Yoga Super Master Teacher

Classes Taught: Aqua Yoga, Ball Pit Yoga, Sleeping Yoga, Regular Yoga, Watching Sports & Yoga, Wasting time with Yoga, Hip Hop & Yoga

Following years of training under holy monks in the sacred mountains of Tibet, yoga instructor Kevin Ortiz mastered the divine art and brought it back to the states. As the premier Yoga expert in the universe, Ortiz spends his time doing awesome back flips, teaching Lebron James how to dunk and just being profound.

Thursday, March 7th 9:00-9:30am or

Thursday, March 14th 12:10-12:40pm

At the MacNab Street YWCA

Do you need more information or would you like to give it a try?

Call Tyler at 905-522-9922 ext 103

Dernières semaines de grossesse en perspective

Me voici à la 31^ème semaine de grossesse. La séance précédente s’est très bien déroulée. J’ai eu quelques conversations à propos des accouchements prématurés avec quelques mamans, surtout qu’une amie en a eu dernièrement. Ce qui fait que je n’ai pas hésité ce matin à aller effectuer un contrôle chez ma gynéco. Elle a été très rassurante. Je n’ai pas hésité à lui dire que mon amie ne s’attendait pas non plus à un accouchement prématuré, mais que c’était survenu suite à d’atroces douleurs. Elle m’a expliqué qu’il devait surement y avoir un élément déclencheur telle qu’une activité ardue dans les dernières semaines. Etant donné que je n’avais pas les détails, je ne pouvais pas savoir, mais ce qui est certain, c’est que je dois me reposer le maximum possible durant les prochaines semaines, et profiter des séances d’Aqua Yoga qui me font un bien fou, à ma petite Lina aussi qui commence de plus en plus à se faire entendre. Des petits coups de pieds par-ci, d’autres par-là ! Je continue à communiquer avec elle le plus souvent possible. Ma gynéco m’a dit qu’elle réagira de plus en plus à des stimulations sonores. Elle aime beaucoup ma playlist détente en tous cas où il y’a beaucoup de musique Soul.  Durant la dernière échographie (je n’hésite pas à en faire moi en tous cas), elle avait les genoux repliés, les bras et jambes croisés, et le menton reposant sur la poitrine.  Elle est toujours entrain de solidifier sa petite ossature. Je veillerai donc à toujours choisir les bons aliments  riches en calcium comme préconisé par ma gynéco. Néanmoins dormir devient un vrai parcours du combattant pour moi avec mon gros ventre !  Je devrais donc utiliser un oreiller pour le caler. D’autre part, ma prise de poids s’accélère. Ainsi, je dois compter sur une dizaine de kilos en plus durant ces dernières semaines d’après mon médecin. Elle est déjà là ma fille, je la vois déjà. C’est pourquoi je compte finir d’équiper sa chambre dans les deux semaines qui viennent.

A très bientôt,
Leïla

Ces séances d’Aqua Yoga sont également axées sur des postures d’étirement et sur le travail de la respiration puis se terminent par un temps de relaxation. L’eau de la piscine étant chauffée, mes mouvements et mes enchaînements se pratiquaient lentement et paisiblement. En fin de séance, place à une détente profonde avec une sensation très agréable de flottaison et de légèreté. C’est les avantages de l’aqua yoga selon la monitrice qui me précise que c’est toujours très appréciable notamment en fin de grossesse lorsque le ventre prend de plus en plus de place ! Et étant donné que j’alternerai entre le complexe et la clinique, j’ai encore d’agréables moments en attente ! Juste après ma séance je dormis apaisée. En tous cas, je sens ma respiration s’améliorer au point que je compte continuer l’aqua yoga même après mon accouchement.

