“We met so many great people, those at Balanced Yoga, CorePower and Seven Studios were incredible; the Arnold folks were great, and the athletes who came from all over seemed to really enjoy the venue,” says Craig Mayton at the close of yoga events at the recent Arnold Sports Festival. Mayton was one of the organizers for yoga at the Arnold.
“Columbus and the Arnold were so fantastic,” said Joseph Encina, the President of USA Yoga which has held yoga competitions since 2008. “This was the first time for us to hold a competition outside our ‘bubble’ at a multi-sport event like this. It was terrific to have this exposure for yoga sport.”
“For a first time event, this was great,” says Jered Seibert. Siebert founded men’s sport short maker Warrior Wear, and won first in the Adult Men’s division for Ohio during the Arnold. Siebert had some questions early on about yoga competitions, but participating in the event and interacting with the yogis and those involved really changed his mind.
“The message of yoga was never lost and everyone was really nice, encouraging, supportive, and motivational,” he says. “I enjoyed hearing everyone’s yoga journey and connecting with their experience.”
Rebecca Morosky Hoffman, owner of Bikram Hot Yoga Columbus was very pleased with all the competitors who competed. Bikram teacher Whitney Kappes Wisniewski was very proud of her students; ‘who wouldn’t be there without her,’ as Encina noted. Seibert and Alexandria DeMilto qualified to represent Ohio at the yoga competitions taking place August 5-6, 2017 as part of the States Games in Grand Rapids.
Although at times music and vibrations from the Pole Fitness events next door carried over, the yoga room was an oasis of calm in the otherwise pumping Arnold. USA Yoga guidelines note the yoga competitions are done in silence and points are awarded on the execution of yoga poses and maintaining stillness.
“It is that ‘hold’ which separates yoga sport for gymnastics,” says Encinia. He noted that yoga is a non-violent sport that cultivates peaceful intentions.
The 2017 Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic in Columbus had several yoga events this year. Balanced Yoga held a “flash mob” Baptiste Power Yoga session on the concourse stage. Balanced, CorePower Yoga and Seven Studios gave free classes. The models for the yoga fashion show from title sponsor Mika Yoga Wear showed the very feminine clothing to great advantage. Laura Costa, the owner of Mika, obviously has a real knack for fashion design that works as active wear, and said this year’s Arnold, “was a very positive event” for them.
The founder of Shape magazine, Betty Weider was given a Lifetime Achievement Award. Her husband, Joe Weider, has a large legacy in the fitness world, and according to international yoga teacher and Columbus native Joey McNamara, Weider was a student of Bishnu Ghosh, an early Mr. Universe and promoter of yoga and body building in India. Ghosh yoga competitions are held to this day, and Rajashree Choudhury, who was present for the USA Yoga competitions and gave closing remarks, won a Ghosh cup in 1982.
Many of the competing athletes stressed that being in the competitions wasn’t so much about winning but more about overcoming obstacles and participating in the community. One competitor, Joseph Collins, representing Bikram Yoga Cape Cod, spoke of how he overcame multiple personal problems by developing a strong internal focus through yoga. Musician Michael Lubbert from Pittsburgh liked the spirituality he found in yoga. Many of the yoga-athletes return year after year just to enjoy the friends they make in the community. Encinia noted Emily Avery was a participant in the youth division for several years and now competes as an adult. Avery received the overall highest score for the Adult Women’s competition.
“The flame is well worth the candle,” says Mayton. He and his wife, Jayn, gave many hundreds of hours volunteering to organize yoga activities at the Arnold this year, and many appreciate their hard work. Encinia was favorably impressed by the Arnold and the Greater Columbus Convention Center. At this time, it is undecided if the inaugural yoga events will make a return to next year’s Arnold Sports Festival. 33-year Arnold veteran Bob Kaiser III was happy about yoga being in the Arnold and would welcome it back. Since 2011, Arnold events have sprung up all over the world, including yoga hot spots like Australia and Hong Kong, so the International Yoga Sports Federation may want to be at those venues in coming years.
For more information, visit arnoldsportsfestival.com.