Natasha (or Tash) is one of our Stretch Academy graduates, completing her 350hr Teacher Training with us back in early 2019. Since then, she's also completed her mat Pilates training, and combined with her Personal Training qualifications is truly a wellness all-rounder! She loves teaching mums and bubs and prenatal (thanks to all of her experience with her beautiful son Noah), and brings a sweet and calming energy to every class she takes. We sat down with her recently to ask about what yoga means to her.

(parsh-voh-tahn-AHS-anna)
parsva = side, flank
ut = intense
tan = to stretch or extend 

​Whether you’re in a slow, juicy hatha class or flowing through a power vinyasa, Pyramid Pose seems to always pop up. But for an asana that looks quite straight forward, there are quite a few key points to think about to make sure you’re really getting the most out of it! 

Tiffany was one of Stretch's most dedicated student's before becoming one of our favourite teachers! She's sassy, strong and resilient - her rehab from her knee injury earlier this year is a huge testament to that! She's a permanent fixture of the Stretch Family and we hope she's teaching incredible classes for us for many, many, many years to come! We asked her a few of our favourite questions, and she gave us her heartfelt answers below.

​(par-ee-POOR-nah nah-VAHS-anna)
paripurna = full, entire, complete
nava = boat
 
Abs – we need them, and we need them to be strong. But gosh darn, they’re a hard muscle to work! Boat pose features pretty heavily in class rotations – here’s the low down on how to sail your ship with ease!

Ever heard a teacher mention Metta Bhavana? Thankfully although they’re strange words, they have a pretty straightforward meaning - put simply, Metta Bhavana is a practice of loving kindness. Metta means ‘love’ (in a non-romantic sense), friendliness, or kindness, Bhavana means development or cultivation. This is a meditation technique and spiritual exploration using visualisation. This might all sound a little confusing, but it’s actually easier than it seems! All we need to do is practice loving everyone and everything – easy breezy! Our Senior Teacher at Stretch Academy Miriam Van Doorn explains more:

Paul first began a consistent yoga practice in January in 2017. Like many, he was hooked from the first class and would attend classes at Stretch almost daily. After a while a friend suggested he looked in to teacher training. That day he Googled it and Stretch Teacher Training was one of the first results, it was the first intake of Teacher Training that Stretch Yoga had ever conducted so he took it as a sign!

​He now balances corporate work with yoga teaching. We sat down with our Stretch Academy Graduate and now Stretch Teacher Paul, and asked him about his yoga.

We recently looked at the Yamas, and this week we’re looking at the second limb of yoga, the niyamas. Niyama means ‘rule’ or ‘laws’ and are suggestions Pantajali provides for internal awareness and observance. They’re suggestions on how we can relate to ourselves, but can also be considered with our actions towards the outside world. 

Vrksasana (Tree Pose)
(vrik-SHAHS-anna)
vrksa = tree
 
Easy one day, impossible the next. Standing on one leg sounds simple enough, but sometimes it takes a little more focus and effort than others. This is one of our favourite balance poses for new students, so we thought we’d break it down to get you standing stable every time!  

(AH-doh MOO-kah shvah-NAHS-anna)
adho = downward
mukha = face
 
Ahh – good ‘ol down dog. The nemesis of all new yogis, and a constant work in progress even for those who have been practicing for decades! From day to day the way we feel about this pose is bound to change, but today we’re hoping we can add a little more love to your DD. After all, it’s definitely here to stay!

Yoga is so much more than the poses we practice on our mats! Yamas are the moral, ethical and spiritual guidelines of a person aspiring to reach balance, health, and well-being leading to spiritual development. There are five different characteristics, and these can be observed in our actions, words and thoughts. They help us to become kinder and more compassionate humans who form a healthier and happier society.

It's easy to get caught up in life's drama, to be focusing on personal gain and material possessions. But if we want to challenge ourselves and perhaps start a spiritual journey to learn about the mysteries of life, we can start with the first limb of the eightfold path of yoga, the Yamas.

By Leanne Gerich

You know, I really didn’t like yoga the first time I tried it. I was an athlete all my life, and enjoyed competition more than most. When I tried yoga I thought it was “too slow”. I didn’t think I liked it all too much. “Running is my yoga.” This is how I thought in my early twenties. I don’t know how it changed so readily. Most people have a grand story about their journey into yoga. However I was gifted a 10 class pass from a boyfriend's sister. No matter what my opinion was at the time, I couldn’t be a poor sport - I had to use the gift fully. It would have been rude not too!

Catch her if you can ~ When not on the mat she's a girl on the go! She recently completes the Gold Coast Marathon and is looking towards the Medic Marathon (in France!) later this year... For this gazelle a casual daily run of 20km is no biggie. She's forever chasing the sunrise, capturing some seriously beautiful pics of early mornings in Brissie while the rest of the world is still sleeping. 

Nadine began practicing Pilates 5 years ago to compliment her running training and was instantly hooked, becoming an Instructor herself soon after. She's been part of the Stretch family for over a year now with regular Pilates classes in our CBD Studio.

Nadine gave us some tips and insight into Pilates, and how it's helped shape her life!

Our sweet little Canadian Leanne has a passion for all things health. She graduated from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition in 2011, Strala Yoga Teacher training in 2014 and Karma Teachers for Vinyasa Yoga in 2015.  She is also a registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner and Acupuncturist with NRCHI to boot - this is one fit, healthy smart lady!

Her yoga teachings are innovative, always encouraging, and tend to include fun explorations of poses. Her classes work up a sweat and greatly aide in confidence building and strength. We sat down with her recently to ask about her yoga journey and what advice she has for new yogis. Read on!

Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)(oo-TEE-tah tree-koh-NAH-suh-nuh)
utthita = extended 
trikona = three angle or triangle

Love it or hate it, this notoriously tricky pose is here to stay! Whether you prefer to think of yourself as a triangle, a star, or a piece of toast in a toaster while you’re doing this one, here’s our top alignment tips to help you nail it every time!

We got a lot of questions about our Yoga Teacher Training Courses and we want to help you figure out whether our course is the right fit for you! We understand that it’s a big decision and with all of the options available out there the choice can feel a little overwhelming! Do  you study in Australia or overseas? 200hrs or 350hrs? Which one is the best value for money? There are so many factors to take into consideration that it can be overwhelming even knowing where to start! So without further ado – here are our top 5 questions to ask a yoga school (including Stretch!) before taking the plunge:

​Pascale was first introduced to yoga over a decade ago, but only started to delve into the practice in 2011 when she discovered vinyasa. She used the practice as a way to build strength, flexibility and resilience to balance out the stresses of corporate life. Pascale’s dynamic classes draw from many different yoga styles and place an emphasis on alignment and flow. Her yin classes are more nourishing as they allow time for deep introspection and healing. Off the mat Pascale currently holds a Master in Integrated Water Management and a Bachelor in Engineering. We took a minute to get to know this calm and collected yogi - we hope you enjoy!

​Manda first came to yoga as a training dancer, looking to build strength and flexibility… that was nearly 5 years ago, and she’s never looked back! It didn’t take long for her to fall in love with all of the benefits of a yoga practice beyond the physical; that her breath, mind and heart have all found a greater depth and peace. Throughout 2015 and 2016, Manda took a leap of faith and completed her Yoga Teacher Training. She loves teaching an energizing Flowing Stretch and a soothing Deep Stretch, but her favorite style to teach is Flow ‘n’ Deep – the best of both worlds! When she’s not on the mat, you’ll find Manda singing and dancing up a storm as she rounds out her final year of her Bachelor of Musical Theatre at the Queensland Conservatorium.