17th September 2024. .
Osteoporosis has become a hot topic recently, and I've been receiving an influx of questions from Harmonise graduates and teacher trainees and also from colleagues seeking guidance about safe exercise options for their classes or 1:1 clients. I also have two current teacher trainees (1 yoga, 1 Pilates) living with an osteoporosis diagnosis and have been contacted by a couple of graduates who who have recently been diagnosed with Osteopenia
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5th August 2024. .
To hinge or not to hinge ... that is the question!
I was recently asked an excellent question by one of the students booked onto our upcoming Pilates teacher training in September. Here's the question (word for word):
“I did Iyengar yoga for a year, and during forward folds, we were always taught to have a straight back and bend from the hips, as opposed to rolling down, as Pilates advises.
I
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27th June 2024. .
In this continuation of our discussion on effective cuing, we'll delve into more advanced strategies to enhance your teaching skills. Building on the basics of language use covered in part 1, I will explore the art of observing and responding to your students, refining your cues, and fostering a deeper mind-body connection. Let's jump straight in ...
Observing and responding in real-time
This really is one of the key aspects of enhanced
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31st May 2024. .
Cuing seems to be a hot topic in the mindful (functional) movement world right now, and with good reason. The cues a teacher uses throughout a class significantly impact how a student experiences, feels, and embodies movement. It’s not just about the cues themselves, but also the tone of delivery and the teacher's expression during a class.
After all, a student’s nervous system responds to the teacher’s nervous system through
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19th April 2024. .
At the tender age of 24, I found myself grappling with Downward Facing Dog in a bustling yoga class at Gold’s Gym in London. At the time, I was working as a full-time gym instructor, personal trainer and studio co-ordinator. I was young, fit, healthy and body aware, so accessing downward facing dog during this class must have been a breeze, right?
WRONG!!! Despite my background in fitness and body awareness,
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6th February 2024. .
“If exercise was a pill, we’d all be taking it”
- Dr Mary Hendersen (The Hovarian Magazine, Feb 2024)
Have you ever considered how accessible Yoga and Pilates could help both you and your students navigate change with greater strength and ease?
Thankfully, an increasing number of medically qualified people seem to be promoting the more recently branded term ‘lifestyle medicine’. This is a category into which Yoga and Pilates fit very
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5th January 2024. .
Time and time again I witness the transformative journey of like-minded individuals in our courses, where growth is exponential… and I am in awe. I always reassure individuals who express nervousness or self-criticism with these words: "Give that burden to me – trust the process, trust me, and, by the end of the course, you'll find trust in yourself."
Yoga and Pilates are timeless forms of functional movement suitable for any
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5th December 2023. .
I discovered Yoga Nidra over a decade ago upon moving to Brighton and launching my career as a Yoga Teacher. As a new teacher without any other income, life was quite up and down back then. I knew I had to keep the faith and determination in what I was doing, but naturally it was a bit scary. I found Yoga Nidra would help me switch off, let go of
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7th November 2023. .
Pelvic health is crucial, especially for women. It is estimated that 50% of women over the age of 50 have some form of a prolapse; and over a third have some form of incontinence.*
Although pelvic health issues are not exclusive to women, factors such as pregnancies, hormonal changes during menopause, aging, medications, posture, stress, and lifestyle choices frequently act as catalysts. Like many chronic health conditions, these issues rarely stem
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10th October 2023. .
When I embarked on planning my recent retreat to the enchanting sacred venue at St Nectan’s Glen, I knew it was going to be extraordinary. Set against the backdrop of a healing waterfall and surrounded by an abundance of nutritious negative ion-charged air, the retreat coincided with a powerful super full moon. It was the start of a new 12 month cycle, a time for release, forgiveness, embracing new beginnings,
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