We just finished up a 5 week teacher training, and before our teachers-in-training head to Columbia, Missouri, to finish their certification, we are going to let them get their feet wet with a few practice classes! We will be doing free and open to the public Sumits Yoga classes on Wednesday, May 22nd; Friday, May 24th, Wednesday, May 29th; and Friday, May 31st all at noon. Come support our new teachers as they begin their journey into teaching Sumits Yoga!
Spring cleaning for your mat.
Everyone knows that classes at Sumits Hot Yoga are hot, hot, hot and give our bodies a great workout. When you step into the yoga room, it’s a time to relax and show your body some love. But often times, there is something that isn’t feeling the love after class…your yoga mat!
Lately, several of our yogis have been asking about the proper way to clean their mats, and it is very important to clean your mat after EVERY class. You wouldn’t wear the same sweaty clothes you wore to your last class, so why use the same sweaty mat? Cleaning your mat after every class will prevent bacterial growth and extend the life of your mat. Here are a few tips for cleaning and taking care of your mat:
At the studio we use a solution of tea tree oil and water. Tea tree oil has natural, antimicrobial and antifungal properties that will sanitize your mat and work to prevent bacterial growth. We add about 10 drops of the oil to a 32oz. spray bottle. In Springfield, you can get tea tree oil from Mama Jean’s or Akin’s Natural Market. While we use a natural solution to clean our mats, using a small amount of dish soap or a Clorox wipe will also help sanitize your mat.
Washing your hands before class will prevent bringing extra bacteria onto your mat. Think about all of the things your hands have come in contact with throughout the day, and then you come to class and spend 80 minutes on your mat … that’s a lot of bacteria that you will come in contact with again and again. Washing your hands with soap and warm water before class will help prevent the further spread of germs. Let’s face it; we are all over cold and flu season.
It is very important to let your mat dry as extra moisture can cause mold to grow. The worst thing you can do is leave your mat soaking wet somewhere. Leaving it rolled up in your car until your next class will give bacteria and mold plenty of time to grow. If you wash your mat with soap and water, roll it up with a towel to soak up some of the water before hanging it up to dry. Otherwise spraying down your mat with a tea tree oil solution and hanging it up is best. Keep in mind some types of mats take longer to dry than others, so make sure your mat is dry before you come to class.
This seems like a no brainer for how much we sweat in class. We think of our towels as a way to improve the traction or grip on our mats in order to hold poses, but laying your towel on your mat also serves as a barrier between you and your mat. A towel helps to absorb our sweat and any dirt or germs we brought with us on our hands and feet. This helps keep some of that sweat and bacteria off your mat. Washing your towel is just as important for the obvious reasons. In the studio we recommend Yogitoes because not only do they have a great grip, but also super absorbent and made from recycled materials.
Proper mat care is essential for a healthy yoga practice. Take care of your mat like you take care of towel and be sure to clean it after every class.
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Jade Mats
Jade mats are just one type of mat that we sell in the studio. These slip resistant mats are made from natural rubber which is known for its “non-slip performance.” Jade mats are also soft yet durable. In our experience these mats are extremely sturdy and can stand up to the heat, humidity and daily practice. Buying a jade mat usually means it will be the last mat you ever have to buy. As you make your commitment to yoga, make a commitment to your mat.
It’s worth mentioning that the Jade mats are eco-friendly and that for every mat sold, JadeYoga plants a new tree.
Mention this post at the studio to pick up a coupon for an additional 10% off your mat purchase during the Sumits Yoga Open House.
And in case you didn’t get the title reference http://bit.ly/JbqVwV.
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Kristy, a 500-hour Certified Baptiste Power Yoga teacher, will be in town during April to support our local yoga community. Please join her for an All Levels Baptiste Master Class on Saturday, April 20th from 11:00 am – 1:30 pm … You won’t be disapointed! The price for this class is $15 for current package holders and $20 for non-members. Please call the studio to RSVP.Kristy will be guiding us on how to cleanse, and what we need to do to get started! RSVP at 417-881-YOGA. Workshop fee is $40 if registered before April 15th and $50 after. Cost for the workshop includes a copy of “The Fruit Feast” and all of the fruit that will be prepared during the workshop.
