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Summer Outdoor Yoga in Perth!

If the idea of doing yoga in a natural setting, be it in a park or by the ocean, takes you to your happy place then you’ll want to get involved with this.

Holistic personal trainer / nutritionist / meditation & yoga practitioner Stuart Watkins will be running classes in Kings Park, Cott and City Beach throughout the 2010-2011 Summer!

I’ve recently had a personal meditation / yoga sesh with Stuart (more on that to come later) and can vouch for his knowledge, calming voice & positive / healing vibes that seem to emanate from him in droves.

Make sure you get in touch with him by the listed methods to ensure a spot. The classes are by donation, so you pay what you feel, which is a really harmonious way of doing things.

Namaste!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

Exercise Review: Bikram Yoga, Perth!

According to the flyer, the health studio “Bikram Yoga” (or heated yoga) provides a certain type of yoga that is conducted in a room heated to 38 degrees celcius, so that the muscles are warmed and a deeper workout can occur!

To put it simply: you’re gonna sweat.

Bikram Yoga is a 90 minute program of 26 pre-determined poses & postures, plus 2 breathing exercises. The benefits of Bikram include:

♥ Stretching and strengthening muscles, joints & more.
♥ Increased mental clarity & stress reduction.
♥ Stimulation of the organs to cleanse & provide fresh oxygenated blood to the body. This helps restore all systems to optimal working order for total health.

At this stage, the concept sounded so unappealing, what with all the talk about mass sweating.

As I entered the zenly decorated reception area of Bikram Yoga (complete with small fountains), already I could feel a slight rise in humidity. The instructors were extremely friendly as they explained to me the concept and goals of their company and they were extremely open as they answered any questions I had.

Set with a yoga mat, a beach towel and two bottles of water, I stepped into a room that was similar to a sauna minus the steam. During the briefing, the instructor urged us to try our hardest to stay in the room for the whole class, even if it was just lying down on the mat if we felt like we weren’t handling the environment well. The point of this class was to focus solely on yourself without worrying about what other classmates are doing and, contrary to regular yoga, the eyes must be open the whole time.

The class started well enough with some of the typical yoga positions such as the half moon pose. At this stage I was thinking, this isn’t so bad I can totally do this for 90 minutes! However about 30-45 minutes into the class, the room was 10 degrees hotter than when we first started and that’s when the sweating really began.

I was also thanking my mum in my mind as she convinced me to bring a beach towel instead of a tiny face towel. Around this time I started to feel a little light-headed and so I decided to sit the next few poses out, trying to gain some energy back and convincing myself not to step out of the class. A few people decided to rest around this time too, reassuring me that I wasn’t the only one struggling.

After a few minutes of resting I joined the class again, keeping up surprisingly comfortably. Going against the rules, I looked around at the class, and everyone, including myself, was sweating insane amounts! Towards the end of the class the temperature cooled mildly and before I knew it the class was finished.

The poses performed in a Bikram Yoga class.

It may seem that I didn’t enjoy myself in this class but in reality, I loved it! I felt rejuvenated and fresh walking out of the studio and I could breathe easier too. Another benefit was that my skin felt softer (after a good shower).

Overall it was a very intense 90 minutes, very very challenging but incredibly worth it as there are plenty of benefits for your body (as above).

My advice is that you have to listen to your body and take it easy if you’re doing it the first time, especially if you haven’t exercised in a while. The yoga experience combined with the friendly and welcoming instructors has definitely convinced me to come back for more!

They have a special offer for newcomers who are local to Perth, $20 for unlimited Bikram Yoga over 10 days! Unbeatable value and a fantastic way to find out if it suits your lifestyle 🙂

Bikram Yogahttp://www.perthbikramyoga.com.au

Location

NOR

158a Vincent Street, NORTH PERTH
On the corner of Vincent and Fitzgerald Streets

SOR

248 Leach Highway MYAREE
(beneath REBEL Sports)

To find out more, contact Jenny Sterpini, certified Bikram Yoga Instructor on 0403 496 422.

Article by Hanna Baradja

Have you tried Bikram Yoga? Too scared? Want to know more? Leave a comment! xx

Perth Yoga and Detox Day: 3rd January 2010!

Yoga Health have long been one of my favourite conductors of yoga classes in Perth!

They offer classes in many locations around Perth which are absolutely fantastic for:

♥ Stretching

♥ Stress reduction (I can personally attest to the amazing feeling of calm after the class!)

♥ Light exercise

♥ Balancing your mind & thoughts

Given that I enjoy these weekly classes so much, I’m excited to say they are running a Yoga & Detox day VERY SOON – Sunday the 3rd of January 2010 in fact!

