Stretching into its second year, the yoga club is now offering a consistent schedule of morning and evening classes, led by sophomore Kody Richards, the club’s newest president.
What began as a casual interest in the exercise, eventually earned Richards a teaching certification from her local studio in Washington.
“When I turned 16, I decided I wanted to do yoga one day,” Richards said. “I saw that a studio near me had a class the next morning, and I just started going. The first class was actually a hot yoga class, and it was way too intense. But I kept going and learning more. During my senior year of high school, I got certified.”
Richards works closely with health instructor Leah Novak, who is also the club’s adviser. She oversees weekly schedules, steps in when needed, and even hosts monthly yoga workshops to further educate yogis.
“The yoga club offers students an opportunity to pause, reconnect with themselves, and rest,” Novak said. “As a society, we spend far too much time enslaved to schedules, to-do lists, and the constant barrage of technology. The yoga club offers students a chance to get out of their heads, move their bodies, and reset.”
According to the John Hopkins Medicine blog, yoga can not only help patients manage stress but also ease pain for those struggling with chronic conditions like arthritis and insomnia. The American College of Physicians recommends yoga as a first-line treatment for people struggling with back pain.
“Yoga helps anyone become a more resilient person, welcoming them wherever they are at,” Novak said. “You do not have to be strong or flexible to take yoga. You do not have to make it rigorous or spiritual.”
The American Institute of Stress reports that 61% of college students seek counseling for problems related to anxiety, depression, academic performance, and other stressors.
Yoga does not have to be the cure-all for students facing mental and physical health problems,. It can aid in the management of those issues and can also be a form of exercise without the spiritual components often associated with yoga, according to Richards.
“I just like yoga,” Richards said.
“Part of yoga’s physical practice is to help you sit for long periods of time. So as students, and personally as a Christian, learning to sit for long periods of time is so valuable, like when you’re sitting in class or in prayer.”
The yoga club offers classes geared to no level in particular, making it an experience that is open to all students.
This semester, yoga club classes run Monday and Wednesday mornings from 7-7:45 a.m. and Monday evenings from 7-8 p.m. Additional yoga classes offered by Novak are Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 6-6:30 a.m. and Wednesday evenings from 6-7 p.m. All classes are held in the upstairs fitness rooms of the Sports Complex. You can sign up for updates by emailing Kody Richards at krichards@hillsdale.edu or by following the club’s page on Instagram: @hillsdaleyoga.
“My first experience was a lot better than expected,” junior Gabby Lewis said after her first class. “Kody did an amazing job walking everyone through the stretches and exercises. She even offered suggestions when I was struggling with a particular pose. I will be going again.”
