A new Lynn Valley fitness class melds yoga with pilates and the encouraging atmosphere of small classes. Ria Sisodraker of Vivafit Studios is hosting weekly sessions at the Mollie Nye House.
Go at your own place
Argyle grad Ria Sisodraker is bringing her yoga studio to central Lynn Valley with weekly sessions in a warm inclusive class.
“I think yoga isn’t a one-size-fits-all thing,” she said. “When I’m teaching the yoga portion of the class, I like to debunk yoga myths during class.
“People have said, ‘I haven’t done yoga in 10 years’ or ‘I’m not flexible.’ Well, that’s not a problem – that’s totally fine. Yoga was initially made by a man, for men. So a lot of the traditional yoga poses don’t work with women’s wider hips. We talk about things like that and try to make the yoga poses work for you and not the other way around.”
Keeping classes small, with a maximum of 15 people, Sisodraker aims to create a space that is relaxing and energizing while allowing her to offer one-on-one attention.
“I put Christmas lights around the perimeter of the room so the light is soft and I play music to get energy going – mostly 80s and 90s music but it’s not overwhelming so my voice can offer guidance.”
Stretching herself
Building on her experience working the front desk and teaching at a hot yoga studio, Sisodraker created a program based on what she saw were the most wanted classes.
“When you enter a chain studio it’s hard to understand what you’re getting into. It’s hard to go in because there are unknown customs the first time people go in and it’s just like they’re stepping into unknown territory,” she said.
The small classes help Sisodraker connect with students and support their classes from where they are starting out.
“It’s yoga mixed with Pilates-inspired exercises – and I thought, let me reintroduce this in a way that people can enjoy the stretch, stillness of yoga mixed with a little bit more of a workout.”
Sisodraker wants fitness to be a realistic goal that becomes a part of her students’ lifestyle. Her goal is for them to have small consistent successes rather than be all in and burn out or lose interest.
“Find your own pace, is my little motto,” she said. “So go with the music. Go at your own pace. Go with the time we have together to work.”
The weekly classes have both men and women from their 20s to their 60s. The exercises add a pilates twist to traditional yoga.
“I like to say it’s ‘pilate-inspired.’ I like to blend it with yoga. So taking, say, a boat pose, and then pulsing the arms in it, maybe you lift a leg, maybe you lift another leg, maybe you straighten the legs, and like pilates, we try to do a core focus. So you focus on that at the beginning of class, understanding what core activation is, understanding what the core is, and then learning how to fire it up. It’s slow, controlled, movements.”
In a further effort to make her classes accessible and inclusive, Sisodraker uses props and provides three to five variations to bridge the ability and experience gaps.
“I want to know where you are at in each class. Do you have an injury? Are there movements that are painful that I can adapt in the class and provide general tips to the class that will help a student take care of themself?
Sisodraker will be hosting Vivafit Studio classes at Mollie Nye House until mid-December on Wednesdays from 6-7 pm with classes beginning again for the winter and spring.
Looking for more?
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