Blog Post #3 - Yoga Sculpt

Everyday I do a form of body practice called Yoga Sculpt. I participate in this practice at a franchise called Corepower Yoga located in Stadium Village. Yoga Sculpt differs from regular yoga in that you flow through a series of poses including sun salutation A and sun salutation B but after you incorporate weights, pushups, squats, abdominal exercises and cardio to get the ultimate full body workout.

The typical yoga sculpt class varies with many different body types, but what I also found interesting was the various body types at different locations. Corepower yoga is located in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Edina, St. Louis Park, Woodbury, Eden Prairie, and Minnetonka, all various cities in Minnesota. I am from Edina so throughout the summer I attend classes in Edina and St. Louis Park but during the school year I switch and further my practice in Minneapolis. I notice a huge difference in body types from location to location. In Edina and the "suburb" locations the intelligible body is much more exemplified. The slimmer the better is considered beautiful. Many women look extremely thin. The women who are thin want to continue that trend, and newcomers to the class hope to look like the thin ones someday. There is definitely an effect of pursuit without a terminus. No matter how many classes a women attends she still can get thinner, more toned, and in better shape. There is no end and final "weight." The women are often in competition and there is a sense of hostility in each class.

I enjoy practicing in Minneapolis because the environment is completely different. In each sculpt class there are women and men. The intelligible body is one that's strong, muscular, and in shape versus a starved one. The docile body remains the same in that the community of sculpters in Minneapolis still believe that the body should be used, transformed, and improved, but through exercise, sweat, healthy eating, and gratitude for how powerful the body is. Pursuit without a terminus in this studio means that one can always get stronger, use a heavier set of weights, do that many more pushups, etc. There is no constitutive power. There is no normal body or perfect body. Anyone that can get through the difficult class is perfect and there is a sense of community and happiness in the Minneapolis studio.

I wish the suburban studios had this attitude in each of their classes because it creates a much better environment, class, and community. Everyone encourages each other versus putting one another down which is extremely inspiring!