485 0 Posted on Jul 01, 2020, 6 p.m.

Despite being an exercise performed for many centuries in Eastern cultures, yoga has become increasingly popular over the past few decades among the Western population and alongside it, an exponential increase in research. People are drawn to the practice due to its multitude of mental and physical benefits, which include relaxation, muscle stretching, and an increased feeling of mindfulness. The health benefits of the physical exercise have been well established, yet there is a lack of research concerning the impact of yoga practice on the brain.

Today, yoga is the most popular form of complementary therapy practiced by over 13 million adults, with 58% of adults citing maintenance of health and well-being as their reason for practice per data reported by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).

Recently, yoga has gained increased attention in the scientific community as well, as a research area of interest among exercise neuroscientists due to its promising potential therapeutic benefits with potential to combat widespread increases in the prevalence of age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Few studies have investigated the benefits of yoga on brain health yet recent research from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign aims to analyze current literature related to yoga practice and its documented positive effects on brain structure and function.

Yoga and the Brain

The team of researchers analyzed 11 studies of the relationships between yoga and brain health including the impact of yoga practice on brain structures, function, and cerebral blood flow. Of those, 5 trials engaged participants with no prior yoga experience in one or more yoga sessions per week over a period of 10 to 24 weeks to compare brain health before and after the intervention. Meanwhile, the remaining studies measured differences in brain health between participants who regularly practiced yoga and those who did not.

To determine variations in brain structure and health, each study utilized brain-imaging technologies including MRI, functional MRI, or single-photon emission computerized tomography to analyze the impact of Hatha yoga practice which incorporates body movements, meditation, and breathing exercises.

Positive Neuroprotective Effects

Overall, researchers found that the studies reported a beneficial effect of yoga practice on both the structure and functioning of the hippocampus, amygdala, prefrontal cortex, cingulate cortex, and brain networks. As many of these regions are known to be related to age-related atrophy, the early evidence is promising and implicates that regular yoga practice could work to mitigate age-related and neurodegenerative diseases.

For example, we see increases in the volume of the hippocampus with yoga practice, lead author Neha Gothe from the University of Illinois said. Many studies looking at the brain effects of aerobic exercise have shown a similar increase in hippocampus size over time.

In addition, the review of the studies found that brain changes related to yoga practice were linked to improved cognitive performance and measures of emotional regulation.

Changes in Brain Structure

According to Gothe and her colleague Jessica Damoiseaux psychology professor at Wayne State University, many of the studies were exploratory and not conclusive. Despite this, the researchers suggest their findings underline important brain changes associated with regular yoga practice, including amygdala growth which may be directly related to improved emotional regulation in yoga practitioners.

The prefrontal cortex, cingulate cortex and brain networks such as the default mode network also tend to be larger or more efficient in those who regularly practice yoga, Damoiseaux explains. Like the amygdala, the cingulate cortex is part of the limbic system, a circuit of structures that plays a key role in emotional regulation, learning, and memory.

Regular yoga practice may help improve the cortisol stress response; researchers found that participants who practiced yoga for eight weeks had an attenuated cortisol response which also contributed to improved testing performance in cases of decision-making, task-switching, and attention span. Overall, researchers believe that the positive implications of yoga on brain structures and emotional regulation improve total brain functioning and thus, may have neuroprotective effects.

Not only does a regular yoga practice have well-documented physical health benefits, but it appears to also promote healthy brain function. However, researchers caution that more research is needed in this field to uncover the mechanisms underlying the evident brain changes, recommending large intervention studies that engage participants in yoga practice for long periods of time and allow for comparisons with other forms of exercise.

The science is pointing to yoga being beneficial for healthy brain function, but we need more rigorous and well-controlled intervention studies to confirm these initial findings, Damoiseaux concludes.

