TT2010: a groovy time had by all….

Well, that was some teacher training! Seriously, guys, thank you for making that a very special 11 days. The Top-Up Weekend at Stonemonkey, Leamington is on for June 19/20. Get in touch with me to book.

Watch out for news of my 2011 TT program….

TEACHER TRAINING – LAST CALL!

We’re about to embark on the Freestyle Yoga Project teacher training program 2010, so if you fit the bill, you’ve only got a couple of days left to book on! We’ll be in Leamington Spa from Sat March 27th – Tues April 6. Contact me via mark@vinyasa.co.uk or 07833 624398 if your year won’t be complete without this TT to end all TTs….

Teacher Training 2010

Includes: 2 day Thai Yoga Massage and Anatomy & Physiology with Kathryn Ellis and 1 day First Aid For Yoga with Michael Bond

March 27-April 6, 2010, in Warwickshire.

88 Yoga Alliance hours stand-alone course. With the opportunity to continue your education and increase your YA hours to 200.

Cost: £650

Places are limited. Early booking recommended. A £100 non-returnable deposit secures your place.

For early bookers, there is a fully-kitted out house available to share, owned by one of my friends/students in picturesque Wellesbourne.

Dynamic, challenging, vinyasa-orientated and still with a nod towards ashtanga, my own take on yoga, The Freestyle Yoga Project, is geared towards encouraging teachers and students to think for themselves and investigate what’s going on over the side of their particular yogic box. No one style of yoga holds all the answers and so can be potentially limiting. Freestyle works in the context of ‘vinyasa krama’ – the sequencing of breath/movement postures to a particular end. Want to open those hips/backs/hamstrings? Want to nail the jump-thru/jump-back/handstand? It’s all in the preparation. Sequence a series of postures over an hour or so that address those parts of the body that require warming and opening, then carefully attempt the desired pose. This is intelligent yoga. One size does not fit all.

So, how does one teach such a free-flowing class? I will show you. There will be nuts & bolts instruction on how to carefully adjust a body in numerous yoga postures and then student teachers will be investigating how to create flowing, vinyasa sequences depending on their students’ needs/requests or particular themes you may want to lead your class through.

Teachers will learn to apply their own personalities to their classes and students will learn to tailor their practice to suit how they feel, what their bodies need and what pose they want to improve on.

One day, all yoga will be practiced and taught this way….

Please note: you do not have to want to become a teacher to attend this TT – the course can also offer a deep insight into your own practice. However, this is not a course for newcomers to yoga – it is advisable  that you have a couple of years practice under your belt before you sign up.

To apply, please email me an introduction to yourself outlining your yogic experience and some basic personal background information.

Also note: although this is not a traditional ashtanga TT, it is rooted there and thus is dynamic and challenging. You do not have to have a dynamic yoga background to join us, but if you do not, know that we will be working extremely hard.

I would also like to point out that I do not believe the idea of ‘pass or fail’ has any place in yoga. Students who stay the course will be issued with a ‘certificate of completion’ and will have earned 88 Yoga Alliance hours. I will then sit down individually with each of you and advise you on what Ifeel your next steps should be. For those wishing to continue their education and increase their YA hours to 200, I will invite you to work on a 1-1 basis with me and observe, shadow and assist any classes/workshops convenient to yourself.

Further details to be announced soon…

For more information, contact Mark on 07833 624398 mark@vinyasa.co.uk

NEW TT INFO!

My next TT course stands alone as a complete programme, earning attendees 88 Yoga Alliance hours and a Certificate of Completion. But for those who wish to continue their studies with me, any subsequent workshops, retreats and/or classes you attend of mine will count towards extra hours, as will any of my classes you choose to observe, shadow or assist me. A form will be provided for this purpose. If you think you maybe interested in this Continuing Education, please notify me upon application.

TT09: photo gallery now online

A big thank you to all who attended my first Freestyle Yoga Project teacher training programme in May! Not only was it a great success in terms of building on my previous two traditional ashtanga vinyasa TTs, but also a truly wonderful group came together and genuine, life-long friendships were made. I think I speak for us all when I say that no-one wanted those 9 days to end! But the work didn’t end there guys – my class doors are open for you to come observe, shadow and assist me to start putting your new skills into practice…

And to those of you out there who are contemplating a teacher training course in 2010, just take a look at some of these photos and tell me you don’t want some of this Freestyle action…