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About Yoga
The word yoga means "union" in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India where yoga originated. We can think of the union occurring between the mind, body and spirit.he

What is commonly referred to as "yoga" can be more accurately described by tSanskrit word asana, which refers to the practice of physical postures or poses.

You've probably heard that yoga is good for you. Maybe you have even tried yoga and discovered that it makes you feel better. But what are the specific health benefits can you expect to enjoy from doing yoga regularly?

Physical Benefits of Training in Yoga

Flexibility: Stretching your body in new ways will help it to become more flexible, bringing greater range of motion to muscles and joints. Over time, you can expect to gain flexibility in your hamstrings, back, shoulders, and hips.

Strength: Many yoga poses require you to support the weight of your own body in new ways, including balancing on one leg (such as in Tree Pose) or supporting yourself with your arms (such as in Downward Facing Dog). Some exercises require you to move slowly in and out of poses, which also increases strength.

Muscle tone: As a by-product of getting stronger, you can expect to see increased muscle tone. Yoga helps shape long, lean muscles.

Pain Prevention: Increased flexibility and strength can help prevent the causes of some types of back pain. Many people who suffer from back pain spend a lot of time sitting at a computer or driving a car. That can cause tightness and spinal compression, which you can begin to address with yoga. Yoga also improves your alignment, both in and out of class, which helps prevent many other types of pain.

Better Breathing: Most of us breathe very shallowly into the lungs and don't give much thought to how we breathe. Yoga breathing exercises, called Pranayama, focus the attention on the breath and teach us how to better use our lungs, which benefits the entire body. Certain types of breath can also help clear the nasal passages and even calm the central nervous system, which has both physical and mental benefits.

Mental Benefits of Training in Yoga

Mental Calmness: Yoga asana practice is intensely physical. Concentrating so intently on what your body is doing has the effect of bringing a calmness to the mind. Yoga also introduces you to meditation techniques, such as watching how you breathe and disengagement from your thoughts, which help calm the mind.

Stress Reduction: Physical activity is good for relieving stress, and this is particularly true of yoga. Because of the concentration required, your daily troubles, both large and small, seem to melt away during the time you are doing yoga. This provides a much-needed break from your stressors, as well as helping put things into perspective. The emphasis yoga places on being in the moment can also help relieve stress, as you learn not to dwell on past events or anticipate the future. You will leave a yoga class feeling less stressed than when you started. Read more about yoga for stress management here.

Body Awareness: Doing yoga will give you an increased awareness of your own body. You are often called upon to make small, subtle movements to improve your alignment. Over time, this will increase your level of comfort in your own body. This can lead to improved posture and greater self-confidence.

 

Sharon teaches the Vinyasa flow method of yoga, following the technique of Beth Shaw’s Yogafit. This style is known and loved for its user-friendly presentation, overcoming the mystique of yoga and blending balance, strength, flexibility, and power in its execution.

Sharon is a native of Colorado Springs. She has two BA degrees from Adams State College, one in Health and Exercise Management, the other in K-12 Physical Education. She has lived and traveled abroad, with much exposure to various cultures and lifestyles. She has worked both as a K-12 Physical Educator and as an Adult Fitness Instructor since her Alamosa graduation in 1987.

Sharon began practicing yoga due to her tight musculature, imprinted from years of running and triathloning. She immediately fell in love with yoga for its mind-body connection. She realized soon thereafter that she would like to share this with others and began her teacher training upon moving back to the United States 3 years ago.

Barbara began taking yoga instruction while training for her black belt in TaeKwon-Do in San Diego, California. Barbara learned the basics of Hatha yoga from a registered physical therapist turned yoga instructor and became a certified yoga instructor herself in January, 2007. The lessons learned in breathing technique and body alignment have become the center of her instruction.

Barbara has continued her yoga training and attended numerous workshops in Iyengar and Anusara style yoga. Barbara spent this summer attending classes to earn her advanced (500 hour) yoga and yoga therapy certification. The knowledge she has gained as a yoga therapist, working with individuals with injuries and special needs, has enhanced her effectiveness as an instructor.

Barbara enthusiastically brings her love of yoga to the U.S.T.C. She is married to a retired Navy officer and has a son who is an active duty Air Force officer.