Yoga Classes – Morning & Evening

What are Yoga Classes?

In our hectic modern world many people are taking ‘time out’ to practice yoga – a system of philosophy that originated in India 5,000 years ago. Everyone can practice yoga, regardless of age, sex or ability.

Yoga offers us a holistic approach to body, mind and spirit, which can provide us with the ‘tools’ to cope with the challenges of daily life. Yoga can also complement medical science and therapy for specific conditions.

You may be drawn to yoga simply for health and fitness, or be seeking relief for a specific physical condition. You might want help with managing stress, or would like pregnancy yoga classes or exercises suitable for the less able-bodied. Whatever your objectives, there are yoga classes that can meet them.

• Monday 6.30 – 8.00pm  OPEN YOGA
• Tuesday 5.00 – 6.00pm  GENTLE OPEN YOGA
• Tuesday 6.30 – 8.00pm  BEGINNERS/INTERMEDIATE FORREST YOGA
• Wednesday 10.30 – 12 noon  OPEN YOGA
• Thursday 6.30pm – 8.00pm OPEN YOGA
• Friday     6:30pm – 8:00pm Bendy Yoga

OPEN YOGA

Strength, empowerment and balance

After studying several disciplines of yoga with a variety of teachers, Gill developed her own

OPEN YOGA where all her expertise and knowledge could be combined to create a yoga practice to suit anyone.

OPEN TO ALL
The practice is for everyone – regardless of your level of fitness, flexibility and strength.

OPENS THE BODY
The postures (asanas) stretch and tone the muscles of the body and open the joints to keep them active and strong. The conscious awareness of the breath feeds the body with oxygen, blood and nutrition. A balanced sequence of postures strengthens and unravels the entire body giving a feeling of balance, vitality and empowerment.

OPENS THE MIND
It calms the mind and regular practice leads to a deepening of concentration and self-awareness. All sessions conclude with Savasana (deep relaxation) where the body is given time and space to integrate all that has occurred during your practice, and energy can flow to areas where it is most needed to aid in healing and rejuvenation.

GENTLE OPEN YOGA

Gill offers a Gentle Open Yoga Class on Tuesdays. This is a session for all those people who feel somewhat apprehensive about doing yoga. It is a chance to do some easy and gentle stretches whilst learning to connect with the breath and reduce stress levels.

FORREST YOGA

Breath, strength, integrity and spirit.
Forrest Yoga is an intense but achievable sequence of poses and conscious breathing which makes you feel more alive. It is a journey to discover your own strength, to cleanse and heal yourself. It is also an intense work out which will uplift your mind and tone your body.
The practice builds heat in the body and combining that with the deep breathing, sweats toxins out and enables you to stretch more deeply and safely. The body feels rejuvenated and every cell is enlivened.
Forrest Yoga does not require strength or flexibility, only an open mind.
Become physically and emotionally stronger, more confident in your practice and your life. Oxygenate every cell and detox your entire body.
Visit Gill’s Blog for more information

Bend Yoga

Why don’t more men do yoga?

When we think of yoga, the first image is of extremely supple individuals tying themselves in knots as they get into the lotus position, then doing a head stand, and finally relaxing by lying on a bed of nails!
Alternatively, the image is of a class full of middle aged women in 1970′s style leotards in dusty church halls. Not surprisingly, this puts a lot of people off going to a yoga class, either on the basis that they ‘can’t even touch their toes’ or in the case of most men, because it can be rather off-putting being the only male in a class of thirty-odd women. (Yes the pun was intended).
As a male who has been practising yoga for over a decade now, most of the time I am fine about this, but I wanted to turn the tables and set up a class aimed at men – young, old, sporty and not so fit, to teach the benefits that yoga can offer.
Historically, Yoga has been practiced by both men and women for thousands of years. It is therefore an ancient practice, and its survival and global popularity to this day is proof that there are tangible benefits from practising yoga.
Yoga in the west has a focus on the physical postures known as Asana, and it is my aim during this 10 week course, to introduce a range of basic postures and sequences which are aimed at stretching and strengthening the physical body.
You will be surprised at how quickly yoga helps general fitness. It helps to improve bad posture which is brought about by being hunched up over a computer all day long; or bad backs which are often brought about by tight hamstrings and poorly developed muscles around the spine. It is not a quick fix, but by practising Yoga on a regular basis you will be surprised at the rate of improvement in your overall physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Following just two yoga sessions at a class I ran in 2009, a veteran Stockport rugby player found that his stiff back which he had had for years, brought about by the knocks and hard physical training eased off considerably, and so now yoga exercises form a routine part of his training.
Many professional sportsmen and women also use Yoga to complement their tough training schedules, the most famous being Ryan Giggs, David James and Andy Murray.
From the average man on the street, to athletes who are at the top of their game, yoga helps to improve physical strength and stamina as well as mental focus and balance.