The healing benefits of fusing stretching and strengthening exercises at Yogalates!

 

If you’re looking at Yoga or Pilates to tighten your core, build strength, stand taller and feel energized, Yogalates combines the best of both to get the ‘job’ done. Both Yoga and Pilates require concentration, consistent practice and awareness. That’s why they are classified under “mind-body” programs, along with Tai Chi and Meditation.

Our Yogalates sessions in Dubai combines both Yoga and Pilates in a 1hour flow. Pilates is your strength training and Yoga is your flexibility training. While yoga focuses on opening the hips, spine and shoulders, Pilates requires stabilization, minimal movement and deep core control. Not only do they both complement and contribute to improving your mobility and muscle tone, they both build on your coordination, balance skills and help cure an achy lower back.

So while you are stretching your tendons, you’re also strengthening the legs, opening up the shoulders and upper back. While soothing the lower back, you’re also massaging the neck and the shoulder blades. While stretching the sides you are also toning the obliques that support the structure of the lower back.

At Yogalates, you will focus on a number of chest opening postures, build stamina, muscular strength, core stability and back care therapeutics to allow for more freedom in your body. You will learn how to build strong abs and move your spine through its full range of motion with grace and ease to support and ensure that your posture doesn’t collapse.

The lateral bends elongate the sides of your waist – massaging the lower back and providing more length. The gentle twists decompresses your spine, increases the space between the vertebrae and aligns both sides of your body equally. The chest-opening exercises and forward bends, followed by twists and side bends provide full flexion and extension of the torso and reduces pressure from the lumbar nerve endings.

Our Yogalates sessions are held in the beautiful outdoors at Fraser Suites Dubai next to The Greens, Dubai Media City and TECOM area. . . so expect to leave class with a new sense of space in your spine, heart, mind and lungs!

When is Yogalates?
Every Monday and Wednesday,  7:15-8:15 PM

Where is Yogalates held?
7th floor outdoor pool terrace at Fraser Suites Dubai

How much cash should I bring?
80Dhs pay as you go – AND – 600dhs for a package of 10 sessions (valid for 3 months)
First session must be booked online (form below) and you can then drop in whenever you wish afterwards.

What else should I bring?
Apart from your awesome self, please bring a yoga mat and come in comfortable stretchy clothing (nothing too baggy).  Towels and water are provided. Showers and toilets are available on the same “7th floor” by the pool.

BOOK YOUR FIRST YOGALATES SESSION ONLINE BY CLICKING –> HERE 

The Importance of Core Strength in a Yoga Practice!

If you practice Yogalates at Fraser Suites, you might have heard our instructors stress on “engaging the core” in poses when flowing from chair pose to plank. And have you noticed how as soon as you engage your abdominals, it helps you balance and transition into poses more effectively? That’s your core muscles speaking!

Why is core strength important in yoga?
A strong core stabilizes your whole body, both on your yoga mat and daily life and errands. When you neglect to work your core, you increase risk of injury, mainly in the lower back. For example, in Chair Pose, it’s easy to sit into this pose and direct all your weight onto your glutes. Great work for your lower body however, when you pull your belly in towards your spine, this takes a little bit of weight out of your legs, prevents any chances of a lower back strain while stabilizing your deep core muscles. So now the work is balanced evenly across your abs, back and lower body for a total workout.  A strong core also enhances grace and stability during simple transitions from Warrior 2, to extended side angle, and back to reverse warrior. In addition, core strength is required for arm balances and inversions like crow pose, headstand or forearm stand.

The importance of core strength OUTSIDE of yoga into your daily life…

Our sweet corporate lifestyle might not be too sweet to our back as chances are, you spend a large time sitting in front of a computer screen or being on foot all day. Sitting and standing for long hours puts a lot of strain on your lower back, since your lower back supports the large majority of your weight. When you have a strong core, it helps protect your body from the wear and tear of sitting and standing all day. It allows you to also move with more grace and fluidity when you’re walking up the stairs or twisting to grab a box.

Next time you’re at Yogalates or any Yoga session, try to activate about your core muscles during each pose, and within each transition. Feel how it transforms your experience. Then, continue to think about your core strength when you leave the class to walk to your car and throughout your daily life because chances are, you will stand taller, move more fluidly and keep your precious spine supple and strong!

Join us at Yogalates in Dubai every Monday and Wednesday at 7:15pm
Click HERE to book your first session online

And if you are currently practicing yoga or an active Yoga teacher looking to take your offerings from good to great, I highly recommend joining Clara and Nico’s 100hr Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training in Dubai on September 16-28, 2016 

Building Powerful ‘Core Strength’ at Yogalates!

Yoga uses the power of the mind, body and spirit, with meditating, relaxing and flexibility being the main focus. In practicing Yoga, you move from one static pose to another, enhancing strength, stamina, flexibility, balance and mental clarity. Through developing a conscious awareness of the body, mind, breath and life force (prana), Yoga has the ability to be deeply relaxing and health enhancing.

