Fit Calabasas: Yoga Mix

Breathing is at the heart of yoga, says Amy Horsting, who has taught yoga at the for five years.

For this reason, country singer and former horse jockey Liza G. Fly has attended Horsting’s yoga classes “religiously” for three years.

“I use [yoga] instead of my voice lessons, instead of performance training,” Fly says. “All the energy work helps to center and ground me for when I’m performing, and all the body work helps with my singing and breathing technique.”

Horsting melds various forms in her Yoga Mix classes on Mondays from noon to 1 p.m. and Fridays from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Favorites include “shadow yoga,” a modern style rooted in Hatha yoga, and vinyasa krama or “flow yoga,” which connects movement and breath.

Yoga Mix is a challenging, strength-oriented class, but students progress quickly and find improved body movement, heartbeat and circulation, she says.

“Within six months you can build up an incredible amount of strength, power and calmness,” Horsting says.

Barbara Silver, who has trained under Horsting for more than a year, says yoga has strengthened her tennis game.

“Amy creates a space where we can gain focus, sanity and physical well-being,” Silver says.

Horsting begins her one-hour sessions with pranayama, or breathing techniques which calm and heat the body. She then leads stretches which draw attention into the body, a practice called pratyahara.

Horsting integrates more movement, gradually increasing the pace as she leads into more intense poses, or asana, such as sun salutations and warrior poses. These asana engage large muscle groups, increasing oxygenated blood flow through the body.

She winds down with deep stretches, ending with savasana, or “the moment where we completely relax,” she says.

“Yoga is all about integrating body and mind, breath and movement,” said Horsting.

Horsting’s students range in age from their 20s to 70s. Though the majority are women, she says men with tight muscles have benefitted from yoga’s relaxing quality. She can accommodate people with joint problems and other limitations from overexerting their bodies.

While Yoga Mix is suitable for beginners, intermediate-level yogis can attend Horsting’s Vinyasa Flow Yoga classes from 6:35 p.m. to 7:35 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Anyone can drop in for $8 per class, or pay $72 for a 12-class pass, which goes for any class at the Tennis & Swim Center.