You gotta LOVE her!

Meet Stephanie Tice…fabulous SDY teacher! In addition to being a yoga lover, Stephanie (or Stephy) loves to hike, go to the beach, travel, read and play board/card games! She is originally from San Jose, CA and has been married to her husband, Ryan, for 18 years this June! Stephy knew she was going to marry Ryan the night they met! They have two daughters, Lauren (15) who is finishing her freshman year at Vista and Camryn (13) who is finishing 7th grade at Folsom Middle. The Tice family also has a one-eyed dog named Ohso. He is a chocolate brown cocker spaniel and is “oh so” cute!!! Stephy is a total neat freak (it calms her), loves Las Vegas and playing blackjack, secretly wishes she was a CIA agent and her favorite meal is a burger with fries and a cold beer.

Stephy has been practicing at SDY for 21 months and teaching with us since January. She is also a school teacher so during the school year she prefers to practice in the evening. During the summer, however, she enjoys the 5:45am classes…call her crazy but she doesn’t sleep in! In order to stay consistent in her yoga practice, Stephy tries to practice at the same times and days each week to stay committed. Being consistent in her practice keeps her in a good mindset and she is more productive in her everyday life. When she doesn’t practice she can easily slip back into her old way of being/thinking.

Stephy never thought she was going to become a yoga teacher, but after developing her practice and becoming a part of the community she knew she wanted MORE! She is inspired by the possibilities of growth for herself while being able to give back to others. Stephy has discovered a lot about herself through her yoga practice. She has found an ease about being on her mat which has carried over into life off her mat. She has discovered what it means to be present and let go of expectations of what she thinks things should be and accept what is. She has also realized that she is the source of what is in her life.

From the very first time Stephy walked into Spotted Dog Yoga the community feeling has been a huge inspiration to her. She loves the camaraderie, the support and encouragement and the friendships she has made!

We are SO lucky to have such an amazing teacher and friend in Stephanie! Thank you for all you do!

“fit DOG” CHALLENGE: 5 Tips For Success

Do you have what it takes to be a fit DOG? Of course you do! Spotted Dog Yoga is excited to kick off the first 10 day “fit DOG” challenge on November 9th followed up by the second one starting December 7th! These exciting programs have been designed to help you kick start and maintain your yoga practice as you move through the holiday season and into the New Year!

Here are 5 tips to help you and your friends get the most out of your experience:

1. GET YOUR NAME ON THE DOOR. Sign up at the front desk or on your SDY APP…it’s FREE! Until you do, there is no real proof that you will even show up. Don’t give yourself an excuse, give yourself a reason! P.S. Sign up for both the NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER challenges.
2. RALLY THE TROOPS. Grab your buds and your family and get them in on it too! Completing a challenge together, or competing in a challenge against each other, is a great way to connect to those that you love most.
3. REGISTER FOR CLASSES EARLY.  Jump online or onto your SDY APP and schedule your classes early. Once you’ve scheduled them, put reminders on your calendar and don’t look back!
4. SHARE YOUR PROGRESS AND SUCCESS. Every time that you come to Spotted Dog Yoga, check in on Facebook, snap a photo for Instagram or send out a tweet! Let the world know what a “fit DOG” you are! #fitdogchallenge @spotteddogyoga
5. DO IT TWICE and STAY CONSISTENT in between.  Finish your 10 day challenge in November, commit to a consistent practice (3-7 times a week) until December 7th, then sign up and complete the December “fit DOG” challenge. Do this to avoid the holiday fitness slump AND propel yourself into 2016 ready for anything!

**WARNING** Completing the “fit Dog” challenges in November and December (while maintaining a consistent practice in between) will prepare you for the healthiest and happiest New Year yet!

Dog Days at Spotted Dog Yoga

Join Abby as she rolls in for a great class at SDY! Of course Bandit is there to great her! For more other greet videos like this check out Spotted Dog Yoga on Youtube and on Vimeo. Enjoy!

Dog Days from Spotted Dog Yoga on Vimeo.

Winning at Yoga

My husband is incredibly competitive. He’s the youngest of three boys, with brothers who are seven and nine years older than he is. He’s a type A personality, which plays into it. And just being a guy could be a contributing factor too. When we started doing yoga together several years ago, he would tell me after each class if he won or not. I found the idea incredibly amusing, bordering on the absurd. And though he would say it with a smile, there was an element of seriousness to it. For Tim, winning meant never resting in Child’s pose, doing every single part of the flow full on, and basically kicking ass the entire class.

I’m not very competitive, but as I thought more about this idea I realized that I can let this win or lose attitude come into my own practice. I’m just a little sneakier about it. When I see another yogi in an advanced version of a pose I struggle with, I can let that suck away any joy I might have in my own practice. It shows up in forward fold poses when I’m scanning the room to see who’s more folded than I am. And because for my entire life I’ve wanted to be a dancer, full Hanuman (front splits in non-yoga speak) is oh so hard on my very fragile ego. Because to my eyes, everyone does it better than I do.

