Your Body

Yoga--For All Girls

Lisa Izzi interviews Bree Pettit. Bree grew up in Santa Barbara, CA, and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2006. She received her B.A. in Psychology and has participated in many sports in her life. In High School she did soccer, X-country, and track. And in college she competed on the triathlon team and the cycling team. Bree is so excited about helping girls be active and feel good about themselves, we wanted to find out more.

L.I.: Hey Bree, GAC just found out that among all your sports, including running, surfing, and mountain biking, you also practice Yoga. Some people think of Yoga as a meditation-like practice. Tell us—what IS Yoga and are there different kinds?

Bree: Yes, Yoga does give many people the opportunity to clear their mind and focus on their self and their own body. The term yoga comes from a Sanskrit word signifying union. Traditionally, yoga is used as a way of joining the individual self with the Universal Spirit. The physical and mental exercises of Yoga are designed to help achieve this goal. Yoga postures, called asanas, are designed to tone, strengthen, and align the body. These postures are performed to make the spine supple and healthy and to promote blood flow to all the organs, glands, and tissues, keeping all the bodily systems healthy. On the mental level, yoga uses breathing techniques (pranayama) and meditation (dyana) to quiet, clarify, and discipline the mind. An important thing to realize is that yoga is not a religion, but a way of living with health and peace of mind as its ultimate goal.

L.I.: When did you start and how did you get into it?

Bree: I just recently got serious about Yoga about 2 months ago. A friend of mine invited me to her Bikram Yoga class (the kind in the heated room). Despite my fear and utter aversion for the heat, I decided to challenge myself and see if I could endure the hour and a half class in the 105 degree boiling room of death. To my surprise, I actually liked the class and found myself coming back on a daily basis. That was the beginning of my Yoga addiction.

L.I.: How often do you do it?

Bree: I try to practice some sort of Yoga every day on my own. If I have time, I like to go to a yoga studio around twice a week.

L.I.: You don't see kids doing Yoga. Is it more for adults?

Bree: Yoga is great for any human being, big or small, young or old. As long as you have the ability to breathe and move, it's the perfect sport for you. Yoga is definitely becoming more popular among the younger community. I absolutely love teaching Yoga to kids. I have met some kids that are just as enthusiastic about yoga as any adult ever was, and often have a very quick learning curve.

L.I.: It seems like you need a lot of coordination and or flexibility for Yoga. Is that true?

Bree: Not necessarily. Of course, the more flexibility/coordination you have, the easier it will be. But Yoga is especially great for all those non-flexible types. It loosens your body all around, allowing you a wider range for movement and flexibility. The kids that I work with love experimenting and creating their own unique yoga poses. We have a lot of fun coming up with goofy positions.

L.I.: Wow, that's so cool. Can you describe a one simple move that girls can do, and the benefits of that move?

Bree: The standing Tree Pose is a fun beginners pose. Abc-of-yoga.com says, "The Tree Pose helps strengthen your thighs, calves, ankles and back. It can also increase the flexibility of your hips and groin. Your balance and concentration can also be improved with constant practice." Try to see how long you can hold it without falling over.

L.I.: Do you have to wear leotards and tights? A lot of girls prefer loose shorts and a t-shirt…

Bree: You can wear whatever you want in yoga. Some people wear swim suits, other people wear stretchy jeans. Whatever you find comfortable is perfect. I try to wear clothes that give me the freedom to bend and stretch without any resistance.

L.I.: Maybe girls might be curious and want to read more about yoga. Where can they find out about it?

Bree: There are a lot of great books and websites out there. The first thing that I would recommend for anyone that is interested in yoga, is to research local yoga studios in your community, and try-out a beginner's class. Believe me, you'll get hooked!

http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/info/standing-poses.asp

http://www.yogasite.com/yoga%20kids.htm

L.I.: Gosh, thanks for sharing with us! Are there any final tips on yoga or keeping the body active you want to give to our GAC visitors?

Bree: What I love about Yoga is that it gives me space to challenge myself in a non-competitive environment. It encourages me to focus on my own body and my own thoughts. It gives me confidence and balance that I can transfer over to a variety of different sports. I have seen major improvements in my surfing and running ability since starting yoga.