Harding continues to provide series of yoga classes this semester to give students new fitness opportunities. The classes are Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. and on Sundays at 3 p.m. The classes are co-ed and taught by two National Yoga Alliance certified teachers: sophomore Katelyn Holt and Harding alumna, Kelsy Simpson.

These “Flow” classes are a series of poses put together while focusing on core, arm and leg strength. The Sunday afternoon class is classified as a restorative yoga class because it features break work, relaxation and preparing for the week. The other classes during the week are classified as “Get up and Rise” and “Hour of Power.”

Holt said she started doing yoga for therapy purposes and then decided to get certified her freshman year of college. She completed the 200-hour certification course during that year and figured out a way to teach here at Harding.

“You’re not thinking about all the things you have to do in your day, you’re taking time where you’re exercising,” Holt said. “You’re getting oxygen in your blood, you’re getting your body moving, you’re releasing positive hormones ,and it does great wonders for you mentally and physically.”

Holt said her only time to get a break during the day is when she teaches yoga.

“I have had positive feedback, even with the hard classes,” Holt said.

Holt and Simpson have very different teaching styles and alternate teaching the classes throughout the week.

“It provides diversity,” Holt said. “If they don’t like my teaching style, they might like hers. Every single yoga class is different … There’s not one way to do anything.”

Simpson graduated in May of 2013 and got certified to teach yoga last October. Simpson said she decided to move back to Searcy to find a way to teach yoga and had the dream to teach at Harding.

“I’m an alumna, but when I was getting certified, I kept thinking to myself, ‘I wish I had had this way to decompress while I was in school,'” Simpson said. “It’s just so nice to be in a class where somebody is telling you to just lay there for five minutes and deep breathe.”

Simpson said that everybody needs yoga because of how yoga strengthens the body, which is especially useful for athletes.

Senior Carly Trulock said she has been attending the yoga classes taught by Simpson on Tuesday mornings and Thursday evenings. Trulock said she is a beginner and did a little bit her senior year of high school, but has not taken a yoga class since then.

“In the three weeks I have been doing it I can already see huge improvements in my flexibility, balance and overall strength,” Trulock said. “This is the only class I have been to where guys have participated. I think it’s great that they are into it and enjoy it.”

Trulock said that with yoga, you may not break into a huge sweat with the low intensity movements, but you will leave feeling relaxed and strong.

“I think as college students we have hundreds of thoughts on our minds at all times, stressing about tests, due dates, etc.,” Trulock said. “In yoga, we take an hour to relax and let go of all that the day has placed before us and have time to be at peace.”