I brought up looking after my fitness with a PE teacher for a Dad. Throughout my childhood I spent many hours taking part in various forms of physical activity from gymnastics to athletics and even ballet and tap dancing. When at university I joined my first gym and began to realise the benefits of having a strong body through lifting weights. This sparked my curiosity in other types of strength training and in 2000 I did my first Ashtanga beginners course. I quickly saw the results of yoga and its positive impact on the body without the wear and tear and damage of conventional exercise. Yoga doesn’t come naturally to me and today I still struggle with every posture but I was hooked from the start due to the physical and mental challenges it demands….. plus my desire to have a body like Madonna's!
After spending some time travelling I settled in London and have now been practising regularly for over 10 years. Yoga is a major part of my life. It’s not just a physical activity but provides the fundamentals for a balanced life. My passion for Ashtanga yoga is continually renewed as it doesn't get boring and it's always moving and changing with you. The sense of peace it provides is something I now can't live without.
The turning point for me really was when I endured a serious back injury that impacted my life massively and I lived with extreme pain for three years. Most mornings I would get out of bed having only slept for a few hours and go to my yoga class. I had to adapt my practice but continued to practice 5 to 6 times per week throughout the injury. Ashtanga yoga definitely helped decrease the pain, improve my flexibility and mental health. I would start my sun salutations feeling stiff, wooden and painful but halfway through would realise that everything had eased. I have now recovered from my injury and attempts postures people with healthy backs wouldn't dream of trying. No matter what I go through in life, my practice has been and will be my companion throughout.
Teaching ashtanga is a way of sharing what I love most.
