Tag Archives: Corvallis

Intro to Men’s Yoga – Tuesdays in January

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After a hiatus, Men’s Yoga Corvallis has restarted classes. Days and times have changed with Chair Yoga for Men on Sundays from 4-5pm and the more active Men’s Yoga on Thursdays from 5:30-6:30pm.

But what if you’re new to Yoga, what class should you take?

Well, Men’s Yoga Corvallis is offering a 4 week Intro to Men’s Yoga series in January. We’ll go over the set up of postures, learning the routines, and using props like the chair or blocks to make the exercise enjoyable and attainable. It will be a great way to determine which class is right for you.

So, jump start your new year’s resolutions with Intro to Men’s Yoga on Tuesdays in January from 5:30-6:30pm starting on January 10th. $20 for the 4 week session ($5 a class).

André Alyeska is a Kripalu certified Yoga Instructor, (CYT-200) who has been teaching Men’s Yoga in Corvallis for 10 years. For more info on weekly classes or to pre-register for the January Intro to Men’s Yoga session, please contact André at andre.alyeska@gmail.com

Location: Classes are at the Willamette Wellness Center/Fitness Over Fifty. You don’t have to be a member of FOF to attend classes. Intro to Men’s Yoga $20 for the session. For regular classes, First class is free, drop-ins are $10, and it’s $8 a class with the purchase of a 15 class pass. It’s the best deal in town.

New to Yoga and wondering what to wear? Wear loose comfortable clothing.  I recommend knee length basketball shorts (briefs/not boxers, please) under sweats, and a short sleeve TS under a long sleeve TS. You can peel a layer off as needed. Yoga is pretty much done barefoot.  But I’ve had some guys keep shoes on if they’re got foot problems.  Some guys keep the socks on during the opening meditation.

What gear to bring? Most guys bring their own Yoga mat.  But we’ve got loaners, so don’t feel like you have to go out and buy one right away.  If you like the class, and it’s something you want to make part of your regular routine, you’ll probably want to get your own. We’ve got blocks and chairs.

Reviews can be found at: Facebook, Google, and Yoga Trail.

The studio juts prior to beginning Chair Yoga for Men.

The Return of Men’s Yoga

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The Men’s Yoga Reboot is going well.  We’re getting used to the routines again and shaking off the rust.  We’re still taking it slow and focusing on longer holds.  And most important: no injuries reported! It’s been great to see folks we haven’t seen in a couple of years.

The same classes, but on new days and a new time:

Men’s Chair Yoga is on Sundays from 4pm-5pm. The idea here is to start the week with a gentle recharge, and yet still be home for dinner at a reasonable hour.  It might work better for some guys who are busy mid-week. Please don’t think this is just for seniors! This class is good for guys new to yoga, a little extra in the middle, or recovering from an injury. But even for the experienced practitioner, don’t underestimate this class.

The more active Men’s Yoga is on Thursdays from 5:30pm to 6:30pm.  After the long lay-off, we’re going to be taking it easy as we re-establish this class. I’ve had young men in their teens to gentlemen well into their 70s take this class and do well. We strike a balance between a physical challenge that keeps you interested and relaxation and self-care.

The Cost: Classes are back at the Willamette Wellness Center/Fitness Over Fifty. You don’t have to be a member to attend classes. We’ll honor remaining classes on punch cards purchased before COVID. First class is free, drop-ins are $10, and it’s $8 a class with the purchase of a 15 class multi-class pass. It’s still the best deal in town.

New to Yoga and wondering what to wear? Wear loose comfortable clothing.  I recommend knee length basketball shorts (briefs/not boxers, please) and a short sleeve TS under a long sleeve TS. You can peel a layer off as needed. Yoga is pretty much done barefoot.  But I’ve had some guys keep shoes on if they’re got foot problems.  Some guys keep the socks on during the opening meditation. The picture below is a good illustration of what guys wear.