Join us this Saturday, March 9th, from 4:30-6:30 pm as we break down the Sanskrit names of yoga postures and body parts as well as ways to help you remember them. This workshop will be hosted by the Sumits Yoga Staff and led by Kirsten Kukal, E-RYT 500.
Kirsten discovered yoga back in early 2000 when she was simply looking for a new fitness routine. After her first class at Body of Work Yoga Studios with Joan Rosen, she knew that the “fitness part” was just the tip of the iceberg! At the time, she was the owner of two retail businesses and …a new mom with a daughter that was 18 months old. After taking yoga with Joan for about a year, she took Ashtanga with Tom Carlson and Mixed Level Yoga with Beth Spindler, all at Body of Work Yoga Studios. To these local teachers, she is grateful. Kirsten, E-RYT 500, has made many treks to take workshops with some of the greatest yoga teachers available today: George Purvis, Sandra Anderson, Thomas Fortel, Saul David Raye, Shiva Rea, Ana Forrest, Rod Stryker, Sean Tebor and more. Today, she shares her love of yoga all over town. She believes in the healing powers of yoga and with it, anything is possible and more tolerable. Through her practice, she has acquired great patience, a quality her life was lacking before engaging in the practice.
“I never intended to be a yoga teacher…..but I have no regrets! -Kirsten Kukal
Cost for this Workshop is $25 and is open to both students and teachers! This is a great way for everyone to expand on their yogic knowledge, and if you are currently RYT, a great way to receive continuing education hours, too. Call 417-881-YOGA for details!
Partner yoga workshops, in which you bring your own partner (ideally a friend, family member, or significant other who has a complimentary practice), can be a great way to deepen a relationship and a yoga practice at the same time.
Some partner yoga postures challenge your balance, strength and flexibility, while others address trust and communication. Some feel so goofy you’ll fall to the ground laughing, while others feel so deep they might make you cry. When you combine your efforts and connect through touch, you will experience your yoga on a whole new level.
Partner yoga practice involves physical postures, conscious breathing, touch, intimacy, trust, communication and most of all, fun!
Join us on Sunday, February 10, from 6-8 pm for our second annual partner yoga class. Cost is $25 per couple. For more information or to reserve your spot call (417) 881-YOGA or visit us online at www.sumitshotyogasgf.com.
We are excited to announce that prenatal yoga classes will begin at Sumits Yoga on January 28th. Classes next week will be Monday and Wednesday from noon-12:45 pm, and for the first week, these classes will be free!
Prenatal yoga has numerous physical and mental benefits for the expecting Mom and her baby. During our hour long prenatal class you will learn how to practice yoga safely, learn different breathing techniques, and you will connect with other expecting moms. Did you know: Yoga during your pregnancy can help alleviate many of the discomforts of pregnancy such as nausea, swelling, back pain, and sciatica?
Our prenatal classes will be taught by Stephanie Brooks-Lowry who in addition to being a Prenatal and Power certified RYT 200 yoga instructor is also a Labor and Delivery RN. She will be able to not only guide you through your yoga practice but will also weave her knowledge of the labor and delivery process into each class. This experience will motivate you to stay active throughout your pregnancy and give you a space to take care of yourself while your body, baby, and family are changing!
Its that time of year again when everyone is flocking to the gym to work on their new year’s resolutions. Are you someone who is wanting to try something new or to challenge your body in news ways, with new activities? Whatever your reason, whether you wish to heal old injuries or get in shape, here at Sumits Hot Yoga we are happy to help jump start your health and fitness goals for 2013.
Here are 5 reasons to kick off the New Year with Sumits Hot Yoga.
1) Sumits Hot Yoga was the first hot yoga studio to come to Springfield and is in its 4th year of operation. Our hot yoga classes take place in an intentionally heated environment to warm your muscles allowing you to safely take your stretches deeper.
2) Sumits Yoga was designed by Sumit Banerjee and is designed for all skill levels from beginners to advanced yogis. Classes at Sumits Hot Yoga flow to music through a sequence of both balancing and energizing asanas (poses), so that your body receives the greatest benefit from each pose.
