If you're anything like me, your weekly fitness classes are a huge part of your routine. They keep me fit, healthy, and sane. Honestly, these classes help my mental health stay in tip-top shape just as much as they help my physical health.
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, gyms and fitness studios are facing temporary closure. Yes, this means my personal routine is thrown a curveball, but this also means the wellness industry is one of many that is looking at unemployment and hardship. Do I miss my Monday spin class? Of course. But do the wellness professionals whose worlds were flipped upside down have a lot more to overcome than a slight change of routine? Absolutely. Thankfully, if anyone can prove the ultimate flexibility, it's the wellness industry.
I'm talking to wellness professionals to learn how COVID-19 has impacted their lives, as well as how they're adjusting how they teach to make quarantine a little healthier for all of us. Today, I chatted with Sarah Randall, a certified yoga instructor in New York City.
What do you teach?
I teach vinyasa yoga at Y7 in NYC. I've been teaching at Y7 for two and a half years, but I've been teaching yoga for the last four years.
Why did you start teaching?
I was drawn into teacher training because I loved the community I was building just as a student! I knew how refreshed, strong and clear-headed the practice made me feel and wanted to share it with everyone who would listen.
I was working full time in advertising at the time but felt this undertow that was pushing me in the direction of teaching and decided to follow it to see where I'd end up. Needless to say, I couldn't be more grateful to be sharing a practice that is accessible to everyone and has the ability to change your life (I know it sounds woo woo, but it really can)!
What do you love most about teaching?
The community. Especially in a place like New York where we're constantly looking ahead to the next activity, meeting or train to catch, it's imperative that we build a community together. I feel like such a proud mom when I come out of a class and see students waiting for the next one talking and getting to know each other. Who wouldn't want to go to a class where the teacher knows your name and you've become friends with other regulars who take the class? That's my mentality and I take pride in getting to know my students and helping facilitate a community that is encouraging, uplifting and genuine.
What is the current state of your studio?
Right now all studios are closed, which means my weekly yoga classes are canceled. You know how you don't really believe how serious things really are until something happens to you? Once the studios closed, I realized the severity of the situation and that everything was going to change even after we are able to get out of isolation. Y7 is my home (and still is), but with the physical locations shut down it has been a big adjustment.
What virtual classes are you offering? How can people find those classes?
I'm teaching yoga classes on IG Live throughout the week! You can find classes and my schedule on my Instagram @sarahlindsrandall. I've been teaching 45-minute yoga classes focused on strength, flexibility, and mobility! I save a few of them on IGTV so if you can't make it to the live class, you can still flow.
If IG Live classes aren't your thing, I also am teaching small private classes and one-on-one yoga classes through Zoom so it is more personal! You can message me on Instagram to set it up!
What is your biggest takeaway regarding COVID-19?
I've learned a lot throughout this experience, but the biggest takeaway is that we all need to take a moment of pause to reflect on how we've been living our lives up until this point. This goes beyond movement and into eating habits, relationships, how we spend our time, and what our values are.
I can't think of a better use of this time than to take time to reflect on what it means to be you. We can tend to go autopilot through days, weeks and months and this is a forced timeout to step back and actually choose how we're going to go about the days, weeks and months.
This all ties back into why I love to teach. We're all learning about who we are so we can better show up for our community. Teaching virtually has reinforced how strong our community is when we can lift each other up and show support however we can.
What long-term affects do you see COVID-19 having on the wellness industry?
We talk a lot about self-care, but I don't know if we actually prioritize it and put it into action. I think when we move forward into the next phase of our lives after isolation we'll see a lot of people rethinking the way they spend their time. That means prioritizing movement, getting outside, eating nourishing foods and developing meaningful relationships with friends and family. I think there will be more community-building experiences (or at least I hope so) and people coming together to lift each other up because we've gone through the same world crisis.
What is one thing you want the world to know about the wellness industry, especially in light of COVID-19?
We are here for you! There are countless trainers, coaches and teachers jumping out of their comfort zones to bring you content to help you adapt to this new normal. That being said, your favorite instructors are probably all out of jobs right now with no end in sight with physical locations being closed, so do your best to support them! This crisis has left no industry untouched, so we are working hard to make sure you feel supported through movement and community! If you can't afford to financially support your favorite instructors, send your appreciation through DMs and share our classes on social media and with your friends. We need each other!
If you are a wellness professional interested in sharing your story, please email lily.moe@theodysseyonline.com.
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