Classes For Every Body
YOGA FOR FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT
This 60-minute class divides into two sections, and you are welcome to attend either or both of the 30-minute parts of the class. The first 30 minutes features mobility, stretching and breathing exercises. The second 30 minutes explores sun salutations and other standing/seated poses, with a focus on building strength, balance and whole-body coordination. Seated options are available throughout both halves of the class. This class is ideal for people recovering from injury or wanting to become more active, since you can choose to join us for the components that suit your body as it feels on any particular day.
EXPLORING YOGA
60 minutes of breathing and movement to try new options for your yoga practice. Each class begins and ends with 10 minutes of breathing and physical relaxation, including guided introductions to meditation and savasana. The movement portion of the class focuses on a specific pose each week, using props, variations and sequences to find what works best for your body. You might be new to yoga, and keen to spend more time learning HOW to do something comfortably. Or maybe you’ve been doing yoga for a while and want to think about WHY certain yoga options are best for your body. Depending on the week’s focus pose, it may be possible to attend for the first 30 minutes only.
YIN YOGA
Yin yoga is where we really slow down. Using props for support, we hold seated and lying poses for a long time, normally 3-8 minutes, finding stillness and quiet. The poses stretch connective tissue and activate meridian lines so, although there is very little ‘movement’ in a typical yin class, there is often a significant effect on the body. This is a fantastic class if you want to explore the meditative aspects of yoga, or focus your practice on stretching. All of the poses can be adapted to suit your individual needs, including options to practise on a chair, bed or sofa if you prefer not to come down to the floor. Although this class lasts for 60 minutes, it’s generally possible to attend for the first 30 minutes only.
Potential new online group classes - let us know if you want to see these on the timetable!
30-minute chair yoga course for beginners
This will be a five-week course for people who are completely new to yoga. All the exercises will be either seated on a chair, or standing with a chair for support. You do not need to ‘get down to the floor’ and we can accommodate most injuries or health conditions. In addition to the five live 30-minute classes via Zoom, this package will also include three 5-minute videos for you to use in your own time, sent via email, and one 30-minute individual Zoom call which you can use to discuss any questions or ‘catch up’ if you have to miss a class. The whole course costs £35.
30-minute active yoga class
A short burst of exercise for those of you who want to develop your yoga practice to include more balances, strengthening and deep breathing. Expect to sweat! Each class will include sun salutations and whole-body sequences, so you should be comfortable with poses such as plank, cobra and downward dog before joining this class. It will cost £6 PAYG or less if you use a class pass. If there is demand, we can schedule this class in the early morning, at either 6.30 or 7 AM.
60-minute restorative yoga and meditation course for beginners
Lots of our classes include snippets of meditation, but it will be the primary focus of this 5-week course. We will begin each class with approximately 30 minutes of restorative yoga, which is very gentle lying or seated yoga poses, typically held for 5-15 minutes at a time. If you haven’t tried restorative yoga before, it’s slower and softer than yin yoga. Then we’ll learn a series of meditation techniques and practices, which will also be shared with you via weekly emails and videos for use between classes. The whole course costs £60.
I want to do chair yoga. Where did it go?
Don’t panic, it’s everywhere! All of our classes include chair yoga options and it’s often the case that we all use the chair as a prop, so don’t worry about being different to other participants. In a typical class, each participant is using props and variations in their own preferred way, with demonstrations and verbal dialogue to help find what works best for you.
Individual lessons
Individual lessons are currently available in-person at the Acle studio or in your garden, and via Zoom. They can be booked for an individual or for two people from the same household, and sessions will be planned to reflect your yoga interests. Common requests include strengthening or relaxing a particular muscle group, learning a new pose, or trying a new type of breath work.
Garden Yoga
Outdoor yoga is great! And it’s a particularly useful option as we exit lockdown and begin to meet in person once more. We can appreciate the things which are often ‘missing’ from Zoom yoga, such as seeing each other from different angles and noticing breathing patterns, whilst maintaining social distancing.
You can book an individual lesson in your garden (£40 for a 60-minute session), and I am also happy to chat with you about arranging classes for larger groups of family and friends if you wish. Weather means that we may need to cancel classes. Classes can be cancelled up to one hour before the start time with no requirement for payment.
Here are some points to consider:
You will need to complete an ‘outdoor classes form’ in addition to the usual client forms.
Before every class, you must confirm that you are not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
Use sun cream and insect repellent as appropriate to the weather and location.
Bring a water bottle that can be re-sealed to avoid spillages.
Set your mat up on even ground and remember that a soft surface can be more challenging for balance!
If you are hosting an outdoor class involving participants beyond your own household, we will make a separate agreement regarding payments and contact processes for bad weather cancellations.