Local yoga guru, Andrea Jensen came on Good Things Utah for Fitness Friday to talk about the benefits of yoga. While the thought of yoga may seem intimidating at first, Jensen  says we have nothing to fear and that  yoga is appropriate and advantageous for people of all ages, genders, and sizes. 

What most people may not realize is that there are many different styles of yoga. The ones mentioned by Jensen include Hatha, Iyengar, Bikram, and Vinyasa yoga, which is the most common method. Jensen started the yoga session explaining and demonstrating Chaturanga, a pose that is similar to a push up. Jensen says if necessary you can bend the knees. Taking your time and going slow can help perfect the postures and help feel the burn. “It’s that slowing down aspect that helps you just regroup. It helps you reset.” said Jensen. “You’re working through breathing techniques, in and out through the nose one. You can do alternate nostril breathing. There’s dozens, dozens  and dozens of breathing techniques. You usually get a theme in your yoga class. You’re thinking about being more mindful, you’re thinking about being more generous. Different kinds of things you can set your focus to.” Jensen also showed GTU her favorite stretches that she suggests we do daily, which helps our bodies feel better, especially after a long road trip.

Jensen currently is a yoga instructor at Awaken Studios in Murray and offers classes at 10:15 a.m. on Mondays. 

For more tips on yoga and pilates follow Jensen on Instagram: @andrea.j.fitness