If you're anything like me, your weekly fitness classes are a huge part of your routine. They keep me fit, healthy, and sane. Honestly, these classes help my mental health stay in tip-top shape just as much as they help my physical health.
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, gyms and fitness studios are facing temporary closure. Yes, this means my personal routine is thrown a curveball, but this also means the wellness industry is one of many that is looking at unemployment and hardship. Do I miss my Monday spin class? Of course. But do the wellness professionals whose worlds were flipped upside down have a lot more to overcome than a slight change of routine? Absolutely. Thankfully, if anyone can prove the ultimate flexibility, it's the wellness industry.
I'm talking to wellness professionals to learn how COVID-19 has impacted their lives, as well as how they're adjusting how they teach to make quarantine a little healthier for all of us. Today, I chatted with Angelica Wilson, a certified yoga instructor in New York City.
What do you teach?
Currently, I teach vinyasa yoga for Form+Flow and Y7 Studio. I also teach drunk yoga, haha. I've been teaching yoga for three-and-a-half years — I previously taught dance.
Why did you start teaching?
In short, I started teaching yoga to be a part of the representation I wanted to see in the field.
What do you love most about teaching?
Seeing my students surprise themselves with what they can achieve.
What is the current state of your studio?
The studios are closed and are shifting to online offerings.
What virtual classes are you offering? How can people find those classes?
I'm teaching 60-minute, virtual vinyasa classes for Form+Flow on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 6 p.m. There will be online classes with another studio coming soon.
Feel free to check out my website which I update every week for info and updates on my classes.
What is your biggest takeaway regarding COVID-19?
I have a couple personal takeaways.
The first being that I've realized that I'm part of an insanely supportive community. We all practice what we preach. We show up for one another when we can and support each other how we can.
Another takeaway is that I'm so thankful to have a roof over my head, access to food and live with people I feel safe with. Not everyone's situation is like that right now.
What long-term affects do you see COVID-19 having on the wellness industry?
Long term, I believe the wellness industry will still survive. Looking in more detail, jobs will have been lost if they aren't already gone and platforms will shift but as a whole, the industry will still operate and survive through these times.
What is one thing you want the world to know about the wellness industry, especially in light of COVID-19?
We were built for this. Instructors, teachers, and coaches are still connecting with their students/clientele virtually. We're used to shifts happening and while each shift feels different we can find our way through unusual situations.
If you are a wellness professional interested in sharing your story, please email lily.moe@theodysseyonline.com.
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