Yoga Teacher Review: Reno Muenz
‘Smile, it’s just yoga’ as one of my teachers in London used to say, especially when we would all be grimacing during an intense squatting series.
Reno’s Vinyasa Power Flow classes remind me of that statement. One of Reno’s greatest abilities is to help students step out of the drama during the most trying asanas.
It feels good to go to class with the reassurance that it will be dynamic enough but that Reno will get us through it with his calming voice and his inspiring music choices. I don’t know about you, but when confronted to a challenging sequence, my fight-flight response is triggered and for a split second, I can easily feel that the teacher is the enemy. I don’t think I would ever feel like that in Reno’s class. He knows how to diffuse this defense mechanism by offering warm empathy, and by finding a cue that will make you smile.
[source: Yoga for the People]
In addition, Reno’s love for yoga shines through clearly, and he’s all about sharing that love. He quotes his teachers, tells plenty of anecdotes from his experience or his readings, but also stories of ancient Indian mythology that speak of courage, dedication and humility. This all contributes to bringing mental and physical lightness to the practice.
Reno follows quite closely the Ashtanga’s primary series and also regularly works on handstand and headstand preparations. He always invites students to modify in a more or less challenging way, so this class suits every level of yogi.
Reno teaches at Semperviva on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, at Yyoga Yaletown on Friday and at Yoga For The People on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. So give this class a try and remember: ‘smile, it’s just yoga!’
