Being on a road trip is really hard work.
I mean, it’s a non-stop schedule of checking out new places, seeing the sights, going out to eat, moving in and out of hotels, trading in different rental cars, kicking butt with Foursquare check-ins, vlogging all the fun stuff, and of course, lots and LOTS of driving.
So I thought it would be a good idea if we got out of our roadie rut by exerting some energy through Yoga. I have been a big fan since my good friend Alison taught me how to practice. And since she is from San Diego, I thought I would reach out to the place where she took her instructor training and get the Fox Road Trip Team into a class.
Prana Yoga Studio is a Vinyasa Flow Yoga studio in La Jolla, the icing community on the cake city of San Diego, California. In addition to many levels and types of classes, Prana offers two levels of Yoga Teacher Training taught by Gerhard Gessner, Founder and Director of the business.
As it turned out, the Power Vinyasa class fit our schedule perfectly!
We showed up 15 minutes early, excited to get our stretch on, and were greeted by a lovely receptionist who we thought for sure was our teacher. ”You’ll be practicing with Ingrid today.” she corrected.
Ingrid — that sounds like a whip-your-butt-into-shape type of name. Foreshadowing? I think so.
We were very grateful for the array of yoga supplies that Prana had to offer for borrow. Mats, blocks, straps, you name it. Great for travelers who don’t have room in their suitcase for a yoga mat.
After finding our preferred spots in the studio (in the back row, close to a wall), Ingrid walked in. She noticed us in our Fox Road Trip tees and her eyes lit up. ”I’ve heard about you and I’m so glad to meet you!” She was so sweet, expressing genuine interest in our trip and what level of yoga we felt we were at on a personal level.
How bad could this be? I thought, especially since Ali had taught me much of what she learned at this very same studio.
Just when I thought we were special, Ingrid looked around the room for more participants who were not her regulars. She was just as excited and engaged when chatting with other noobs in the class. You could tell how seriously she took each students experience level and current injuries so she could accommodate through her instruction. I was impressed, for sure.
Ingrid got started and I quickly realized a few things:
- I hadn’t practiced in more than 6 months and forgotten most of the Yogi language.
- This was not an instructional class where you can visually follow the instructor’s lead, as she is mostly moving around the room watching and making corrections.
- They call it Power Vinyasa for a reason.
- When I’m perspiring from areas I’ve never seen perspire before, I can’t recall my right from left.
As difficult as I make it sound, I knew we were learning from the best. San Diegan Yogis know what they’re doing, especially at Prana Studio. While strenuous and difficult, the instruction from Ingrid was great for working your body to its fullest potential of flexibility and strength – which of course requires consistency and practice.
All four of us really busted our rears to finish. I’m most impressed with Nick who had NEVER practiced yoga and had to learn a lot, extremely fast. Even though it was one of our more challenging adventures, we were all really happy we went. We even had a nice amount of energy throughout the rest of day, which came in handy for the drive to Phoenix later in the day. Click here to check out a little video coverage from our visit.
If you live in or visit San Diego, do yourself a favor and visit Prana Yoga Studio. Your body will thank you for it.
Nick, Lauren, and I post-Yoga (once again... obviously) posing in "Tree" with the lovely Ingrid
About the Author: Amy Schmittauer is currently on a road trip sponsored by Fox Rent A Car. She is a freelance social media consultant, blogger, and copywriter from Columbus, Ohio. Her true passion lies with video production and vlogging, originating from the influence of the many inspiring personalities of Youtube. You can find her videos at Savvy Sexy Social for advice on implementing social media for your business, and on Schmittastic for personal experiences and all the footage from the#FoxRoadTrip.