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Brain Health Benefits of Yoga Practice - Anti Aging News

Yoga on the Rocks returns in summer 2018. (Provided by Denver Arts & Venues)

Nothing says summer in Colorado like attending an event at Red Rocks Amphitheater. But in the midst of a global pandemic, fans have had to let dreams of summer on the Rocks go.

On Tuesday, Red Rocks kindled some hope, though, announcing that it would bring back fitness events in July. Spokesman Brian Kitts said while there are no plans yet for the return of full concerts, his team hopes to expand ways people can experience Red Rocks, from fitness activities and sunset hikes to the possibility of smaller concerts later in the summer.

Tickets for Yoga on the Rocks, Quarantine 15 and SnowShape will be available starting July 1 at 10 a.m. at redrocksonline.com. A ticket for each class is $21, including fees. Space is limited for all events.

The venue also launched a new website and app with free, original videos, hoping to create new ways to connect with the beloved park during coronavirus restrictions.

RELATED:Red Rocks by the numbers for workout fanatics

Like everybody else in the entertainment business, were doing everything we can to provide access, Kitts told The Denver Post on Tuesday. Shutting down an entire summer would break all of our hearts. For fans who want to experience just a little bit of Red Rocks, were trying really hard to let that happen.

The venue has hosted Yoga on the Rocks for a decade, and will increase the number of fitness events for the 2020 season. Starting on July 10, yoga classes will be offered on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with multiple sessions per day. A new event, the Quarantine 15 Fitness Challenge, will be heldevery Saturday at 10 a.m. Plus, the SnowShape Winter Fitness Serieswill return in September ahead of the 2020-2021 ski season.

Red Rocks will offer more classes than it has in past seasons, aiming to provide opportunities for as many people as possible. Usually, the venue holds 2,000, but with coronavirus restrictions, it will only be able to accommodate 175 people at a time, Kitts said, and he anticipates that events will sell out.

To adhere to social distancing, participants will set up in alternating rows at place-markers. People must wear masks to enter the stadium but can remove them once they get settled at a spot.

Digitally, Red Rocks has launched a new website and mobile app, according to a press release.Kitts said the team had been looking to do online content even before the coronavirus, and now fans can experience a different side of Red Rocks concerts, from performances to interviews with bands.

The venue will produce a new series called Trail Mix, featuring acoustic performances filmed on the parks trails, from artists including AJR, Big Wild and Caroline Rose, according to a press release.

Inspired by NPRs Tiny Desk Concerts and other session content creators, Trail Mix and our additional Red Rocks original content is a love letter to our fans and the venue, Josh Lenz, marketing and communications manager, said in the press release. And while we might be on a bit of a hiatus this year recording new sessions, we promise there will be plenty more to come in 2021.

Kitts emphasized this is the first step for the 2020 season, and as the situation evolves, he hopes to welcome people back for other small events and concerts.

But for now, fitness events are a really unique way to experience Red Rocks first thing in the morning, Kitts said. Its as beautiful as it gets.

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Link:
Red Rocks starts 2020 season with Yoga on the Rocks, no concerts yet - The Know

A Fourth of July tradition will still take place this year to support the NEPA Philharmonic.

A Fourth of July Yoga tradition in Scranton is turning those downward dogs into donations for a special organization in our area.

Newswatch 16's Ryan Leckey highlighted the seventh annual "Yoga on the Roof" in Scranton. It happens this Saturday, July 4, 2020.

The event plays out this Fourth of July on top of the parking garage at The Marketplace at Steamtown in downtown Scranton.

It's spearheaded by Jaya Yoga in Clarks Summit. It involves one hour of yoga accompanied by live music.

This year's event will be modified a bit to accommodate CDC health and safety guidelines.

Organizers say yogis of all levels are welcome.

You're encouraged to come wearing a mask until the practice begins.

Participants are asked to bring their own mats, hand sanitizers, and water.

Pre-registration by midnight on Thursday, July 2, 2020, is required.

Head to this linkand proceed through the two steps. The first is to pay and register, and the second is to sign the waiver.

