A Motivating Mix

Yomenco combines yoga movements and breathing exercises with flamenco dance rhythms. Program creator Bruce Van Horn, chief executive officer of Yoga for Business Inc. in Spring Valley, New York, teaches Yomenco to nursing home residents in the New York metropolitan area. “Many of my students are in wheelchairs,” says Van Horn in a press release. “Their energy and enthusiasm for this type of physical stimulation carry them through the session. The movements enhance their stamina and markedly improve their mental state.”

The New York Health & Racquet Club in New York offers a total-body workout called Body Fusion. Russian gymnast Dina Kozitskaya uses a 1-pound ball and a hoop to lead a workout that focuses on core stabilization, flexibility and strength training.

Aline Technique^® is a “body balancing program” with roots in Pilates and ballet. Aline creator Tracy Fitzpatrick, of Aline Studios™ in Costa Mesa, California, teaches participants how to engage muscles using Pilates concepts, but with a twist. Much of the class involves standing at a ballet barre. “This gives us extra work in standing balance, coordination and much-needed cardio,” Fitzpatrick says.

Mental Agility is a 30-minute guided meditation offered at the Lincoln Park Athletic Club in Chicago. The class teaches participants how to focus energy and use visualization techniques to develop a calm and focused mind. The class description on the club’s website states that the “class is appropriate for all levels and [is] especially valuable for athletes interested in maximizing the power of their mind for athletic performance.” n