Spring Workshop 2017 *news*

My dear Yogis and Yoginis..

I had a really bad experience with one of our leisure centres so I decided to have the Yoga workshop in a nicer place with positive energy and nice floor heating :P

The only thing that is not so great (in a way) is that I can fit only 12 of you there - so it will be a nice little cosy workshop and I will see all of you :) Who is up for it? (I will need you to tell me asap, plus paying the fee, too, as the places are really limited - sorry about that) oh and... - only 11 places are left at this minute :)

More info -

Spring Yoga Workshop

Sat 22nd April 2pm-5pm

Markyate Village Hall, Cavendish Rd, Markyate, St Albans AL3 8PS

Fee - £30 (payable to me asap when booking - only 12 spaces are for this workshop)

What will we do -

- breathing technique (15mins)

- yin yoga to get us well stretched (60mins)

- vinyasa yoga to get the energy in our bodies flowing (60)

- hatha yoga to cool us down (15mins)

- meditation (30mins)

How to Use Your Breath In Asana Practice

While priorities may differ between styles and teachers, when to inhale and exhale during asana is a fairly standardized practice element. Here are three simple guidelines for pairing breath with types of poses.

When bending forward, exhale.

When you exhale, the lungs empty, making the torso more compact, so there is less physical mass between your upper and lower body as they move toward each other. The heart rate also slows on the exhalation, making it less activating than an inhalation and inducing a relaxation response. Since forward bends are typically quieting postures, this breathing rule enhances the energetic effects of the pose and the depth of the fold.

When lifting or opening the chest, inhale.

In a heart-opening backbend, for instance, you increase the space in your chest cavity, giving the lungs, rib cage, and diaphragm more room to fill with air. And heart rate speeds up on an inhalation, increasing alertness and pumping more blood to muscles. Plus, deep inhalation requires muscular effort that contributes to its activating effect. Poses that lift and open the chest are often the practice’s energizing components, so synchronizing them with inhalations takes optimum advantage of the breath’s effects on the body.

When twisting, exhale.

In twists, the inhalation accompanies the preparation phase of the pose (lengthening the spine, etc.), and the exhalation is paired with the twisting action. Posturally, that’s because as your lungs empty there’s more physical space available for your rib cage to rotate further. But twists are also touted for their detoxifying effects, and the exhalation is the breath’s cleansing mechanism for expelling CO2.

How we breathe in yoga

I'm getting into the preparation of our 30 Day Yoga Weight Loosing challenge and I was reading a lot about the breath last few days, because we will focus on Yoga and Breath in the first week of our challenge.

Just a little explanation why we breathe in and out of our nose during a yoga practice. We do it for a few reasons but the main one is that when we breathe like this we can’t take in so much air or expel so much air. So if we have to resort to opening our mouth to get more air it is an indicator that we have stepped into stressing or pushing our bodies. When we practice yoga, we don’t want to stress our bodies by doing open mouth breathing. Our practice should be a balance of effort with ease.

"The nose is for breathing, the mouth is for eating."

The 30-Day Yoga for Weight Loss Challenge

The January crazyness made me think of few things, plus many people were asking if yoga is actually good for weight loss - the answer is - yoga is what you want it to be!

Very soon I will put together a 30 Day Yoga Weight Loss Challenge, which will help participants lose weight through yoga. There will be day and weekly guides and exercises descriptions, plus helpful tips for losing weight and videos. 4 weeks will be divided into weekly themes - Yoga and the Breath, Yoga and the Mind, Yoga and the Body and Yoga and Beyond. 

This challenge will be ideal for beginner yoga students, but experienced yogis will find it helpful with weight loss, too. Participants will experience a comprehensive approach to weight loss that addresses physical exercise, mental outlook, emotional well-being, and behavioral patterns. 

Change your habits and change your life with this valuable program.

If you want more info, please contact me, I am looking forward to start this program very soon!