Rediscovering Yoga at Urban Ashram Manila

I am on a fitness revolution.

Seriously.

The past few months, I find myself consistently going to the gym and have tried essentially almost everything I can tolerate for my body from Bikram Yoga to Pilates to Powerplate and now, my regular staple workout, TRX. I don't quite remember what got me into the whole healthy living thing but I guess seeing the benefits this lifestyle change has reaped, I am definitely set to stay in this path of fit righteousness.

However, in the world of fitness and exercise, everyone always seems to be in search of the "next big thing". People consistenly shift their workout regimen to the most up to date, most popular and most trendy. However, a mainstay and benchmark for a lot of exercises is Yoga. Popularized by Madonna in the early 2000's, Yoga has surpassed trend/ fad status and is definitely a staple slimdown lifestyle strategy.

With the availability of many Yoga studios in the metro, we all know that we have to be careful in selecting where to practice. Based on my vast experience in the many different yoga studios, I would have to say, so far, Urban Ashram Manila, has been one of my best. With the largest studio in the country, best in-class facilities (not to mention complete equipment available to your use), highly qualified Yoga Alliance-registered teachers and an accessible and convenient location in the Metro, the Ashram center is definitely the premier center for the practice of yoga in the Philippines.

Walking in the studio, I am greeted by a huge Zen-inspired community lounge with a comfortable seating area, yoga paraphernalia and products available for browsing or for sale and a registration area where the receptionist gave me my keys and where I provided my registration details and waiver form (I appreciate places where they give waiver forms as it serves as a good way of reminding clients about what to expect and as it serves as a good way of having the studio familiar with certain health liabilities to watch out.

I was running about 5 minutes late for my class so I dashed into the very spacious changing area which housed the locker area, showers and other amenities. I was hauling a lot of baggage that day and I was quite fascinated by how the modern designed lockers managed to fit ALL my things. I then proceeded to the class where I was welcomed by our instructor and told to find a spot in the two open spaces in front.

The studio for my class was very spacious and I must say, it does indeed live up to its claim of being the largest studio in the metro with 3 available rooms for classes that can accomodate a total of up to 60 students at time. I was also quick to notice that the studio was fully equipped with yoga mats for everyone, bolsters, blocks and straps which enabled for a safe and effective practice according to one's preference.

The class I attended was Vinyasa Flow Yoga, which according to research is highly-beneficial and accessible to all types of practitioners as it is invigorating and and very diverse. Vinyasa is a term that covers a broad range of yoga classes. The word Vinyasa means “breath-synchronized movement.” In other words, the teacher will instruct you to move from one pose to the next on an inhale or an exhale. This technique is sometimes also called Vinyasa Flow, or just Flow because of the smooth way that the poses run together and become like a dance. It engages your core to the max and at the same time, each movement in the series is done on an inhalation or an exhalation, which improves focus, peace of mind, circulation and naturally, improved breathing. My instructor, Martin, was careful to guide me and everyone in my class through the sequences, ensuring that all od us found the perfect balance between ease and proper breathing in all the poses. He was also careful to correct me in my posture and regularly checked everyone if they were going through the poses in the most optimal way we could. More so, when most of us were struggling with the poses, he motivated us and pushed us while at the same time instructed for us to listen to our bodies and move accordingly with it.

At the end of the session, I was cooling down, I realized how energized revitalized and generally uplifted I felt. As I ended the session, I felt an overwhelming peace of mind and calmness within me, which is a shift from my usual neurotic scatterbrain self.

With my yoga instructor, the very buff, Martin.

I definitely recommend this to everyone, who not only wants to trim down or slim down but also to benefit both mind and body. Yoga, as a philosophy and practice, promotes enlightenment and self realization by promoting awareness of the nature of one's mind. If ever you do decided to try it out, I recommend visiting Urban Ashram Manila for the best yoga experience to have. Join the Yoga Revolution!

Namaste!

xx, JL

TO AVAIL OF THIS DEAL, VISIT:

Urban Ashram Manila

3rd Level, #3 Brixton Street

Kapitolyo, Pasig City

+63 927 841 55 20

http://www.urbanashrammanila.com