Yoga is an experience that many people enjoy as a form of physical activity, especially at West Field. This class is the perfect place to be when a break from school is needed. The class counts for gym credit, is relaxing, muscle building and meditative.
Jantzen Ryan, or known as Coach Ryan by students, is the female weight teacher and the coach for many other sports. She tries to make the yoga class a place where all students feel welcome and capable. Upon entering the yoga room, the ambiance and mood of the class are immediately calming and inviting. Between the beautiful natural lighting of the large windows, the speakers playing soft, mellow jams, the comfortable temperature, and the nicely spaced out yoga mats, it is a soothing environment.
Participation is all that is required. During Ryan’s yoga experience, students are encouraged to try their best. If they fail, just try again. Two catch phrases are often repeated to push the students: “Everybody can do yoga,” and “Yoga looks different for everybody.” Ryan is encouraging and positive to her students, to get all students to apply themselves and improve their strength, flexibility, and positive attitude towards physical activity and their performance abilities.
During the first of class, the students begin at the top of their mats in easy pose, legs crossed sitting up straight, with an opening meditation, spending time on mindfulness and doing different practices to help relax and calm the mind. This includes gratitude, a self mental and emotional evaluation, breathing exercises and acknowledging and accepting thoughts that linger in their minds.
After the opening meditation, the students complete a warm-up to get their bodies moving and to prepare themselves for the flows and new poses to be learned later in the class. During warm-up and sun salutation, which is a set of different basic yoga poses, tension is released in the lower back and shoulders, preparing the body for more strenuous or demanding activities, making injuries unlikely. It also brings attention to areas in the body that might be sore or need extra attention for the class period.
Some poses in this salutation may include mountain, standing with the shoulders back and back straight and full and half forward fold, also known as a toe touch, and side stretches. Some common poses that take place in class include child’s pose, tabletop, downward dog, plank, chaturanga, or cobra. Child’s pose is a relaxed position with the knees on the ground, toes touching, with the arms extended out above the head. This pose elongates the spine and opens up the shoulders to relieve stress on the shoulders and back from the day. Child’s pose also calms the nervous system and reduces blood pressure. Downward dog, another basic yoga pose, stretches the calves and hamstrings while releasing tension in the neck and shoulders. Tabletop is a kneeling position with the knees under the hips and the wrists under the shoulders that improves core and wrist strength while giving the participants a sense of balance and increased flexibility in the spine.
After the yoga flow, a combination of different poses, and the learning of new poses, Ryan has her students participate in a cool down, then a personal meditation. Letting the students unwind and relax after their physical activity gets them ready for their next classes.
Yoga is an all-around beneficial activity, engaging the body and the mind. Coach Ryan has made an uplifting, welcoming and positive experience at West Field High School that students of all grades and groups enjoy. Talk to the school counselors and sign up for yoga. The class is fun and healthy, two great reasons to put it in the upcoming schedule.
