It’s the perfect way to wind down after a busy day of work, or just when you’ve been having a shit time of it. Connecting with yourself through movement is something I took for granted, but now I’m hooked.
I want to preface this piece with the fact that I’ve never been particularly bendy. Even as a very tall, lanky, gawky teenager, my toes were always out of reach. But when Centr offered me the opportunity to try out their new Align program with Pilates instructor Sylvia Roberts and Elsa Pataky’s own yoga instructor Tahl Rinsky, I jumped at it.
I’ve been a reformer devotee but being in New York in a pandemic where fitness studios have only just opened after over a year of closure, I was rusty, to say the least.
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The good news about this new program on the Centr app is that is totally accessible for beginnings (and those returning to the practice like myself).
“I really hope that this program will build, more than anything, is confidence to just get on a mat and to stop hearing people say ‘Oh, I’m really not flexible, I must not be good at yoga’,” said Risnky at the end of our 30-minute session.
“Yoga is not just for flexible people, it’s a practice designed to still the mind through moving the body.
All I needed for the evening’s class was a mat, water bottle and comfortable clothes. I asked my dog if she wanted to join in the class with me, but she thought it was a better use of her time to occasionally lick my face while I was lying in a bridge pose working those glutes. Ahh, the joys of working out from home.
Each pose Rinsky and Roberts took us through were super doable but not without their challenges. Both teachers are excellent guides so even though the class wasn’t in person (it was on Zoom, 2021 hey?), I felt supported with clear instructions and encouragement.
There’s such a feeling of zen after doing yoga or Pilates and you can see why Pataky loves it so much. It’s rejuvenating, calming, and totally addictive.
“Learning how to stretch my muscles through yoga and Pilates has truly transformed my body and given me a way to find calm even amongst the busiest days,” she said.
“Anyone can feel the benefits of a regular yoga and Pilates practice and committing to a program is a great way to get started. Once you’ve done your first workout with Tahl or Sylvia you’ll be excited to roll out your mat the next day and keep going.”
Am I hooked? Almost certainly.
Centr’s Align program includes four classes over four weeks and is available on the app now.
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