Griffin's Ashtanga/Vinyasa Yoga Class

Griffin makes me feel like a true yogi

This week I tried +C. Griffin Litwin's  Ashtanga/Vinyasa Yoga class (Tuesdays at 8 am at Buchanan Park Rec Center).  The time was perfect -- right after school dropoff. I brought a mat, but it's OK if you don't have one -- there is a closet full of mats, blocks, blankets, anything you need. Of course, I didn't know what I would need, but that was OK -- someone else gave me a blanket (Sue, who works at the Wulf Front Desk) to sit on and another woman gave me a block for when I couldn't quite reach the floor.

Griffin teaching yoga to Lonnie Cruz after
Lonnie won the Mt. Falcon Trail Race

Griffin is a lanky, quiet young guy with a ponytail and a really relaxed, serene vibe. I met him just after he started with EPRD this past summer, when he gave free yoga class after the Mt. Falcons Trail Run in Morrison. The race winner, Lonnie Cruz, spent a good half hour stretching with Griffin afterward, even though he had never done yoga in his life.

Intimate class and friendly people

The class was small and intimate, and everyone introduced themselves to each other at the beginning, which made me feel relaxed right away. We started in, and Griffin did a nice job of explaining positions when we needed it and adjusting our bodies (asking if it was OK first) so we would get the most bebenefits possible. He also had a deep, melodic voice when he did a little yoga chanting ("Ooooom. Shanti shant shanti.") at the beginning and end of the workout.

Before class at Buchanan Park Rec Center

The yoga practice moved quickly from position to position, repeating sequences, and sometimes had me shaking (because I'm really an upper-body weakling, plus I haven't done yoga in at least six months). It was hard! But no one else seemed to notice that my legs didn't go as high as theirs, and I was not the only one who had to hold onto the wall for balance. When I got a cramp in my thigh doing one position, Griffin assured me that after a couple weeks those cramps of practicing yoga, would go away.

Afterward, when I told him that inexperienced people might be afraid to try yoga because they think everybody else has been doing it for years, he smiled and said, "Lisa, in this class, nobody has been doing yoga for years!" Griffin also mentioned that people like me who have tight muscles will feel the effects much faster than people who have been doing yoga a long time. 

I'll definitely be back.

What is Ashtanga/Vinyasa?

Ashtanga/Vinyasa is a challenging yoga class that combines a set sequence of postures with intense concentration and breath-work to create powerful results. Learn more on the Fitness Class page of the EPRD website.

About Griffin Litwin

Griffin, who grew up in Evergreen, combines traditional Yoga practice with deep study of anatomy to create safe and engaging classes. A certified Yoga teacher and world traveler, he has studied extensively in India. He has a website, www.up4yoga.com.