yoga & pilates

My specialty is relaxation ...

I remember my first Yin yoga class like it was yesterday. I was totally unprepared! I was always running from one thing to the next; "softness" and "slowing down" were not part of my vocabulary, and whenever someone mentioned these words, it made me cringe. I saw yoga as a way to stay fit. During my first Yin yoga class, I really came face to face with myself – I couldn’t stay still, my mind was racing, and I left the class feeling more stressed than when I had entered. This was quite confronting and painfully highlighted my inability to be fully present with myself and my body in a loving way. I just wanted to run away screaming! Yet, I soon found myself back in another Yin yoga class because, deep down, I knew this was exactly what I needed. Yin yoga has taught me to be more loving toward myself and my body and has significantly helped me reduce feelings of restlessness and stress.

What is Yin Yoga?

Yin Yoga is a meditative practice that allows you to deeply sink into your body. During Yin yoga, poses are held for an extended period, typically 3 to 5 minutes per pose (depending on the pose). The goal of Yin yoga is to relax the muscles so we can stimulate the connective tissue. Some poses can be challenging and somewhat uncomfortable, while others are very relaxing – but this is the essence of Yin yoga. Yin yoga helps you cope with various sensations, particularly feelings of restlessness and stress.

Connective tissue runs throughout the body, serving a supportive and connective function. These are the denser and less elastic tissues like fascia, tendons, joints, cartilage, and bones. Connective tissue protects organs and determines their shape. The mobility between the organs is facilitated by connective tissue. It is the connective tissue that can make you feel stiff, making us more prone to injuries or even dealing with pain. In Yin yoga, we stimulate the connective tissue by holding poses for a longer time – it takes longer to penetrate these deeper layers of the body. By applying gentle stress to these tissues, they become stronger, healthier, and more flexible.

Benefits of Yin Yoga

Yin yoga is incredibly beneficial for your physical body as well as your physiological, energetic, and emotional bodies. Yin yoga makes us more flexible in more ways than one ;) It activates the parasympathetic nervous system, or your "rest and digest" mode. By truly connecting with your body, breathing, and actively relaxing, you will significantly reduce feelings of stress and restlessness. Old emotions may be stored in the body, and Yin yoga can release these emotions, allowing energy to flow freely again. Yin yoga stimulates the energy pathways (meridians) in your body, positively influencing your energy flow.

Through Yin yoga you learn to engage with yourself in a loving and gentle way. In today's society, we tend to be in our heads a lot and not really feel how we are doing. Yin yoga is a beautiful way to reconnect with your body, learn to be kind to yourself, and receive yourself with compassion. In my Yin classes I like to work with essential oils from doTERRA.

... not just with the body ...

Soon after discovering Yin yoga, I found massive relief in Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra is an ancient meditation practice with very specific techniques, getting you into an altered state of deep relaxation more quickly than most other meditation practices. It's an incredibly powerful method for profound relaxation and change.

I am very proud of my online business called Nidra Yogi, which offers recorded Yoga Nidra practices in German.

ZU NIDRA-YOGI.DE

... but I also like to make you sweat.

I started teaching Pilates at 18 - that is now 14 years ago. That was way before it was cool ;)!

I developed my own concept pretty quickly, being inspired by the movements from trainers such as Tracy Anderson and Blogilates.

In my dynamic Power Pilates class you will strengthen your core, enhance flexibility, and boost overall body strength. Combining traditional Pilates principles with high-energy, full-body exercises, my Pilates concept targets all muscle groups, improving posture and balance. Let your energy and rhythm throughout the workout be driven by my carefully selected music mixes, leaving you inspired and invigorated.