15 Oct 2018

AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN’T RELAX IN YOGA?

By: Kim

by: Ashley Van Dyne – Sunnyvale Yoga Manager

You make it to a yoga class. You’re laying down at the end and you’re ready to relax in Savasana, the last resting pose. As you settle in, the teacher tells you in their softest and most reassuring voice to let go, to surrender.

And you do. For about 3 seconds. Then the stream of thoughts begins:

…What am I supposed to be doing here?

…Do they have to drop those weights outside?

…How am I supposed to relax when that is happening?

…What should I have for dinner?

…Oh wait, I’m supposed to quieting my mind! Ok, peaceful mind, relax…and you do–for about 3 seconds before the parade of thoughts begins again.

Sound familiar? If so, you are not alone.

15 Mar 2018

Meet Joshua – PGSV’s Slow Flow Yoga Instructor

By: mcsunnyvale

Who are you? How long have you been part of the PG Family?

My name is Joshua Wise, and I’ve been climbing at PG for just coming up on seven years now. PG is kind of my home for a lot of things — it feels like a second home for climbing, and it feels like home for Yoga, and — we say “climbing, yoga, fitness” here at PG, right? And really, PG is my home for all of these. I started my practice of yoga here at PG, too. I think many members might see me as kind of a fixture here — I’m here most days of the week, except during ski season!

25 Jan 2018

Lift Your Way to a Stronger Climb

By: Kim

Post by Danielle, a personal trainer and fitness instructor in SF

Climbing is a challenging sport. It requires a great deal of technique, strength, flexibility, endurance and power. I see a ton of climbers at our gym who have so much technique and skill – but sometimes, there’s one part of the puzzle that is holding them back from those bigger more challenging climbs.

First off, I want to clear the air about one misconception – just lifting weights will not cause you to get bulky or gain weight (though, if that is your goal, it is possible with the right diet and routine!). With the right choice of reps and weight, an athlete can get stronger, denser muscle but not put get bulky. In turn, having more dense muscle in the body will cause the metabolism to increase – allowing us to burn more calories throughout the day without any additional exercise – which translates to less body fat. So by adding denser muscle – we will get stronger AND we will lose weight! That’s a win-win for our sport!

Most climbers do a lot of upper body PULLING and usually have a good base of slow twitch muscle fibers; the muscle fibers that are necessary for endurance sports like long distance running or yoga. While climbers have exceptionally strong backs and biceps, there are a few exercises we can add to give them an extra edge on their abilities. The movements I’ve found that translate to better power and strength for climbing are those that build fast twitch muscle fibers, improve overhead mobility and increase stability through the core. So let’s get into it. Which exercises are the best compliments for climbers – and WHY should I add them into my training?Read More…

27 Sep 2017

Meet Charlotte – New SF Yin Yoga Instructor

By: Kim

Who are you? What do you teach? Emphasis on a specific type of yoga?

My name is Charlotte. I am a lover and practitioner of many forms of yoga and have been practicing for almost 20 years. I’m so happy to have recently started teaching yin yoga at the vibrant Planet Granite- SF right underneath the iconic Golden Gate Bridge!