Photo of Power Yoga
Photo: @sbu_poweryoga on Instagram
BY: MEGHAN LEX, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Power Yoga at St. Bonaventure University offers students an escape from school in one-hour sessions, providing a beneficial stretch in more intense bouts than traditional, meditative yoga.
The club was started by senior Carolyn Schwab during her sophomore year after noticing that no yoga was available on campus or in Olean. Schwab, a health science major, initially started power yoga to help her relieve lower back pain and found that it helped her.
Now, Schwab leads bi-weekly classes for 20-60 club members, but Power Yoga at SBU has a staggering 211 members registered. The classes last roughly an hour and are typically held in the Richter multipurpose room on weeknight evenings.
Peyton Wojtaszek, the club’s vice president, was one of the club’s first members, joining her freshman year.
Wojtaszek, a public health major with an occupational therapy concentration, said that power yoga has helped her flexibility as a member of Bonaventure’s cheer team and believes that power yoga is beneficial for all students.
“It can help students who may feel intimidated going to the gym by themselves to work out in a group instead. Carolyn is very good about meeting people where they are at,” said Wojtaszek. “I think it is a great way to meet people, and our classes are a fun, upbeat environment.”
Niahm Hanna, a sophomore biology major and regular attendee, uses Schwab’s classes to connect and unwind with friends.
“Power Yoga has given me and my friends a new way to hang out that’s challenging and de-stressing,” said Hanna. “Being able to drag all my friends, and even their boyfriends, and have fun for an hour helps us all bond outside of the trauma bonding of [organic chemistry].”
Power Yoga at SBU also promotes service, hosting trips to the SPCA and running a raffle in October for a Lululemon backpack for members who complete service hours.
More than that, however, as Schwab completes her senior year, she said that she hopes that Power Yoga at SBU has a positive impact on its members.
“I want the club to be remembered as a safe space for anyone who wanted to push themselves physically and mentally through the midst of the trying times college students can be going through.”
lexme23@bonaventure.edu
