yoga rving
By Dean Unger
Two Canadian women RVers– Sally Hauca, a veteran yoga instructor, and MaryAnne Galey, a yoga student and avid RVer, have, together, devised an instructional yoga program ideal for life on the road. People who use the program say it’s been a long time coming, and that the system is easy to follow - perfect for the weekend traveler or fulltime RVer.
The yoga RV program was designed to be used by beginners looking for a way to keep fit on the road, and by those who are already in an active fitness program. The benefits are many-fold, but, foremost, include balance and stability, improved circulation, injury maintenance, flexibility and more. MaryAnne says that during the initial few weeks of going through the DVD routine herself, she noticed a dramatic improvement in her golf-swing.
“We decided to combine our passion for RVing with our passion for Yoga and healthy living,” says Maryanne. “It’s a take-along fitness program with a very unique angle that solves a unique problem for our customers and clients. The one-hour yoga routine is designed specifically for smaller spaces. We’re targeting a niche market, but this is something that could be used in RVs, hotel rooms, guest bedrooms – anywhere there isn’t a lot of extra space.”
Ultimately, MaryAnne came up with the idea for the program, and the DVD, last February, during an RV trip to Nevada with her husband. “My initial introduction to yoga was in Whiterock where I took classes with now business partner, Sally Hauca, a qualified instructor. But when I was on the road in my RV, I found that I could not recall the routine. One day while traveling, I wanted to do my yoga routine before I went for a walk, and I just thought, ‘I need Sally’s program on a DVD.’”
Upon her return home, MaryAnne pitched the idea to Sally and in no time the ambitious pair had a partnership in place. “We took everything into consideration, including that there were already many yoga DVDs out there. But it was in the process of looking at the viability of the idea that we realized we had a very unique angle that solved a real problem for people like us.”
Not long after the DVD hit the market, MaryAnne and Sally affiliated with Scott Vest ??? and developed a promotions partnership. The one hour program is split into three 20-minute segments, which allows people to take a break after hours of driving and do a brief but thorough session that will help to keep them feeling fit and alert. It’s also excellent for a morning work-out to help get a good start on the day: mind-set and body health are the biggest immediate benefits.
“Despite being Canadian, so far we find that most customers are from the U.S.,” says MaryAnne, but we are making a concerted effort to expand into Canadian markets. Essentially our program offers the feel of a private program with an instructor or coach present to help people maintain an excellent fitness program.
This year MaryAnne and Sally will be attending trade-shows and networking to this end. So far the DVD has been met with positive reviews from buyers; sales through the company’s website and a few local retail outlets have been strong.
Yoga RVing is currently available online (www.yogarving.com) or at Shibui Skin Care (103 1440 George St.), Campbell River Store (790 176 St.) and Whitby’s Books and Gifts (14833 Marine Dr.)
http://www.yogarving.com/