Yoga helps students keep resolutions
Maureen Martin-Edey aka MO (Right), a yoga instructor at Humber College, with student Teri Nitti in class for a regular Wednesday session
STEPHANIE GONSALVES
With the start of a new year, people make new resolutions, set new goals and make new promises. Of all New Year ambitions to attempt, one at the top of most people’s lists is getting fit.
“My resolution was to shed a few pounds,” said Natasha Fearing, a first year Social Services student at Guelph-Humber. “But as for going to the gym, I’ll go tomorrow.”
“We notice a big increase in memberships at the beginning of the year,” said Taha Asif, a Premier Fitness employee and GH Business student. “We have a promotion to get people to sign up, but attendance goes down after a few months.”
Many people lose interest in their New Year oaths as trips to the gym become inconvenient because of school, work and other commitments. Some complain they’re too tired or that they do not have a way to get means to the gym on a particular day.
Yet GH students can make their way over the bridge to the Humber gym at anytime – before, in between or after classes. Students are provided with a variety of workout equipment and can attend a variety of fitness classes that are free, as the membership fee is included in the school tuition.
One of the more popular classes that has attracted a large number of participants this winter season, is yoga class.
“Every semester at the beginning is packed, then it kind of weans out near the end,” said Nathania Bron, a Humber student turned yoga and spin instructor at the Humber Athletic Centre. “It’s packed right to the door. It’s January, it’s the beginning of a New Year’s resolution.”
Yoga is a physical and mental exercise that is achieved through numerous body poses that vary in complexity. Participants learn and practice to concentrate and control their breathing to ease the physical flexibility that is vital to the workout.
Attending a weekly yoga session may be a sufficient amount of exercise for your mind and body, though Bron suggests it is possible to incorporate yoga into your daily life.
“It’s really good for the body, it stretches you out,” said Bron. “It’s also about taking what you can from the class and bringing that home, taking that peace and tranquility and taking that into your everyday life.”
The concept of concentration that is practiced in yoga can help to focus oneself on a particular task: relieving tension and strength that may be involved in school life.
Yoga classes are offered at the Humber Athletic Centre on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday afternoons. Similar training is also incorporated into several other exercise classes. A complete fitness schedule can be found on the Humber website.
Photo by Katrina Gutierrez
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