No walk-ins will be allowed at the event on Saturday due to social distancing guidelines.

Continue reading here:
Being flexible this fourth: 'Yoga on the Roof' still on in Scranton with changes - WNEP Scranton/Wilkes-Barre

An event every week that begins at 9:30 am on Wednesday, repeating until Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Yoga For Every Body! Five more sessions, July and August

Have you seen pictures of people doing yoga in magazines, on Facebook and Instagram and said something like this to yourself? "I can't do yoga! I'm not flexible. I don't have the right clothes. I'm too old. I'm too young. I'm too fat. I'm out of shape. I can't get up and down from the floor." If you answered yes to this question, you are wrong. You CAN do yoga! You just haven't found the right yoga for YOU! Yoga is for EVERY BODY, and Leslie wants to help you.

Yoga for Every Body is a Gentle class that anyone can access. In this class, you will stretch and strengthen your body. You will learn how to breathe properly and how appropriate posture can completely change the way you feel. You will be exposed to what Leslie refers to as "the Yoga Toolbox" to discover different ways to combat the stress that is inevitable in life! Movement is incredibly important to your body, and Leslie will show you how to move safely and effectively through many different yoga movements. This whole class can be done in a chair if you cannot get up and down off of the floor. Props are not required; Leslie will demonstrate when/where props are appropriate at the first class, and you can decide if you want or need to use them. Dress in layers in loose-fitting clothing. Set up your mat at home and join us!

Leslie Gordon, E-RYT-500

Leslie teaches yoga classes and workshops in the Farmington Valley and loves showing people that anyone can do yoga! She has been teaching yoga for nearly two decades and is also a ThaiYoga, Reiki and Reflexology practitioner. She is the resident Yoga Teacher at FerryLaw in New Britain. Find out more about Leslie at her website, http://www.lesliegordonyoga.com. This is a virtual program.

Please register once, for the entire series. A Zoom link will be sent to you to attend each class.

Series sponsored by the Friends of the Avon Library.

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Yoga For Every Body July & August Virtual Classes To Offered Through The Avon Public Library - Patch.com

The wonder of yoga is that just about anyone can participate and enjoy its benefits!

In these trying times, we could all use a bit of a check-in with our perceptions of the world, and one way to do that is by practicing opening the third eye chakra through yoga. Celebs like Britney Spears and Danica Patrick are massive followers of the popular exercise program, and the wonder of yoga is that just about anyone can participate and enjoy its benefits.

RELATED:15 Yoga Outfits Perfect For Every Body Shape

The third eye is located on the forehead, between your eyebrows. There are several moves performed throughout yoga that specifically aim to open the third-eye chakra and guide those who practice towards openness, enlightenment, and imagination. Here are our ten favorite third-eye motivating yoga poses.

The warrior positions are some of the most well-known moves in all of yoga. They can be elevated to become challenging or be used gently in prenatal yoga. A humble warrior offers a variation on the position of the arms and the upper body. It also shifts focus to tapping into the third eye chakra.With advantageous positions such as this one, it is no great surprise that celebrities everywhere are jumping on the yoga bandwagon. This move is powerful, stabilizing, and will help those who practice yoga stay in touch with their third eye chakra.

This one is pretty simple and straightforward. To achieve this, third-eye chakra yoga pose, spread your legs wide, and hinge at the waist. Feel the blood rushing to your head, pulsing, and breathe deeply. Next, reach behind you with both arms and attempt to clasp your hands together. Stay here, hanging or swaying slowly for several deep breaths. Be careful and make sure you stand up slowly after this one.

Another version of the warrior pose that helps to activate the third eye chakra is this move. Position your body in a warrior one stance. Take a few stabilizing breaths here and then move to winding your arms in a cow face position. Creating space in your chest and upper back area takes a bit of practice, so do your best to help your fingers meet, but don't push. Throwing a shoulder out won't help anything.

