Ever need something to do in the morning to  help you keep in shape and  refreshed for the rest of the day? Niles North’s recently founded Yoga Club, which meets on Friday mornings, is the perfect place to get a good workout with friends and a professional yoga instructor.

The Yoga Club was started last year by juniors Sara Beladi and Maggie Quane. Having attended the local yoga studio Core Power many times, the girls learned to appreciate the yoga lifestyle and decided to bring it to North.

“I thought a club would be a good way to expose students to yoga without the costly [membership] fees, ” Beladi says.

Special education teacher Nikki Ellis,  sponsor of the club, is passionate about the benefits of yoga. “It can help students focus better on a test and/or help them deal with emotional issues in a more positive manner,” she says. “Yoga lets them slow their mind and breath; letting them take an important time out for themselves which they do not normally get in this fast-paced world.”

Core Power teacher Caroline Benjamin is the instructor of Yoga Club. With her expertise, each workout is challenging and rewarding. Each workout, conducted in dim and restful light, is designed to strengthen students in one way or another, whether it’s by becoming more flexible or working on their abs. Students enjoy the energy during the sessions, and feel better in the days that follow a good yoga workout.

Students aren’t the only ones who recognize the club’s benefits. Mark Feldner, strength and conditioning coach, allows his early bird Varsity PE students, especially the cross country and swim teams, to attend Yoga Club as an alternative to their daily weightlifting and cardio.

Yoga Club meets every Friday morning at 7:00 in the dance studio and its doors are always open for more participants. All you need to bring to the meetings are comfortable clothes and a positive attitude.