Blog

Holistic Childbirth Education Classes

2012-02-16T14:55:06Z

Some of our fellow Mama-to-Mama members are teachers for a new Holistic Childbirth Education Class being offered in the area. The first session is next weekend. So we wanted to share the information and poster in case anyone might be looking for specifically natural childbirth class to attend.

Saturday, February 25th 9am-noon
Sunday, February 26th 9am-4pm
Washburn Public Library

Natural Childbirth is an extraordinarily satisfying and transformative experience. This condensed class will include:

An in-depth look at the labor & birthing process
The importance of feeling connected
Relaxation & comfort techniques
Complications, interventions, & variations
Breastfeeding, newborn & postpartum care

This class is sponsored by BirthRite Midwifery Services. Classes will be taught by ICEA trained childbirth educators Christel Sketch, Birth Doula, and Dana Churness CD(DONA), CLC.

There is a cost associated with this class. To register, or for more information, please call Savita Jones at (715) 413-0197.

The next weekend class will be offered on: April 20-21, 2012.

Download and share the poster.

TRX Suspension Training

2012-02-10T03:46:02Z

I've been getting lots of inquiries lately about my recent TRX Suspension Training certification and upcoming group TRX classes at Ashland Yoga Studio in March. So I wanted to take a moment to answer some of those questions and talk about why I'm so excited to share this really great strength-training and calorie burning form of exercise.

I stumbled upon TRX during a kettlebell class with the fantastic Fawn Friday of St. Paul Minnesota. As her website, superstarkettlebells.com might suggest, she's truly a superstar trainer. We ended our session on the TRX, blasting the core with some Atomic Push-ups...well, my attempt at an Atomic Push-up. It kicked my butt and worked muscles in my body I hadn't used since my UW-rowing college days.

I was hooked.

After my trip to the cities, I hemmed and hawed about buying a TRX Suspension Trainer. Let's just say they're more expensive than a really nice yoga mat; but I wanted to do those Atomic Push-ups again! And nothing I had ever used in the gym was like the TRX. So I clicked "Add to cart."

Now, 5 months later and a TRX certification under my belt I'm now the proud owner of enough trainers to accomodate group classes of 14! Here they are. My little TRX babies.

Here's what I love the most about the TRX:

You can get a super awesome full-body workout in 30 mins or less.
You're using your own body-weight to train, so you get stronger but your muscles stay lean and long.
Emphasis on functional movement. I'm all for getting stronger so that when it comes time to shovel snow, garden, or heft children around while toting groceries on your other hip etc. you're less prone to injury.
It's small and easily portable. Really, they're quite cute when all packed down and weigh less than 2lbs.
You can do it anywhere you can find a trusty anchor point. In the studio, outside, in your home. I love that. I'm actually taking the TRX to Costa Rica and we'll be incorporating workouts on the TRX into our beach bootcamp. It's going to be awesome.

In fact, if you'd like to come see for yourself what the TRX is all about, I'm giving free demos this Saturday, February 11th at the studio after our Saturday Morning Yoga class (yoga runs from 9-10:15am, TRX demo and Costa Rica preview begin right after class).

Stay tuned for more infor about upcoming TRX classes. It's looking like we'll have an Early Bird option and a Thursday PM class or a Saturday noon-time. Let us know which you'd prefer by leaving a comment here or dropping us a note on our Contact page.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, I can only do about a half-dozen Atomic Push-ups before really losing my form. Yeah, they're really hard.

Gentle Stretch Q&A

2012-02-02T04:13:18Z

Q: What type of class is Gentle Stretch?
A: Gentle Stretch is a gentle, slow, and safe morning yoga class. See more photos

Q: What level student is this class appropriate for?
A: This class is great for the newest beginner yoga student, senior, or any level student who wishes to move softly through a soothing movement practice that will stretch muscles and slowly release stress in the body & mind. This class can also be a wonderful fit for those with chronic pain or injury which may limit mobility.

Q: What should I expect to do in this class?
A: Gentle Stretch will incorporate quiet mindfulness time, calming breathing techniques, and somatic movements paired with slowly-paced and safe Hatha yoga postures. We will nourish relaxation and support flexibility while increasing mobility in our biggest joints: shoulders, hips, & pelvis. We will end each practice with a restorative final relaxation allowing the mind, breath, and body to fully enjoy the release of tension and stress the practice has promoted.

Q: How will you help me practice if I have physical limitations?
A: Ashland Yoga Studio has an assortment of props and chairs to help each student experience movement and relaxation in a safe and functional manner.

Q: What are Somatics?
A: Somatics are exercises developed by Dr. Thomas Hanna to re-establish muscle control and movement. "Soma" is a Greek word for the living body, which Hanna re-defined as the body experienced from within, where we experience mind/body integration. Essentially, somatic movement helps our brain re-connect to the muscles of the body. They can help us increase mobility and get out of pain with simple, slow exercises. In Somatics we nourish self-awareness through the breath and sensing. We break movements into small parts and use curiosity to develop a relationship with our bodies.