The day is going to focus on 4 areas:

– Physical Detoxing
– Mental Detoxing
– Emotional Detoxing
– Spiritual Detoxing

DATE: Sunday, 3 January 2010

TIME: 10.00am – 4.30pm

LOCATION: Lesmurdie Community Hall, Gladys Road, Lesmurdie (Ray Owen Centre) (MAP)

COST: $77

BOOKING: Places are limited. To book email (click here) or call Bhumi or Rama on (08) 9448 0904. (please provide your name and contact phone number)

WHAT TO BRING: Bring a mat, cushion (or pillow), a bottle of drinking water and a light lunch. Tea/coffee/light refreshments will be provided.

Men and women of all ages and levels of fitness are welcome. No previous experience is required.

If you are interested you better hop to it as it’s in a couple of days! I’ll be attending and reporting back on what I learn & discover… hopefully with a few less toxins!

Be well,

xoxo

The Perfect Yoga Start-Up Kit!

Given my interest bordering on obsession with the benefits of yoga there are lots of questions that are constantly being thrown my way. While I am always happy to help one-on-one, I thought it might be useful to answer one of the more common questions here!

I really want to get into yoga, what do I need to bring to a class?

There are a few things you may need that you might not have thought of, read on to find out how to construct your very own Perfect Yoga Start-Up Kit!

Note: Though most yoga companies provide the bare essentials for their classes, if they are very popular equipment may run out. The other benefit of having your own gear is hygiene, you’re the only one sweating on it & you know how clean it is.

– Numero Uno! Most importantly you will want a great quality yoga mat. There are mats of varying thickness, you’ll want to choose one that is thick enough to provide some comfort on a hard surface, as well as being non-slip so the mat doesn’t slide around all over the place when you are trying to practice your yoga.

Think about your personality when buying a mat as well, there are plenty of colours to choose from so pick one that will inspire you to be zen, be active or be healthier. My pick are these gorgeous mats that come in an amazing array of colours!

– Next, you’ll want some clothes, though I’m sure there’s naked yoga somewhere in the world, it’s best not to risk it. Maybe a review for another day?!

This is really a personal preference; tight shorts, baggy shorts, track pants, legging style workout gear, singlets, t-shirts – you can really take your pick! Be sure to take the weather into account when choosing what to wear, however make sure you bring a light sweater or blanket along to pop on at the end of class for meditation because your body loses a lot of heat during this time.

For cheap & cheerful opt for K-Mart, Best & Less or Target. If you have money to burn you can head to Lulu Lemon which is a new yoga & sportswear store just opened in the ENX100 building in the city!

– An eye pillow is your next stop. These are FANTASTIC! My favourite types are lightly scented with lavender for extra relaxation and usually filled with rice or seeds to delicately rest on the eyelids, block out light and soothe.

This one looks great: Barefoot Yoga Silk Eye Pillows – with Flax Seed & Lavender Scent!

– You’ll want a water bottle, staying hydrated is super important during yoga so this is a must have! Sure you can grab a plastic bottle from the supermarket, but with health concerns about plastic bottles abound it may be nice to have your own reusable one (stylish, environmentally friendly & good for you!)

This is one of the most popular and well reviewed water bottles on the internet and free from lots of nasties, so well worth a look: CamelBak BPA-Free Better Bottle

– For women and men with long hair, don’t forget to bring a hair tie. Yoga can have you in upside down, inside out poses that you might never have expected and hair can get in the way and be annoying.

Deodorant. This is most certainly an essential! We’re all working together in a fairly small room usually and while our classmates are generally nice people, we don’t like them enough to endure their body odour. Please don’t forget this!

On the same token, don’t use strong (or any) perfume before coming to class. It spreads throughout the room and can be overpowering. Stick to a neutral deodorant and save the perfume for hot dates 😉

So these are your absolute basics! Depending on different yoga styles (for example, Iyengar) you may need some extra equipment, but it varies from class to class and your instructor can let you know.

Remember that you don’t need to go out any buy any special shoes or socks for yoga because it’s practiced barefoot.

The only other thing you’ll need to bring is a desire to quiet your mind and get a little bit more strength and flexibility. Sorted!

Be well,

xoxo

Alternative Therapy Price List: Yogaveda, East Fremantle.

Yogaveda – Ayurvedic Practitioners

“Yoga and Ayurveda Wellness”

Location:

George Street Yoga

79 George Street
East Fremantle

Tel: 08 9431 7794 or 08 9331 5999

E-mail: yogavedawellness@gmail.com

Web: http://www.yogavedawellness.com

Download Yogaveda Brochure!