The aim of channeling the third eye is to better hone in on intuition and stabilize the mind, body, and soul. From there, connection and trust in your own path can evolve. This wide-legged forward fold helps to create the stabilization between the shoulders and the spine. A simple twist further stretches the spine. This is another move that will require you to stand up straight slowly so that you don't tip over mid fold!

The revolving lunge will take concentration and balance, but it will help you achieve that third eye chakra that you've been searching for. Position your legs in a warrior stance, with your front leg bent at a ninety-degree angle, not any further. Hinge over at the hips and bring your inner elbow to meet the opposite, bent knee. This movement creates a spine twist. Stay here and breathe deeply, sinking lower into the move with every breath.

The dolphin pose is pretty similar to the popular downward-facing dog that we so often connect yoga to. Instead of pressing into your fingertips, as you would in a downward-facing dog, lower, even more, pressing instead into your forwards.

RELATED: Moose Joins Outdoor Yoga Session With A Friendly Bow

Keep your feet firmly planted on your mat as you let your head hang heavy here. If you can cross and clasp your hands, give yourself a gold star. It isn't as easy as it looks.

The locust pose looks a bit funny, but it's a great, soothing move to stretch out your spine and work your leg muscles. Even your core will thank you with this one. Essentially you lie on your front with your arms to your sides. Lift your legs and your chest off of the ground so that only your hips balance on the floor beneath you. Try to remain as still as possible, and don't rock about. Moves like this take a considerable amount of focus.

The camel pose is popular with those trying to activate their third eye chakra and is also popular with people attempting to open the heart chakra. With this deep backbend, several chakras open up, giving yoga lovers a two for one special.

RELATED: Exclusive Interview: Temptation Island Single Brittney Rose On Love And Yoga

If you can't bend backward all the way and touch your fingers to your feet, then place your hands on your lower back and hold the stretch there. A modified move will always be a better bet than pushing something too far and causing injury.

The upward bow probably won't happen on the first or second try, but for those dedicated to their yoga practice, this move will open the third eye and help all sorts of muscle groups elongate. This is one of those moves where yogis can raise a leg or lift a heel, making the standard move all their own once they manage to grasp the basics. You're going to look like a pro when you pull this move out.

It's second only to child's pose in comfort. So long as you don't have bum knees or terrible hip flexibility, this move is money. In double pigeon, your hips open up and stretch, and as you extend your arms out, your spine will elongate as well. Everything gets pulled into a slow, beautiful burn of a stretch. Once you get into this little pretzel, you won't want to ever get out of it!

NEXT:15 Photos Of Celebs Doing Yoga (And They'll Make You Want To Get In Shape)

Next These 6 Celebs Embraced Maternity Fashion (While 6 Hid Their Bumps)

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10 Yoga Poses To Open Your Third Eye Chakra | TheThings - TheThings

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Yoga is one of the best ways to help put the mind at ease. Even if you arent doing it as a workout, centering yourself through this form of meditation can be seriously beneficial. Of course, this practice can be even better when you have the right gear and equipment to enhance the experience!

A top-notch mat and a comfortable outfit are crucial, but sometimes people forget about their footwear! While its totally fine to do yoga barefoot, why not try out some yoga socks? This non-slip pair from VIFUUR can help your feet stay in place and your poses secure.

Get the VIFUUR Water Sports Shoes Barefoot Quick-Dry Aqua Yoga Socks for prices starting at just $8, available at Amazon! Please note, prices and availability are valid at time of publication July 2, 2020, but are subject to change.

These socks are made from a rubber material with ridges to make them ultra-flexible. Theres stretchy, breathable fabric in between those ridges so that your feet feel comfortable, and dont sweat too much. The sole on this shoe-sock hybrid is designed to help your foot grip to whatever surface its on, which is perfect when youre in the midst of a seriously demanding yoga flow!

