B-2 • OCTOBER 17, 2011 • WEST SIDE SHOPPER-NEWS
NEWS FROM THE WELLNESS CENTER AT DOWELL SPRINGS
Yoga within your reach Janel Harrell
By Sandra Clark
De-stress for the holidays While the holidays are among the most joyous times of year; they can also be the most stressful. Our normally fast paced lifestyle speeds up to practically breakneck pace when we add in the extra family obligations, shopping, and all of the additional work that piles up at the end of the year. We often find ourselves with barely the time to think, much less simply breathe. This year, instead of frantically racing from one thing to the next trying to get everything done, allow some time and space for yourself. Decompress, retreat and breathe for just a little while. Study after study has shown that taking time out of a hectic life can actually improve our ability to function in the chaotic world of the holiday season. Taking the time to center ourselves can help us all meet our obligations during this crazy time of year as well as helping us relax enough to enjoy ourselves. Starting Wednesday, Nov. 30, the Wellness Center at Dowell Springs will be offering a short series of yoga classes designed to help us all relax just a bit more this season. Using gentle yoga postures appropriate for even the most beginner student, breathing practices and some relaxing visualization techniques, this 3-week series of classes will help you take a moment to breathe and destress for your holidays. Call the Wellness Center today for more details and to sign up for this calming series of classes that can help you not only survive the holiday season but restore your enjoyment of this time of year as well.
Yoga is for everyone, says instructor Pam Milner, and with the great facilities at The Wellness Center at Dowell Springs, she expects to create “a yoga center within a wellness center.”
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BUSY CAREGIVERS can De-Stress for the Holidays with a 3-week program starting Nov. 30. Taught by Janel Harrell, the class emphasizes gentle yoga poses along with visualization and breathing techniques. CANCER PATIENTS and those coming off a hip or knee replacement gain strength from gentle, restorative yoga. ENDURANCE ATHLETES can gain flexibility and build a stronger core with a program called “Hot Yoga!” PEOPLE WITH WEIGHT OR MOBILITY ISSUES can take “Chair Yoga,” a class in which poses are taken while sitting in a chair or using the chair for support. INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE FIT and working toward becoming fitter will find yoga a calming change of pace.
Pam Milner laughs. She knows the advanced yoga classes are real workouts with real sweat and real results. “Everyone’s body is different,” she says, “but yoga helps us all by reducing blood pressure, boosting the immune system and bringing peace of mind. The trick is to get the classes designed for each population.”
Coming in December: Yoga for Endurance A 12-week workshop designed for runners, cyclists & triathletes Preparing for a marathon or looking to build endurance during the offseason of training? This is the workshop for you.
Instructor Pam Milner demonstrates a yoga pose
Why yoga and not just the typical stretching? The sequencing of poses utilizing breathe work allows the athlete to go deeper in the poses and begins to build endurance. Other benefits are building a stronger core, opening hips, lengthening hamstrings, opening shoulders and creating space in the hip flexors.
PROGRAMS AND OFFERINGS Chair Yoga – For everyone, but, especially “the young at heart.” It is a gentle form of yoga that is practiced sitting in a chair or using a chair for support. LiveWell Lifestyle Change Program – This 12 week class meets 3 times/week for an hour and a half. It is a beginner friendly, unique, comprehensive program combining nutrition and fitness to influence positive and healthy lifestyle changes. Sit To Be Fit – Chair- based exercise program for those who have difficulty standing or balancing. Class will work on balance, strength and flexibility with participants sitting or standing with a chair close by. Forever Fit – A class for more active Seniors with an emphasis on cardiovascular exercise along with light
ROUTINE With the summer coming to an end and life getting back into the swing of things, a routine is just what you need to transform yourself. Explore The Wellness Center's LiveWell Lifestyle Change Program at the next informational meeting: Tuesday September 20th 10:00 a.m. or 5:30 p.m. Call 232-1414 to enroll today!
a member of provision health alliance
1400 Dowell Springs Blvd. (off Middlebrook Pike)
865.232.1414
Milner has practiced yoga for 14 years and taught it for five. She holds a 200-hour instructor’s certification. “Our instructors are highly qualified and experienced,” said marketing manager Juli Urevick. “Each has areas in which they are strong and different teaching styles.” Urevick is working with the center’s director, Lisa Wolf, to design the yoga classes. De-Stress for the Holidays starts in November, while Chair Yoga is coming in December. On the drawing board for 2012 are a beginner yoga series and “Hot Yoga,” which is essentially yoga in a heated room. “It makes those muscles limber!” said Milner. People will start training for the Knoxville Marathon in mid-November. The instructors have designed the upcoming Yoga for Endurance series with local runners and endurance athletes in mind. And participants aren’t required to join The Wellness Center, Wolf said. They can simply buy a “yoga pass” for classes. Info: 232-1410.
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hand weights or tubing. It is low impact and offers strength conditioning, help with range of motion, and relaxation. Zumba Gold – A Latin inspired dance and fitness class for active older adults. Zumba is a Latin-inspired, dance-fitness class that incorporates Latin and international music and dance movements. Beginners are welcome and no experience is necessary. Pilates – Improve your balance and core strength with our Pilates class. Yoga – Learn essential yoga basics and experience the wellness benefits of poses, bends and relaxation in our one-hour group sessions. Pump – Ideal for everyone from beginners to experienced exercisers, our Pump class targets every major muscle group. With minimal down
time between exercises, you’ll get the most out of using the body bar, dumbbells, BOSU, step bench and more. Spin – Ready to challenge yourself by starting your own spinning regimen? Spin is an entry-level spinning class lasting 45-60 minutes, perfect for beginners. Cycle In, Yoga Out – An ideal fit for both beginners and veteran spinners, this is your chance to change up typical spin class routines by starting with 45 minutes on the bike and ending with 15 minutes of yoga. Power Hour – Push yourself in our one-hour Power Hour class with 30 minutes of hardcore cycling hills, sprints and races, immediately followed by 30 minutes of intense leg and ab work. Functional Fitness – Class involves a variety of exercise,
including but not limited to: cardiovascular, balance and strength. Appropriate for seniors or individuals who desire fitness gains with little impact on the joints. Xpress Fitness – Ideal for working individuals and travelers, our convenient morning Xpress class fits a total-body workout into only 45 minutes. Healthy Eating Series – It’s all about food! Classes are designed to provide you a hands-on, food-based learning experience to bring comfort to your kitchen. Each month will highlight a new topic to help YOU find success with nutrition. Cardio Fit – One-hour beginner-level class with cardiovascular focus. Class participants will be instructed and supervised in use of cardio equipment on the gym floor.
TRANSFORMED MY LIFE