Clarke County jail inmates are stretching, bending and breathing their way toward a less traumatic stay in the pokey.

For several months now, the jail has been offering a weekly yoga class to female inmates, who call the class a calming oasis, according to a report at onlineathens.com.

After the yoga class, which is led by a certified instructor, the women take their calmer selves to a group meeting to talk through their problems.

Jail officials told onlineathens theyve are noticing a positive change in the attitudes and behavior of the women who have gone through the program. Translation: fewer fights.

What Ive seen is there are not as many altercations in the female population, Sgt. Angela McAllister, a supervisor responsible for inmate discipline and complaint, told the website.

Inmate Sharika Freeman, 34, said she practices yoga several times each day in her cell to get away from all the noise and ruckus.

Read more about the unique Clarke County jail program here.

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Inmate yoga? Clarke County jail says it works

(credit: Lilledeshan Bose)

(credit: Lilledeshan Bose)

For a sport that only began in 2005, stand-up paddleboard (SUP for short) is experiencing a huge boom these days. And its offshoot, paddleboard yoga, is one of the more popular movements the fitness practice has experienced.

Erin Nealy, owner of Sunset Stand Up Paddle in Mission Viejo, first got involved in SUP yoga four years ago. Already a yoga instructor, she became an ambassador for yoga clothing company Lululemon in Irvine and thought doing yoga poses on her dads newly acquired paddleboard would look really cool. She got hooked, and after connecting with industry pioneers at BOGA yoga, Nealy got certified as a SUP yoga instructor one of the first in the burgeoning sport.

(credit: Lilledeshan Bose)

During a class, students get on a paddleboard, paddle to the middle of a lake (where Sunset Stand Up Paddle holds classes) or a cove in the ocean (as in Bliss Paddle Yogas case), anchor the boards down, and start practicing yoga.

Most SUP yoga classes incorporate basic poses, such as downward dog and warrior two, for example, because balancing on a paddleboard while holding a pose is usually enough of a challenge. Learning how to hold your balance in basic poses is usually a challenge even for longtime yoga practitioners.

Most beginner classes teach students how to paddle proficiently before bringing them out into deeper water as well; for many, the hour-and-a-half class is a perfect fusion of the sport of paddleboarding and the mind-body connection of yoga.

(credit: Lilledeshan Bose)

SUP yoga improves on in-studio yoga practice because it gives you more of an awareness of your body and what actions need to take place to build a solid pose, Nealy says. Taking people on the water for their first time is incredible, she adds. [Regular students] always come of the water with a big smile and what feels like a lightness in their heart, theres nothing better. (Im living proof of that: The day I had my first paddleboard yoga class, I spent the whole day grinning so hard my face hurt by the afternoon.)

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Guide To Paddleboard Yoga In OC

Yoga enthusiasts from across the region are invited to gather under the spire of the Gateway Arch at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 15 for the fourth annual Yoga Within the Confluence.

This years event gives participants the opportunity to share the benefits of yoga while overlooking the mighty Mississippi River beneath St. Louis most iconic monument.

Participants are encouraged to bring a yoga mat or blanket, water bottle, and sunscreen.

Renowned yoga teacher Saul David Raye will guide the event and will be accompanied by acclaimed New Orleans musicians Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band. Yoga Within the Confluence will begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. and last until 11:30 a.m.

Presented by Big Bend Yoga Center, Great Rivers Greenway, and the National Park Service, the goal of the event is to build a sense of community while recognizing the importance of our rivers to the vitality of the region.

For more information about Yoga Within the Confluence, visit http://www.GreatRiversGreenway.org or http://www.bigbendyoga.com.

Note: Attendees can ride the Metrolink to Eads Bridge Station. Street parking is free in downtown on Sundays, Arch grounds parking is $6.00. In case of rain, call (314) 918-9642, ext. 2.

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Free yoga event under the Gateway Arch on Sept. 15

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PLEASANTON -- A free daylong yoga festival featuring exercise sessions, musical performances and other entertainment is scheduled Saturday at the Alameda County Fairgrounds.

The Dharma and Yoga Fest will run from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the fairgrounds, at 4501 Pleasanton Ave., event organizers said.

The festival is being presented by Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, a national social organization that promotes the Hindu faith and culture. It is to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Swami Vivekananda, a Hindu monk who came to U.S. to address the World Parliament of Religions at Chicago in 1893, said group member Mani Keeran.

The organization's East Bay chapter is based in San Ramon, Keeran said.

Bollywood singers and dancers with perform throughout the day. Speakers are expected to deliver lectures about Hinduism and yoga philosophies.

The event is open to all, Keeran said.

In addition to free admission, there is no charge for parking and free food will be available.

For details, visit http://www.dharmaandyogafest.org/eastbay.

Chris De Benedetti covers Pleasanton. Contact him at 510-353-7011. Follow him at Twitter.com/cdebenedetti.

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Yoga festival scheduled Saturday, Sept. 14 at county fairgrounds in Pleasanton

Mommies-to-be climb the stairs to Southtown Yoga Loft - a serene place that seems a world away from the busy city below. Mats are unrolled; candles lighted. And as melodic chants mingle with incense, their prenatal class begins.

A little bit edgy, a little bit Zen, the class is aimed at strengthening the women's bodies, minds and spirits as delivery dates approach. Loft owner Kristal Cuevas started the twice-monthly, hour-long sessions when she found out she was going to be a first-time mom. She wanted emotional support and thought others might feel the same way. Ever since, camaraderie has flourished.

"We've formed a sort of community of pregnant ladies at the loft," Cuevas says. "Our closeness is like family. After I delivered Maya, my classmates brought me food and gifts. We celebrated!"

Between classes and celebrations - blessed events are happening a lot these days - the "yoga girlfriends" do lunch, hold tea parties and indulge in comforting chocolate treats. According to instructor Donna Anfuso, their happy approach to motherhood makes serious workouts fun. They're into fashion, too. Stretchy tees, comfy spandex shorts and cute accessories, available at the loft's boutique, keep them feeling good about themselves as baby bumps grow.

Most of the women have careers, so the loft's proximity to downtown simplifies their demanding lives. They can stop by on a break or lunch hour to work out a bit, visit or just relax. The prenatal program's emphasis on minimal weight gain also has appeal to these professionals who take pride in their appearance.

Although yoga is an ancient practice, originating thousands of years ago in India, prenatal programs here and elsewhere are relatively new. As the magazine Yoga Journal points out, courses resulted from modern need and, during the past few years, have rapidly increased in popularity. Many obstetricians are recommending them to their patients as an ideal way to stay active.

Instruction goes on in a variety of places - adult-education centers, exercise studios and maternity boutiques among them. Though basic principles are similar wherever a course is taught, the format differs. Creativity rules.

Anfuso, for example, reads inspirational poetry to her classes at the loft on South Alamo Street. Philosophical insight plus a bit of mysticism also are included in her lesson plan.

"We talk about letting go of worries, allowing our lights to shine and showing gratitude for the pregnancy experience," the instructor says. "I ask the women to shut their eyes, place their hands on their bellies and bond with their developing babies. Then, once our minds are in tune, we work on flexibility, muscular strength, deep breathing and staying focused - things that can make delivery easier."

The yoga positions suggested are minimally demanding (the comfortable downward-facing dog is a favorite). Anfuso emphasizes that health and safety always take priority; no one is ever pushed too hard or too fast. And, since registration is ongoing, the mommies can be at any point in pregnancy when signing up for the noontime sessions that take place on the second and fourth Sundays of the month.

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Om, mama! Prenatal yoga