YOGA TRACEY UNBOUND
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT CUNNINGHAM
YOGA BY TRACEY GARDNER
There are so many different types of yoga that people often aren’t even clear about what yoga is anymore. Its popularity generated spin-offs that may obfuscate its message and frustrate adherents to traditional practice. For some, yoga is reduced to the status of just another exercise program that has been watered down, reduced to cliches and sold on DVD. In other contexts, yoga is presented as a cult religion of meditation, aimed at attracting “devotees” who “OHM” in lotus pose. Others developed new ways of sharing their profound yoga experiences with different audiences. I count myself amongst this last group…and am so proud to do so.
Fundamentally, yoga defines itself as a science; a practical, methodical and systematic discipline or set of techniques. Yoga is the union of the body and mind, finding balance between both is its ultimate belief. The pursuit of infinite potentials of discipline and strength, both mentally and physically, is what I buy into.
My practice evolved over a decade into a liberal and personal extrapolation from this foundation that does not leave the self behind. It is from here that my yoga practice takes off, also taking my students with me. Students of traditional yoga who join my classes recognize the emphasis on vinyasas, or linking of breath and movement together. Mine is an interpretation that is explosively energetic, athletic and fun. The best part: The Tracey Gardner Method is suitable for beginners and yogis alike.
Some yoga experts disagree with my interpretations of listening to my body and my music at the same time, or the shared energy of the class community while individuals channel their own life forces. I respect that. Their practices are not for me, just as my classes may not be for everybody.
My practice is for people who want a vigorous workout in the form of great physical challenges of endurance, strength and flexibility. A dynamic routine is key to bringing every member of a class closer to achieving their goals, be those goals physical, mental and, perhaps, even social. The potential is infinite.
When people hear about my yoga classes, they assume that in order to participate, they need to be able to touch their toes, chant or wrap their bodies into pretzels. Those skills don’t hurt – if you do them right – but my approach to yoga is an enduring one that considers people of all fitness levels and beliefs. Most importantly, my classes are not about competition with classmates. Participants listen to their own bodies. Together we build our own strength and endurance through a series of moves including, yes, Sun Salutations. This series of postures – incorporating bends with breathing into a literal “salute to the sun” – is a cornerstone of yoga that new students may, or may not, recognize from their practices with other teachers.
My classes are practiced at a very rapid pace. Individuals who like to sweat and aren’t afraid to let go fare well. The breathing and movements in this power vinyasa yoga-based class help to heat the body. Not only do participants see expected improvements in their breathing and balance, but by burning hundreds of calories, they get dramatic results that blast fat and sculpt every muscle.
My goal is to make each and every class different. One way is by incorporating my love for music, a love that I found I share with many of my students. The music I play is not typically associated with yoga. My playlists vary and include everything from Madonna and Kanye West to Nine Inch Nails, Muse and Radiohead. I develop different playlists for each class. It gets my passion going for a great yoga workout. The order of the music is designed to flow with the warm up, work phase and cool down of class.
Class always begins with centering the self, finding the breath and engaging the core. Then we add gradually – pose after pose – to an hour of flowing from one to the next. Each muscle is warmed before the rapid and detoxifying process starts. I use a lot of the same poses, blending them together in different series to give each muscle group time to fatigue, rest and restore for more. Participants will do more than one hundred yoga push ups in every class, and if someone can’t (yet), it’s no big deal.
Yoga should not be a competition. It’s about having fun. I do not believe in pushing students into anything that is uncomfortable for their bodies, including inversions, which can be alarming for their minds. I promote taking breaks whenever needed, grabbing water or even just taking deep breaths and checking yourself at your own discretion.
I love classes when everyone is doing poses at different levels, because no individual’s body is the same as another’s. It excites me to see students progress by advancing or taking on new poses because I can see what their bodies are saying to them. I practice and talk through each and every class because I like to feel what my students are feeling. I am inspired completely by my students, each and every one of them.
My students are diverse, ranging from moms and daughters, men and women, athletes and coaches, physicians, college students, CEOs and corporate America. That’s one thing I love. Not one person is the same and everyone has a different body, yet everyone who tries, and tries his or her best, can get something out of yoga.
Feedback from my students, positive or negative, inspires me to make that next class even more energetic and exciting. Positive energy is a complete reward, not only in my classes but also in my life. Negative energy zaps everything out of me and, in the past, has drained my passion for teaching. As a yoga instructor and as a practitioner, I have learned what to accumulate and what to hold dear, and also of what negative things or people to rid myself. That is what guides me on this amazing journey.
Namasté.
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