What I do
Yoga teacher, Flexibility and Mobility Coach, Personal Trainer
I work with yoga teachers and practitioners who may feel stuck or stagnated in their practice and who are looking to go to the next level or improve in a specific area.
EveryBODY is different so my approach is working with the individual to meet their needs and goals, whether that's through building strength and engagement or working on flexibility. I Integrate weights and props in to sessions to develop strength and safely deepen flexibility and range of motion.
My aim is to help people move more freely and feel strong physically and mentally.
About me
I got into yoga because my previous job caused me to feel stressed and frustrated. I felt like there was no room for creativity anymore. I was conforming to what was being asked of me, not necessarily what I thought was right or wanted to do, so whenever I got on my mat, I felt a sense of space and freedom. There was something special about connecting movement to breath.
That's why my classes are light-hearted and creative and allow for students to take ownership of their practice with more focus on sensation rather than alignment - a complete contrast to how I was feeling before!
I qualified in 2016 but having found my passion and purpose I always want to learn more. This has led to further training in anatomy, creative sequencing courses, qualifying as a gym instructor, personal trainer and working with other advanced instructors and practitioners in and outside of yoga to create my own personal style and teaching.
It was due to a hamstring injury some years back that my fitness routine, yoga practice and style of teaching changed and developed for the better. Repeatedly going in to deep hamstring stretches without a proper warm up and lack of strengthening exercises led to my injury. I was experiencing pain when folding forward or even sitting for long periods of time so as part of my recovery I started incorporating exercises to specifically target and strengthen my hamstrings and glutes.
I then became more aware that a typical yoga class consisted of more pushing moves and not so many complimentary pulling moves, meaning that certain muscles can get overlooked when it comes to strength on the yoga mat. This is why I have a strong focus on developing strength to safely deepen flexibility and increase range of motion.
After incorporating strength training in to my routine and adding in different types of movement I became a better practitioner. Due to my instabilities, I went from my practice feeling stagnant to progressing in certain areas, particularly back bending. I started engaging muscles rather than relying on my flexibility.
A well rounded fitness routine offers numerous benefits in achieving your personal best both physically and mentally, promoting a healthy, balanced fitness lifestyle.
I believe that with intention, a curious approach and the powerful tool of using your breath you can start to open your body and mind to reach its full potential, helping you with all aspects of your daily life.