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Author: Admin

Posted on by Admin

INTERVIEW WITH TONY RICHARDSON

This month we’re teaming up with NFL Legend Tony Richardson on a Two-Week Fitness Challenge. It’s $49 for two weeks of UNLIMITED Live Stream Classes. If you complete 14 classes in 14 days, we take that money and put it back onto your bodē nyc account as a credit to be used on future classes and packages.

So far more than 70 people have signed up to join Tony on this Two-Week Challenge, including a handful of NFL Legends like Leonard Wheeler, Tim Massaquoi, and fellow Kansas City Chief, Will Shields. Tony is motivating our practitioners daily on social media, and we’re loving his enthusiasm. Have you spotted him yet in the Zoom room? He says he’s going to start doubling up and doing two-a-days by the end of the week.

This past week I had the pleasure of sitting down with Tony to record a podcast-style interview. We hope this gives our community a chance to get to know this incredible human. In addition to being a 17-year NFL veteran, three-time Pro Bowler, and recipient of the Alan Page Community Award… he also happens to be an avid yoga practitioner. He was introduced to the Original Hot Yoga series very early in his career, and he attributes his longevity to the practice. His story is inspiring, and we’re so glad he shared it with us!

INTERVIEW with Tony Richardson

Enjoy this wide-ranging conversation with NFL Legendå Tony Richardson!

There is still time to join the challenge!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

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WHY FITNESS CHALLENGES WORK

We’ve partnered up with NFL Legend, Tony Richardson to launch a Two-Week Fitness Challenge! Kickoff is on November 1st and we’re asking everyone to complete 14 classes in 14 days.

NFL Legend, Tony Richardson

WHY JOIN THE CHALLENGE?

Set an intention, dangle some rewards, commit yourself to the task ahead, and hit the ground running…

Experts have studied just about every aspect of physical fitness, and the one thing they tend to agree on is that Challenges work! It’s why you see so many gyms and fitness studios running them throughout the year, and why we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to run our own. Specifically, there are five key benefits to participating in a Challenge, but they may not be exactly what you’d expect… 

1. SYSTEMS & GOALS

Goal-setting seems to be an important aspect of any Fitness Challenge. In fact, for most people it’s the number one reason they get involved. But a great deal of data has emerged just in the past decade about the realities of goal setting. Noted author and humorist Scott Adams wrote about it in his book, How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, as did James Clear more recently in his New York Times bestseller Atomic Habits. Here’s a brief excerpt from Clear’s book:

Prevailing wisdom claims that the best way to achieve what we want in life—getting into better shape, building a successful business, relaxing more and worrying less, spending more time with friends and family—is to set specific, actionable goals.

For many years, this was how I approached my habits too. Each one was a goal to be reached. I set goals for the grades I wanted to get in school, for the weights I wanted to lift in the gym, for the profits I wanted to earn in business. I succeeded at a few, but I failed at a lot of them. Eventually, I began to realize that my results had very little to do with the goals I set and nearly everything to do with the systems I followed.

The conversation is shifting from being “goals-oriented” to being “systems-oriented,” which is a profound change in the science of achievement!

Scott Adams, creator of the cartoon Dilbert, describes it this way:

Losing ten pounds is a goal (that most people can’t maintain), whereas learning to eat right is a system that substitutes knowledge for willpower.

How many people out there have felt like a failure when they manage to lose only seven pounds instead of the ten that they had committed to? That sense of failure damages us and our future pursuits; more than that, experts believe it’s misplaced. Both Adams and Clear point out that with a “systems-oriented” approach you win in the end EVEN IF you fail at achieving your stated goal.

Why? Because you have done the hard work to assess daily routines, and change the ones that are holding you back. Habits take time to stick, and a 14-Day Challenge like the one we’re running in November is the perfect opportunity to put new systems in place that will serve you better in the long run. 

2. INSIGHTS

Ever notice how athletes are obsessed with their numbers? Batting average, free throw percentage, touchdowns, saves, and more. It’s not just about vanity! In fact, there’s an old saying in business that certainly applies here as well: “What gets measured gets managed.” If athletes want to get better they need a benchmark. How can you break the record for single season touchdown passes if you don’t know what number to beat? (Peyton Manning, by the way, who threw for 55 touchdowns in 2013.) And the same is true with you and your journey. 

