What to expect in a TeeGee Yoga class.
The Yoga shapes exist in all our bodies. All we have to do is carefully peal away the layers to gradually reveal the shape hidden within. There are strands of resistance from the different fibres in our bodies, but once they are “ironed out”, aligned and made more pliable the fullness of the shape can be unveiled. To aid this process props and walls will be offered.
As such, we will explore several variations of a posture, then you choose the best fit for your body on that day - bearing in mind that our bodies feel different and change every day!
I tend to do “things” three times and I often introduce three variants from a simpler familiarisation version through to a more challenging adaptation and then invite you to explore the variant best suited to your body. You will be encouraged to think in terms of ‘it is better to do a little bit of an asana perfectly than to force the body and fight the shape with poor form’ and we shall use the breath to enhance the movement sensation plus we stop short of fatiguing so we keep the direction of the energy and contracting/relaxing muscles aligned and moving along the correct pathway through the body.
The general shape of the classes
The start is a spinal alignment - relaxation. Most classes commence with a Savasana although this changes to a standing start on colder days and the Wellness class starts in a seated pose. The Beginners classes go through all of the starts with a different one being explored each session.
The warm up phase proceeds with “tuning in”, listening to and observing the body’s internal sensations and then continues with the mechanics of breathing mobilisers and articulation exercises.
The main body of the class will be familiarisation exercises, and preparatory asana, as body parts are readied for the poses to be explored later in the session. This might evolve towards a “peak pose”, a short sequence or two, or, a full salutation flow.
Toward the end of the Wellness class there are some standing postures and Yoga Walking and in all the other classes there may well be a fun exploration, a challenge, or an interesting development. The Salutation classes might finish this section with some breath work.
The end of the Wellness class class is a standing realignment of the spine and in all other classes the end phase is often lying down with a Savasana accompanied by spinal realignment, some breath work and body awareness. Sometimes, too, we finish with working the imagination via a Yoga Nidra - where I might describe a scene, as depicted below, for you to create in your mind!
The close of the class is a final inhalation and exhalation. In Wellness/ Postural Yoga this is in a standing position and in all other classes it is in a seated position.
Mix and Match
A number of people attend several of the classes, so with this in mind some of the classes are designed to complement each other. For example the Intermediate Core Yoga class is complemented by the Intermediate Stretchy Yoga class with a clear notion of “follow up”; And some like to top it all off with a Salutation Flow class, this way they get a comprehensive blend of strength/arm balances with flexibility/agility with a lightish cardio - dynamic flow. Some, too, attend the easier Wellness/ Postural class and then one of the more intense Core or Stretchy class, so they get a blend of gentle work and intense work over a couple of sessions.
Gently move, settle in a shape and breathe
Gently move, settle in a shape and breathe
Explanation of the TeeGee class levels
There are broadly three levels of class in Yoga: Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced
Foundation includes: Beginners, Wellness, and Salutations classes at Oneleisure plus Restorative, Somatic Yoga, Stretch and Relax Yoga, Yoglates, Wilderness Yoga and Chair Yoga classes when they are offered (often as a part of “Workshop Days”, or Cover Classes). Iyengar Yoga classes fall into both this category and the next level and is, as such, a good bridge progressing to the higher level.
Intermediate includes: Core Yoga, and Stretchy Yoga, at Oneleisure and Contemporary Yoga, Power Yoga, and Yoga Calisthenics when they are offered (often as a part of “Workshop Days”). The Ashtanga Primary series falls into this category too.
Advanced includes: The Ashtanga Second series, The Ashtanga “intermediate” series basically the complex balances with very bendy legs and wiry arm bindings - to the uninitiated these looks more like contortion, torture or military pressure poses! (Depending on your viewpoint - some would say it reminds them of pure joy!) I am not here yet!!!!
Foundation Level
Foundation Levels are about introducing and building a yoga practice along with establishing the strength, mobility and flexibility for the progressions towards the higher levels. The twelve to fourteen moves of the “Sun Salutations” and the eight to ten moves of the “Moon Salutations” a number of seated asana, the unbound standing poses and an array of lying on your back shapes. The repertoire is largely Hatha Yoga, a good dose of Kundalini Yoga moves and elements of Iyengar and Somatic Yoga practices.
Beginners:
These focus on the foundation postures forming the Salutations sequences, the variety of starts and finishes to yoga classes and some different stylistic versions of the foundation poses. There are a few Hatha foundation poses beyond the Salutation repertoire chosen to help facilitate the opening of the body, extending the limbs, lengthening the spine and liberating the joints so as to perform the Salutation Asanas more effectively.