But you can do so much more with these socks than just yoga. If youre heading out to the pool or beach, these will make excellent water shoes. They can protect your feet for sanitary reasons, and from getting hurt or cut by unexpected rocks or other foreign objects.

Get the VIFUUR Water Sports Shoes Barefoot Quick-Dry Aqua Yoga Socks for prices starting at just $8, available at Amazon! Please note, prices and availability are valid at time of publication July 2, 2020, but are subject to change.

Thousands upon thousands of Amazon reviewers are raving about these socks! They are a top bestselling item on the site, which truly is a testament to just how useful they are. Shoppers are wearing them as house shoes, for water sports and everything else in between. They are being deemed a must-have for the summer, but were sure you will find plenty of use for them year round. Oh, and prepare to be amazed by the 43 color options available you may want to keep extras on hand to give as gifts!

See it: Get the VIFUUR Water Sports Shoes Barefoot Quick-Dry Aqua Yoga Socks for prices starting at just $8, available at Amazon! Please note, prices and availability are valid at time of publication July 2, 2020, but are subject to change.

Not what youre looking for? Check out more styles from VIFUUR here and shop all of the womens fashion available on Amazon here! Dont forget to check out all of Amazons Daily Deals here!

Check out more of our picks and deals here!

This post is brought to you by Us Weeklys Shop With Us team. The Shop With Us team aims to highlight products and services our readers might find interesting and useful. Product and service selection, however, is in no way intended to constitute an endorsement by either Us Weekly or of any celebrity mentioned in the post.

The Shop With Us team may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. In addition, Us Weekly receives compensation from the manufacturer of the products we write about when you click on a link and then purchase the product featured in an article. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product or service is featured or recommended. Shop With Us operates independently from advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback at ShopWithUs@usmagazine.com. Happy shopping!

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Find Out Why These Non-Slip Yoga Sock Shoes Are Going Viral - Us Weekly

There's no denying that Yoga is considered a way of life. And for a good reason! This ancient Indian practice has proven to be a great way to cope with the trials and tribulations that life inadvertently brings us.

Yoga is said to provide a retreat from chaotic and busy lifestyles and is a go-to for many people. This is true whether you're practising the downward dog asana on a mat in your bedroom, or previously at a yoga studio. Wherever you choose to practice, yoga does indeed have many mental and physical benefits.

Some of them include:

Given the fact that most of us are confined to the walls of our homes, with fewer permissions when it comes to moving about due to the lockdown, a sedentary lifestyle is more likely going to increase for most of us. That said, this is the perfect time to begin your fitness journey, and what better place to start than with yoga?

We have actress Pavleen Gujral show us some basic asanas that are super easy to do. Even if you're a first-time practitioner, you'll become an expert in no time.

Gujral leads us in a quick workout beginning with Yogasana or Padmasana, the Lotus Pose. "Now I am sitting in the Half Lotus Pose with one leg over the other. I am still not able to put the other leg over the other, which is the full Lotus Pose." Of course, as she increases her practice, she will be able to transition into a full lotus pose.

But why opt for Padmasana? This is a great pose to help you open up the hips, stretch the ankles and knees, calms your mind, increase awareness and attentiveness, keep the spine straight, help you develop good posture, ease menstrual discomfort and sciatica, keep joints and ligaments flexible, stimulate the spine, pelvis, abdomen, and bladder, and restores energy levels.

Says Gujral, "We put our hands on our knees, and we start by deep breathing. So take a very deep breath through your nostrils and try to take the air inside your stomach and deep inside your body. So let's start with that; now hold it there and exhale. So always start yoga with a couple of breaths, and if you are a beginner, I suggest you go very slow."

Gujral then proceeds to demonstrate the Paschimottanasana, which is the Seated Forward Bend. This is a pose that's ideal for helping a distracted mind relax and unwind. It's said to calms the brain and relieve stress and mild depression, stretch the spine, shoulders, and hamstrings, stimulate the liver, kidneys, ovaries, and uterus, improves digestion, relieve the symptoms of menopause and menstrual discomfort, soothe headaches and anxiety, and reduces fatigue. It's also a great way to treat high blood pressure, infertility, insomnia, and sinusitis.

