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October 9, 2019

5 Awesome Arm Balances for Beginners

5 Awesome Arm Balances for Beginners

The gravity-defying arm balances of an advanced yogi are truly magical )and the envy of many less experienced yogi’s). There is no getting around the fact that the flexibility and strength needed to perform pincha mayurāsana (feathered peacock) or tittibhāsana (firefly) are way beyond most of us. But that does not mean that arm balances are off the yoga menu. There is a wonderful selection of accessible arm balances that strengthen the arms and shoulders and are truly perfect as stepping stones on any yogi’s arm balance journey. Here are a few of my absolute favourites. (more…)

Posted By

Sally Schofield

October 4, 2019

A Fun Forest of Tree Poses

A Fun Forest of Tree Poses

Vrksasāsana, or tree pose, is truly one of the most recognisable and iconic of yoga poses. It is a wonderful hip and core strengthener; develops balance and teaches focus. Done well it is incredibly grounding and fits equally well in a class or as a stand-alone pose to calm and soothe. Want to know how to grow your tree? Here’s how… (more…)

Posted By

Sally Schofield

August 28, 2019

Warrior mini-sequence

Warrior mini-sequence

Looking for a 5 min sequence when time is short or something to add some fun to your classes – look no further, the warrior mini-sequence will be perfect! I love the strength I find through the first 2 poses than the fun of the last one as I let my imagination run wild! I give you the Warrior 1-2 3… (more…)

Posted By

Sally Schofield

August 28, 2019

Yogi’s Guide: When The Scan is Positive…

Yogi's Guide: When The Scan is Positive...

As a physiotherapist, I see a lot of people who have had some form of medical imaging – X-ray, MRI or Ultrasound. These images can be REALLY useful to help diagnose some conditions and plan whether something like surgery is needed. But did you know that 96% of people with no pain or problem with their shoulder showed an ‘abnormality’ on an MRI scan? Or that 37% of 20-year-olds with no back pain show degeneration of their spinal discs? So what does your scan result REALLY mean? And should you still do yoga? Read on for a few simple guidelines on whether to welcome or worry about your scan results. (more…)

Posted By

Sally Schofield

July 19, 2019

5 Delicious Hip Openers for the Less Flexible Yogi

5 Delicious Hip Openers for the Less Flexible Yogi

Many people come to yoga as a way to increase their flexibility. I certainly did and I remember SO clearly how impossible some yoga poses seemed to be. How could I even dream of doing an utthita pādāngusthāsana balance (standing big toe hold) when I couldn’t actually reach my big toe? My adho mukha śvānāsana (downward-facing dog) looked more like a plank than a pyramid. And the floor was WAY TOO FAR away to touch in my attempts at standing forward folds.

But was I down heartened? Well, actually I was… I thought maybe I was ‘too tight’ for yoga. Too stiff to get anywhere. But I was wrong and my yoga teachers knew that lack of flexibility is no barrier to a budding yogi. They knew that with care and perseverance, yoga was JUST what I needed. They taught me versions of poses that I could manage. Versions that did increase my flexibility and modifications that worked for my beginner’s body. Amongst other things, they showed me poses that were perfect for my tight hips and short hamstrings. And now as a yoga teacher, I absolutely LOVE showing beginner yogis these poses. So, if you are a wobbly warrior with the flexibility of an ironing board – read on! These beginner hip opening poses are perfect for you. (more…)

Posted By

Sally Schofield