Iyengar Yoga Teacher in Adelaide
Iyengar yoga teacher
Yoga Theory was happy to team up with Marianna from Kamalini Yoga Studio in Indonesia to host an Adelaide Iyengar yoga workshop in 2017.
Marianna is a certified Iyengar yoga teacher who was here to share her Iyengar yoga knowledge, practices and skills. It was a great time at the workshop with many students from the Adelaide University Yoga Club attending.
This was the Marianna’s first yoga workshop in Adelaide.
Iyengar yoga poses pay close attention to the anatomical details and the different alignments of each posture. This class and workshop was all about precision with the poses.
Most of the poses were held for longer than our standard yoga classes, and each pose was being modified for the best outcome.
Iyengar yoga workshop
This Iyengar yoga workshop was a great opportunity to work on our strength, flexibility and stability training with many questions and answers about Iyengar yoga.
Iyengar yoga is a great class to take because it is accessible to most people as the poses can be well adapted. It also has a high teaching standard as the teachers undergo serious and rigorous training often taking years to get certified.
Iyengar yoga classes are usually very safe because the focus on alignment and quality is a dominant theme and the use of props helps ensures everyone is doing the level appropriate to them.
Marianna Sin from Kamilini Yoga School
Guest Iyengar Yoga Classes
Mariana Sin from Kamalini Yoga School in Indonesia was at Yoga Theory Unley in January 2018.
Whilst in Adelaide she facilitated some special Iyengar yoga classes in Unley. Here’s the best part..The classes focused on beginners, seniors and advanced yoga. Because of this, there were many options for all levels so that everyone was welcome.
Carved like a butcher
Some of the poses and techniques that were covered in the special yoga class were:
- Tadasana yoga pose
- Warrior 1 yoga pose
- Warrior 2 yoga pose
- Back-bending
- Hip opening
- General sun salutations
- Navasana and variations
- Leg extensions and alignment
The style of Iyengar yoga
Participants used yoga blocks and straps to become deeper in to our practice and alignment. Through partnering up with other we used assistance of another person to get deeper in to the practice.
The yoga classes were really good with Mariana’s depth of experience and knowledge appreciated. As a certified yoga teacher she has a strict teaching style and strict approach of Iyengar yoga.
This style of yoga is a strict discipline of yoga that focuses heavily on yoga alignment and correct application of yoga props. This helps to suit the beginner and maximise the benefits of yoga practice especially for new people.
Some of the yoga props we used and are common in this style of yoga are blocks, yoga straps and chairs.
One of our focus poses
How to do Ubhaya Padanghusthasana?
Otherwise known as seated hand to foot extension lift ups. In this pose it’s important to keep the back mostly straight and to relax the shoulders.
The legs don’t have to be straight but if you can straighten without straining you’re back then that is a good position.
You can use a strap here if you struggle to get a hold of the toes.
Ideally the peace fingers should wrap the big toes – the grip should be strong. You can also use your shin or ankle if you can’t reach the toes.
Practice navasana and general hand to foot stretches if you are working towards this!
Thank you for teaching Iyengar yoga to us
Thank you Mariana and Kamalini Yoga School.
Yoga Theory plans to host some more yoga classes like this in the future. We also plan to host retreats to Indonesia.
One of our focus poses
How to do reverse triangle pose?
This was one of the poses Marianna showed us in the session. Ben from Yoga Theory also added these tips:
- This is an advanced yoga posture. You are working a major stretch in the legs and hips and the spine. Therefore alignment is paramount.
- Make sure you start with squaring of the hips. To do this place your hands on your hips and make sure they line up. From there you need to adjust your feet to the appropriate distance.
- This is a highly dependent on the individual but a few feet is generally good. Make sure your back foot is slightly inward angle about 45° – if it’s not you’ll create pressure on the sacrum and you’re spine won’t twist.
- From there you can progress down make sure you don’t overstretch by starting with a block or the shin. The back should be long (whenever you twist the spine, create length first).
- Keep pressing you’re inside foot down for more stretch and draw energy through the arms,hips and torso for greater stretch.
Learn more about what we do here!