Cela m’a donné énormément de punch pour le week-end que j’ai passé en famille à faire les courses pour nous et pour ma petite. Avec son papa, nous avons acheté des habits, mais aussi de petits coussins pour son parc. J’ai flashé sur une petite robe en coton rose trop mignonne que je ne cesse pas de plier et replier depuis. On a pris des biberons aussi et… une poussette. Enfin ! C’était l’achat le plus important et qui a du beaucoup attendre.

Hier sinon, j’avais rendez-vous avec ma gynécologue pour voir l’impact des séances sur moi et elle a été très contente et très rassurante, tout se passe bien dans mon corps malgré le gros ventre, et mes douleurs dorsales sont de moins en moins importantes. Lina est bien cramponnée et compte prendre tout son temps avant de voir le jour. Autant dire que tout se passe bien, Dieu merci.

A très bientôt
Leïla

Ma première séance d’exercices s’est déroulée vendredi dernier, et le moins que je puisse dire et que cela m’a fait un bien fou ! Au départ, des exercices de respiration ont été plus que bénéfiques pour ma relaxation, étant donné que je stressais énormément ces derniers temps avec mes douleurs dorsales. J’en ai parlé à mon animatrice qui a tout de suite su ce qu’il me fallait : l’exercice du papillon duquel j’étais très friande durant toute la séance. Ma gynéco m’avait déjà conseillé une petite gym depuis un bon moment avec des mouvements d’étirement pour justement alléger mes douleurs, mais j’étais assez craintive, et ne voulais pas m’y adonner seule par peur d’un faux mouvement fatal. Durant la séance, c’était tout le contraire, me sentir entre les mains d’une professionnelle a été beaucoup dans ma confiance en moi et m’a fait beaucoup de bien sur le plan psychologique d’abord. Cet exercice du papillon permet d’assouplir la musculature de tout le corps, mais spécialement celle des hanches et des jambes, tout en étirant la colonne vertébrale. Cela m’a fait énormément de bien de s’étirer le dos, et j’ai dormi à poings fermés le soir de cet exercice. Il a aussi eu le mérite de tonifier mes abdominaux et de me faire du bien au niveau du périnée et de la vessie. Je m’asseyais en indien et je gardais le dos bien droit en inclinant légèrement mon buste vers l’avant tout en travaillant ma respiration. Étant donné que j’ai toujours eu des problèmes respiratoires et ayant souffert d’une allergie par le passé. Mon animatrice m’a conseillé de ne pas négliger ma respiration durant ces exercices. Pour une meilleure efficacité de ces pratiques d’ailleurs, je passerai à une sorte d’ aqua yoga dès la prochaine séance… Finalement, ces séances ont l’air de bien se dérouler, et je ne regrette aucun dirham que j’y ai dépensé.

A bientôt
Leïla

The Bucket List called for me to develop a paddle yoga sequence to teach and share.  In alignment with Sivananda yoga sequencing and adapting where necessary to water, I have created a series of postures and breathwork that is adaptable to most levels.

If you want to come try a class, please join me in San Diego!

Read on for a sample of the sequence with photos~ and my thanks to all the yogis who contributed their beautiful energy to these classes and photos.

Begin by making a connection to the board and to the environment.  As you paddle, tune into the water and your breath.

Once you’re settled where you want to practice, take a few moments seated and begin breathing deeply into the abdomen.  Set an intention for your practice.

Make your way to all fours and begin warming up the spine with some flexion and extension.

Progress into a downward dog, marvelling at your ability to balance and relaxing into the pose.

Flow through sun salutations.

Strengthen the core through with leg raises and dolphins.

Peak pose!  Headstand, anyone?

Activate the throat and heart chakras through shoulderstand, bridge, half, or full wheel.

Make like our friends in the water and find yourself in fish pose.

Let yourself fold into sweet surrender with forward bends.

Open the hips.  Find mobility in dynamic and static hip openers.  

Flip on over and systematically stretch the spine with a backbend series.

Awaken and activate the spine with a half spinal twist.

Challenge yourself to bakasana, the crow pose.  Balance is cultivated through focus and awareness.

