Squirrel Squirrel Yoga Club

Improved respiration, greater flexibility, enhanced brain function, weight loss and decreased stress -- these are only a few of the benefits yoga has to one's body, mind and spirit. Though Southeast Missouri State University's Recreation Services offer a yoga group fitness program, students have created a yoga club where members can regularly practice this popular exercise.

On Monday, Oct. 10, the Squirrel Squirrel Yoga Club held its first informational meeting and planned times to hold sessions. The club hasn't officially set certain dates, but plans to meet two to four times per week. So far the club offers free yoga classes to members.

"I joined Squirrel Squirrel because I felt like I was missing something in my workout," freshman and computer networking student Aaron Miller said. "Running and lifting wasn't enough."

Miller said yoga is a full body workout but most people only see it as stretching.

While practicing yoga last summer outside, a small group of Southeast students decided they wanted to create an on-campus club. Senior exercise science student Jared Jinkerson, who became president of the yoga club, has been leading group exercise for the past two years. Jinkerson decided he wanted to take the club a step further and provide yoga education and classes.

"I thought, once we're a club, we can rent out rooms, get people registered, we can do a lot more with it," Jinkerson said.

According to Jinkerson, the club will not charge membership dues. The club provides members with affordability compared to prices at Southeast HealthPoint Plaza, which charges $80 for 10 classes and the Source-Yoga 'n more who charge $115 for 10 regular sessions. Jinkerson said the club is a great place to start for those who have no experience with the exercise.

"You can do more than just yoga with this club," Jinkerson said. "We want members to grow with this club."

"I never really could get into it by myself," freshman nursing student Lindsay Hetisimer said. "But having the group setting means all the difference to me."

Hetisimer joined the yoga club to gain more knowledge and flexibility while decreasing stress and meeting new people.

As for the club's unique name, Jinkerson explained that it was adopted during a yoga session outside one morning when the group noticed several squirrels prancing around.

"We were just goofing around doing a bunch of squirrel poses, and then we were like, 'We should call it the Squirrel Squirrel Yoga Club,'" Jinkerson said.

The club has 25 members, but Jinkerson's goal is to reach 40 by the end of the semester. Although no weekly yoga session schedule has been set, Jinkerson is trying to find what time works best with members. Classes range from 30 minutes to an hour.

"We want to offer members to meet five days a week at three different times," Jinkerson said.

The Squirrel Squirrel Yoga club plans to have 40 members by the end of the semester. -Photo by Kelso Hope

More and more yoga sessions are being scheduled as membership increases. For additional information visit the Squirrel Squirrel Yoga Club page on Facebook.