Social Workout

Giveaways

You Could Set Sail in Two Hours!

New Yorkers, what are you doing today at 5 P.M.? Going once, going twice: One sunset cruise in New York harbor on the Spirit Seeker, accompanied by a who's who of cool yogis, like Sadie Nardini, and Duncan Wong. Huh, you say? Today?

Yes, moments ago, Ava Taylor, founder of YAMA (the first ever yoga teacher talent agency), breezed by Social Workout HQ: "We're going to sail to an island at sunset, and then do yoga, and have tea, and we have an open spot," she said. "Want to come?" I can't, I said, but I'd pass the word along to our long suffering Million Month Challengers. Happen to be free, living in New York, and curious? Check out what our friends at Flavorpill have to say about Duncan Wong. And if this notice is much too short, not to worry! The Spirit Seeker appears to have lined up a full summer of cool-sounding yoga-infused cruises, including one that we mentioned last week with our very own Aarona Pinchinson.

For now, though, the first person who posts a comment, gets the free spot!

Yoga Scene

Fierce Club Yoga Exits Nolita

Spotted: For Rent signs on the Fierce Club in Nolita. We feared the worst for the studio, but turns out Fierce has simply moved from its swank retail storefront on Elizabeth Street to a new location on Broadway at Great Jones. Fierce Club landed with a splash a little over a year ago with its "Power Hour" class, which featured a muscular, rock 'n roll style vinyasa yoga taught by co-founders Shannon Connell and Sadie Nardini. Nardini subsequently left the studio to "tour nationally," and now teaches twice a week at Yogaworks Soho.

New York

New Kids

LA STRALA! Upstart Yoga Studio Takes Over Old Crunch Flagship

I've seen the future of yoga, and it's Tara Stiles, founder of Strala Yoga studio, which moved into the former Crunch location on Broadway (at Houston) in late January. (Oh the creative destruction!) Check it: The website is super slick, classes are $10, and Strala says it's "a studio where authentic yoga is available to everyone without the pretension or intimidation factor that has surrounded modern yoga culture." More rock! Less harmonium! More short shorts! Welcome to the modern yoga startup narrative — dancers and CrossFitters please don't tune out just yet, because this is your story too.... 

New York

Workout

The hard workout for the body and fierce workout for the soul

So what do you do when your two favorite teachers both teach on the same night? Last night instead of choosing, I decided on taking both. Mind you both classes normally kick my ass separately and I am not a 100% what inspired the idea that sticking together wouldn't almost kill me but it turned out to be awesome. 

1st class: Brooklyn Bridge Boot Camp with Ariane

Workout

An octopus on roller skates

Tonight, I headed to class with Sadie at YogaWorks. I was in a weird space, but decided to shake it off and try and just focus on the class. Early on in the class Sadie told us all to focus on the core, our breath, the poses, and not let the feeling of being an octopus on roller skates over your practice. It made me laugh but was exactly how I was feeling.

Free Yoga

YogaLocal iPhone App Finds Classes For You

Your five o'clock meeting has cancelled, and now you're standing on an unfamililar  corner with a free hour or so. Being clever, you're carring your emergency yoga shorts. There must be a studio nearby, but where? Hello YogaLocal, an iPhone app set to launch this Friday. YogaLocal uses GPS to find the yoga classes closest to you. You get studio info, countdown to class times, and instructor bios. Works anywhere in the city and in the Hamptons. (The Hamptons part had me worried that YogaLocal's definition of the city might begin and end with the UES. But no, it's really all five boroughs.) Also in the genre is Yogoer, which we noted a while back, and which now has its own iPhone app.

Even if you don't have an iPhone, take advantage of the launch of YogaLocal to get in a free yoga classes at the launch party at the Urban Zen Center in the West Village this Friday (711 Greenwich Street). Sadie Nardini teaches at 6:30, and Alex Auder is on at 7:45. Free live music, food, and drinks, too. 

My Body

Live From The Fierce Club: Sadie Nardini Says Chill The Fuck Out

Downtown It-Gal and Yoga Teacher Extraordinaire Sadie Nardini shares with SW her thoughts on bitchy yoga people, the importance of meat and how to always keep things cool.  

I tell my students to Chill The Fuck Out. CTFO, I call it. We have to remind ourselves that we are bigger than this moment and we have to hold our center even in the midst of chaos. Pause and breathe. Master the situation. Calm yourself down. Never just react one second after you get mad. One time I was going down the subway stairs and I had a big suitcase, and there was some guy walking slowly in front of me. He stopped and turned to me and said, what the fuck are you doing? And I said, what the fuck are you doing? But I might not have had the same reaction if I’d taken five breaths. Maybe that guy’s wife had cancer. Maybe she was in the hospital. It’s all about developing preemptive compassion.

My Workouts

On a Yoga roll...

Fierce Club, 7:45 P.M. with Shannon. Day three of yoga. Not a problem. Katie and I had dinner after with Shannon and Sadie. They started a month ago too, so our companies are the same age. Fun.

New York