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yoga

20 Mar Core workshop Sunday 28th March

Posted at 11:38h in backcare, health, Sport, yoga

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11AM-12:15PM

When a PT, yoga teacher or fitness instructor asks you to engage your core can you actually do this? What does even it mean? For many people it means bracing their rectus abdominis or six- pack muscle.

But the core comprises 35 muscles!

In Ashtanga yoga we engage the obliques and the lower portion of the rectus abdominus, the transverses abdominus along with the pelvic floor muscles throughout our yoga practice, or at least we are supposed to!

In postures such as navasana (boat pose) we are toning our psoas. (note a healthy muscle is one that can contract and relax and I am definitely not alone in having a psoas muscle that cannot switch off sometimes)

What about the glute max though? That big meaty butt muscle! This part of the core.

When I started practicing Ashtanga many years ago teachers always said to relax your glutes in back bends like upward facing dog and even in more extreme back bends that occur in second series ashtanga.

This is actually pretty bad advice! Your glute max is a key stabiliser which will support the back in back bends.

I’m not suggesting a full-on butt squeeze like you’re trying to crack a nut between your cheeks but a subtle engagement of the lower portion of the glute max.

This could mean easing off back bends until you can achieve this.

If you spend 5 hours a more a day sitting and then join an exercise class or train at the gym in the evening lord help your back! This is the reality for many people. You definitely need to connect with and fire up that core.

This class will show you how to access the core muscles, connect with them and strengthen them. Will this class give you a 6 pack? Sadly not but if that is your goal this will set you on the right path.

If your goal is to do your sport, training or yoga of choice knowing you can connect with your core and support your back then this class is for you!

Class is £12 or £10 for regular students. Message me to book your place .

02 Feb

Posted at 14:49h in yoga

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Ashtanga Yoga Retreat in Suffolk May 17th until May 20th, 2018.

I’m so excited to announce my first UK yoga retreat! I hope you can join us for what promises to be an epic weekend! Held in a beautifully converted farmhouse in the Suffolk countryside the retreat will offer six yoga classes and an abundance of fresh, healthy and locally sourced food made by our own chef. This retreat will open to all levels from beginners to experienced Ashtangis. Everyone is welcome. A space to cultivate and deepen your own yoga practice or perhaps begin your discovery of Ashtanga. Away from the stresses of everyday life, the retreat will be a space of contemplation and relaxation giving you the opportunity to set healthy intentions and habits.

Venue

Lodge Farm in the village of Freston is a beautifully converted dairy. With the best of both worlds, it is perfect for big social dinners with the dining area of the Dairy having enough seating for big communal meals so everyone can congregate. However, there is also space for all to find a quiet corner to enjoy the peace and tranquillity the area has to offer.

Lodge Farm is situated within the Suffolk Coast and Heath’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) so there are lots of scenic walks on our doorstep. You never know, we may even get good weather!

Schedule

The retreat starts on Thursday evening with a yoga class followed by dinner. There will be a morning and evening class on Saturday and Sunday with the option of having a massage, going on a scenic country walk, having a veggie cooking lesson or simply doing nothing between classes.

Our final class will be on Sunday morning before we depart feeling refreshed, relaxed and recharged.

Booking

There are two double rooms available for single occupancy at £420 per person.

All other rooms are on a shared basis at £385 per person.

To secure your place please get in touch to arrange payment of a non-refundable deposit of £120. The remaining fee is due March 30th.

25 Jan 11 Benefits of Ashtanga Yoga

Posted at 19:24h in Uncategorized, yoga

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Ashtanga Yoga on Saturday’s at 10:30AM-12PM @ The Body Studio, Northwood Hills.

I am an experienced and dedicated Ashtanga yoga teacher who has studied extensively with the Ashtanga Guru in Mysore, South India. I cannot wait to share this life-changing yoga practice with you!

Please get in touch to book your place or to find out more:

E:[email protected]

T: 07532 221 833

11 Benefits of Ashtanga Yoga It’s an ancient and traditional yoga practice steeped in spirituality. Ashtanga also happens to have some very surprising health benefits. Ashtanga can help us to find health in body and mind in an often stressful modern world.

1 Cardiovascular Fitness Ashtanga is a “vinyasa” style of yoga which means it’s a moving, not a static yoga style. Anyone who has practiced the sun salutations at the beginning of any Ashtanga class knows how much they get the heart rate up and the blood pumping!

2 Core Strength Ashtanga creates exceptional core strength and really connects us with those sometimes-elusive deep core muscles. Many people who suffer from lower back pain find this strength alleviates it.

3 Improves joint range of movement Ashtanga increases the range of movement in our joints so we are more agile and move with more grace and ease, rather than stiffen with age. We can bend down without creaking!

4 Counteracts the damage of sitting Many of us spend hours each day sitting. This creates a lot of pressure on the lower back, tightens the hamstrings and the hips. Sitting with our hips flexed all day means they become “locked” and in time we are no longer able to utilise the ball and socket joint of the hip i.e. allow the joint to move in all directions. Sitting all day is also bad news for our core. Regular Ashtanga practice brings you back to a healthy fully functioning body that feels light and free.

5 Ashtanga is not a stretching class! Simply Stretching muscles is not particularly beneficial. Ashtanga creates strong lean muscles and we focus on lengthening not stretching.

6 Ashtanga teaches us how to breathe correctly A powerful tool in overcoming stress and anxiety. The breathing practiced in Ashtanga helps us to manage our “fight or flight” response to stressful situations and react in a more reasoned way.

7 Awareness We become more aware of how we sit, stand and move as we go about our day so our posture improves and we are less likely to create further issues in our body.

8 Learn an invaluable life skill Ashtanga is a set sequence you will learn by heart. It becomes part of your daily life and enables you to learn a life skill that will enhance your quality of life.

9 Self-care You feel more inclined to look after yourself as you become more in tune with yourself. Suddenly you are eating healthier and making better choices for your overall health.

10 You realise anything is possible! When I started to practice Ashtanga I found a lot of the postures impossible and often said “I’ll never be able to do that” Some postures took years to master but it taught me perseverance and patience and that with the right attitude anything is possible!

11 Clarity of mind Yoga was created thousands of years ago, yet we need it more today than ever before. We are subjected to constant bombardment of images and information, especially those of us glued to our iPhone and social media! We are constantly on the go. The quiet time, mindful movement and introspection of yoga can sow the seeds for a more focused mind and counteract the stress and overwhelm that over stimulation causes.

YOGA CORE (EVERY SUNDAY) VIA ZOOM