What gear to bring? Most guys bring their own Yoga mat.  But we’ve got loaners, so don’t feel like you have to go out and buy one right away.  If you like the class, and it’s something you want to make part of your regular routine, you’ll probably want to get your own. We’ve got blocks and chairs.

Reviews can be found at: Facebook, Google, and Yoga Trail.

Any other questions? Please shoot me an email: andre.alyeska@gmail.com

Men's Yoga Corvallis at Fitness Over Fifty.
Men’s Yoga on Thursdays, starting October 20th.

Wednesday 7am Zoom Class

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Two weeks ago we had an Zoom chat Thursday evening. Then we did a trial Zoom class the following Wednesday morning. The short story is that we are going to do the Wednesday morning chair Yoga class, at the usual time, via Zoom while we’re still in lock down.

A longer version, the consensus from the guys who attended the trial class was that it is worth a punch on the card.  And while it was a different experience, it was also nice to see some familiar faces and chat a bit.  And let’s not forget the usual excellent humor.

Class will be in the 40-50 minute range.  We’ll also be opening the room 10-15 minutes before the official start time, and people are welcome to stay afterwards to chat. Please feel free to try it out the first time, on me.

If you are just finding out about the class, please email for details.  You can find my Email address on the side bar to the right.

I was touched by the variety of people who showed up for both the chat and the trial class. John joined us from Portland. I hadn’t seen Ken for over a year. Two guys from Monday’s class tried it out. And, a kid I had worked with years ago, who’s now a young man, found one of the videos I had recorded and reached out to me. He came to the online class. It was really nice to see everyone. I appreciate each and every one of you.

Additionally, some of us have some immune issues that might require maintaining social distancing longer than the general population.  If we do transition to in-person classes in the near future, I am planning to offer a Zoom class at a different time if people would like that.

Please take care of yourself!

Men’s Yoga – Online Classes

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Lud·dite /ˈlədˌīt/ noun

1. derogatory, a person opposed to new technology or ways of working.

As someone who feels technology should serve us, and too often it’s the other way around, I am trying a COVID-19 re-frame. This whole quarantine/social distancing phenomenon is a chance for ‘personal growth.‘ And along those lines, I have gotten more involved with technology. Nate at FOF picked up an iPad tripod mount, they’ve been doing Zoom meetings for their fitness classes.  Meanwhile, Steph and I have been experimenting with recording videos.

Last week we recorded and uploaded the opening meditation of our Wednesday morning Chair Yoga class.  This weekend we recorded a 30 minute routine suitable for the Monday class:

 

Monday Evening Men’s Yoga

Standing, leg work & balance – 30 minutes

 

 

And we recorded two more videos for Wednesday’s Chair Yoga for Men. Between all three, it should mimic the entire 60 minute class. Recordings are broken down like this:

 

Wednesday Morning, Chair Yoga.

1A Opening seated meditation – 20 minutes

 

 

 

Wednesday Morning, Chair Yoga.

1B Standing – leg work & balance – 25 minutes

 

 

 

Wednesday Morning, Chair Yoga.

1C Floor, core, and savasana – 15 minutes

 

 

There are many ways to view these videos.  Phones are an option, but are a small screen.  iPads aren’t much better.  If your DVD player has the ability to view YouTube, a bigger screen is recommended.

When I practice with a video, I keep the remote handy so that I can pause it, if it moves to fast.  I’ve tried to keep these very basic and in line with our usual series.  You guys are generally perpendicular to me, but I prefer to be parallel when I’m practicing with a video.  Your choice.

If you like these please comment, follow or ‘like’ on YouTube, Facebook or on the post on the Website. If you’ve got constructive criticism, shoot me an email. I’ve received a couple of suggestions for live Zoom classes, if you’re interested drop me a line.

