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Zuri Palmer
Instructor: Malcolm Campbell
English 1101
30 October, 2014
Mind, Body, Soul: UNCCs Yoga Class Study
When noticing how workout classes operate, the practice of yoga has a unique
atmosphere, different from any other fitness class on UNC Charlottes campus you could
stumble upon. For this reason, I took the time to study and explore the evening yoga classes at
UNC Charlottes Student Activity Center. I had taken the yoga class on campus a number of
times and really enjoyed sharing the connection of yoga with my peers here at UNCC.
Part I: Observation
The yoga class at UNCC is one of many group fitness classes students can take at the
Student Activity Center, also known as the SAC. There are yoga classes offered in the morning
Monday through Thursday. On Tuesday and Thursday there are also classes offered in the
evening. I chose to study the evening classes at 8pm. While participants waited outside the room
for class to begin I noticed a majority of them did not arrive with a friend, but rather they came
alone. Upon entering the class the instructor dims the lights in the room. If participants didnt
bring a yoga matt of their own they are instructed to go and retrieve a basic yoga matt from the
back of the classroom. The instructor also makes students sign a waiver located on a table by the
entrance. I was surprised to see such an even ratio of females and males in the class with the
males sitting towards the front. The girls wore tight fitting clothing while most of the guys wore
tight fitting shirts but loose fitting basketball shorts with biker shorts underneath. Before class
began those participating in class started stretching independently with minimal conversation.

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Everyone in the class also removed their shoes and socks. Until the instructor spoke all that
could be heard were acoustic versions of popular pop songs softly playing in the background.
Finally a warm welcome from the instructor is given.
She then asks for any special requests for the class period I assume that meant poses
anyone wanted to see be done. None one spoke so she began the session with a childs pose. This
pose looked similar to someone bowing to pray. Participants rested on their knees together and
then laid their body out in front them. Whatever conversation had been occurring at this moment
came to an end. While the class rested in this childs pose the instructor began sharing a reading
geared towards the theme of the month for class: exploration. The instructor then asked for
everyone to set a personal goal for the duration of class in their mind. She wanted everyone to
develop something they hoped to gain from their yoga practice today. The instructor also kept
referring to the phrase leave your problems on the matt and keep your chakras open.
The class was taught in a monkey see monkey due type fashion. The instructor would call
out a pose and then demonstrate and the class would follow in her lead. The instructor took the
time the class rested in this pose to go around and help the students perfect their form. Upon each
shift in pose the class was instructed to inhale and exhale deeply. In the background I heard song
lyrics referring to nature; make the wind my friend, back to my own little hive, dying honey
bee Ill come save you even if I have to face the queen. The names of the poses also resembled
nature by being named after animals. There was a pigeon pose, cobra, downward dog, cat, cow
and many others. The instructor also showed variations of the poses.

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In total the class lasted for about an hour and fifteen minutes. The instructor ended class
with this phrase The light in me honors the light in you, Namaste. Everyone then let out a slow
clap whipped down their matts and left the room.
Part II: Interpretation
According to the New York Times, the practice of yoga was created to develop a greater
sense of self in the world and provide harmony within the body. Typically college is a time
where most people discover themselves for who they really are and exactly where they fit into
this busy world. For this reason, having a yoga class on a college campus is the perfect location.
Because yoga is such a personal and focused practice this is why participants choose to come
alone. Having a yoga class in the evening is also very ideal. A college students day is filled with
numerous stressful situations. An article on families.com suggests that practicing yoga before
bed prepares the body for rest and is a natural remedy for insomnia. I personally after evening
yoga experience some of the best goodnights rest. I remember attending yoga class earlier in the
semester and it seemed like the guys there were just participating to look at the girls asses while
they did their downward dog pose and they sat towards the back of the room but the fellas
participating in this session seemed to be the exact opposite. They genuinely participated like
they were looking for the same amount of satisfaction out of the class as the girls. The tight
fitting clothing was worn so students could move free and socks and shoes were removed to get a
better grip on the matt.
There were no set rules within the class room besides signing the mandatory wavier. The
only unspoken rule I could pin-point was not to speak and if you did keep it quiet. The lack of

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rules helped give the class a more laid back feeling. I feel like that helped ensure to students that
there is no right or wrong way to do yoga, just do it to your best ability.
The instructors repetition of the phrase leave your problems on the matt was her way
of telling the students to clear their mind to help calm the mind, then the body, and then the
spirit. Yoga is also seen as having many health benefits like boosting your immune system,
easing migraines, and improving sexual performance as stated by the Huffington Post. This is
where the chakra comes into play. A chakra is seven energy centers located in the body and
when these energy centers are blocked it is believed that that causes illness. The instructor
reminds the class to keep their chakras open in order to continue to have energy flow freely
through the participants body. This type of language is unique to every yoga practice versus any
other fitness class. I asked fellow yogi Moriah Lyde what health benefits she had experienced
from yoga and she had this to say, Yoga a good exercise to help regulate the way you breathe its
soothing and relives the mind of stress. Also during that time of the month it helps relieve my
lower back pain and discomfort of bloating.
Yoga is a practice that has been around for centuries. So it makes sense that there are
yoga poses named after animals because early yoga poses were probably constructed around
what movement early individuals saw in organisms other than humans. Each pose is used to
relive a different area with tension in the body. The variations of poses are offered because one
student may not be as flexible as another particularly the males but when asking one of the class
participants Cole Wagner how he felt about his flexibility skills he said, Im not intimidated by
the flexible girls and flexible aspect of the class, Im pretty athletic so its not too big of a
challenge.

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After further examining UNC Charlottes yoga class I have concluded that yoga is
a practice that is ideal for individuals trying to cope with stress. The relaxed atmosphere of the
classroom is sort of a mimic for what the participator should be feeling within their body during
participation. I would recommend colleges being the number one location for yoga classes to be
established because of the mass numbers of students dealing with the day to day stressors college
holds. On top of yoga having major health benefits its just flat out fun to participate in and Id
recommend everyone to give it a try.