Memorial Day Schedule

back to regular schedule on 5/30/06

Kat Kelley-Chung
Kat's inspiration to teach yoga to others came after witnessing the devastating effects the 9/11 attacks had on our society’s mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. Her yoga training began in October 2001. In June 2005, she received her Bikram Yoga Certification. Knowing yoga is not simply an exercise that has “extra” benefits, but a practice that permeates one’s entire existence, becoming a way of life that embraces balance, harmony, and an overall sense of peace.

Yasmin Tuazon
Yasmin started practicing Bikram Yoga in 2002. It began merely as an attempt to see more of her friend Lara Rubin, who had mysteriously disappeared from late nights at the bar in order to pursue some sweaty yoga addiction. Yasmin does not normally like sweating, most forms of sport or exercise, or other people's feet in her face. But friendship and Bikram Yoga do strange things to you. After about six months, she was pretty sure she wanted to teach. It took her another two years to get around to it. Yasmin trained in Spring 2005 and has been teaching since June.

Nina Wang
Nina, a Montgomery County native, was working as a chemical engineer at a biopharmaceutical company when she discovered Bikram Yoga here at the Rockville studio. She still can't put into words what drew her back to class day after day that first week. All she knew was, once she started rearranging her schedule and meals around the yoga, that she was hooked. She's since discovered the transformative power of Bikram Yoga on the body-mind.

Nina is honored to be teaching at her home studio after completing the Fall 2005 Bikram Yoga Teacher Training. She looks forward to sharing the joys and benefits of Bikram Yoga with others. In her free time, Nina enjoys traveling and is always up for a game of Scrabble or Boggle.
 

Pranayama Deep Breathing and 80/20 Breathing    

To understand 80/20 breathing, start with a look at Pranayama Deep Breathing. During Pranayama, you are learning to expand and fill your lungs to their maximum capacity, or to 100%. In 80/20 Breathing, you are keeping 80% of the breath inside your lungs at all times and only exchanging out the 20% of the 100% full lungs. You keep 80% full supported lungs so you always have more breath inside of you than outside of you. For example, in Half Moon pose, in your preparation for the posture, you must fill your lungs to 100% of their capacity. Then throughout the posture, you only exhale 20% of that breath. On your next breath, you take in a new 20% of air, so again your lungs are full, and again you only exhale 20% of the 100% full lungs. When you control your breath in this way, your postures will become a fluid dance of breath and movement.  You will never gasp for breath or run out of breath. Your chest will not collapse and your shoulders won’t cave in. Even your attitude in your poses will change. Your alignment will improve because proper breathing will support your alignment, and proper alignment will support your breathing. You will find the challenge of your practice without the struggle.

The more attention you give your Pranayama, and the more you practice, the greater that 100% capacity becomes. It naturally follows then, that the 80% of breath support inside you becomes bigger and the 20% you breathe in and out becomes greater. The more you feed your body during class, the better your feel. In this way, Pranayama Breathing really does set up the rest of your class.

I know a lot of students have a hard time with the breathing. Some students even come late to avoid the breathing. Don’t rob yourself of this important beginning. It is a discipline and takes practice just like everything else we do in the class. If you arrive during the breathing, just enter the room and start your Deep Breathing. Don’t worry about setting up your mat. Breathing is more important. The instructor will be happy to set you up a space while you are breathing. If you arrive after the class has finished both sets of breathing, you must take 6 breaths on your own before joining the class in Half Moon.

Pranayama Deep Breathing helps shortness of breath, asthma, depression, irritability, nervousness, addiction, heart, lungs, blood pressure and opens your cervical vertebrae. It works the Respiratory System, Circulatory System and Nervous System.

Remember, the more room you create for the breath, the less room you have for tension, fear, anger and pain. Every time you create space in your body, you are clearing something else out. So don’t be afraid to take a deep breath and come on in for class!
 

• Even though each practice is individual, the studio is shared with others. We practice yoga etiquette to show our respect for ourselves, our neighbors and our teachers.
   

• Arrive early to class. Strive to be on your mat with everything you need at least two minutes prior to the teacher entering the room.
   

• Come to class with a clean body and feet. Be free of perfume/cologne, as some students are highly sensitive/allergic to strong scents. If necessary, use the showers before class.
   

• No gum, food or shoes in the yoga room. Turn cell phones and pagers off if you bring them into the room. (Vibrating phones/pagers can still be heard across the room).
   

• Classes are 90 minutes – stay in the room until the end of class. It is important for your health and the energy of the group. If you need to take a break, stand/sit still or lay down in savasana.
   

• Respect the space of others.  Keep your body, sweat, and belongings on or near your mat during class. When setting up your mat, be aware that you do not set up directly in front of someone else.
   

• Follow along with the teacher. Try your best in each posture in the Bikram series.  Please reserve additional postures or postures from other disciplines until after final savasana. Also, timing is everything. Allow the teacher to time the postures. Please do not anticipate the next posture and take yourself into and out of it. In a group, we try to create group energy. Starting postures together respects all levels in the class.
   

• If you are sick, please take a few days off and we will see you again when you’ve mended.
   

• Leave no trace.  Please deposit trash, recycling, mats and towels in their proper place.  Bring home all your belongings.
   

• Most importantly, honor yourself. You are the most important thing in the world. Enjoy yourself.
   

• Thanks for your understanding and support. Please let us know if we can answer any questions.