Pilates, is a way to build strength in the postural muscles and prevent injury. Muscles that are too tight or too weak anywhere through the kinetic chain reflect a weak link in the system. Pilates can do wonders to help alleviate those nagging muscle asymmetries and improves strength, posture and coordination. In Pilates class, strengthening the core is the main objective. Each pose is combined with movements of the limbs, improving spinal flexibility, posture and alignment. Pilates is known globally as a system of muscular skeletal exercises that augment sporting activities, assist in injury rehabilitation and supports those with back problems through re-educating the body’s postural muscles to create a very safe and strong foundation for movement.

Although yoga and pilates have basic fundamental differences, they tend to complement each other, and that is where Yogalates comes in offering a middle ground, combining the best of both by fusing principles of core stability with the foundation of Yoga Therapy. It infuses a spiritual aspect that is the core of yoga class but not present in pilates class, yet concentrates on strengthening the core as in pilates class. While Yoga movements feel great for the body, the poses can be complex and challenging so we tune into Pilates for pelvic and spinal stability towards a healthier and safer practice. By fusing the best of both worlds, Yogalates supports the health of the human mind, body and spirit. Clients receive a double dose of core work as they transition in and out of poses.

A regular session of Yogalates will include Yoga and Pilates poses to build strength, stamina, stability and flexibility with strong emphasis on building tone in the deeper postural “core” muscles.

While Yoga and Pilates classes bring about great benefits individually, it is a great fusion that works your body from the inside out!

****
Venue: Fraser Suites tower located next to the GEMS Wellington School on Sheikh Zayed Road and Dubai College / Media City.

Book your first session online at : http://www.yogalatesblissindubai.com

***

Testimonial:
“I try to get outdoors as much as possible, whatever the time of year it is. Prior to heading out for Yogalates, I knew it would be blissful as promised. Yogalates is a powerful tool in my well-being kit and experiencing it in an outdoor setting makes it all the more beneficial.

Arriving without my yoga mat which I had forgotten at home, my worries soon left the building, so to speak. The atmosphere at Fraser Suites is one of friendly serenity, and the minute I arrived on the outdoor patio overlooking the pool I felt welcomed as always…the Yogalates Bliss experience I’ve come to expect from Noura and her fellow teachers was pretty obvious. I was immediately put at ease, ready to work my body and benefit from the group’s friendly energy of focus and equanimity. Our instructor took us on a flow of Pilates core-tightening moves which promote graceful movement, blended with the expanding, lengthening and strengthening benefits of yoga practice.

The cool breeze did nothing but intensify the experience. It was a kind of rush, and a rejuvenating high – you really do get the blissful outdoors experience!

Muscle-toning, stress-relieving, total body elongation and strengthening to its tiniest point, I will be back on the mat for more inspired movement, come rain or shine! This is a newly re-instituted gem in my feel-good arsenal – even more so because of the great people behind the service.
Thanks Yogalates Bliss!”- Heba Othman

YOGA VS. PILATES – THE COMPARISON & RELATION BETWEEN THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

As two of the most popular modern workout regimens, yoga and pilates have quite interesting and varied pasts, one with a 5,000 year history in Southeast Asia, and the other a globe-trotting European-based practice. But how do they differ, compare, fare and complement one another?

Discover it all by visiting: http://greatist.com/fitness/greatist-debate-yoga-vs-pilates

Then find out how you can join us at Yogalates Bliss in Dubai to reap the benefits of Yogalates (fusing Yoga & Pilates) every Monday and Wednesday at 8:30am and 7:15pm, by visiting –> http://www.yogalatesblissindubai.com

Tossing between Yoga and Pilates? Try Yogalates – the fusion of the best of both!

Tossing between Yoga & Pilates? The two activities can actually help one another, Pilates’ focus on core strength can assist with yoga postures, while the stability & stretching emphasized in yoga can aid Pilates exercises. One of the reasons the combination ( Yogalates ) works well is that with yoga you’re doing a lot more with flexibility, balance & lower-extremity strength, yet with Pilates, the intense focus is on core strength (the collection of different muscles that stabilize the spine & pelvis and run the entire length of the torso).Reap the benefits with us every Monday and Wednesday at 8:30am (indoors) & 7:15pm (outdoors) held on the 7th floor at Fraser Suites Dubai! Book your first session online at : http://www.yogalatesblissindubai.com/yogalates-sessions-at-fraser-suites-dubai.php

9 Health Benefits of Pilates!

Pilates is a fantastic regime to incorporate into your weekly schedule as it improves your balance, core strength, stability and more. It’s a complete health and fitness system which strengthens both your body and your mind. In this healthy infographic, you can discover just some of the benefits.

Reap the rewards with us by joining Yogalates every Monday and Wednesday at 8:30am and 7:15pm up on the 7th floor of Fraser Suites Dubai. Your spine will love you for it! Simply visit http://www.yogalatesblissindubai.com and click on “Yogalates Sessions at Fraser Suites” – see you on the mat!

Yoga and Pilates – What is the Difference?

Yoga vs. Pilates: What’s the Difference?

Yogalates – the hybrid workout fusing both Yoga and Pilates in a one hour session

  

If you’re looking at Yoga or Pilates to tighten your midsection, build strength, stand taller and feel healthier, they both get the job done. Both disciplines require concentration, consistent practice and awareness. That’s why they are classified under “mind-body” programs, along with Tai Chi and meditation.

But the differences between the two can be confusing, even for veteran students. Here’s a crash course on how yoga and Pilates each tone up our bodies and minds.