Tag: tola yoga

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Build a Strong Foundation with Tola Yoga

Everybody knows the answer to that infamous question, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall”, right? Of course, it’s “practice, practice, practice”. And if you believe best-selling author and pop psych writer, Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers), you’ll say it takes 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to become world-class in any field.

But what happens when the foundation you’ve set for all your practicing is not that sturdy, or better yet, it’s built on quicksand? 

That’s why anyone looking to build a strong yoga practice should learn the proper fundamentals before spending hours upon hours in the yoga studio. Just like I say in Chapter 68 of my memoir, Simply Between Millions: From Wall Street to Hollywood, it’s always best to Learn from the Best. Or at the very least, learn from someone who has learned from the best.

That’s also why if you’re in Los Angeles you should treat yourself to a Tola Yoga class or private lesson to help you build that strong foundation. There’s something for everyone…from beginner-to-advanced as well as pregnant women…with my five distinct classes:

  1. Tola Yoga Fundamentals  – for beginners or anyone looking to re-learn the basics
  2. Tola Yoga Prime – for intermediate students and strong beginners
  3. Tola Yoga Power – for advanced students and strong intermediates
  4. Tola Yoga Prenatal – for women in all stages of pregnancy
  5. Tola Yoga Stretch & Restore – for all students from beginner-to-advanced

Feel free to email me your questions and to schedule your Tola Yoga private lesson today: [email protected]

Peace – R

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Tola Yoga Private Sessions at Half-Price

Do you remember those legendary Crazy Eddie commercials from the mid-80’s…his prices were so low they were INSANE!

Well, just like Crazy Eddie I’ve slashed my private rates in half in order to spread the Tola Yoga love throughout the City of Angels. Now you can advancing your practice while getting an amazing, well-balanced yoga workout with me privately for only $60 per session. Or grab your spouse, lover, best friend or co-workers and let’s rock it out for $90 (two or more students).

And if private sessions are not in your budget through the summer of 2017, then come take my Tola Yoga class at The REEF every Wednesday at 5:15pm and 6:15pm…for only $10. Park in the lot and remember to bring your mat and water and ticket to class so we can validate.

To book your first private session, email: [email protected].  Peace – R

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Back to the Future…in Los Angeles

Hey everyone, I’m back in LA teaching Tola Yoga classes and hosting live entertainment events like never before. Or shall I say, like before but with a renewed energy and fiery passion that’ll knock your socks off!

Why?

Because after two years of teaching hundreds of classes to nearly ten thousand yoga students in Chicago and Seattle, it’s great to be home. Plus, I’ll be surprising you with pop-up Tola Yoga classes around town, as well as hosting live events like this Saturday, June 10th from 2-4p at the Glendale Central Library. So come enjoy the exciting sounds of the fusion-jazz band, Manjé and The Tips, and you might find yourself laughing your butt off while doing some half-time yoga hosted by yours truly.

In the meantime, check-out this short mix from YogaStyles of RICH and the Almost Famous: Chicago. And for more information about Private or Corporate Tola Yoga classes, please email [email protected]. Have an awesome day and don’t forget your daily workout! Peace – R

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100th Class in Seattle

Hey everyone, it’s that special time again when I teach my 100th Tola Yoga class in another one of America’s largest and most prosperous cities: Seattle.

So if you’re in the Emerald City this Friday at 9:15AM, come celebrate with me and my amazing yoga students and treat yourself to a fun & challenging workout!

I’m currently teaching Private and Corporate classes as well as one-hour Skype consultations that include a compete review of your lifestyle, eating habits and fitness program, plus an explanation of how Tola Yoga will help you achieve peak performance and peace of mind.

Email me at [email protected] to schedule a private class or consult, or come take any one of my weekly public classes at the following health clubs throughout Seattle:

Tuesday – 10AM at Emerald City Athletics in Fremont

Thursday – 10AM at Emerald City Athletics in Fremont

Friday – 9:15AM at Pacific Northwest Fitness (formerly Gold’s Gym) in Capitol Hill

Saturday – 11:15AM at Flow Fitness in South Lake Union

Sunday – 10AM at Soul Fitness in Belltown

Sunday – 12PM at Tribe Fitness in Capitol Hill

Have an awesome week and I’ll see you on the mat!

Peace – R

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Demystifying the Art with TOLA YOGA

What is Yoga? 

You know how many times I’ve been asked this question in the past 12 years, from men, women and children (and mostly men). Because knowing the definition of Yoga is much different than understanding this physical and mental art form, including the similarities and differences between the many styles of Yoga, e.g., Vinyasa Flow, Kundalini, Asthanga. Not to mention how each style uniquely impacts your body and your mind. Which is all good, no doubt, regardless of style. And don’t forget your spirit, although that aspect is much less tangible in all Yoga.

So what can a Yoga master with a passion for fitness spanning more than five decades, beginning with Jack LaLanne in the 1960’s, do to demystify that age-old question?

That’s simple: create another style that specifically caters to the fitness-minded individual.

