By Alexandria Webb
Grand Rapids Community College offers fitness classes open to all students. I had the opportunity to experience the fitness yoga class instructed by Nancy A. Thelen, and presented by GRCC’s Recreation and Wellness.
Nancy Thelen has been instructing yoga for around 12 years and has been here at GRCC since this past October. Her focus of yoga is centered around restorative wellness.
“My style was restorative, and I like people to feel relaxed and be in tune to their body. And so they have a good understanding of that foundation. So if you do take a practice somewhere else you know what pose should look like for you and your body, not for how the yoga instructor is showing it in the front,” said Thelen “Because everyone can do the pose on each side of your body differently, so we just want to find where that’s at.”
I attended class on Tuesday, Feb. 24, and although there was a smaller group it made the class feel more comfortable and intimate. Although the class is open to all, only women were in this class.
I was accompanied by my colleague Karalynn Davis, and going with a friend made it all the more fun and enjoyable.
As a high school athlete whose body has changed since my more intense athletic days, I was a little nervous entering the yoga class. Yet, Thelen offered a relaxing and judgement-free zone, making me feel comfortable and excited to participate. Her quirky and fun attitude made it all the more fun and relatable.
“My style is different, it’s restorative,” Thelen explained. “It’s relaxing, long stretches, and longer holds on the stretches, and body awareness.”
I appreciated that Thelen would adapt certain yoga poses to those who didn’t feel comfortable or couldn’t do the poses. In my case, she noticed a certain stretch I was doing, and she asked if I would like to increase the intensity of the stretch. I agreed and she showed me how to do so.
This made me happy to see that she noticed how a particular stretch came easy to me and challenged me in a healthy way.
“I love helping people, but I also love it when I can see when somebody gets the stretch, and they feel what I want them to feel, relaxed,” Thelen said.
At the end of class, she took a more meditative, relaxing session. Thelen explained that at the end of her session, we rest in a final pose and meditate. This is called “Savasana.” During this process, she asked students beforehand if they would like to participate in a meditation state as she messages your tense neck muscles with essential oils.
This helps relax your mind and rest your body for the day. “Savasana” offers a perfect ending to mentally relax and prepare some sense of peace for the day ahead.
Overall, the yoga class was absolutely an amazing way to decompress mentally and get some light physical activity before the day starts. Remember to keep an open mind, adjust to what your body needs, and just relax.
Yoga classes will take place on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 to 10 a.m and on Tuesdays from 8 to 9 a.m. If you want to see other classes offered, check out the Recreation Program.