Q: Do I need to Bring Anything to Class?
A: Ashland Yoga Studio has mats, props, blankets and chairs. Please just bring yourself dressed comfortably to participate in gentle, slow movements. You may bring a water bottle if you wish, the studio provides water and tea.

Q: What are the class specifics?
A: Gentle Stretch is Thurday mornings from 10:30 am to 11:30am atAshland Yoga Studio. It is a standard drop-in class with a cost of $10/class or you may use a 10-class or 5-class pass for extra savings. Sarah Tarkington will instruct this class. Her background is in Therapeautic/Classic Yoga and somatic movement. See all the photos from Gentle Stretch.

Two Cup Bean Soup

2011-12-31T19:40:08Z

Originally posted on Andrea Russell's blog: Inspiration Off the Mat

Ingredients:

2 cups great northern beans
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped
2 cups celery, chopped2 cups carrots, chopped
2 cups ham, cubed
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp fresh thyme
10 pepper corns
6 cups filtered water1/2 tsp salt (added after beans are fully cooked)

1. In a large bowl, soak the beans overnight in 2-3 times the water as beans. After soaked, rinse beans well.

2. In a large soup pot, heat oil on medium heat. Add onions, celery, carrots and bay leaf, sauteing until the onions are translucent.

3. Add the well rinsed beans, ham, thyme and 6 cups filtered water. Bring to a boil, then cover, and turn down heat to a simmer cooking for 1-1 1/2 hours or until the beans are tender.

4. Wait to add the salt to taste after beans are cooked as it hardens their skin prolonging cooking time if it is added sooner.

5. Garnish with fresh thyme.

AYS Home Practice Challenge Starts January 9

2011-12-30T16:52:35Z

Many of us struggle with what it means to develop a healthy home yoga practice. It can be hard to remember how the poses look and feel, feel discouraged if you don't have the adequate props, carve out that "perfect" space or find the time.

As a teacher, I always tell students that if they want to see REAL results, whether it be increased strength, more flexibility, or better balance, they need to practice almost daily, and usually that means developing some at-home routine. As my teacher, Scott Anderson once said, the ideal yoga student would attend a weekly group yoga class, meet monthly with a teacher for a private session but most importantly have a healthy home-practice.

But where to start? We're excited to launch our first AYS Home Practice Challenge with a special kick-off class with Charmaine on January 9th. Folks who sign up and complete this FREE, goal-based program, will be automatically entered to win a drawing for some great prizes. Everyone enrolled in the Home Practice Challenge will have the opportunity to take advantage of a discounted private session with Charmaine. Val Damstra, studio assistant, will be leading the effort to keep you motivated and on track to meet your goals.

Keep up with Val during the next few weeks on her Home Practice Challenge Blog. She'll be sharing tips, insights, links and other fun information to keep you motivated to meet your goal.

A New Year, A New You

2011-12-28T21:21:05Z

Health and wellness businesses in Ashland are working together for the first month of 2012 to make it easier for area residents to turn over a new leaf and increase their healthy choices.

Through the "A New Year - A New You" Ashland program, participants can take advantage of steep discounts at wellness-related businesses during January to get fit, lose weight, and manage stress - three of the top New Year's Resolutions made by people across the U.S.

"We have a lot of students who return to the yoga studio in January looking to lose that extra 10 lbs. or deal with stress," said Charmaine Swan, yoga instructor and owner of Ashland Yoga Studio. "So it's great to be a part of this exciting cross-promotion between Ashland area wellness businesses to provide some discounts and incentives for making that commitment."

First, obtain a promotional "A New Year, A New You" discount card from a participating Ashland business by making a qualifying purchase from the Ashland Yoga Studio, Escape By The Lake, Solstice Outdoors, Chequamegon Health and Fitness, or the Chequamegon Food Co-op.

With the discount card, get 10 percent off a purchase of $50 or more at the Chequamegon Food Co-op; a discounted $156 six-month prepaid membership package at Chequamegon Health and Fitness (regularly $39/month); 10 percent off a 10-class pass at the Ashland Yoga Studio; a free 18-ounce Klean Kanteen bottle with a purchase of $50 or more at Solstice Outdoors (while supplies last); and $10 off any service or product with a purchase of $50 or more at Escape By The Lake.

Once you're done using your card for the month, fill out your name, address, and phone number on the card and enter the card into a drawing for one of many free gifts offered by these businesses, and Memorial Medical Center, to help make your New Year's Resolutions reality. These gifts include a free one-year membership at the Chequamegon Health and Fitness Center, two free metabolic tests and one-on-one consultations with a registered dietician at Memorial Medical Center, a gift bag of goodies from the Chequamegon Food Co-op, a $100 family hair care package of Aveda products from Escape By The Lake, a free snowshoe package (snowshoes, pole, and gaiters) from Solstice Outdoors or a free month of yoga classes at Ashland Yoga Studio.