Says Gujral, "We start with our legs straight. Then we stretch our upper body up with our arms up in the air and inhale. And as you exhale, bend down from your lower back and try to touch your feet and your forehead to your knees. As soon as you reach your maximum point, let go and just place your palms on the floor. Stay there and breathe. As you come up, you stretch your body forward and then come up. Put your arms at the back and try to raise your hips above in the air. Stay there. This is a nice anti-stretch."

While we can write everything you need to know about how to do a pose, we suggest you watch the video and learn all you can. After all, nothing teaches us things better than when we watch and learn!

Also Read: 5 Yoga Poses That Help Relieve Stress

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#FeminaWithYou: The Benefits Of These Yoga Poses For Beginners - Femina

The rabbi is a yogi. And now also a childrens book author.

With her colorfully illustrated debut, I Am the Tree of Life: My Jewish Yoga Book, Rabbi Mychal Copeland is aiming to introduce young children to Judaism through the vehicle of yoga, because, well it has worked for her.

In our tradition, the body is a way we connect to the Divine, explained Copeland, a rabbi for 20 years and a certified yoga instructor for 15. The body is a vehicle for prayer. We bow, we loosen our spines you dont just pray with words. Its all intertwined.

Copeland is just finishing her third year at Congregation Shaar Zahav in San Francisco, where in addition to her rabbinical duties she teaches some adult yoga classes. Previously, she was director of InterfaithFamily Bay Area and a university rabbi for 13 years, first at UCLA and later at Hillel at Stanford. Shes also exercised her writing skills as a columnist for J., Huffington Post and OnFaith.org, and as co-editor of a bookon LGBTQ inclusion in religious life.

Copelands personal and career paths have given her ample opportunities to explore what is known as embodied Jewish practice. That is, the recognition that our spiritual selves are integrally interconnected with our physical selves such that when we eat, drink, dance or pray, we can enliven our spiritual practice, she said.

Because children learn so much through their senses and movement, she believes childhood is a great time to capitalize on that and direct them toward an awareness of the spiritual.

There is growing interest in teaching children through movement, drawing on the link between mind and body, Copeland said. When we pair learning a concept like a Torah narrative with embodied practice, the learning can be accessed differently than if it were only read.

Her 32-page book, which was published in April, introduces common yoga poses, such as tree and crescent moon. Simple instructions enable any participating adult to guide children through the movements. The book is recommended for grades K-2 on the publishers website, and for grades 2-3 on Amazon.

In yoga, we dont pretend to be a tree. No, you become the tree, the lion, the fish, the mountain, she said. Its about seeing the self as part of the world.

Copelands interest in yoga began decades ago, and she has studied various yoga traditions that she brings to her classes.

The idea of writing a book came to her in 2015 on the porch of a girls cabin at Camp Tawonga, where she was a summer rabbi-in-residence for many years. We were having so much fun and the girls were asking about some of the Torah stories we were discussing. The yoga movements sparked more questions, she said.

What brought it all together, she recalled, was the tree pose.

In the Jewish framework, Torah is a tree of life. The idea really came through that Torah is alive, not something we interact with passively. And when we use our bodies in this way, stories come alive in us.

Copeland already had developed some of the material with her own two children now 12 and 15 when they were babies, and has had other opportunities to work out the yoga-Torah connection with older kids. Her concept for the book was to introduce children to movements, and use them to spark some identification with the stories and their lessons.

Kids go on a journey through Torah, bringing our stories to life through movement. They will stand like Mount Sinai, dance at the Red Sea and become the giant fish that swallowed Jonah, she said.

Her publisher, Apples and Honey Press, an arm of Behrman House, gave Copelands manuscript to an illustrator in Brazil, Andr Ceolin, whom she had never met.

