Yoga and pilates private lessons - East London, Walthamstow, Hackney

Enjoy the great benefits of a tailor-made regular yoga or pilates practice from the comfort of your own home. 

Whatever your reason is for wanting a one-to-one lesson - too shy to attend a big class, feeling very unfit, total beginner, want to improve on something specific, working with an injury - it's an opportunity for you to take things at your own pace.

Please get in touch if you have any questions or if you wish to book in for an initial consultation, which involves a chat about your needs, goals or potential injuries, followed by a short practice allowing me to get to know your body in movement.

I am based in East London. Rates depend on distance and travel time/cost.

adele.simor@gmail.com

Walthamstow Pilates - New start time and change of studio

Walthamstow Saturday morning mat-based pilates will be held in studio 2 at 9.20am starting 1st February 2014.

Come along for some fun on the mat!

Place: Studio 2, Church Hill Studios, Stainforth Road, E17 3RY
(white metal gate next to framers)
Time: Saturdays 9.20-10.20
Price: £10 per lesson or £45 for a block of 5 (valid 8 weeks)
Queries: adele.simor@gmail.com

Pilates in Walthamstow takes a Christmas break

Pilates in Walthamstow is taking a Christmas break. The last class of 2013 will be held on Saturday 14 December at the usual 9am.

We start up again on Saturday 18 January. It is highly likely that we will be moving into studio 2 (the bigger room) at the beginning of the year - probably February - and that classes then will start around 9.15am/9.20am instead, but I will keep you posted on this as and when things are confirmed.

For now, it's still:

Place: Studio 1, Church Hill Studios, Stainforth Road, E17 3RY
Time: Saturdays 9.00-10.00
Price: £10 per lesson or £45 for a block of 5 (valid 8 weeks). Cash or cheque.
Queries: adele.simor@gmail.com

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all my lovely students!

Special Event - Morning Yoga on The Boundary Roof Terrace

Please join me for some awakening rooftop yoga and complimentary breakfast in Shoreditch this Friday morning!

More dates coming up on my Facebook page Yoga & Pilates with Adele.

Pilates in Walthamstow starts again Saturday 7th September 9am

Pilates in Walthamstow is finally back after our little summer break!

Place: Studio 1, Church Hill Studios, Stainforth Road, E17 3RY
Time: Saturdays 9.00-10.00
Price: £10 per lesson or £45 for a block of 5 (valid 8 weeks). Cash or cheque.
Queries: adele.simor@gmail.com

I found this great little article with 10 interesting facts about Pilates - well worth a read before I see you next!

Pilates Walthamstow takes a summer break in August

“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness. In order to achieve happiness, it is imperative to gain mastery of your body. If at the age of 30 you are stiff and out of shape, you are old. If at 60 you are supple and strong then you are young.”   
Joseph Pilates

There will be no pilates classes in Walthamstow from Saturday 3 August to and including Saturday 31 August.

Things go back to normal Saturday 7 September when I look forward to seeing students back on the mat  9-10am at Church Hill Studios.

Enjoy the unusually lovely summer!

Please check in on my teaching timetable from time to time as there will be some changes happening in the next few months.

The latest news being that I am now a Framette teaching yoga at Frame Shoreditch on Mondays 7.15am & 1pm and Wednesdays 7.15am.

I will also be covering yoga classes there on Tuesday 21 May 8am and Tuesday 28 May 8am as well as Thu 20 June 8am and then every Thu including 18 July.

Yes, it's all about (early) rising and shining these days – a lot easier this time of year for sure! And you can spend the rest of the day feeling a little smug that you've made the most of your waking hours.

New Saturday Pilates Class in Walthamstow

Joseph Pilates taking his students through a Body Contrology class, the precursor to modern-day Pilates

I'm starting a mat-based mixed level Pilates class in Walthamstow on Saturday 6 April.

Classes will be one hour long and held at Church Hill Studios in Walthamstow.

No need to bring any equipment – I'll have everything available at the venue. However, comfortable clothing is a good idea so you can move without restrictions. A willingness to have a laugh is also recommended as this is excellent for abdominal strength – pilates doesn't have to be deadly serious! 

The Pilates method is a form of exercise that stretches, strengthens, mobilises and stabilises the body all in one go. The result will literally make you taller since pilates promotes perfect postural alignment, which will also eliminate excess tension and strain on your joints, helping to prevent injury.

Potential side effects: happiness!

Place: Studio 1, Church Hill Studios, Stainforth Road, E17 3RY
Time: Saturdays 9.00-10.00
Price: £10 per lesson or £45 for a block of 5 (valid 8 weeks). Cash or cheque.
Queries: adele.simor@gmail.com

I teach a mixed level yoga class in the same studio immediately after the pilates lesson. If you're up for a double-whammy, you're more than welcome to join in!

Good To Know Yoga opens The Dalston Yoga Studio!

The Good To Know Yoga adventure continues as we expand to Dalston with a new studio space at The Print House in Ashwin Street, home of Dalston Roof Park. 

The launch party is tonight at 6.30pm with music, nibbles and general mingle. 

Classes start Monday 18 March. Check out the website for timetable & prices!

Walthamstow class with Good To Know Yoga - new venue

We've got a lovely new venue. Join us on Saturdays 10.00-11.15am!

Good To Know Yoga on Facebook and Twitter!

