LOCATION: I was GPS-less for this trip, relying on directions I wrote down the night before. So, needless to say, I was a little concerned. Once I got into Crown Point, it was actually an easy find. Although you did need to veer right onto Merryville St, even though the address says it's on Main St. There is a free parking lot just off to the side of the studio. All of this easy to see while still driving.
COST: $14 for the drop-in fee, I didn't see the option for credit cards.
STUDIO: As you can see from the picture, you're greeted by sunflowers as you walk up to the building, which I found quite lovely. When you walk in the door, you're immediately in a hallway, where there was a pile of shoes from the class in session still. There is a sign on the door telling you to come in, but knowing there was a class I felt uncomfortable just walking in. Which is good, once another student showed up and I asked her, I learned that there is a space you can wait, but it would likely feel awkward to be waiting for the next class in that area. Inside the entry there is an open area where I believe items where sold (I was distracted when I first entered, which I'll chat about below). There's a desk there to check in, I had to fill out a card about myself and signing off on the regular injury waiver. The whole space is carpeted, but in a berber type of flooring, so it wasn't cushiony (cushioned floors may be kind on the knees, but difficult to balance on). It did have a slight pattern to it which was distracting when I was face to floor in chaturanga (a low hovering push-up), so I just moved back on my mat so I would be looking at it instead. The lights were low and relaxing. We set up in two rows that faced one another, with the instructor lined up with us.
CLASS DESCRIPTION: Vinyasa Flow A continuous flow of postures linked together with the breath. Good cardio workout.
INSTRUCTOR: Betty is a certified Samapatti yoga instructor that has been practicing yoga since 1993. Her calmness and outlook on life have been enhanced by doing yoga. Kids yoga and prenatal yoga are a pleasure for her to instruct.
CONTACT: The Yoga Room
So, the distraction I mentioned above... I was chatting with three students waiting for the next class when we hear the sounds of dog chains jingling. We looked outside, and there were two ADORABLE puppies with no owner in sight. We went outside where they were very excited to see us. Luckily they had tags on with their address (but no phone number... folks, when you tag your pets, put a number on there). We called the vet number that was on the other tag, but they said they couldn't take them. These lil guys were so, very sweet. The fella I was holding, his name was Beefy (I know, adds to the head exploding cuteness) and another student was holding Lucky. They brought us so much joy, and at that point I decided I should just skip class and take these guys home, because surely they were missed. Once I got them in my car, the owner came running around the corner to get them. Before he took them back home, I snapped this shot (Beefy left, Lucky right):
How could I not mention those two lil faces, OK, back to the focus...
This class was great. We started in sivasana and slowly warmed up to our flow. Flow class is a great way to work cardio into your yoga, because you never pause in a pose. Betty mentioned something, that should have been more obvious to me. She was talking about how the flow is set by your breath, knew that... but she pointed out that the more you practice the longer your breath becomes, and the longer your breath becomes the slower you transition between poses. I guess I mention this because normally I don't like flow classes. They move too fast for my taste. At the same time, they get my heart rate elevated, which I could use more since I stopped running. I don't think I'd recommend a flow class to someone really new to yoga though; there's not enough time to stop in a pose and talk about alignment and adjustments. Which I think is crucial in understanding how you work with yoga so you don't injure yourself. Ok, I'm all over the place with my opinion on flow, move along Anni!
Betty had a wonderfully calm demeanor, as she mentioned small adjustments from one pose to the next. We did a few variations of sun salutations to warm up the core. One flow she went into had us starting in virasana (hero pose) and working into thread the needle and ending back in hero. From there we slowed down a bit more, breathing through multiple bridge poses. We ended in sivasana and then a seated meditation.
I highly recommend checking The Yoga Room out if you're in NW Indiana. The three other students I was able to chat with during puppy time weren't from Crown Point, which means they're traveling a bit to get to this studio, and they had nothing but great things to say about their experiences.
Thank you for a wonderful class, Betty, namaste!
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Email me (annipoppen [at] gmail [dot] com), so we can get your prize shipped. Congrats!!!
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