One of the pieces that was important to me in creating the illustrations for this book was that the children doing the poses in the book would represent a diversity of children. There is not enough diversity represented in our childrens lit, Copeland said.

She described Ceolin as whimsical and expansive an incredible artist.

The book, her first for children, was published when the coronavirus pandemic largely was confining people to their homes. Soon after, she was able to use it as the basis of a virtual childrens yoga class she offered to her community on Zoom.

Its a useful book for these times, she reflected. Ive been thinking about having kids at home for many months, and how to keep active when sheltering at home. The book gets children moving and their parents, too.

Visit link:
SF rabbi's picture book brings kids to Torah by way of yoga J. - The Jewish News of Northern California

COMMERCE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) Body Language Fitness and Yoga in Commerce Township has gone through a variety of ups and downs during the pandemic, their new challenge has been finding a place to workout.

This time has been an absolute roller coaster, said owner Andrea VanBehren.

They are now providing outdoor classes, but have had noise complaints at two separate locations.

Starting Monday, their classes will move to Edgewood Country Club, located on Commerce Road and Union Lake Road. They will have a spot near the volleyball courts.

We are going to be having classes Monday through Saturday, starting next Monday, said VanBehren.

They also offer Zoom and online classes as an option.

Another challenge they have faced, people canceling their memberships. VanBehren says she understands this is a difficult time. She says she has also seen a show of support.

There are several people that have been longtime loyal customers, clients, students that have keep their memberships rolling so that we can land on the other side of this, said VanBehren.

People interested in checking out a class can experience an outdoor class for $20. For more information on membership price, click here.

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Body Language Fitness and Yoga in Commerce Township finds new location for outdoor workouts - WXYZ

situated amid the urban fabric of tokyo, japan, frontoffice has introduced the m house, a three-storey building that combines the design of a dance studio, a living area and a yoga space. with this project, the practice aimed to revive the experimental and creative local architectural activity of 1960s, when the city was expanding.

fitting into crowded space in tokyo

all images by toshiyuki yano, frontoffice

the design for m house by frontoffice is primitive, almost cartoonish a fitting approach for the clients, who design and sell a series of famously mysterious and unique dolls with a global following. making full use of tokyos rules and regulations, the structure maximizes space and volume on a typically constrained urban site, resulting in a simple plan three single rooms, stacked one upon the other.

dance studio half submerged within the site

the ground floor houses the dance studio, and is buffered from the road by a reflective aluminum screen, and otherwise opened to its surroundings by continuous windows and mirrors. dancers on this level, which is partially submerged in the sloping site, feel like they are a part of the city, not isolated. the residential space on the second floor is accessed by steel stairs with an exaggerated landing acting as a porch. this level is also accessible through an interior staircase hidden behind a mirrored door.

entrance to the studio beneath the stairs to the second floor

windows are placed economically to offer depth and light in an otherwise small area. no attempt is made to frame views because the city does not rest for long and views are fleeting. the garden and decks work with the interior to offer an un-mediated experience of the city. formal experimentation is often lost in the chaos of tokyo but with this project, the architects are aknowledging the start of a new period of massive change, the time to engage with the city more directly.

stairs to the second floor are hidden behind a mirrored door

hidden stairs connect dance studio into the home

living space begins on the second floor

bedroom and workspace with ladder to rooftop

parking and entrance straight from the road

entrance to the home is on the second floor

in the 1960s and 1970s tokyo was wildly inventive

tokyos crowded context

section the house is surrounded on all sides by porous surfaces to mitigate the ever more common problem of guerilla storms in the city

project info:

name: m house architecture office:frontoffice project team: will galloway, koen klinkers, christopher sjoberg, with frank la riviere structural design: tatsumi terado structural

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom

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frontoffice combines dance studio, house + yoga space in three-storey building within tokyo - Designboom