My visit: January 25, 2012
Suite 302, 3rd Level, 3 Brixton Street
Kapitolyo, Pasig
377 YOGA/ 661 YOGA/ 0917881 YOGA
Mon- Fri: 6:30 am - 9:00 pm
Sat : 8:00 am - 5:30 pm
I was invited by Bheng & Michelle to try Flexibility Not Required (FNR), one of the four yoga classes taught in Urban Ashram Manila. The other three are Vinyasa Flow, Ashtanga and Hatha.
Urban Ashram Manila is a full service center with a pool of highly-qualified Yoga Alliance- registered teachers offering a wide variety of yoga classes on regular schedules.
Since I have stopped practicing yoga a long time ago, I was ecstatic to try out this newly- opened studio. It was far from my place so I just went and hitched a ride with Michelle. We were only asked to bring a towel. I asked "No mat?" Soon, I learned that everything is provided for including towel- of course, for a small fee of PhP40.
my triangle pose; photo credit: MyMom-Friday
Flexibility Not Required is a yoga revolution and Ashram's Signature. Developed by Marc Macadaeg, FNR classes teach the basics and foundations of yoga. Class sequencing is built around the sun salutations and is geared towards building internal heat to warm up your body and gradually and intelligently opening your body up in order to make more challenging poses easier to understand and more accessible, building a lot of cardiovascular endurance, strength and increasing your range of motion.
We had a short introduction and briefing before we took the class. There were only four of us in this special class. I learned that I am the only one who has practiced yoga before. All three were beginners.
“There is a misperception that only flexible people can do yoga when in fact, they can build their flexibility through the regular practice of yoga,” says Dr. Ngo. “The flipside to that is, of course, strength. A well-balanced practice should make you both more flexible and stronger than ever before.”
Ok, the photo above didn't just happen ; p Look below lol
with Marc Macadaeg, our instructor that afternoon
I knew Marc because we used to practice in the same studio. He was one of the best yoga students in our class. I was not surprised that he runs a yoga studio now.
Marc Macadaeg is the Director for Teacher Development at the Urban Ashram Manila.
owners and yoga teachers at Urban Ashram Manila
this is my yoga mat
Except for my Klean Kanteen water bottle, everything else was laid out in front of me.
part of the FNR series of poses
Our FNR class lasted for 60 minutes. For the first few minutes, I was not sweating at all. A little later, my sweat trickled down the side of my face. I can feel my body heating up as I do the series of poses. Long time practitioners will not get bored because there are several variations. According to our instructor, beginners will soon have the needed strength and flexibility to join the other 3 classes.
reception
Kenneth Cobunpue furniture and lighting pieces
specialty boutique
Carrying the design philosophy, furniture and lighting pieces by Kenneth Cobonpue, the Ashram is environment-friendly with its engineered hardwood sprung floors, high ceiling, and use of natural ventilation. It has four studios, shower and locker rooms, and a specialty boutique.
hallway
one of the four interconnecting studios
The first environmentally-friendly studio registered with the Green Yoga Association, Urban Ashram Manila offers four generous individual studios with over 200-sqm of studio space, which could fit an intimate group of 15 to a full class of up to 60 students simultaneously.
Aside from having no mirror inside the room, the other thing that bothered me during the practice was the noise coming in from the outside. It drowned the voice of the yoga instructor.
toilet
shower area
locker
our group of four together with the owners of Urban Ashram Manila
Here is the good news! I have a one (1) month unlimited pass that I cannot use so I am raffling it off to one of my readers!
Mechanics:
1. Share this post in FaceBook and/ or Twitter. Please tag me and Urban Ashram Manila (FB only) in the process.
2. Leave your complete name (name on your ID), email and FB/ Twitter link at the comment section of this post.
3. Only those who can personally attend the yoga classes can join. No proxy allowed. Identification card shall be presented together with email notification.
Address:
Urban Ashram Manila
Suite 302, 3rd Level, 3 Brixton Street
Kapitolyo, Pasig
377 YOGA/ 661 YOGA/ 0917881 YOGA
4. One winner will win one (1) month unlimited pass worth PhP4, 500 from MrsMartinez's Raves & Rants and Urban Ashram Manila.
5. Giveaway will run from February 20- 28, 2012. Winner will be announced within the week.
6. Winner will be chosen via random.org
Good luck!
Winner is Marie Geraldine R. Mesina Congratulations! You will receive an email from me for the instructions on how to claim your one (1) month pass.
Thank you for joining! Korean giveaway is next!
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