So why not use this 14-Day Challenge as an opportunity to track your progress? Perhaps you’ll take before and after pictures? Do you have a fitness tracker like an Apple Watch or Fitbit? Log your workouts, daily steps, and sleep patterns. Perhaps you’ll decide to go one further and track your eating habits. Sometimes it’s difficult to know what’s holding us back until we see the numbers in black and white. 

Finally, why not commit yourself to writing a daily journal entry. Even just ten or fifteen minutes at the end of your day can have a profound impact. Jennifer at Simply + Fiercely says “start simply.” Don’t try to do too much in the beginning. The fact that you’re carving out the time for yourself is reason enough to celebrate.

Still, the blank page can sometimes be overwhelming, so here’s a quick 3-point prompt to give some shape to your daily entries each night. 

1. Reflect on the day and talk about one win (big or small). 

2. Talk about one failure or setback from the day, and something you learned from the experience. 

3. Set an intention for the following day, and outline a couple actionable things you can do to achieve it. 

3. MOTIVATION

Sometimes the embrace of a nice, warm bed is just too hard to resist. You hit the snooze alarm a few too many times, and before you know it you’ve missed your class. We’ve certainly all been there before, and can attest to the regret we all feel when we realize we’ve let ourselves down. But that’s where motivation comes in. 

A Challenge is only as good as the incentive it provides. In our case, anyone who completes the challenge gets their $49 back as a credit on their account. We’re hoping that FREE MONEY will keep you sufficiently motivated for the duration of these two weeks. 

But just in case you need more, here are a few other things to consider: 

    • You’ll be strengthening your practice, and deepening your commitment

    • You’ll be setting new routines that you’ll be able to maintain long after the challenge is over

    • You’ll be learning more about yourself and what you’re capable of

    • You’ll be joining a community of like-minded individuals, inspiring (and being inspired by) others

4. ACCOUNTABILITY

One of the main reasons people never hit their goals (fitness or otherwise) is due to a lack of accountability. It’s also why people so often see results when they start working with personal trainers. The trainer forces you to show up — both for yourself and for them — and consistency has a compounding effect. 

So let this Challenge double as your support system over the next couple of weeks. Be there for each other and find interesting ways to inspire one another. Know someone else in the Challenge? Post a photo to Instagram calling them out, text each other throughout the week, make sure you’re both staying on track. 

You should also plan out your week and make sure you’re setting aside enough time for class each day. Write it down and commit yourself to maintaining a set schedule. And just like we discussed in #2, track your progress over the course of the week. Measuring the results will provide a daily reminder of the hard work you’re putting in. 

4. ACCOUNTABILITY

One of the main reasons people never hit their goals (fitness or otherwise) is due to a lack of accountability. It’s also why people so often see results when they start working with personal trainers. The trainer forces you to show up — both for yourself and for them — and consistency has a compounding effect. 

So let this Challenge double as your support system over the next couple of weeks. Be there for each other and find interesting ways to inspire one another. Know someone else in the Challenge? Post a photo to Instagram calling them out, text each other throughout the week, make sure you’re both staying on track. 

You should also plan out your week and make sure you’re setting aside enough time for class each day. Write it down and commit yourself to maintaining a set schedule. And just like we discussed in #2, track your progress over the course of the week. Measuring the results will provide a daily reminder of the hard work you’re putting in. 

5. TRANSFORMATION

At the end of these two weeks, we want you to feel like you’ve discovered a whole new part of yourself. Not someone new, but rather someone who was hiding. You’re bringing them out into the light, proving to yourself and others just what you’re capable of. There’s an ancient Chinese proverb, famous at this point, that says: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” The same is true with anything that matters in this world. Meaningful change begins with a single decision… a commitment… a plan. 

All we can do is return to the mat.

Day after day.

It is the starting point of all change, both within ourselves and in the world. 

Ready to join the November Challenge?

