Tag: blog

Posted on

Live What You Love

Live What You Love and happiness will follow you everywhere.

I wrote this in yesterday’s blog and I’ll reinforce it again today. Because no matter what your current profession or your life’s passion – hopefully they’re one in the same – living what you love to do is something everyone can accomplish. That is to say, if you’re willing to make some sacrifices in order to achieve it. Because just like it was nearly 300 years ago and succinctly articulated by renown Scotish economist Adam Smith, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

Case in point: 12 years ago I fell in love with Yoga and soon thereafter I became a certified teacher. Since then I’ve taught more than 25,000 students in over 2,000 classes throughout the United States, produced more than 30 hours of instructional videos including my Yoga-inspired film, Boulevard Zen, created my own style of Tola Yoga, and posted exactly 500 blogs since I started my website on December 9, 2010 (with Welcome to a new Fat Burning lifestyle!). 

It’s also my birthday today, so here’s a little Tola Yoga treat to help center yourself and improve your balance. Enjoy and keep rockin’ your passion everyone…and live what you love! Peace – R

 

Posted on

Welcome to…Seattle

Iseattlen addition to my fitness mantra, another day – another workout, how’s this for my new travel mantra, another month – another city!

That’s right everyone, if you didn’t catch me in Las Vegas last month, you can now find me in Seattle.

With a plethora of historic landmarks and cultural attractions including the futuristic Space Needle from the 1962 World’s Fair, the Seattle Great Wheel – one of largest ferris wheels in the United States, the 24-day Seattle International Film Festival held every year since 1976, the Bite of Seattle – one of the largest Gay Pride festivals in the US, to the uniquely striking Seattle Public Library featuring 11 stories of glass and steel, the “Emerald City” is quite a city!seattle_central_library_seattle_washington_-_20060418 Not to mention Seattle is also home to business legends Amazon.com, Starbucks and Nordstrom – with Microsoft and Costco a stone’s throw away, five professional sports team including baseball’s Seattle Mariners, and of course, my favorite rock-and-roll band of all time, Pearl Jam. And don’t forget Seattle is considered the home of grunge music, having produced legendary artists such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and Mudhoney.

So why not bring my fitness style of Tola Yoga as well as my desire to create entertaining and inspiring content, whether it be a Reality TV series or a Radio show, to one of the most liberal cities in the nation – even surpassing its “weird” neighbor, Portland, Oregon, another cool city.

Have an amazing December everyone…and hope to see you in the Pacific Northwest! Peace – R

Posted on

Another Teaching Milestone…600th Class in Chicago

Rich Tola 600th Chicago ClassI Just taught my 600th Yoga class since arriving in The Windy City last September.

And what an amazing time I had teaching thousands of yogis and yoginis in 12 different neighborhoods including Lincoln Park, Lincoln Square, Lakeview, West Loop, Uptown, Andersonville, Wicker Park, Bucktown, Highland Park, Evanston, Streeterville and the South Loop.

Have an awesome week everyone!

Peace – R

Posted on

500th Yoga Class in the First 50 Weeks: Chicago

Rich Tola - One Armed PinchamayurasanaI’m heels over head for teaching my 500th Yoga class since arriving in Chicago last September.

I’m grateful to my courageous students, fellow teachers and managers, and the owners of Chicago Athletic Clubs for giving me the opportunity to spread my passion for fitness & yoga, and specifically my style of Tola Yoga.

Looking forward to inspiring the world with YogaStyles of RICH and the Almost Famous.

Peace – R

Posted on

Rich Tola – Mindie Music Videos (2 min Compilation)

Fun, challenging, invigorating and very tiring at times yet always a blast to film – one video required more than 50 takes – we filmed 18 Mindie music videos throughout the streets of Hollywood during the summer of 2014…every one of them using popular movie theme songs.

Can you guess the name of every movie, every theme song and every Yoga pose? Enjoy – R

Posted on

Next Stand-Up at Flappers Comedy Club on April 24th

flappersStand-up comedy is the most condensed form of all comedy, and for the really good comics, it’s simply a conversation with the audience. A really funny one at that.

Over the past six weeks and on the heels of our 150th episode of Tola Talks, I’ve been studying this rather frightening art form – for most entertainers, that’s for sure – and honed my skills at writing stand-up as well as performing in front of a large crowd…twice at Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank, CA. On my first attempt I “didn’t bomb” as one friend so eloquently put it. On my second attempt I definitely heard some roaring laughter and felt the exhilarating rush comics feel when the room gets going. I can see how stand-up comedy can be frighteningly addicting. Albeit, very challenging, to say the least.

With concepts like attitude, topic, premise, act-out, mix, turn, set-up, and punch, not to mention there’s no one up on stage to help you do anything, stand-up is hard. Whatever that means. But it’s also super gratifying when you get it right, i.,e, make people laugh. Or as legend Whoopi Goldberg once said, make them laugh and think. Because good comedy is not just funny, it’s also insightful about something everyone can relate to. Or should be, if you want laughs.

They say the third time’s the charm, so come check me out next Friday, April 24th at Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank – we’re in the YooHoo Room from 9:30-11p. Should be a blast! – R

Posted on

Vacation workout

Twelve days ago I posted my 100th video/blog for my 100 days of 5 minute, low-impact, yoga-based, fat burning workouts.  Since then I visited my family in New Jersey, and spent some time with friends in New York City, Philadelphia and San Francisco.  Of course I continued with my daily fitness program, as well as took a few yoga classes. Challenging, yes, since you’re busy enjoying your time off.  But do-able. Especially with my Fat Burning Workouts.  That’s why I wrote this poem…to inspire you to keep with your daily fitness program even while on vacation.  Enjoy your Daily Workout.  – R

YOU CAN DO IT

I’m here to help you
There’s no need to fail
If you know what to do
Then just step on the scale

Believe you can tighten
Believe you can win
Cause who better than you
Conquers that battle within

Mother Nature’s quite cruel
Father Time’s a quick chime
Who says you can’t switch
To a program like mine

Don’t despair my good student
You’ll never be bored
With a daily fitness program
You’ll love your reward

Posted on

Remind yourself often

Samuel Johnson, the English poet, author and lexicographer who after nine years of work published the Dictionary of English Language (circa 1755) once said, “People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed.”  I would certainly agree. Especially when if comes to working out and sticking to a daily fitness program.  Because with my 5 Minute Fat Burning Workouts, there’s expert instruction for every position and exercise that’ll take the guesswork out of it.  All you need is to be reminded to hit the PLAY button and you’re good to go!  So remind yourself often and enjoy slowing things down a bit as you invert yourself with today’s Workout #91 – Standing Splits.  – R