It’s been about three months since we started out the year with new personal goals—the best of intentions to improve our lives and better ourselves—and made the sincerest of vows that "This year things will finally be different!"
The New Year’s resolution. It's a time-honored tradition that gives us hope for the future but inevitably seems doomed to failure. Too often—and often not too long after the Times Square ball drops—the promises once uttered with such conviction become misplaced goals of the past.
Losing weight, getting fit and reducing stress are among the top pledges Americans make to better themselves each year.
Fitness experts say the most common excuse for not exercising is a lack of time.
Overbooked schedules often cause exercise goals to fall by the wayside, an issue most people have experienced. Unfortunately, this is not limited to the post-New Year’s world. It's part of everyday life.
Nobody understands the conundrum of balancing life and fitness more than Wendy Kopitsch, a Capital region yoga instructor who brings yoga to the office, forcing employees to ditch the “I don’t have time!” song and dance.
Cubicle to MatFounder of
Wendyoga, Kopitsch’s philosophy takes a unique approach to bring the practice of yoga to the masses. Kopitsch developed Wendyoga based on the idea that yoga can be practiced in any setting and can be structured to suit any skill level and lifestyle.
“Most people find that it gets harder and harder to find the time to commit to exercising,” says Kopitsch. “The great thing about yoga is that it can be done in places other than typical yoga centers.”
Wendyoga offers on-site yoga classes to businesses looking to encourage employees stay fit, motivated and relieve stress. Kopitsch bases classes on each businesses’ needs, both in terms of location, scheduling and class regimen. The classes are often right within the workplace, and Wendy caters sessions to a client’s personal or group schedules.
“I always start with a one-time trial for groups so they are able to see what it’s all about before committing to anything,” says Kopitsch. "And hopefully they will like it and continue to offer classes."
If this seems like a unique concept in the Capital region, that’s because it is.
Office-based classes are often available in cities and inside progressive tech companies like
Google or
Apple. Locally, most companies that offer exercise programs host fitness seminars rather than offering traveling exercise programs.
Wendy’s clientele list relies mainly on word-of-mouth, which thus far, has included offices within government, finance, local schools and athletic teams.
Clients with ClassesLansing-based
Public Sector Consultants initially decided to offer yoga classes to help bring worksite wellness into focus, according to Senior Policy Fellow Suzanne Miel-Uken.
Miel-Uken is one of several yoga practitioners on the office’s staff, which helped them to catch word of Wendyoga through another instructor.
“Having a yoga class within the workday gives you a new charge with a very calming effect at the same time. You’re relaxed but you’re productive, too,” says Miel-Uken.
Kopitsch notes that people should realize that yoga is not about flexibility, but about the mind-body connection and methodology behind the historical practice. As a result, people who practice yoga within the office setting receive the same stress-relieving benefits that a vigorous yoga class would offer.
Offices choose yoga specifically because it has been known to keep employees healthy and productive by reducing the number of sick days accrued, lowering health care costs and improving mental and physical health.
“I gear sessions towards desk sitters with a lot of relaxation, stationary exercises, and I always try to include a guided relaxation at the end of class which a lot of people say is their favorite part,” says Kopitsch.
Lonn Hamp of
Hamp, Mathews and Associates, Inc., believes in the yoga-health connection as well. Located in Bath, the company began sending employees complaining of stress and back or muscle pains to Kopitsch.
“Stress is an issue for most people, and I’ve always felt that yoga would be an interesting way to do it because it focuses on stretching your body but also helps with other things, like mindset,” says Hamp.
Personalized PracticeKopitsch likes to describe her classes as “teaching to the individual, even in a group setting.” According to Hamp, Wendy gives individual attention to each employee in order to maximize each person’s success rate.
“Wendy interviewed everyone for a personal history and has been working on a personalized routine for each person that they can practice on their own time, because once a week isn’t enough,” says Hamp. "She’s developing those for everyone, so they can do it on their own time, too."
Hamp’s staff currently has a high participation rate, which is a result of the office’s attempt to make sure they offer enough classes. The company covers the full cost for employees to participate in the yoga sessions, which take place during work hours.
Not all clients, however, are as generous with health benefits. Many ask employees to pay for their own sessions, or offer their classes at the workplace but not during work hours.
Regardless of the arrangement, Kopitsch works with clients to develop a class plan that’s suitable for the specific office. As positive feedback and popularity increase, companies often consider covering the costs as they realize the benefits of bringing yoga to the workplace.
When she’s not hosting group yoga sessions, Kopitsch also works at East Lansing’s Center for Yoga. She has been an instructor for more than six years, and received her 500-hour, Advanced Teacher Training Certificate from the
American Viniyoga Institute.
“I think it’s easier to become successful when you’re doing something you love,” Kopitsch said. “That’s where I’m at right now with Wendyoga.”
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Elizabeth Hoyt is a periodic Capital Gains contributor. She can be reached
here.
Dave Trumpie is the managing photographer for Capital Gains. He is a freelance photographer and owner of Trumpie Photography.
Photos:
Wendy Kopitsch’s Wendyoga class at TechSmith
All Photographs © Dave Trumpie