Blog
Getting back to basics with yoga and mat Pilates equipment
I thought the new year would be the perfect time to get back to basics and talk about what you can expect from yoga and mat Pilates classes, so following on from the last blog, let’s talk now about equipment.. The essential yoga and mat Pilates stuff My classes focus...
Let’s get back to basics – What can you expect from Ad Astra Yoga and Pilates?
I’ve seen lots of new members join Ad Astra Yoga and Pilates in the recent months and it occurred to me that I’m likely to meet new people as we approach New Year resolutions, so I thought it would be a good time to reintroduce myself and my brand of teaching… Who is...
How clean is your yoga mat?
First of all, I apologise if after reading this, you feel differently about your yoga mat (or even a bit queasy)! Secondly, you should know that even as a yoga teacher, I’m not fastidious over cleaning my own mat, but we do need to address the question of how clean a...
How to practise mindfulness using all five senses
The practise of mindfulness is to focus on our present moment and the task at hand, making it more meaningful and hopefully executing it better. To be mindful is to prevent outside distractions from invading our thoughts or actions so we can be 100% invested in what...
Pushing up with purpose: We’re doing 100 push-ups for Cancer Research
You know how we sometimes take on little challenges in our community: Last year it was 2 minute planks, then who could forget 12,000 seconds of yoga and all those early morning Sun Salutations?! Well, this time, we’re bringing that same energy to push ups. We’re...
Eight ways to use your yoga blocks
Yoga blocks don’t come in all shapes and sizes, but they do come with a multitude of uses. If you’re tired of packing them in your bag and never getting much use out of them, these eight ideas should see you getting them out more often… Sitting comfortably First and...
Namaste or Namaskar? Which one should I use, and when?
We hold our hands in front of our heart centre to show love and gratitude, but as we draw them down from above our heads we can hold them to our forehead and bow low as an indication that the person you are gesturing to holds a higher rank.
What’s the difference between Reformer Pilates and Mat Pilates?
Mat Pilates just seems less formal, less serious and less daunting in general. And my Mat Pilates classes, as any of my members will tell you is always warm and welcoming, and we rarely take ourselves too seriously.
Is yoga or Pilates better for hip mobility?
An interesting question and one that can be simply answered - Both are great for improving hip mobility, but they take different approaches… First of all, let’s refresh our memories on the definition of mobility, vs flexibility. Mobility refers to the achieved range...
Why is 10,000 steps a day recommended?
A good rule of thumb for using walking as a method to improve your health and fitness is to walk so you get warm and a little bit out of breath. And if you can do it for an hour a day, brilliant!