The hallway outside the seventh-floor courtrooms in the Sangamon County Complex may not sound like an ideal spot to hold a yoga class, but it does have its advantages.

The space is pretty much vacant over the lunch hour, and one entire wall is made up of windows that overlook downtown Springfield. Looking outside, you can see the Hilton, the state Capitol dome and the tops of green trees extending toward the horizon.

Its serene. Its quiet, and you can look out the windows. Its nice, said Kimberly Fuiten, superintendent of the Sangamon County Veterans Assistance Commission and one of about a dozen county employees taking the yoga class.

The classes were started last year by the countys employee wellness committee as an effort to improve the overall health of county workers. The first classes were held at the Sangamon County Health Department building last year; this is the second round of four-week classes at the county building.

The classes last about 40 minutes, during which time the participants concentrate on their breathing and attempt different poses that stretch their muscles. Some of the exercises are done while lying on the floor, others are done in a sitting or standing position.

Linda Wheeland, a senior planner at the Springfield/Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission, said she is seeing the benefits.

Yoga works the entire body. There is a lot of stretching and stress-reduction involved, Wheeland said. Most of us are at a desk all day, so the instructor gives us poses to do that alleviate any problems that come with sitting all day.

Aasne Daniels, an instructor at Ahh Yoga, 1051 W. Wabash Ave., leads the classes. She said there are a lot of advantages to yoga.

For this group, one of the best things I can do for them is give them tools to help them with stress relief. I think working as a county employee can be a very stressful job, Daniels said. Were building some strength, stamina and some flexibility. Were giving people the tools to sit back, take a breath, calm down and get ready to deal with the rest of their day.

Participants pay to be in the class. No county funds are used. If there is enough interest among county employees, there could be future classes.

More here:
Yoga offered to county workers in courthouse hallway

It's no secret that females are generally more limber than males.

While the thought of stretching the body in any number of directions might scare most men, instructor Paul Shapiro says that once you get used to yoga, it brings positive change.

"Yoga is a lifestyle," said Shapiro, who holds classes at Yoga on York in Baltimore. "It helps with breathing, balance, your core and every aspect you can think of."

Shapiro started teaching a class called "Stiff Guy Yoga" in 2010, but the avid runner, biker and swimmer says he has been doing yoga for over 20 years.

"It's relaxing and it translates to other areas of your life," he said. "For example, the balance may help when you're doing laundry or other chores around the house."

"Stiff Guy Yoga" may sound humorous, but these guys take their workout seriously. And they should. Because when done properly, yoga helps alleviate tightness, tones the body and relieves stress.

Who's in the group: About 11 men ages 30 to 60 attend each session.

A typical class: Every Thursday at 7:30 p.m., men bring their mats, their energy and their stiff joints to Yoga on York.

Music set to a low volume sets the mood for a relaxing yet rewarding workout. Norah Jones' "Don't Know Why," Train's "Drops of Jupiter" and Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" serve as backdrops to a peaceful atmosphere.

Shapiro starts his group with stretches before moving on to yoga formations such as downward dog and child's pose, where members drop their chest below knee level and put their heads to their mats.

Read more:
How we work out: Stiff Guy Yoga

May 23, 2013 6:00am

I always thought that ofyogaas something only done by young,lithe ballet enthusiasts. It was definitely not something practiced by uncoordinated,middle-aged guys whocant touch their toes. Put me in the latter category and add to that that Im nearly six-and-a-half feet tall andhave had two back operations.

But my wife, Jeanne, is nothing if not persistent when it comes to me and exercise. Twenty years ago she convinced me to try step aerobics, eventually persuading me that it was okay to be the only guy in a class of women who seemed to have stepped from a chorus line. I hid in the back row where itdidntmatter that I was often a beat behind everyone else. And, over time, I learned the moves, got a great workout and improved my sense of timing.

Seven years ago, Jeanne decided that I should try yoga. Ive had lower back issues since I was a teenager (while extreme height is great for seeing over crowds, it does put strain on the lower lumbar vertebrae), and in my mid-thirties, I blew a couple of disks and ended up having two back operations. What little flexibility I once had pretty much vanished. On a good day, I could touch my knees. But my toes? Well, I could see them, but to touch themId haveto sit down.

I agreed to try a yoga class and came away totally discouraged. Icouldntdo anything! Then Jeanne got me one of the best birthday giftsIveever received: a six-class pass for a workshop called, Yoga for the Stiff Guy. It was taught by two women who could double as stand-up comics, and the class was full of guys like me: tight hamstrings and a lot of pride.

The instructors eased our entry into the world of yoga with laughter as we learned down dog, up dog, mountain and tree. We focused on learning how to breathe and listen to our bodies. We learned to put aside the drive to compete with others and shift the focus to our inner selves.

Dr. Besser does the crow yoga pose to prove you don't have to be flexible to do yoga.

I took the workshop three times before I felt comfortable launching myself into a class with the flexibly-gifted. Now, I continue to practice yoga. Im still in the back row where I wont distract others, and I use a bunch of blocks and straps to modify the poses I have difficulty with. But my back has never felt better and remarkably, my toes are getting a little bit closer.

There is increasing research demonstrating the health benefits of yoga. This week in ourtwitter chat, #abcDrBchat, we explored the science of yoga and meditation.Check it out here! And maybe Ill see you in the back row of a yoga class.

Tell Me the Truth, Doctor is a weekly column written byABC News chief health and medical editorDr. Richard Besser. Look for Dr. Bessers book in stores now!

Originally posted here:
Can You Do Yoga if You Aren't Flexible?