Happy Holidays from Charmaine and AYS

2011-12-21T04:10:07Z

Charmaine and Axel at Official Ribbon Cutting, November 2011I was looking back through our sign-in sheets this week, remembering when we first opened in September of 2010: there were just three of us instructors, teaching only five classes and maybe two dozen students coming to classes.

What's so neat to see is that now, just a little over a year later, we're home to eight instructors teaching more than fifteen classes. And as 2011 draws to a close, our monthly studio participation has climbed to the triple digits. We owe that growth and success our students and supporters!

As we prepare to launch what I think is a pretty sweet line-up of drop-in and series classes this January (as well as some cool special classes and community events, too) I'd like to take a moment to pause, and with a deep and grateful breath, say thank you to all of you who came to our little studio in the last year or supported us from afar.

Here's hoping for another year filled with laughter, good health, new friendships and shakes (or malts...) from the Delta Diner!

Happy Holidays,

Charmaine, Axel & the AYS Crew

Kicking off the New Year with New Classes

2011-12-19T20:43:02Z

We're very excited to be offering several new drop-in and series-based classes this January and February 2012. (Please note:Many classes start the second week of January given instructor's schedules.)

New Drop-in Classes:

Kettlebell Intervals with Leslie, Tuesdays from 8:30am to 9am ($5)
Pilates Express with Leslie, Tuesdays from 9am to 9:30am ($5)
Belly Dance for Fitness with Allison, Wednesdays from 5:30pm to 6:45pm (starting 1/11)
Gentle Stretch with Sarah, Thursdays from 10:30am to 11:30am
FREE Open Practice with Val, Wednesdays from 7:30am to 8:30am

New SERIES Classes:

Prentatal Yoga: 6wk Series with Charmaine, Thursdays at 7pm starting January 12
Yoga 101: 4wk Series with Sarah, Saturdays at 10:30am starting January 14
Family Yoga and Zumbatomic for Kids
Intro to Meditation with Amy

Download a printable version of our January/February Schedule or check out the weekly schedule online.

Stay tuned for more information about our involvement with "A New Year, A New You" promotion between several local businesses in Ashland as well as our January Home Practice Challenge. We'll be kicking off both promotions the first week of January, 2012.

Yoga 101: 4wk Series Starts Jan 14

2011-12-19T19:51:13Z

Have you ever wanted to try yoga but maybe just a little intimidated to jump right in to a group-based class? Want to find a way to jump start those New Year's resolutions? Or maybe you're just looking for a way to shed all the stress of the holiday season (and maybe some of the sweets consumes, too? :)

This series of 4 classes is a great introduction to yoga and is suitable for new beginners or those looking to revisit the basics. Class will focus on healthy alignment of the poses, breathing techniques and building core strength in a fun and safe environment.

Class will meet at Ashland Yoga Studio (1207 Lake Shore Dr E) on Saturdays, Jan. 14 - Feb. 4 at 10:30-11:30 am. Cost for all 4 classes is $35 and pre-registration is required. We're limiting the size of this class to 14 to ensure that everyone has plenty of space and instructor attention.

Instructor: Sarah Tarkington

Register Now

Prenatal Yoga Returns January 2012

2011-12-18T21:29:11Z

Pregancy is a time when many expecting moms want to find a way to stay in shape through gentle movements or seek techniques for releasing stress and anxiety about the upcoming birth of their child. Yoga is a natural fit.

In this series you will discover how yoga poses and the power of the breath can help strengthen the body & prepare the mind for birth and beyond.

We'll cover techniques to help you:

know what yoga poses are safe and when during your pregnancy
release tension held in the body
relieve any possible anxiety about upcoming birth or bringing your newborn home
strengthen upper back and shoulders in preparation to nurse or bottle feed baby

Suitable for women in any trimester of pregnancy, though some previous experience with yoga is recommended for those who will be starting this series in the later stages of their pregnancy. Pre-registration required.

Thursdays 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Jan. 12 - Feb. 16
Cost: $54
Instructor: Charmaine Swan, certified yoga teacher & mom

Here's what other moms are saying about Prenatal Yoga at AYS:

"Prenatal yoga was a fantastic class and I would recommend it to any expecting mom (first, second, or third time moms!). Charmaine was a great instructor and gave very helpful advice in how to stretch those tight, sore muscles that accompany pregnancy. Taking this class in my third trimester, I needed to make some modifications to the poses, but I don't feel that I got any less from the class than the other moms. Thanks Ashland Yoga Studio for offering such a great class!"

"I really enjoyed this series and it forced me to have some "me" time which can be difficult at times. I learned A LOT of different techniques that I plan to use during labor. Thanks for taking the time to teach this class and being such a wonderful instructor."