Information Overload:

There’s so much news out there regarding the coronavirus and the precautions we are taking as a society and how they are impacting our personal lives.  And while I appreciated Chinh Le’s ‘As I See It‘ column in the GT last week (local doc, now retired), remember to pay attention to your emotional diet. I find myself turning off the news and listening to music more and more.

Guy Stuff:

Another project that Steph and I took on was creating our version of The Ultimate Camping Vehicle. This has been something I’ve had in my head for years. I can’t say enough how much mental space some of those unfinished goals or even chores can take up. Please keep your figures crossed that we flatten the curve and the restrictions are eased by September, we’ve got a two week trip to Utah planned.

 

Men’s Yoga – Coronavirus Update

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Gentlemen, as we remain in the midst of the Coronavirus lock-down, I thought it was time to resurrect the Men’s Yoga Email Update. So here goes. I’ve been getting emails from different folks and appreciate the kind words; from how the body is missing the work out, to even missing the jokes!  Who knew?

Alas and alack Corvallis Men’s Yoga remains on indefinite hiatus.

Trevor Noah interviews Dr. FauciI have been remiss to get back to you all on one point; though I may have been exposed to the virus, I did not display any symptoms associated with this virus. Remember, it manifests itself differently in each person, so we can be contagious without knowing it. For more information from two guys I really like check out Trevor Noah‘s interview with Dr. Fauci.

Opening Meditation:

Everyone out there is doing videos, and I’ll admit some hesitancy to putting myself out there like that. But, flattery will get you everywhere. The demand was overwhelming; two people suggested I get with the times. So, I recorded the opening seated meditation that we do in our Wednesday morning class. It’s simple, familiar, and attainable. You can do just that, or segue into some stretches on your own. (Recording any more of these will be highly dependent on your feedback.)

Guy Stuff:

And finally, a new feature on the blog and email update will be called “Guy Stuff.” Lately, Norm and I have been trading pictures of our woodworking projects, and I didn’t want anyone to feel left out of the loop. Steph and I have been working on a bed frame, reusing wood from another project. You can see the progress here.

This is a great time to work on projects or return to hobbies. This kind of work can be a meditation of its own. In Yoga we use the body to occupy the mind. We can do the same with our hands. Use your hands to busy the mind.

Please take care of yourself by eating right, going for walks (at appropriate social distancing, of course) and getting enough sleep. Reach out to people too; give ’em a call, or shoot ’em an email. Stay in touch. I miss you guys.

André

Yoga and Emotions

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We often come to yoga for the body; low back pain anyone? Or we want to maintain our range of motion, “I can’t tie my shoes!” However, there are other benefits to yoga such as emotional regulation and stress reduction. So while participants in the Rotterdam Study report that meditation and yoga helped them cope with stress, science attempts to answer why this is so. And here is what they discovered:

“Participants who reported practicing meditation and yoga also tended to have smaller right amygdala and left hippocampal volume compared to those not practicing — and right amygdala volume tended to decrease over time among practitioners.”

So what does this prove in regards to yoga?

Well, “research suggests the right amygdala controls fear and aversion to unpleasant stimuli.” In yoga, we first learn the power of calming the body through breathing (pranayama). And then we contort or hold an uncomfortable posture (asana). In both we observe sensation and we build the capacity to choose how to respond and whether to react, or not, to emotions and stress.

So if your motivation is the body, we’ve got you covered. Dealing with an emotional issue? That works too. Yoga isn’t talk therapy, but through the process, we’re able to participate in our lives better.

Men’s Yoga, Mondays 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Chair Yoga for Men, Wednesdays 7am to 8am

Chair Yoga for Men

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You know that old recruiting slogan; “We need a few good men?” Well, we need a few more men for our Wednesday morning Yoga class. And the great thing is… you don’t have to be good, you don’t even have to be flexible. You only have to show up and try and you receive the benefits.

