Job Discussion Forums

[musicmunky]

Hi guys,

I'm moving to Saitama-shi next month and wonder if anyone knows of any yoga classes in the area...or near? I would like to get involved in yoga and meet other people too. Thanks x

[JL]

I think Apsara just mentioned yesterday that she teaches yoga. Or was it that she's studying it?? Sorry Apsara. (Also, sorry for always reversing the "p" and the "s" in your name!)
If Apsara doesn't notice this thread, find her on another thread and maybe ask her in a private email what she might know.

[Apsara]

Thanks JL. musicmunky already PMed me.

[kojimoji]

I'll be moving to Saitama soon too, and would love love love to take Yoga classes if they are offered close by. Sorry I don't have info about them but once I'm there I'll be searching as well. Maybe we could start a Gaijin Yoga Club!

[JL]

(Apsara,
The ways things are shaping up for you, you may just be able to sit out (in the lotus position) this recession the rest of us are going through.)

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Everyone:
Apsara teaches yoga. If she teaches half as well as she posts on this forum, you'll have yourself a fine instructor. Email her!

[wayne432]

And I was curious... if you're really inflexible, how easy is it (long will it take) to

a. do yoga and become flexible
b. become flexible and do yoga
c. just become flexible

[Apsara]

Very nice of you to say so, JL Yes, I dabble in teaching yoga, and also thanks for noticing my handle is Apsara with the "p" first, not an abbreviation for asparagus as many people seem to think Here's hoping that yoga won't be too badly affected by the recession, but if it gets bad enough I suppose people might stop coming to classes. So far it seems to be business as usual.

As for becoming flexible and doing yoga or vice versa, flexibility depends on a lot of factors- how often you practice, your body type, how much weight-lifting/running/very physical sports you have done in the past (many runners have hamstrings so tight they can barely touch their knees, let alone their toes, and people who have done a lot of weights can be phenomenally stiff in the shoulders and back).

Also,(if you're still interested), many people don't realise that a lot of yoga poses require considerable core and upper body strength, it's not only turning yourself into a pretzel That is where I sometimes still struggle, as I'm flexible but relatively lacking in strength. Guys tend to do better with that kind of pose, and it's actually easier to increase flexibility than strength, so if you are strong but have muscles like concrete you actually have an advantage over bendy but weak people like me.

Lastly, you don't have to be flexible to do yoga- it's not about doing the perfect pose or tying yourself in knots, it's about focusing on what you are doing with your body and breathing deeply while going as far as YOU can into the pose at that point in time without breaking something. Flexibility is a side effect, not the goal.

End of lecture...