Time to Say Hello to Your Toes!

Let’s face it. Many of us spend hours in the gym or pounding the pavement to build our muscles, improve cardio fitness and generally keep the bulge at bay. But if you are anything like me and tend to forget about stretching and flexibility and focus more on torturous toning, the thought of touching our toes or participating in that occasional game of tipsy Twister (stop smirking, we’ve all been there!) can be cause for concern and more than a few cackles.

It’s one thing to build muscles but maintaining flexibility is also important and a balance between the two is vital. Yoga is an ideal way to develop strength as well as gaining flexibility along with a more holistic approach to a healthy body. FINNS Recreation Club offers three different yoga classes as part of its weekly fitness schedule: held 10am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for ninety minutes. It’s perfect timing really as you can still fit in an earlier Pump, TRX class or gym session and head straight into yoga to stretch and loosen those tortured limbs.

Classes take place in the spacious air conditioned fitness studio. With the onset of wet season there is no need to worry about weather conditions and new yogi’s can ease into their practice in air conditioned comfort.

One of these sessions is led by local yoga guru, I Wayan Wistika or better known to many as Marcus. To those of us who have ever attended one of his classes, Marcus needs little introduction. With a friendly manner and easygoing style, he encourages a relaxed and calming ambience in his classes and any beginners’ concerns are immediately allayed as he emphasizes participants listen to their bodies and only do as much as they comfortably can. As only experienced instructors do, he suggests different options for each pose, allowing for every level of expertise within each class.

Marcus pays attention to form and style, ensuring an injury free experience and one that will leave you amazed at how you just managed to “kiss your knees” when only ninety minutes earlier you arrived, convinced that even your fingertips would struggle to greet your toes.

Balinese born and bred in Tabanan, Marcus’s yogic journey began during a period of employment at a local village yoga retreat as head of guest services.

Participating in the yoga classes, he was introduced to a number of inspirational instructors who inspired him to pursue this journey towards health and wellbeing.
He went on to teach yoga at this retreat, has taken part in numerous international seminars, local courses, the annual Bali Spirit festival and has spent a number of years enhancing the health and wellbeing of hotel guests with yoga classes at the prestigious Comoshambala Hotel, The Chedi Clubs in Ubud and Jimbaran, as well as The Legian in Seminyak. Along with classes at FINNS Rec Club, he also teaches privately throughout Southern Bali and continues to hone his craft, broadening his teaching styles to include Restorative Yoga, Vinyasa Flow and of course, yoga for beginners.

With more than 17 years of yoga experience, Marcus has somewhat of a devoted following. “Yoga is my lifestyle – As you practise it more, it changes your life, from what you eat to how you live. And if you keep practising, it changes your soul.”

Pop into FINNS Rec Club to experience yoga for yourself on either Monday, Wednesday or Friday @ 10am. I promise your hamstrings will thank you! Platinum and Gold FINNS Bali members enjoy the benefit of free classes, including Marcus’s yoga. Social Memberships are also available starting from only Rp 400,000 for a weekly membership.

FINNS Recreation Club
Raya Pantai Berawa, Canggu
finnsrecclub.com