We call the class Chair Yoga for Men. We used to call it Senior Men’s Yoga, but my goal for this class is much more than one demographic. This is a great class for men who are:

  • new to yoga
  • more interested in relaxation or meditative aspects
  • have a little extra in the middle
  • are working through/recovering from an injury
  • would prefer less bravado and spandex than the gym environment

Regulars have reported better sleep, more ease in their bodies, better balance and being able to get down on the floor to play with their grandkids. And then get back up!  First class is free.  So what have you got to loose?

7am on Wednesdays at the Willamette Wellness Center / FOF.

This is a Yoga Pants free zone!

Chair Yoga for Men

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Senior Men’s Yoga has moved to a new time; 7am on Wednesdays.  Yes it’s early, and there was some grumbling from the regulars used to the afternoon time.  But, it’s a great way to start the day.  We’re also shifting the focus slightly and rebranding the class as Chair Yoga for Men.

Chair Yoga is a general term that simply means we are modifying poses and exercises to make them more attainable.  Postures are done seated on the chair or the chair is used for support (as needed) during standing and balancing poses. Chair YogaThe chair allows for greater stability to help you feel supported and safe.  Just as important, basic body mechanics of postures are retained no matter the individual’s circumstance.

You don’t have to sit cross legged on the floor to do Yoga!

In addition to a good stretch, chair yoga participants have reported better breathing habits and improved sleep patterns, reduction of stress and more ease in their body.  Chair Yoga for Men is suitable for seniors, people working with an injury and guys with a little extra in the middle.  Beginners are welcome.

Yoga at Fitness Over Fifty does require a Fit Class Pass at an extra cost to members.  But, you do not have to be a member to take the class.  And, first class is free.  Come check out Chair Yoga for Men at the new time.  If you have additional questions, contact André at 541-760-9122 or andre.alyeska@gmail.com.

Men’s Yoga – November Update

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Some Housekeeping and Good News!

First, I’ve mentioned this after some classes, but it bares repeating. This year marks the first summer where classes haven’t dropped off. There is now a large enough group of guys that even if the most regular can’t make it, we’ll still have 4-5 guys on Mondays. Senior Men has a smaller group, but is very committed. I appreciate all of you, those who’ve been with me since the beginning and those who have joined recently.

Second, we will have class Monday evening on Veterans Day, FOF is open. And, we will have class as usual the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. If you haven’t been for a while, we’d love to see you! Men’s Yoga – Mondays at 5:30pm and Senior Men’s Yoga – Wednesdays at 2:30pm.

The Gospel of the ToltecsToltec Traditions

As you know, I’ve been reading deeper into Totlec traditions. I enjoyed Don Miguel Ruiz’s popular book The Four Agreements and am familiar with the authors related to Carlos Castaneda. But I wanted more background on the origin of the Toltec concept of intent.

One of the books I tracked down and have been reading from in class is The Gospel of the Toltecs. I’ve reviewed it here.

I find that the Toltec philosophy of intent parallels the Yogic focus of concentration. One of my favorite passages from the book: “Do not allow the scattered ashes and the crossroads to give you orders.” In other words, do not allow a past failure or the simple presence of a new choice to distract you. We clear away the clutter to attain the correct perspective. It’s often easier to talk about these concepts than to effect change. But that is why we practice!

Paul Grilley

Paul Grilley with friend.

Paul Grilley on Anatomy

I first came across Paul Grilley at Kripalu, where I got my certification. They used a section from his video Anatomy for Yoga during our training. Grilley is committed to helping people understand how their body works and why forcing the body into an “ideal” of the pose can cause injury. His contention is that we don’t often allow for skeletal variation and misunderstand tension and compression as expressed in poses.

Grilley recently responded to an article written by William Broad who has been examining injuries from Yoga both to Men and Women for several years. Broad has been criticized for generalizations and inaccuracies. However, I like how Grilley drills down simply in his response.

As Yoga instructors, we often say “listen to your body” or “back off as needed.” But this explains why pushing will actually do more harm than good, if we’re working against what the body can do.