One year ago I introduced Tola Yoga to the world with live classes on Periscope and YouTube: http://youtube.com/RichTolaYoga.

Although my Tola Yoga brand was born in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, it’s conception occurred 11 years earlier on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. That’s right, I taught my first “Stars of the Future” class on August 4, 2006 at New York Yoga. And what a rush it was! Kudos and thank you so much to all the amazing Yoga teachers who influenced and inspired me throughout my 200 hours of training…Jenny, Nixa, Michael, Karl, Rita, Lori, Molly, Sam, Kristen and Emily.

Because success is best served with a strong foundation. As well as passion and perseverance. And if you’re lucky, your life’s colorful journey will be long, prosperous and rather trying at times. But if you live what you love, happiness will follow you everywhere.

No doubt. And how’s this for serendipity: the other day I was in the drug store and came across this writing pad with that exact phrase, LIVE WHAT YOU LOVE. In colors just like that. So I had to buy it. And repeat it…to you today and to myself everyday, along with a few other mantras.

Keep rockin-it everyone, in whatever you do, and don’t forget your daily workout! Peace – R

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100 Days of TOLA YOGA in Seattle

This past weekend I celebrated my 100th day of living in the Emerald City while teaching Tola Yoga to more than 700 students in 63 classes.

And just like Seattleites love their coffee strong and flavorful, there’s no doubt they love my fitness style of Tola Yoga – which is also strong and flavorful. And if there’s anything more plentiful than a corner Starbucks in this town, it has to be these two elements: hills and rain.

No doubt.

Coming from a fitness and yoga dude who spent 100 days living in San Francisco (in 2012) and walking up California Street once a day, you gotta believe me, it’s true. Just try walking to the top of Queen Anne Avenue starting at Denny Way, or better yet, walk up James Street from Yesler Way to Broadway and you be the judge. And good luck if you’re carrying a 20 pound gym bag full of books, water and yoga gear – like I always do. Well, at least I can say I’m in the best shape of my life. As for the never-ending rain, well, it’s one of those things you get used to. I suppose 🙂

On that note, here are the five key highlights of my first 100 days in Seattle:

  1. Explored more than two dozen neighborhoods and cultural attractions including the iconic 605-ft-tall Space Needle, the beautiful Olympic Sculpture Park and Northlake Marina overlooking downtown Seattle (see pics),
  2. Established myself at six health clubs and yoga studios around town – currently teaching six weekly classes including one corporate client near Safeco Field (Go Mariners!),
  3. Spent three days kicking-the-bricks in the very clean and cosmopolitan, Vancouver, BC,
  4. Re-read five classic books including The Power of One, The Fountainhead, The World According to Garp, Tess of the D’Ubervilles and Great Expectations, and
  5. Worked out 100 days plus took a plethora of yoga classes with some wonderful yoginis.

Hope your previous 100 days were as plentiful and exciting as mine were.

Have an amazing St. Patrick’s Day everyone!

Peace – R

PS…if you haven’t read a good book lately – and I’m talking about the good ‘ole fashioned hard copy kind – then give one of mine a try.

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Explore the world…including Vancouver

If there’s one piece of advice I can give – other than workout everyday and live by Yoga principles to build a strong body clear mind – it’s these three words:

Explore the world.

I just spent the past three days in Vancouver, Canada exploring a plethora of neighborhoods like Gastown, Downtown, Coal Harbor, West End, Davie Village, Yaletown, Kitsilano and Mt. Pleasant.  An amazing 25 miles worth of walking around one of the most beautiful, clean, vibrant and fashionable cities I’ve ever lived or visited. There’s been quite a few.

In Vancouver you’ll find tons of great shops and eateries and cool street fashion that had me people watching as much as checking out the sleek modern architecture that’s everywhere.

There’s also tons of little parks and beaches and public art that seem to pop-up out of nowhere. Like the A-maze-ing Laughter in Morton Park consisting of 14 enormous bronze statues – in all different poses – of a shirtless guy laughing hysterically. And what a great way to get your daily workout in. By kicking-the-bricks, as we used to say back in my NYC real estate days.

Speaking of which, Vancouver also has that international cosmopolitan feel, much like Manhattan and Chicago. Plus, the hi-rise apartment building where I stayed had one of those old-school Universal weight machines and some dumbbells, which came in handy every morning.  Add to that a yoga class, or better yet, a free 30-minute Tola Yoga class, and voila, you’re set!

So pack your bags, pick your destination, and do a little exploring on your own.

Peace – R

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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

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Now Teaching TOLA YOGA Classes in Las Vegas

I’m excited to announce I’m now teaching my Tola Yoga classes in Las Vegas, Nevada. The perfect workout for beginners to advanced, my fitness style of Yoga is strong, energetic, safe and effective. Developed after 10 years of teaching more than 25,000 students in over 2,200 classes, Tola Yoga incorporates 5 key elements: Yoga stretches, abdominals, core strengthening, balancing and foundation poses. Public & Private classes – 7 days a week.

Rates and availability upon request:  [email protected]

Have an awesome day everyone…and don’t forget your daily workout!

Peace – R