The Ames/ISU YWCA will be offering a new session of yoga classes this month for the people who made New Year’s resolutions to become more healthy.

The two-class session will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 19 and will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Judy Dolphin, director of the YWCA, said the yoga classes are very popular.

“We certainly have been in the empowerment of women business for many years … and having a healthy body is key to having the strength and joy of moving along in life,” she said. “Physical and mental well-being empowers people to be the best they can be.”

Dolphin, who has been at the YWCA for 11 years, said the yoga program predates her by quite a few years.

She said while the YWCA’s main goals are to empower women and eliminate racism, the program certainly welcomes men to participate in the classes.

Dolphin said Terri Heinrich and Janis Mitchell will be the instructors for the yoga classes. Mitchell has been a YWCA yoga instructor for 10 years.

“Jan has continued to develop her skills in all kinds of long-term workshops over the years,” Dolphin said. “She is a very individual type of instructor. She takes each person where he or she happens to be at the time and works with you to help you move to the next level.”

She said Mitchell has become more and more skilled at dealing with the particular challenges of each person in her class.

“For example, if you have a neck problem, she tailors the kind of activities you will be doing so you don’t stress yourself,” Dolphin said. “Her training has really enabled her to help people feel better.”

Mitchell said yoga helps people create a sense of awareness of their physical selves.

“It makes you less likely to injure yourself because you become more careful about how you use your body,” she said. “You begin to think of it as a friend rather than a servant.”

Mitchell said the group energy is another reason people enjoy yoga.

“Sometimes people feel a lot of limitations, and some are imposed by the mind and not the body,” she said. “[Yoga helps people] realize their capabilities and limitations.”

Mitchell said hatha yoga is one of eight branches of yoga. Hatha deals with the physical, while other branches include mental aspects such as chanting and “good works study.”

“Hatha is actually incorporated into most of the other branches because before you can study … you have to be healthy,” Mitchell said.

Dolphin said the YWCA allows a maximum of 20 people to enroll in each class.

“We usually end up with a waiting list, especially at the beginning of each semester, and especially in January because everyone’s been enjoying their holidays,” she said.

Dolphin said they have been offering classes back to back to meet the demand.

She said the class is made up of a combination of students, faculty and staff and community members.

“People who work at a computer all day find yoga very helpful,” Dolphin said. “They are also learning things they can do while sitting at their desk [to eliminate stress and tension].”

The classes are held on Tuesday evenings at the First Baptist Church, 200 Lynn Ave. For more information or to register, people can call the YWCA at 294-1663.