We are really excited to have the wonderful Stu Girling coming back to Dorset again to share his knowledge of movement and anatomy, particularly in relation to our yoga practice. Stu's workshops come under the title of “Working with What You’ve Got” and are arranged relating to the major joints of the body (Ankles, Hips, Shoulders/Wrists and Spine) and associated posture groups (Forward Folds, Hip rotations, Backbends, Shoulders, Twists and Binding). The workshops introduce anatomical concepts in an accessible and fun way and are very practically based with the intention of allowing students to discover those muscles and areas of the body that are restricting them and demonstrating ways that they can work on those areas with more specificity. The idea is that through greater understanding of how different areas of the body influence the finished postures students or teachers can learn release restricted areas, to sequence more efficiently and also reduce the risk of taking stress into vulnerable areas by moving in the right places. The workshops are suitable for all styles of yoga because rather than looking at specific alignment that might relate to one style or the other Stu takes the route of exploring what might stop you achieving a desired alignment. All level of student is catered for by providing the information in multiple layers and allowing students to practically explore at their own level.
Workshop details and Schedule:
Saturday 13th April
Morning Session 10.30am - 1pm:
1. Breath Workshop
I don’t think that anyone would argue that the breath is a central theme in Yoga and that it may influence us profoundly on many different levels both on the mat and in everyday life. In this workshop we will start by exploring the mechanics of breathing, looking at both the internal workings and the visible external shape changes to the ribcage and belly. From there we can easily then apply those concepts to asana. We will also consider how breath influences the nervous and circulatory systems, the effects of manipulating the breath when doing various pranayama practices and play with the various options when linking movement and breath.
Afternoon Session 2pm - 4.30pm:
2. Arm Balance Workshop
Arm balances can be fun and exciting to play with even if they are not part of your normal practice. They build strength, co-ordination and focus but they can also put pressure on the wrists and shoulders if we are not ready for them. In this workshop we will take an anatomical look at the skills, proficiencies and ROM we require, before exploring the technical detail of how to perform the different arm balances. There will be a large percentage of practical experimentation with the exact content being tailored to suit the general ability of the class.
Sunday 14th April
Morning Session 10.30am - 1pm:
3. Fascia and Biotensegrity
There is lots of interest in the emerging information about fascia and how it might influence the yoga practice. In this workshop we explore what is meant by fascia, what its purpose is and what use we can make of our growing appreciation of fascia. We also look at a proposed model (biotensegrity) for trying to understand how we might incorporate this knowledge into a more comprehensive explanation of human movement and stability. The practical component of this workshop explores connectivity and integrated bodies.
Afternoon Session 2pm - 4.30pm:
4. Hip Joint and Related Postures
Looks at the construction of the hip joint and how individuals may differ, the muscles around the joint and how they will influence movements in certain directions. So many yoga postures involve a certain degree of freedom in the hips and sometimes it can be hard to determine what is stopping us reaching our desired position. Practical exploration of groups of postures under the headings of forward folding, hip rotations and hip ab/adductions will allow students to discover where they need to focus their attention and how to effectively work on increasing the ranges of motion. Postures commonly used for exploration include, Baddha Konasana (Butterfly), Upavishta Konasana (wide legged forward fold), Squatting, Paschimottanasana (seated forward fold), Firelog and Virasana variations (Heros pose). We will also consider how many postures may fall unbeknown into the category of forward folding and explain what will be the likely expression of restriction.
*These workshops are suitable for all levels of practitioner but please contact us first before booking if you are a complete beginner.
About Stu
Stu is a bodyworker specialising in the treatment of yogis with injuries or tension patterns (more often not from yoga). He has practiced Ashtanga Yoga for over ten years and also teaches Anatomy & Physiology on Yoga Teacher Training Programs. He is also the owner and developer of loveyogaanatomy.com which is a fantastic resource site for all yoga anatomy related articles.
