On 21 April I will be launching Yoga +! It is very exciting to launch a new type of class!
Why Yoga +?
Yoga + is a blend of traditional Yoga PLUS Pilates movements that aim to strengthen the core and improve mobility.
What triggered offering this type of class?
I have been practising yoga for many years before becoming a teacher. One of my weaknesses (I had many!) was the lack of a strong core and I struggled with poses like Navasana (Boat Pose) to the point that if my teacher proposed Boat Pose in class, I would roll my eyes murmuring through my breath ‘oh no, not that ONE!’ (yes, I did that as well!🤭)
So, I spent years avoiding Yoga postures that needed a strong core.
However, during lockdown, I trained as a Pilates teacher. I was not sure at the time if I would enjoy it, as a class participant or a teacher. It was a tough course and in addition to 2 full weekends online attendance, I had sit 2 or 3 timed exams online (a technical nightmare!) as well as submitting coursework regularly, and an in-person practice exam during COVID times (not during lockdowns, I hasten to add) in a rather crowded room! However, over time, I saw the benefits and appreciated the effects of certain (emphasis on certain here!) Pilates movements on my body, adding strength and mobility both to my Yoga and Pilates practice. So, I asked myself: “Why not combine the two?”
It is true what I wrote in an earlier blog - Spring truly brings new insight and vision😃
Why do we need strong core?
Our muscles work in pairs – one extends and the other contracts - to enable movement. So for example, when we do a forward bend, we extend the muscles at the back and contract the muscles at the front, to fold. When we do cobra, the muscles work the opposite way. We need a good balance between the back and front muscles of the ribcage:
to maintain good postural alignment
to keep the chest open enabling the respiratory system to work efficiently, the lungs to expand to capacity and bring a good amount of oxygen into the body
to keep the spine straight and balanced, sending the weight downwards rather than incline the spine forwards (sometimes that we all tend to do when we spend a long time on the computer)
to avoid lower back pains, and even neck pains (when hanging the head forwards) due to bad postural alignment
I am excited about offering you this new class and hope that you will give it a try!
Yoga + starts on Friday 21 April, 9:30am-10:30am, Woodmansterne Village Hall, 24 Carshalton Road, Banstead SM7 2HR and is also available on Zoom
Daily Pass £7.50 (£8 from May) – Monthly Class Passes available
New to Merakiyoga? Come along and get 50% off your first class.
Comments