YOGA BASICS — 10-WEEK COURSE FOR BEGINNERS
Start the New Year on the right foot! And then the left, too, and perhaps on all fours… and perhaps even on your arms and head! Let your body surprise you, and do things you’ve never done before.
We are starting on Monday evening, 27 January 2020. Sign-up deadline is 23 January 2020. Please book early to avoid disappointment. There are 18 spaces on the course.
Contact Barbara to check availability and register — barbara@bravebodies.com or call 0798 223 6118.
COURSE TIME: 19:45-21:15, Mondays
COURSE DATES: 27 January, 3, 10, 24 February, 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 March and 6 April 2020
LOCATION: St. Mark‘s Institute, Woolston High Street, Southampton
COST: £100, £90 students or seniors (60+)
Cancellation policy: Cancellations made prior to registration deadline will be fully refunded. No refund will be offered after this date. In certain cases, you may be able to use a credit of £50 toward the next course. If I have to cancel the course or part of it for whatever reason, you will be of course refunded in full — either for the entire course, or per number of missed sessions, as applicable.
WELCOME TO YOGA BASICS
Do you live in Southampton — especially Woolston, Bitterne, Sholing, Lowford, Netley, Hamble or Hedge End? Have you always wanted to try yoga because you’ve heard good things about it, but haven’t had the courage to just show up at an established class?
Yoga Basics is a ten-week long yoga course for beginners. If you have no experience with yoga whatsoever, this is the place for you! Although I might add that even if you have done yoga in the past, you will probably learn a good deal of new information.
Here are the main benefits of the course:
- learn up to sixty yoga poses and exercises
- develop the skills to create your own routine
- prevent and reduce back pain
- take years off your appearance
- instantly improve your mood and energy levels
- find confidence and personal power through your body
- improve your strength and flexibility
- learn self-care relief for common aches and pains
- learn how to strengthen the pelvic floor, reverse and/or prevent urinary issues
- relax and thoroughly de-stress
There are about 60 key asanas (or poses) on our syllabus, along with transitions and dynamic mobility-building exercises that are the hallmark of BraveBodies yoga. You will learn the proper technique, breathing and anatomy of each pose, as well as how to link asanas together. Each week we also explore different anatomical principles and how they relate to yoga as well as our everyday life. Prepare to make friends with your hamstrings, psoas, obliques, diaphragm, sternum, sacrum and other lovely bits of your body you vaguely know you possess but aren’t quite sure why. This is a journey of self-discovery. You will gain a greater insight into the workings of your body, and learn to apply the most up-to-date principles of optimal movement as supported by scientific research.
Will the course be hard?
I believe that anything worth doing is worth doing well. I want you to give things your best shot, nothing more, nothing less. There is no competition — you work just at the edge of your comfort zone. Prepare to be challenged, and rewarded as you improve in strength, flexibility, endurance and coordination. At the end of the course, you should feel confident to walk into most beginners/intermediate yoga classes and get on with it, and also be able to roll out the mat at home and create a coherent sequence that makes sense and achieves your objectives.
Note: This is a beginners course but successful participation does require a basic level of fitness and mobility. If you struggle to bend over, step your legs apart wider than two feet, get on and off the floor, kneel on all fours, or put pressure on your hands due to weakness in your wrists, you may find the course a bit too much and would probably feel happier in my Monday or Friday SUPPLE SILVER classes run at the same venue in Woolston. This also applies if you are over sixty and very new to exercise or have a health condition that needs a gentler approach.
What will my classmates be like?
An important part of the BraveBodies experience is being part of a fun and supportive community. The youngest participants are in their twenties, the oldest in their sixties or even seventies. The atmosphere in each course is always nothing but friendly and relaxed. You will get to know all your classmates throughout the six weeks, and will have familiar faces to look forward to during the course and beyond as you continue on your yoga journey together.
What do I wear?
Please wear something stretchy and comfortable (but not too loose, unless you want everyone to have a close look at your six-pack!). No shoes are necessary. Give your dinner an hour or two to go down — this includes coffee or any other acidic drinks. You will be glad you did!
Once you have completed the beginners yoga course, you will have the choice of moving onto the Beginners class in Woolston at 18:10-19:10 on Thursdays (St. Mark’s) or Improvers Yoga class at 9:30-10:30am on Saturdays, Lowford
If you don’t have a mat, you can borrow one from me, as well as other equipment. Even though I have quite a few communal mats, I encourage my students to have their own mat for sanitary reasons. I work with two mats, as you can see on the photo — so you can have one mat as your main and another one for extra padding and movement. A good place to purchase discounted quality mats is TK Maxx. Please make sure it’s a proper mat intended for yoga.
Do you need any more information? Then please get in touch and I will answer all other questions. Again, my number is 0798 223 6118, and my email is bhelisova@gmail.com.
WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID ABOUT YOGA BASICS
“My plan to improve my fitness and posture lead me to Barbara’s yoga course which I love so much, I’m going back for more. Barbara has a very practical teaching style and explains the impact of each move on our anatomy. I love this as I really like to know the ‘how’s’ and ‘whys’ of anything I do. The class is hard enough to make you feel you have achieved something, without being impossible.” Alison, interior designer, Lowford
“BraveBodies Beginners Yoga Course with Barbara is superb. Whatever your age or ability Barbara can improve your knowledge and awareness with your body for quick progression. Barbara explains what happens with your body and relates it to everyday life so you can improve even when you’re not on the mat – helping me with my fashion injury from a too big handbag!” Tracy, Southampton
“Got back into yoga after a long time and the beginner course run by Barbara helped me getting there at the right pace while understanding the poses and their meaning. I enjoy Barbara’s teaching, she is very knowledgeable but also very supportive and always open to questions and clarifications.” Roberta, lecturer, Bitterne Park
“I signed up for this yoga course for beginners because I really wanted to learn the foundations of yoga. I wasn’t disappointed! This isn’t just a rock up and pose class. Week by week Barbara takes you step by step through different poses, ensuring you have the correct form and understand the benefit of each one.
My class had a varied mix of ages and fitness, but Barbara showed us how to adjust the poses depending on our own flexibility and we all quickly saw how easily we could progress! Barbara’s commitment to your learning doesn’t just stop with each class, she actively encourages this by supplying homework. Each week you are given informative sheets which show each pose you have covered that session, something I found very helpful. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Brave Bodies classes and think Barbara is a walking advocate for how yoga can benefit your life!” Nicky, business owner, Southampton
“I recently completed Barbara’s beginners course and loved it as a way back into yoga after a 5 year break. I learnt a lot I didn’t know about muscles and what they all do and really enjoyed Barbara’s friendly approach.” Amy, Southampton
Important: Although yoga is commonly used as therapy for many ailments and has a fantastic potential to improve your health and well-being, this course is directed at those with reasonable level of mobility. If you suffer from any acute problems, or have had a major operation or injury in the past which is affecting you physically in any way, consider trying a private session first — after you’ve spoken to your GP. Some of what we do may be contraindicated for your particular condition, and as much as I try, it is not possible for me as a teacher to closely supervise you in a class setting. Remember, yoga can heal you, but it has to be used wisely! It is not a one-size-fits-all practice.
IF YOU AREN’T ABLE TO ENROLL ON A COURSE AT THIS TIME BUT WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE UPDATES AND NEWS FROM ME, YOU CAN LIKE BraveBodies ON FACEBOOK OR SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AT THE TOP RIGHT CORNER OF THIS PAGE!
I look forward to meeting you!
Stay brave,
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