When asked about athletics at Loomis Chaffee, students tend to imagine intense competition on the field, cheering fan sections, and school rivalries. Amid all the excitement and competition, one hidden gem stands out: LC’s Life Fitness Yoga. Under the guidance of Coach Mindy Levy, Life Fitness Yoga is a place where students can not only push their bodies physically, but also look inward and challenge themselves mentally.
“I took my first yoga class about 10 years ago and had low expectations as I thought we would do gentle stretches and breathing. I landed in a Power Yoga class that challenged me physically and mentally. I didn’t know what I was doing for most of the class, but I kept going back for more,” Coach Levy shared when reflecting on her own yoga experience. “It was a pivotal moment in my life. I highly recommend that everyone should try at least one class.”
Like many yoga studios, Life Fitness Yoga practices many different forms of yoga. “[LF Yoga] generally does a Power Vinyasa style that encompasses a fast pace and challenging poses, balanced with longer holds and stretches,” Coach Levy described. “We also have had the opportunity to explore Gentle Yoga, Guided Meditation, and Puppy Yoga.”
“I love that we get to do a balance of everything,” Senior Victoria Amador commented. “Some days there’s pop music playing and we’re sweating [when] doing ab workouts. Other times we do meditation, with calm and relaxing music.”
“We often do breathwork that helps students deal with stress and anxiety that is present in everyone’s life,” Coach Levy continued. Indeed, LF Yoga seems to be a place where students can set aside their worries and find calm, even for just a little while. “I think of yoga as a type of moving meditation, with one’s body and breath moving together,” Coach Levy concluded.
In the hectic life of a high school student, yoga can be a place of escape and of solace. “[You] feel much less stressed during Yoga sessions because when you’re doing yoga, you forget about class work and everything else for a while and just focus on doing the movements,” Amador described.
For Coach Levy, the beauty of yoga is being able to learn and get outside your comfort zone. “I hope my students take away a curiosity about trying something new,” she remarked. Since her first day on the Island, she has hosted numerous yoga events with varsity teams on and off season, as well as collaborations with the Alvord Center during Earth Month. “I hope they realize that doing yoga is about being kind to yourself and others. I have had students tell me that they feel better mentally and physically after class. Students have even told me that they sleep better after taking [this] class.”
Amador offered some encouragement for students interested or hesitant to try LF Yoga for the first time. “I’d say you should absolutely do it! Our Coach Mindy is super approachable and accessible to all levels, and she’s really good at explaining things and going slow. You can always go at your own pace and modify things that work for you. So, you should do it.”
Coach Mindy Levy
- What does a typical after-school yoga session look like?
A typical yoga class at Loomis looks very much like a yoga class taught at many yoga studios. We generally do a Power Vinyasa style that encompasses a fast pace and challenging poses, balanced with longer holds and stretches. We do breathwork that helps students deal with stress and anxiety that is present in everyone’s life. We also have had the opportunity to explore Gentle Yoga, Guided Meditation, and Puppy Yoga.
- What inspired you to start or get involved with the intramural yoga program?
One of my yoga mentors inspired me to teach at Loomis. I actually taught a previous group of high school students at another school, but that wasn’t a good fit for me. I found the students at Loomis welcomed me and my style of teaching, and are incredibly kind and conscientious.
- What do you hope students take away from participating in yoga sessions?
I hope my students take away a curiosity about trying something new. I hope they realize that doing yoga is about being kind to yourself and others. I have had students tell me that they feel better mentally and physically after class. Students have even told me that they sleep better after taking class.
- What would you say to someone who’s never tried yoga but is curious?
I love this question as it is directly related to my second favorite quote…. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”, Wayne Gretzky. Personally, I took my first yoga class about 10 years ago and had low expectations as I thought we would do gentle stretches and breathing. I landed in a Power Yoga class that challenged me physically and mentally. I didn’t know what I was doing for most of the class, but I kept going back for more. It was a pivotal moment in my life. I highly recommend that one should try at least one class.
- Do you think yoga can help students manage stress?
Yoga can definitely help students manage stress. I think of yoga as a type of moving meditation, with one’s body and breath moving together.
Victoria Amador ’25
What made you decide to start yoga?
I started doing yoga when I was studying abroad in Italy because I thought it would be a cool way to like immerse in the language and like, do some stretching and relaxation. and then I saw Loomis had it in the spring, so I came back and decided to try it.
How do you feel after a yoga session?
It’s very relaxing because at the end of our practices, we do Savasana, which is the resting phase of yoga, so we just rest and can close our eyes and sleep for five minutes. So you wake up from that very refreshed.
Do you think you do you think yoga has helped you in any way outside of school, like with stress, sleep, or focus?
Yeah, I feel way less stressed because when you’re doing yoga, you forget about class work and everything else for a while and just focus on doing the movements. So, coming back to doing school work after that is nice.
What’s the atmosphere like during the session? Like chill, focused, whatever?
I think it depends. We do a lot of different types of yoga, so most of the days it’s power yoga, so it’s like pop music is playing and we’re sweating and working out and doing, like ab workouts. But then sometimes we meditation, so like, it’s more calm music. Just like everything.
What would you say because someone who’s nervous or hesitant to try yoga for the first time?
I’d say you should do it. Our coach Mindy is super approachable and accessible to all levels, so she’s really good at explaining things and going slow and I feel like you’ll go you can always go at your own pace and modify things that work for you. So, you should do it.