14 days of UNLIMITED Live Stream Classes for $49

Complete 14 classes in 14 days and we’ll apply that $49 to your bodē nyc account to be used for future classes or packages. Join NFL legend Tony Richardson as he leads us through a two-week Fitness Challenge!

Posted on by Admin

HOT YOGA IN AMERICA

We opened our first studio here in Manhattan in 1999, and at that time, there were only a handful of “hot yoga” studios throughout the United States. Certainly we were the first in New York City — something we take great pride in all these many years later. Over the past two decades we’ve introduced hundreds of thousands of practitioners to the benefits of a consistent hot yoga practice, and have built an incredible community in the process. But there still seems to be much confusion about the difference between “hot yoga” and “Bikram Yoga.”

To set the record straight: All Bikram Yoga is hot, but not all hot yoga is Bikram.

Of course, you may also know Bikram’s yoga by some of its other names including the 26 + 2 Series and Original Hot Yoga.

Bikram Yoga was created, of course, by Bikram Choudhury, who brought his brand of yoga to the US in the 1970’s. But the history of hot yoga in America really begins half a century earlier in India when a man by the name of Bishnu Charan Ghosh opened his Yoga College in Kolkata. The younger brother of Yogananda (“Autobiography of a Yogi”), Ghosh trained hundreds of students throughout his lifetime including one Bikram Choudhury.

Ghosh’s Yoga College opened in 1923, as an institution specializing in yoga therapy. Less a “gym” and more like a “clinic,” attending Ghosh’s Yoga College was similar to going to the doctor for an illness or injury. After an initial assessment, patients (or practitioners) would be prescribed a series of postures (or asanas) to resolve a particular health concern. Much like taking a daily pill, individuals were urged to make their yoga practice part of their daily routine — stretching and strengthening both body and mind.

In time Ghosh became a mentor to Bikram Choudhury. When the young protege declared his intentions to leave India, he said it was to spread the practice of Ghosh’s yoga across the globe. Drawing from the things he’d learned from Ghosh, Bikram laid out a series of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises that when done regularly would work every major muscle, ligament, tendon, and internal organ in the body. Fundamental to its success was the belief that it could help prevent injury and assist in healing the body.

BEYOND INDIA

Bikram’s first stop was Japan, where he found that the temperature was significantly cooler than what he was used to in India. He quickly realized that the heat — something he’d long taken for granted — was an important component of the practice. To solve the problem, space heaters were brought in. This soon became the norm as Bikram’s students discovered the incredible benefits of practicing in a heated room. 

When he eventually came to America, he began teaching at some of the luxury spas in and around Los Angeles and brought his now-famous series with him. These spas were well-attended by many of the biggest names in Hollywood. Famously, this was how he began cultivating a roster of celebrity clients including Shirley MacLaine, who encouraged him to open his own studio. As the popularity of “Bikram’s Yoga” grew, so did his client list including Quincy Jones, Raquel Welch, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Martin Sheen, George Harrison, and more.

CELEBRITY STATUS

During the 70’s and 80’s, Bikram cultivated a celebrity clientele

Bikram’s rise to fame paralleled that of Hot Yoga in America. Before long “hot yoga” became synonymous with “bikram yoga,” which was somewhat appropriate. Before Bikram there really was no such thing as “hot yoga” — unless of course you were practicing in a tropical climate (like India). What he did was insist on heating the studio to a balmy 105 degrees. As we now know, that became a key ingredient to the practice. 

As Bikram Yoga became more and more popular in the US, others started copying his formula. In some instances teachers simply stole his series and gave it a new name; others assumed they could find similar success by teaching their own proprietary sequence in a heated room. But the beauty of the Original 26 + 2 Series — what we now call Original Hot Yoga — is that it was designed for the absolute beginner. It was created with yoga therapy in mind to heal the body and prevent future illness and injury. The specific structure and flow of the class is what we believe makes this practice so popular. Young, old, big, small, healthy, or sick… the practice invites you to participate in whatever way you can today. 

THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING BIKRAM

It bears mentioning at this point that we have worked hard to separate Bikram’s persona from Bikram’s yoga. His trials and misdeeds are well-documented at this point. As a women-led business, we find his behavior unbecoming of a true guru — a betrayal of the trust so many of us put in him. 

From the beginning this company — bodē nyc — has been a privately-owned business, independent of Bikram Choudhury and his Yoga College of India. Aside from the tuition we paid to attend his training, we have never paid any sort of fee or royalty to him. Though not the only reason, his behavior was the catalyst for us changing our name in 2017 from Bikram Yoga NYC to bodē nyc. 

We’re proud of the new path we’ve forged and remain grateful to have a community that trusted us enough to head in this new direction. At the same time though, we believe in the power of the 26 + 2 Yoga Series. In our eyes his actions have little bearing on the yoga he brought to America, and we are committed to providing a home for this practice in New York City.

AUTHENTICITY MATTERS

These days you’ll find thousands of yoga studios across the country offering “hot yoga” classes, but most are not teaching the Original 26 + 2 Series. The question then becomes: what sort of experience are you getting? If it isn’t the official Original Hot Yoga, it’s often difficult to know. The 26 + 2 Series, Bikram’s Yoga, was designed to systematically work the entire body. The simplicity of the postures are compounded by the effects of the heat, which help magnify the benefits. A more challenging sequence allows too much room for injury. 

In the case of hot yoga, less really is more. 

MAINTAINING CONSISTENCY

For many years, aspiring “Bikram” teachers had to get certified by Bikram himself at a 9-week training held out in Los Angeles. (It has moved to different locations over the years, but LA has most often played host.) The beauty of these trainings was the consistency they provided. There was a certain amount of foundational knowledge that was imparted — an understanding of the benefits of the series and how it related to the heat. Practitioners could rest easy knowing their instructor had gone through the same sort of rigorous training that thousands of others had already gone through. 

Given the controversies surrounding Bikram, we no longer recommend this training to practitioners looking to teach this practice. Nor do we require our instructors to get re-certified by Bikram’s organization. There are now several good alternatives around the country, including our own teacher training which we hosted for the first time just last year. The Original Hot Yoga Association (OHYA) was founded just a few years back as a way of providing accountability for our community, and we’re grateful for their ongoing support. They maintain a list of studios authorized to teach the practice, as well as an up-to-date list of teacher trainings around the world. 

All “hot yogas” are not created equal. The Original Hot Yoga Series is time tested, its benefits scientifically proven. As we’ve expanded our class offerings, we have been careful to maintain a strong foundation of Original Hot Yogas classes. It’s what we believe in, and what our practitioners want. Many of our colleagues and competitors have wandered from the original series, and we wish to reaffirm our commitment to this extraordinary yoga practice. 

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Posted on by Admin

10 REASONS TO LOVE BODE-ON-DEMAND

We’re thrilled that so many of you have discovered the new bodē-On-Demand platform and are folding it into your weekly routine! The response these past few weeks has been incredible so we wanted to share a few reasons why we know you’ll love it:

#1 – A GROWING LIBRARY

From the start we set out to create a robust library of content that would capture the passion and experience you’ve come to expect from bodē nyc. Already there are dozens of videos on the site: classes, mini-workouts, clinics, meditations, and more. Best of all, new content is being added each and every week! 

#2 – EXPERIENCED TEACHERS

Georgia Balligian, John Salvatore, Lesley Klose, Olivia Anselmo, Max Kantor, Stephanie Sladkus, Dionne Monsanto, Blayne Zucker, and bodē nyc founders, Donna Rubin & Jen Lobo. These are some of the most experienced, sought-after teachers in the world and you’ll find them all on this platform.

#3 – BEAUTIFUL HD FOOTAGE 

Before we shot anything, we knew our videos had to capture the energy and passion of the practice, and so we challenged ourselves to do just that. bodē-On-Demand subscribers will find a library full of beautiful HD footage, with some of the most experienced teachers in the world. You’ll feel like they’re right there in the room with you. 

