Yoga + is nearly here - A blend of Yoga and Pilates

**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!