3) All of the instructors at Sumits Hot Yoga have undergone intensive teacher training from recognized Yoga Alliance schools meaning they have completed a minimum of 200 hours of curriculum. Each teacher has been trained to teach specifically in the heated environment to provide our students with the safest practice. In order to teach the Sumits Yoga sequence, teachers must have trained with Sumit himself. Sumit is even known to travel to Springfield and teach classes.
4) The classroom includes a state-of-the-art humidifying system designed to help detox the body. The combination of heat and humidity adds a cardio element to build your mental and physical strength. Another added benefit is that your body burns fat more effectively. It’s not uncommon for our students practicing regularly to lose inches of shape in a relatively short time.
5) Sumits Hot Yoga is for people of all ages and body types. Our Sumits Yoga sequence is designed to be everyday yoga, for anybody. Flexibility is something our students gain overtime and needing flexibility is one of the most common misconceptions about practicing yoga. There can be unlimited benefits to people of all ages and flexibility who correctly practice yoga.
You do not measure your yoga practice by how many perfectly aligned poses you can perform, but by how deep you can immerse yourself inwards. It’s amazing how a simple downward dog can be felt so differently by any student on any given day and still provide a feeling of connection, balance and satisfaction regardless of the depth it’s practiced. This is the true beauty of yoga and it awaits every student who is ready let go of the ego and begin listening to their own deeper wisdom and inner voice.
Begin your yoga journey with us as you discover the unlimited mental and physical benefits hot yoga has to offer. Come by the studio for a tour of our facility or visit our website for more information about classes, prices and frequently asked questions.
See you on your mat soon.
I could talk for days about how much I love Sumits yoga and how life-changing this yoga journey has been for me. I could tell you all my past struggles and all my future dreams and how yoga is intricately woven into the tapestry of my life. I could tell you of all the victories and humbling experiences that have taken place on my mat over the past nine months. But, as fantastically entertaining as all of that would be for you, I think there is one thing much more important to say.
I have spent my life struggling to feel comfortable in my own skin, to get out of the world inside my head and connect with the world around me. Yoga has been the only thing that I have ever found that has helped me to come through this. Every anxiety I have had, every depressing thought, every traumatic experience has been and is continuing to be worked out through my yoga practice.
Confidence in myself, the ability to truly live in the present moment, letting go of past hurt and disappointment, learning to truly trust myself—all of this has come to me as a result of a consistent yoga practice and the yoga family I have at Sumits. I am not perfect-no, I will never be, no matter how long I can hold an arm balance or how many classes I attend in a week. But I am finally comfortable in my own skin and finally able to breathe easy, no matter what life throws at me.
I could never communicate just how thankful I am for the wonderful teachers and inspirational students that surround me in each Sumits class. I feel extremely blessed to be able to share my yoga journey with all of you. I hope that each of you can find peace, love, and greatness on and off of your mat. And, most of all, I hope all of us will continue to grow to realize that we are of one spirit and we are perfect just the way we are.
“I honor the place in you that is the same in me. I honor in you where the whole universe resides. I honor the place in you of love, of light, of peace and of truth. I honor the place in you that is the same in me. There is but one. Namaste.”
Our move started bright and early this morning! There will be no classes through December 28th, but we can’t wait to see everyone at the Brentwood Center ASAP. Remember to check our online schedule and Facebook for updates and schedule changes during the next few days!
Bethanie Funderburk, a basketball player on the women’s team at Drury University, recently told us how Sumits Hot Yoga has helped her athletics. You can check out her testimonial below:
Drury Basketball players practicing yoga on the beach in Miami, Florida
Sumits Hot Yoga has immensely helped me not only physically, but also mentally by relieving stress. Being a college athlete, it is hard to find the time/energy for more than basketball, but it is worth finding the time to go to hot yoga. I go whenever possible, because it only helps my athletic performance by increasing my flexibility and strength while decreasing my stress level. I play basketball at Drury University and would recommend Sumits Hot Yoga to everyone, as well as other collegiate athletes! It has done wonders for me and is one of the best exercises I have ever experienced. The studio and instructors are amazing and make the experience even better.
