Mason students find an outlet for stress with Yoga

Students do yoga to increase concentration and relieve stress (photo by Gopi Raghu).

Mason students are working on improving their mental and physical health by practicing yoga.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Mason offers yoga classes that students can take for credit. Many students are taking yoga as a way to de-stress and find peace during the school day.“

[Yoga is] a great way to relax when the rest of your classes are overwhelming,” Said junior marketing major Kate Nicholos. 

The classes provide students who might be stressed out or overwhelmed with a period devoted to focusing on their mental well-being. 

There are two yoga classes offered by Mason: Introduction to Yoga and Intermediate yoga. Both are half semester classes and can be taken consecutively. 

In Introduction to Yoga, students are introduced to Hatha Yoga, which focuses on asanas (postures) and pranayama (breathing exercises). These excercises help to improve physical fitness and find inner peace and concentration. Students are introduced to meditation and taught to clear their minds and focus simply on their breathing.

Intermediate Yoga expands on the asanas and pranayama taught at the introductory level and focuses on mastering the practices. In this class, students learn ten new poses and an entire sun salutation.

If students do not want to take a yoga class for credit, GMU Recreation offersseveral options for classes that students can pay to take. These classes cost $50 per semester for students and $70 for non-students and include Yoga for Relaxation, Yoga for Flexibility, Yoga for Balance, Power Yoga, Vinyasa Flow and Yoga for the Core.

In yoga classes at Mason, students practice the shavasana, in which they assume what is called ‘corpse pose,’ and lie with arms and legs spread apart, eyes closed and breathe for about ten minutes. During this time, the teacher will instruct students to focus only on their breath, keeping away outside thoughts and worries. This practice trains students to clear their mind and concentrate on one thing and may be a useful ability for students who need to focus in their classes

Yoga students will also how to sit and walk properly. Yoga teaches students to engage their abs while sitting and walking, sitting and standing up straight, with shoulders rolled back and hips tucked under, keeping abs engaged. This practice helps students work their abs all day long without having to do a single crunch.