Rosemary Douglas
Yoga instructor
Rosemary has been teaching yoga for ten years, she’s certified in Ananda, Yin and Restorative Viniyoga; in her practice, she combines all methods of yoga plus Pilates in a very creative manner, each class is completely different so you never get bored.
She works with people that have suffered injuries or are recovering from surgery. She’s intuitive and tailors to each individual’s body type and needs.
Before she discovered yoga she trained as body builder, she’s very aware of every muscle functioning and joints, so she takes you from asana to asana with total knowledge of the pose and benefits and she explains it along the way, so your work-out is totally mindful.
YOGA
The word yoga comes from Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language. It is a derivation of the word yuj, which means yoking, as in a team of oxen. In contemporary practice, this is often interpreted as meaning union. Yoga is said to be for the purpose of uniting the mind, body, and spirit.
There are many different types of yoga being taught and practiced today and it can be tough for a beginners to figure out the differences. Although almost all of these styles are based on the same physical postures (called poses), each has a particular emphasis. This quick guide to the most popular types of yoga will help you figure out which class is right for you.
Hatha is a very general term that can encompass many of the physical kinds of yoga.
VINYASA
Like Hatha, Vinyasa is a general term that is used to describe many different types of classes. Vinyasa, which means breath-synchronized movement, tends to be a more vigorous style based on the performance of a series of poses called Sun Salutations in which movement is matched to the breath.
A Vinyasa class will typically start with a number of Sun Salutations to warm up the body for more intense stretching that's done at the end of class. Vinyasa is also called Flow, in reference to the continuous movement from one posture the the next.
ASHTANGA
Ashtanga, which means "eight limbs", in sanskrit is a fast-paced, intense style of yoga. A set series of poses is performed, always in the same order. This practice is very physically demanding because of the constant movement from one pose to the next and the emphasis on daily practice.
KUNDALINI
The emphasis in Kundalini is on the breath in conjunction with physical movement, with the purpose of freeing energy in the lower body and allowing it to move upwards. All asanas practices make use of controlling the breath, but in Kundalini, the exploration of the effects of the breath (also called prana, meaning energy) on the postures is essential. Kundalini exercises are also called kriyas.
YIN
Yin yoga is a slow-paced style of yoga with poses, or asanas, that are held for longer periods of time—five minutes or more per pose is typical. Its teaching in the Western world, beginning in the late 70s, was founded by martial arts expert and Taoist yoga teacher Paulie Zink.
RESTORATIVE
Restorative yoga is an excellent opportunity to disconnect from the frenetic activity of daily life and let your speedometer return to 0 mph. It offers a welcome respite among all the turbulence of life and helps to prepare the mind and body for the inward stroke of meditation and deepened awareness.
In addition to practicing the poses, yoga classes may also include instruction on breathing, call and response chanting, meditation, or an inspirational reading by the teacher. The variety and amount of this will depend on the individual teacher and the yoga style in which he or she is trained. Typically, a yoga class at a gym will be more focused on the purely physical benefits of yoga, while one at a yoga center may delve more into the spiritual side. Some people find that the physical practice of yoga becomes a gateway into a spiritual exploration, while others just enjoy a wonderful low-impact workout that makes them feel great