Eight employees of the Palisadian-Post took a special exercise class at Yogaworks last Friday during their lunch hour. Yogaworks Manager Billy Asad and Post Publisher Roberta Donohue agreed to have Asad take the employees through their paces in order to emphasize the role of exercise in a healthy lifestyle. Representatives from each newspaper department (advertising, graphics, production and editorial) were asked to attend. Of the eight men and women who took the 12:30 p.m. challenge, only one does yoga on a regular basis, two had previously tried a class, but the other five had never been inside a yoga studio. The action move was supported by Donohue because employers, who pay for most of the costs of health insurance and sick days, know it’s in their best interest to have healthy and alert employees. Unfortunately, obesity in the United States continues to rise and blame is placed on unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity. An activity as simple as walking 30 minutes a day can contribute to healthy bones, muscles and joints, while reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. So why don’t people exercise? There are lots of reasons and even more excuses, including gridlock on the freeways, which forces people to leave earlier for work and come home later. After people spend hours at work and in traffic, exercise often takes the backseat to household tasks, meals and television. One logical way to address physical inactivity is to make workplace exercise available or easily accessible. There was some nervousness as the group walked over to Yogaworks on Sunset Boulevard. Shoes and socks were removed and the employees went into a large room that had a wood floor and a large picture window facing the street. Despite the traffic noise outside, the studio was surprisingly quiet. Each person found a yoga mat and Asad assured everybody that although many people have a misconception of yoga, thinking that it involves putting their legs around their head or getting into other impossible poses, this isn’t the case. He said that the word yoga comes from a Sanskrit word, ‘yuj,’ which means yoke or union. Traditionally, yoga uses physical and mental exercises in order to unite the person’s own consciousness with the universal consciousness. Continuing, Asad explained that yoga poses, called ‘asanas,’ tone, strengthen, and align the body, and on the mental level, yoga uses breathing techniques and meditation to achieve relaxation and quiet the mind. After that simple introduction, he directed the group through different poses. With careful explanations, and by adjusting some stances, Asad soon had the group in the ‘downward facing dog pose,’ whereby the hands are placed flat on the floor in front and the feet are about three feet behind, with knees slightly bent. The pose is then held and this works on increasing flexibility in the hamstrings and shoulders, strengthening arms and legs, and ultimately benefiting the cardio-vascular system. Asad also led Post employees through the ‘knee to chest pose,’ ‘child’s pose,’ ‘plank pose’ and ‘warrior pose,’ as well as others. He ended the class with the ‘corpse pose’ which is essentially lying on one’s back with hands to the side and palms up, and breathing in a relaxed manner, trying to keep the mind calm. Afterwards, Keith McDaniel, Post press operator, who works out with weights, rides a bike and runs, said, ‘I’ve never taken a yoga class before, but it was great.’ He admitted on Monday that ‘I was sore the next day.’ Graphic Designer Tom Hofer, who also had never taken a class before, commented, ‘I will now.’ Sports Editor Steve Galluzzo, an avid tennis player, was another yoga novice. ‘I’d definitely consider doing it again,’ he said. ‘Two things surprised me. It’s a physical activity, but it is done in a different way and uses different muscles than those used in other sports. The other issue is flexibility, which yoga works on, as well as mental relaxation.’ ‘This was the first time I’ve done yoga,’ said Press Assistant Gregory Moratya. ‘Friends invited me, but I always told them ‘I’m good,’ and never went.’ Moratya said he will now take his friends up on their invitation because ‘I felt good after that class.’ The consensus from the Post team was that the mid-day class helped them focus and increased their energy on a Friday afternoon. Asad wants to target other Palisades businesses by offering classes that are different from those offered at Yogaworks in Santa Monica and Westwood. He is open to providing a noon yoga class if a business would like to provide that for their employees. In addition, Palisades Yogaworks will offer different classes this summer, including a kids’ yoga scouts journey that will balance yoga with hiking through Temescal Canyon on Wednesdays; a yoga and surfing camp on Fridays; and a class designed specifically for learning meditation techniques to cultivate focus. If you’re still pondering a Father’s Day present, Yogaworks offers a basic starter package for dads: a two-week program that includes four YogaBasics classes, a beginner’s manual, unlimited yoga classes, a free eco-friendly mat and a personalized class schedule. For more information, contact (310) 454-7000 or visit: www.yogaworks.com.
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