The emphasis is establishing a sound technical practice finding the appropriate technical variation for your body with a view to evolving towards the “picture perfect” pose, but remembering it is all a journey … which might take a while!!!
Wellness:
The sessions start in a seated position drawing upon the Kundalini “Spinal Set” (not the Kundalini chanting, nor the Kundalini repetitions!) but using a more Hatha like style. There is a mobility section, a strength section and a flexibility section to the class - all relating to releasing the postural muscles and joints. The final part focuses on the standing postural chain and incorporates “Yoga Walking”
Sometimes there is more of an emphasis on re-engaging the back muscles involved in good posture, and at other times it could well be the leg muscles associated with good posture. At all times there is a homing in on the positioning of the pelvis and correct utilisation of the glute muscles.
Improvers:
Surya Namaskara A, B and C plus the Moon Salutation and Warrior Salutation are the focus repertoires plus any exercise, animal flow, primal moves, asana that enable greater access to poses of the Salutations.
The notion here is improving not only the quality of the asanas but the quality and control of moving in, out, and through the various shapes from the sequence. The “feel” of the asanas and sensing the muscle and joint movements is an integral component of this class and, as such, moving slow enough to sense what is happening where in the body is an important foundation; particularly as once the breath is introduced it is easy to forget what the various body parts are supposed to be doing!
There is a breath work element and there are occasions where it is almost like a cardio-vascular workout! And, there are times when emphasis is placed on the technique, strength and flexibility to perform the”Float” or “Jump back”/Jump forward from and into the UttanAsana forward fold. Likewise building the Chaturanga descent prior to hovering is a reoccurring theme - all with the correct biomechanics of movement.
Intermediate Levels begin to move away from the “salutation” based and postural repertoire and evolve towards the movement vocabulary from Ashtanga Yoga’s Primary Series and Iyengar’s practices using Primal Moves-Animal Flow and Calisthenics to build joint stability, Kundalini Yoga and Contemporary Yoga as a base to grow into Yoga Asanas and Power Yoga. There are also moments of Somatic Yoga and Restorative Yoga poses to enable the development of a balanced and relaxed Yoga body.
Core Yoga
This focuses on building strength in the abdominals, back, shoulders, glutes and thighs in order to develop arm balances, head/ hand / forearm stands. There is also the occasional focus on the Jump Through and the Lolasana and L sit. The BakAsana Crow/ Crane features regularly and Chaturanga along with NavAsana have an ever-presence you can’t escape from!
We are working towards elements of the Ashtanga Primary Series such as the NavAsana - Boat Pose section and the use of BakAsana Crow-Crane as a conduit to other arm balances as they do in Ashtanga Yoga but we will go into Astravakasana-8 Angle pose and Bala Parsva Ghuja DandAsana - Baby Grasshopper pose.
You can also expect Ardha ChandrAsana - Half Moon, VirabhadrAsana - Warrior 3 plus Uddayana UttanAsana Pristhasana- Flying Lizard pose.
So, developing core strength and then finding a yoga application for that strength, as depicted in the surrounding images!
Salutation Plus is a bridge between Foundation and Intermediate Levels where the Salutations are still performed but with the addition of some Primal-Animal Flow/Calisthenics moves and Kundalini Yoga to build the strength in the full joint range and strength along the length of muscles. In essence flavour of Core Yoga and Stretchy Yoga are being introduced.
Intermediate Level
Stretchy Yoga
Focusing on lengthening muscles, mobilising joints and freeing the spine in order to develop the front and side splits/ seated wide legged forward fold Hanumanasana and Upavistha Konasana and the Eka Pada Koundinyasana flying splits, as well as Halasana plough. Supta Virasana Reclined Hero Pose and Ustrasana Camel Pose and creative dynamic ways into Camatkarasana Wild Thing Pose. There is also the occasional focus on side bending and extending the torso’s lateral movement leading to Parsva sukhasana seated side bend.
We are working towards the flexibility aspects of the Ashtanga Primary Series such as the Kurmasana / Supta Kurmasana Tortoise and Sleeping Tortoise poses and Supta Konasana Reclined Angle Pose, as well as the Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose. In addition the Svarga Dvijasana Bird of Paradise Pose and Natarajasana Dancer Pose our within our purview.
