Yoga Center Expands Offerings For Youth

With the success of its Girlyoga program last year, Yoga Center of Collinsville plans to increase its 2012 offerings for young people.

“We’re expanding our services for young yogis,” said Terry Wolfisch Cole, studio coordinator for the center.

The studio will offer classes for children ages 6 and up in various configurations.

Kids Yoga, taught by Cole, is a five-week series for boys and girls ages 6 to 10. It will start Jan. 12 and costs $53 for each child.

Guy-Yoga is offered to young men ages 11 to 15. It will be an hour and a half monthly series starting Jan 20 and Cole believes a first for the area. 

Cole knows the class will be a tough sell for many tween and teen boys. But yoga is a great way to increase focus, flexibility and strength, she said. Many athletes practice yoga. And those that try it generally love it, she added.

“We know when they come, they’re going to leave wanting more,” Cole said.

The studio will also continue its Girlyoga program. Also offered on Friday nights, it will begin Jan. 27. Like Guy-yoga, it is also monthly.

“It makes it special,” Cole said. “It feels less like practice and something to look forward to,” Cole said.

Last year, more than 50 girls took part of the program, Cole said. Some came and went while others became regulars. And the great thing was to see the girls really start to relax and open up, she said.

“As they got to know the space, they began opening up and talking about their lives,” Cole said.

And Cole believes yoga can help everyone — no matter how seriously or deep they get into it or how often they practice it.

“If they learn they have the innate ability to travel inward and calm themselves down, that’s a life skill.”

For more information and to register for the youth classes or see the studio's many other listings, log on to www.yogacentercollinsville.com