The Yoga Centre

The Yoga Centre is a yoga and movement space in the centre of Adelaide, offering a variety of classes, workshops and courses led by some of Adelaide’s best teachers. The classes on offer are diverse, and include AntiGravity Aerial Yoga, Hatha, Yoga Therapy, Bro Flow, Yin Yoga, Pre & PostNatal Yoga. We also host Dance Classes, Meditation Workshops, Soundbath and Teacher Training. The Yoga Centre has a team of amazing teachers with a broad base of knowledge and experience, and we are always looking for new teachers to join our community. Yoga Styles Hatha The word yoga, from the Sanskrit word yuj means to yoke or bind and is often interpreted as “union” or a method of discipline. Hatha yoga refers to a set of physical exercises (known as asanas or postures), and sequences of asanas, designed to align your skin, muscles, and bones. Most forms of yoga in the West can be classified as Hatha Yoga. Hatha simply refers to the practice of physical yoga postures, meaning your Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Iyengar and Power Yoga classes are all Hatha Yoga. Hatha practices are designed to align and calm your body, mind, and spirit in preparation for meditation. Yin This practice is designed to help you sit longer, and more comfortably, in meditation by stretching connective tissue around the joints (mainly the knees, pelvis, sacrum, and spine). A passive practice, Yin Yoga involves variations of seated and supine poses typically held for 3 to 5 minutes, accessing deeper layers of fascia. Yin is a Taoist (Chinese) term - analyzing various yoga techniques from the perspective of yin and yang, the most relevant aspect is the elasticity of the tissues involved. Yang tissues like muscles are more fluid-filled, soft, and elastic; yin tissues like connective tissue (ligaments, tendons, and fascia) and bones are dryer, harder, and stiffer. By extension, exercise that focuses on muscle tissue is yang; exercise that focuses on connective tissue is yin. Theraputic & Restorative Yoga Any yogic technique used to systematically address physical injury or pain, or mental and emotional stress or trauma can be considered Yoga Therapy. A restorative or theraputic yoga sequence typically involves only five or six poses, supported by props that allow you to completely relax and rest. Held for 5 minutes or more, restorative poses include light twists, seated forward folds, and gentle backbends. Many restorative practices are based on the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar. Aerial Yoga Aerial Yoga combines acrobatic arts and AntiGravity asana, but it’s also an accessible practice that can help you find more length in your spine and safe alignment in your poses. The use of a suspension system with therapeutic value: the aerial yoga “silk,” or hammock is suspended from the ceiling to support your weight, ease pressure, create space in your joints, decrease compression in your spine, and help you find more mobility. Zero Compression Inversion benefits include - allowing circulatory and lymphatic systems to refresh while stimulating the release of neurotransmitters in the brain; Increased kinesthetic awareness; fine-tuning balance and increasing proprioceptor response for greater agility; Low impact cardiovascular conditioning; Self-esteem enhancement through process of conquering basic fears; A creative and artistic mind-body experience. The hammock can also be used to strengthen muscles and find correct alignment in most poses, not just tricky inversions! Acro Yoga Open up to curiosity, trust, and play with Acro Yoga! Though we gather in community to practice, most of us go it alone on the yoga mat. But more recently, groups of yogis have come together to practice Acro Yoga - a combination of interactive acrobatics and partner yoga. This form of yoga isn’t about performing or showing off: It’s about trust with a yoga partner, discovering freedom and play. There are at least three people involved in each maneuver—a base on the bottom, a flyer on top, and a spotter to prevent any falls—so yogis must rely on each other to execute a pose. Pre & Post Natal A practice uniquely designed for pregnancy, Prenatal Yoga can help support moms-to-be emotionally and physically. With an emphasis on breathing, stamina, pelvic floor work, restorative poses, and core strength, Pre & Post Natal Yoga can help each woman become more resilient during and after pregnancy. Vinyasa & Flow Vinyasa loosely means ‘to arrange something in a special way’ - like yoga poses for example. In Vinyasa yoga classes, students coordinate movement with breath to flow from one pose to the next. Our Vinyasa yoga classes include Ashtanga, Power Yoga, and Prana Flow. Vinyasa is also the term used to describe a specific sequence of poses (Chaturanga to Upward-Facing Dog to Downward-Facing Dog) as commonly used throughout a Vinyasa class. Some qualities and benefits include building internal heat, increasing stamina, strength, and flexibility, as well as stress reduction. Teachers design their own sequences, while students synchronize their breath with their movement. BroFlow Asana (yoga postures) classes for men. These all male classes offer sequences and postures specifically designed for male bodies. Just as there are classes focused on female (yin) wellbeing, there are also sessions exclusively for male (yang) health and flexibility. As men have different bone and muscule structures these broga style classes challenge and stretch the modern brogi. Yoga Basics Unlike stretching or fitness, yoga is more than just physical postures. Patanjali’s eight-fold path illustrates how the physical practice is just one aspect of yoga. Even within the physical practice, yoga is unique because we connect the movement of the body and the fluctuations of the mind to the rhythm of our breath. Connecting the mind, body, and breath helps us to direct our attention inward. The awareness that we cultivate is what makes yoga a practice, rather than a task or a goal to be completed. Your body will most likely become much more flexible by doing yoga, and so will your mind.