#4 – UNLIMITED ACCESS

Change your mind in the middle of pranayama breathing? Stop the class and find another. Want to take back-to-back classes? Go for it. Need a post-yoga ab-workout? You got it! A subscription to bodē-On-Demand grants you unlimited access to the platform. 

#5 – ANYTIME, ANYWHERE

We launched bodē-On-Demand to help serve our community during this difficult time. Many of you were having trouble fitting our Live Stream classes into your schedule as you juggled work, kids, dinner, and more. Now there’s a way to supplement your practice when the day gets away from you. Log on, pick a class, and hit play… you can literally take class anytime, anywhere.

#6 – GET THE KAJABI APP

bodē-On-Demand is hosted on a platform called Kajabi. Once you sign up for the service, you can go DOWNLOAD THE KAJABI APP and sign in using the e-mail address you used to start your bodē-On-Demand account. You’ll then have access to everything right there on your smartphone!

#7 – LOW PRICE & ZERO COMMITMENT

For less than the price of one class, you get an entire library that allows you to maintain your practice when it’s convenient for you. Of course, we hope you’ll stick with us forever, but if you change your mind, you can cancel at any time. 

#8 – BONUS CONTENT

Let’s take a second to talk about the extra goodies you’ll find on the platform. Quick tips, posture clinics, and mini-workouts all meant to bring you deeper into the practice. Often during class there just isn’t enough time to talk about every little aspect of a posture, so we’ve created a space for our teachers to provide further instruction. 

#9 – GUIDED MEDITATIONS 

Over the past six months we’ve been offering free guided Yoga Nidra meditations via Live Stream, and they’ve been such a hit that we wanted to expand our offerings. As we sketched out a structure for bodē-On-Demand, we knew that meditation would be a key piece to the platform.

#10 – SUPPORT FOR THE STUDIOS

There’s no easy way to say this, but it’s a challenging time for us as a small privately-owned business. Studios all over the city are closing permanently in the wake of this pandemic, and we need your support now more than ever. A subscription to bodē-On-Demand is a great way to show your support.

Help us reach 1,000 subscribers by the end of 2020.

JOIN NOW
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QUARANTINE SELF CARE

We’ve been homebound for months now…

And it’s really starting to register how important it is to establish a daily routine. Easier said than done, of course. But worth the effort. Giving your days some sort of structure helps create a sense of normalcy and comfort. In fact, back in March 2019 (nearly a year before the Covid-19 shutdown) National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) published a comprehensive article on the subject written by Katherine R. Arlinghaus, MS, RD and Craig A. Johnston, PhD. They argued that establishing routines and habits was at the heart of all meaningful change.

That is no different now.

And so we’re sharing some simple self-care tips to keep the positive energy flowing while you’re social distancing:

DAILY INTENTION:

Wake up each day with a purpose. Even if your world has been turned upside down, you have the ability to control how you react to those changes. Establish a simple mantra or intention that you can focus on throughout the day. It can be something as simple as “I’m going to think of something that makes me smile” or “I’m going to reach out to one person every day to say hello.”

ESTABLISH ROUTINES

We know! Your world has been turned upside down. It’s difficult enough to get dinner on the table before 9pm some nights. Accept the new normal, and find a way to establish some new routines. Even something as simple as making your bed, or getting showered and dressed before breakfast can help put your day on the right track. If you’re working from home, commit yourself to keeping regular hours. If you’re currently unemployed, set aside a chunk of each day to bettering yourself through education or networking or yoga (!!) or whatever.

NOTICE YOUR BREATHING

Set a timer on your phone so it buzzes once every hour. Let this be a reminder to breathe! When the timer goes off, stop whatever it is you’re doing, close your eyes, and take 3 deep breaths. You’d be amazed how effective this can be in lowering anxiety, and improving your outlook. (P.S. – this is a great habit to carry with you when normal life resumes.)

STAY HYDRATED

Us yogis know all about hydration, and are often the ones chiding our friends and family about getting enough water throughout the day. But without the hot room reminding us, it’s all too easy to forget. Remember to drink plenty of water.