I'm sooo excited about this new joint venture with my friend, I must share:

Visit Good To Know Yoga on Facebook to find out more. Don't forget to like us! We're also on Twitter so follow us and get tweeting!

And here's our website: www.goodtoknowyoga.com  

Glorious beginnings AGAIN!

New class in Walthamstow Village!

The venue is walkable from Walthamstow Central tube station. And bus 48 goes up Hoe Street from Hackney.

San Francisco International airport gets a yoga room

San Francisco International has opened a yoga room for its passengers to enjoy free of charge. 

Director John Martin, a yoga practitioner of 18 years, got the idea from his customers and thanks to them there is now a chilled out space in which you can stretch and relax before a long flight.

Now they just need to get yoga studios on board airplanes. Or they could just give seats some more leg room...

The yoga studio is located at SFO's terminal 2, which serves American Airlines and Virgin.

Have you been to San Francisco International recently? Did you visit the studio? Tell me about it by leaving a comment below.

Thought for the Day - People never forget how you made them feel

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Maya Angelou

Upcoming pilates and yoga cover

Just wanted to let you know of some cover work I've got lined up in December and beginning of next year.

Pilates @ Sequinpark, Upper Street, N1

Mon 5 Dec 16.30-17.30
Mon 12 Dec 16.30-17.30
Mon 19 Dec 16.30-17.30

Yoga @ Highbury Pool, Highbury Crescent, N5

Sat 7 Jan 08.45-09.40 & 09.45-10.55
Sat 21 Jan 08.45-09.40 & 09.45-10.55
Sat 11 Feb 08.45-09.40 & 09.45-10.55
Sat 10 March 08.45-09.40 & 09.45-10.55
Sat 21 April 08.45-09.40 & 09.45-10.55

I look forward to seeing some familiar faces on the mats!

Back pain - Yoga versus conventional treatment

Did you know that 80% of us will suffer from back pain at some point in our lives?

The Guardian recently published an interesting article about a study that suggests yoga can work better than conventional methods in dealing with back pain. As if you needed a reason to get on your mat...

Here is the complete article

New Pilates class in Stoke Newington

"A body freed from nervous tension and over-fatigue is the ideal shelter provided by nature for housing a well-balanced mind that is always fully capable of successfully meeting all of the complex problems of modern living."
                            Joseph Pilates

I won't be wearing just a pair of white knickers like Mr Pilates, but would still like to welcome you to One Life Studio in Stoke Newington where I will be teaching an all levels Pilates class starting Monday 3 October, 8.30-9.30pm..

The studio is small (only fits 10 people) so call ahead and book to avoid disappointment: 0207 249 4441. Please note that there is a £4 cancellation fee if you cancel on the day of the class.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Looking back at sunnier times - Al fresco yoga

Autumn is definitely here so I thought you might enjoy looking at the photos I took during yoga in the park in August, just to help you remember that we did have a summer. Well, sort of...

 

     

Yoga in the great outdoors Saturday 13 August

After last summer's outdoor yoga adventures, I thought I'd do a repeat this year and host a yoga class in a London park. For you. For free. For the love of it.

I'll be joined by fellow teacher friend Alina, which means you'll get double the attention as we'll take turns to teach and to go around and assist participants.

Expect a nicely paced hatha yoga class, alongside like-minded yogis and yoginis, not to mention all that space to breathe!

Give yourself some extra time after the session when we turn our mats into picnic blankets! Just bring along some nibbles and drinks.

This event will take place as long as it is not raining. Please check the weather beforehand and dress appropriately.

Day: Saturday 13 August

Time: 2pm start

Place: Rosemary Gardens, N1

Bring: yoga mat (alt. blanket or large towel), water, snacks

To do: email adele.craciun@gmail.com to let us know you're attending and, obviously, spread the word!

Come along and feel the wind in your hair in Warrior, the sun on your back in Down Dog and the freedom of movement in the great outdoors.

Join us. For the love of it.

Students practice entirely at their own risk. If unsure, ask your GP for advice and let your teacher know on the day of any medical conditions (including pregnancy) or injuries before you participate.

Thought for the Day - Cultivate love towards the things you dislike

'Vitarka badhane pratipaksha bhavanam'

When disturbed by negative thoughts, opposite [positive] ones

should be thought of. This is pratipaksha bhavana.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - 2.33

This quote comes from the second chapter of the Sutras - an important work on yoga philosophy and practice.

'Sutra' means thread and Patanjali's short statements certainly come across as fragmental when you read them. But the idea is to enrich these threads with interpretation, weaving them 'into a garland of pearls of wisdom' (Light on the Yoga Sutras by BKS Iyengar).

Several translations and interpretations have already been published by famous yoga teachers and they can differ a fair bit because there are disagreements on the exact translation of the original sanskrit wording. (By following the top link, you can see which version I am reading from.)

So, what Patanjali might be saying here is simply to cultivate love towards the things you dislike. Alright, so maybe it's not so simple to be loving towards that work colleague that always pushes your buttons, but that is the idea here.

On your yoga mat, you can cultivate love towards the asanas you are not very good at/can't do as they are probably the ones you dislike, and most likely the poses you need to work on. It is when we come up against these challenging poses that we tend to either apply (too much) force or give up (by making an excuse we can live with).

The next time you step onto your sticky mat, take a moment to analyse your pre-existing negative attitude towards a difficult asana, then try to better yourself as well as the pose.