Ego is really what it comes back to. Of course yoga is not a competitive sport. But my ego really can turn it into one so easily. What’s the solution? As usual it’s simple and basic. I’ve never heard a teacher at Spotted Dog say, “scan the room to see who’s doing the pose better than you are,” but I’ve certainly heard, “focus your gaze.” I can also tap into my tapas (discipline) and like they used to say in school, keep my eyes on my own paper.

A change in perspective can make all the difference too. Seeing someone in an advanced pose can be inspirational, right? I’ve been told that the only valid comparison is where you used to be and where you are now. Truth is, if I’m on my yoga mat, I’m already winning and so are you!

See you on the mat,

Leslie

Kids and Yoga

It’s a huge understatement to say that the world has changed since I was a child. Digital distraction is everywhere, which can make quiet moments few and far between. And the minute kids enter high school it becomes a race to join more clubs and get better grades and do more community service, all in the hope of getting into a good college. None of these things are bad in and of themselves, but they create a pressure-packed environment that is so different from what I remember as a teen, when my biggest concern was if the right boy would ask me to the school dance.

This is why I love the IPlay Yoga kids program at Spotted Dog. With classes for younger (ages 4 – 8) and older kids (ages 9 – 13), all students gain a foundation of mindfulness and confidence to help them live inspiring empowered lives. The teachers make the experience fun and engaging, but the lessons learned will benefit them for their entire lives. And the kids classes are always held at the same time as the adult classes, so the whole family can learn and grow together.

If you have a kid between the ages of 4 and 13, or if you have a friend with kids in this age group, get them to “The Dog.” By reaching the kids we can truly change the world.

Curious if your kids will like yoga? Sign them up for one of Spotted Dog’s kids camps. Click here for more information! There is no better time than NOW to get your kiddos involved!

Leslie

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Yoga Clinic For Young Soccer Players

Nick believes that had he found yoga sooner in his own soccer career, he may still be playing on a professional level. From his experience as soccer player and now yoga teacher, Nick hopes to help young athletes realize the importance of self-care.

This workshop is open to U13-U16 girls and boys.

All 4 sessions will be held on Mondays from 2:30-3:30pm. Dates: 7/13, 7/20, 7/27, 8/3

Investment: $100

SIGN ME UP NOW!!

Summertime and Yoga

When I think of summer I think of sleeping in, freedom and Alice Cooper’s hot weather anthem, “School’s Out for Summer.” This season of sunshine and flip flops can be a tough one when it comes to keeping good habits going, including yoga. Because let’s face it – when it’s cold outside, it’s easy to get to a hot yoga class. But on a lazy hot summer day? Well, it can be a challenge.

However summer is one of the best times to stay consistent with your yoga practice. Here are four reasons why:

1. Consistency is the key to growth. If you want to get better at something, you need consistent practice, right? To move your yoga practice forward, plan a certain number of times you’ll get into the studio each week. That way, come fall you won’t feel like you’re starting all over again.
2. Better heat tolerance. We live in a hot climate, and when you practice power Vinyasa yoga, you’ll be more acclimated to the heat. I mean who wants to be limited to only air-conditioned environments when the temps go above 90 degrees?
3. You’ll be a better parent. I hate to admit it, but I semi-dreaded each summer when I stayed home with my kids. The first few weeks were always tough on all of us as we shifted from over-scheduled to the more free-form days. Looking back on it, I think we all would have benefitted from a little bit of structure, and I certainly would have been a better mom with some yoga each week.
4. You’ll be a better athlete. With summer comes all sorts of fun recreation opportunities. And I guarantee that you will be better at whatever summer sport you choose – whether it’s waterskiing, SUPing or ultimate Frisbee – with a regular yoga practice that’s strengthening and stretching your body and your mind.

So how can we get consistent with our practice during the summer? (So glad you asked!) Here are three ways to ensure you don’t put your yoga practice on hold.

1. Use the app. Spotted Dog has a nifty app where you can sign up for classes and have a reminder sent to your calendar. This works great for me. If I approach a day thinking, “Oh, I can get to yoga any time” that pretty much means I won’t attend a class. But by scheduling the classes I intend to take, it’s easier to keep that promise to myself.
2. Let your kids do yoga! What I would have given to have kids yoga classes available when my boys were small. Take advantage of Spotted Dog’s “I Play Yoga” kids classes. It’s a win-win when the parents and the littles are doing yoga, right?
3. Use your tapas. Sometimes you’ll hear the word tapas used in class. It’s synonymous with fire, heat and discipline. So don’t just use your tapas to stay in a challenging pose. Use it to get to class!

Looking forward to seeing you on the mat,

Leslie