EAT WELL

Obvious, perhaps… but all too easy to ignore. Especially now that we’re trapped inside, our metabolism may be shifting. Without a steady workout routine and the rigors of regular daily life, our bodies are stuck coping with the reality of our new output. Most of us aren’t burning as many calories as we had been, which means we also need to be aware of your input. Take the time to plan out your meals throughout the week, and don’t forget to try out new recipes. A few sites to explore:

  • Diversity Kitchen – bodē practitioner Danielle Ginét Alex is a chef/yogi/blogger who shares her incredible recipes on her
  • Health Chef Lindsey – fitness-focused, professionally-trained chef who incorporates “superfoods” in most of her recipes. Seasonally-focused recipes to spice up mealtime.

GET A PLANT

This may sound silly, but studies have shown that nurturing houseplants bring people a greater sense of empathy and compassion. By shifting the focus from yourself it allows you to consider a larger world. It’s all too easy to spiral inward, but remember — we’re all in this together. Being responsible for keeping a plant alive may just do the trick.

LEARN A NEW SKILL

How many of your friends have taken to showing off their new skills on social media? It’s a thing, and scientists agree that it’s a good thing. It really doesn’t matter what it is, but give yourself permission to try something new. Try your hand at sourdough… start a juice cleanse… learn a new language… try an online course… whatever it is, give over to it 100% and commit to the journey.

STAY CONNECTED

We find ourselves at this amazing time in history. Covid-19 is forcing all of us to maintain social distancing norms, but technology is keeping us connected. Set up regular FaceTime meetups with family and friends. Schedule Zoom Happy Hours every week or so. Pick up the phone, send a text, whatever you can do. Remember: we are all dealing with the same thing. Sometimes a friendly voice is just what the doctor ordered.

STAY ACTIVE

Being stuck inside doesn’t mean you can’t take an hour for yourself. bodē nyc is offering a full schedule of Live Stream classes throughout the week, plus additional classes available with an On-Demand Subscription. Original Hot Yoga, HIIT 50, Yin Yoga, and Vinyasa Flow… all right in the convenience of your living room. You can learn more about our Live Stream Schedule HERE, and subscribe to bodē-On-Demand bodē-On-Demand HERE.

  • If you’re working from home, try to maintain your regular work hours.
  • Go for a walk outside (while keeping at least 6 feet away from others).
  • Listen to music.
  • Keep up with your favorite podcasts (or discover new ones).

GET PLENTY OF SLEEP

While we all know this, how many of us are actually sticking to it? A good night’s sleep is an antidote for so much of what’s ailing us. Listen to your body, and take the time to recharge.

This quarantine is affecting our work/life balance as well as our parenting. Do not let self care be lost on you at this time. Lean on those closest to you and do the same for them. We will get through this, and come out the other side better than ever.

Posted on by Admin

5 TIPS FOR CREATING A HOT ROOM AT HOME

At bodē nyc we believe in a consistent hot yoga practice.

Heat is one of the key tenets of the practice, which of course poses certain challenges at a time like this. Covid-19 has upended our lives and forced us inside. Many of us are stuck at home juggling kids, dogs, work, chores, dinner, and more. Carving out the time and space for your practice is challenging enough. How can we be expected to replicate the effects of a heated yoga studio?

Not easy to do in a New York City apartment. But we took some time to talk with our teachers and loyal practitioners to get their advice, and we came up with 5 simple tips.

  1. Find the smallest room you have that still gives you enough room to practice.

  2. Take a hot shower just before before class starts.

  3. Layer your clothing, and consider ordering yourself a SAUNA SUIT.

  4. Use a space heater. We recommend THIS ONE.

  5. You can also use a humidifier. BONECO consistently gets raves.

Of course, we ask you to use your best judgement when outfitting your home. The safety and well-being of our practitioners is paramount.

Many of us assumed this shutdown would retreat as quickly as it arrived, but that is simply not the case. New York State still has not given us any idea when gyms and fitness studios may be allowed to open, and so now is the perfect time to invest in your at-home setup. Plus with our Live Stream and On Demand classes it’s never been easier to practice with us.

For more information about our Live Stream schedule, CLICK HERE.

To learn more about bodē-On-Demand, CLICK HERE.