I’d be back in the room again.

By the end of the class, I was asleep on my back, snapping myself awake by suddenly snorting out loud (that’s really embarrassing, by the way).

But that’s also a clear sign of relaxing—especially for someone who normally takes Benadryl to fall asleep. On this day, yoga won against stress—can we cut this underlined sentence? I think it’s funnier to end with the Benadryl? (Am I a pain?)

Internal Yoga

Internal yoga is even more low-key, if that’s possible. I took the class at the Yoga with Estelle studio from Doug MacIntyre, who has been an instructor since 1989, when he originated Internal Yoga as a synthesis of hatha postures, breath work, guided meditation and affirmation.

Rather than focus on physical attainment, Internal Yoga works toward attaining a feeling of peace. MacIntyre touts the benefits of Internal Yoga as increased flexibility, improved balance and sleep, decreased anxiety and irritability, decreased back and neck pain and a better sense of calm.

The small studio was warm, light and inviting. We started by sitting on our mats, quietly focusing on our breath. Doug asked us to use our own mantra or the one he suggested: On the inhale, say “I am,” and on the exhale, “protected.” He added, “Think about how nice it would be if you didn’t struggle so much and fear so much.”

As we moved through the class, we very slowly went from position to position and were encouraged to go at our own pace. Doug suggested that if we struggled with a pose or felt any discomfort, we should rearrange ourselves—the point of the class wasn’t to be uncomfortable but just the opposite.

Now I know this might sound touchy-feely or crunchy-granola to some people. And the thought of just relaxing and not pushing myself? Please…But once I was able to accept that I wouldn’t be sweating and pushing in this class, I was able to immerse myself into it and accept it.

And even though my mind wandered at times, I was able to come back and focus on my breath. At the end, Doug invited us to wrap up the night by shaking hands or hugging our fellow classmates.

Now, I’m not entirely shy but I’m also not much of a hugger. Yet I ended up embracing everyone in that room. Talk about relaxed—I nearly melted into their arms and oozed onto the floor.

So how to compare? If I needed to silence my sometimes unkind internal dialogue, Internal Yoga and its focus on visualizing would do the trick. If I’ve worn myself out in a busy week, restorative yoga would revive me. If I’m tense from too much stress and worry, Heated Power Vinyasa would help me sweat it out.

Given my personal tendency to push myself, Power Vinyasa can be a great alternative to high-intensity workouts. I feel the start of a powerful addiction to Power Vinyasa forming—no doubt an addiction I’ll have to curb with some Internal Yoga down the line.

Allison Roberts, founder of EstroFest comedy troupe, is a local visual artist and writer.

Studios mentioned
Yoga with Estelle, 34 Elton St., Rochester, www.yogawithestelle.com.

Midtown Athletic Club, 200 East Highland Dr., 
Rochester; 461-2300 or www.midtown.com.
Full Circle Massage & Wellness, 220 Fairport Village Landing, Fairport; 388-6343 or www.fullcirclemassage.net.