Let yourself hang out, hands to feet, releasing all the tension in the spine.

Wiggle on down however you need to, getting completely comfortable for a delicious aqueous savasana.

The train is pulling in to Relaxation Station.  Bliss out, baby.  You’ve arrived.

Hare Om Tat Sat (For anything that was taught incorrectly, may it be made right in your hearts and minds.)

Namaste. (The light in me recognizes and salutes the light in you.)

<3 Amelia, the Stoked Yogi

Please note all photos are property of Paddle Board Bliss.

Aqua Yoga is great for those with arthritis

Researchers of complimentary methods of treating degenerative joint disease face several problems, the greatest of which is differences in the effected joints. People with arthritis, for instance, experience different levels of degeneration in the lower lumbar, knees, elbows, and fingers. Symptoms of pain and reduced mobility can be experienced concurrently, but symptoms are more often limited to one area. Western exercises are modified to support the individual’s symptoms, and the same exercise program is often unsuitable for another person.

Research on yoga’s benefits for people with chronic joint disease faces the same problem to a lesser degree. Much of yogic practice, regardless of the particular discipline, is meditative and breath-oriented. Mindfulness meditation is a yoga integrated into the practice of yoga along with the benefits. Similar to Lamaze and other alternative pain management strategies taught in pregnancy classes, these benefit the person by increasing tolerance to pain, reducing stress, and building awareness of the body.  According to Dr. Seth Greenky of St. Joseph’s Hospital, regular physical exercise is critical to ensuring healthy bones. With this basic practice of yoga, people learn to successfully avoid the pain caused by certain movements and minimize the experience of pain.

Choosing the Style
The importation of yoga by the West has led to a variety of practices. All of them offer the same benefits, but they are not all suitable for people with degenerative joint disease. Hatha yoga has been studied the most extensively and found safe for anyone to use regularly at home with a couple of caveats. No matter the style, it is necessary to perfect forms under the supervision of an instructor. This allows for any needed modifications and avoidance of accidents. It is also important to not challenge the body past tolerance for pain. The Arthritis Clinic at Johns Hopkins advises people to stop any movement or posture that results in pain.

Some forms of yoga, such as Power Yoga and Ashtanga, use more vigorous movements unsuitable for some people. These forms burn calories faster and rapidly increase aerobic health, but they may damage joints. Bikram yoga is a posture-based form practiced in a heated environment. An hour of Bikram results in an average of 600 calories burned, but instructors are not as easy to find as Hatha instructors. It is necessary to discuss medical needs with any instructor prior to a class and ask for recommendation from the doctor or other health provider.

Joint-Specific Benefits
Studies have shown several positive findings for joint disease. A 2011 study in the peer-reviewed European Journal of the Spine looked at yoga’s effects on people with degenerative disease of the lumbar and cervical spine. The yoga group showed significant reductions in joint health for the yoga group compared to control. Benefits increased with long-term practice.

Instructors for different yoga styles will be limited in most areas. Hatha yoga is the most studied and most common. It has definite benefits for overall health and joint-specific diseases. Daily practice is considered safe once the student has learned basic meditative rituals, postures, and movements. This is largely due to the increased awareness of self gained from meditation.

Thanks to my guest blogger, Carolyn Fallon, for a great article.

Carolyn Fallon is a 20-something year old with a passion for life, fitness and overall well being.  She is an avid cycler, golfer and has known to bust some serious moves on the dance floor.  Check out Carolyn’s blog at http://fullonfit.blogspot.com!

What an amazing month! The course ended spectacularly with deep practices and insightful discussions. Kosta covered the business of yoga; how to market yourself, build networks, set attractive deals and membership packages, and gave advice for free-lancing and managing a studio.

Ram lead a very deep final lecture on all the implications of being a yoga teacher and how to flourish as well as be genuine to your spiritual practice. We also re-kindled the lantern of the most sincere aspects of the nature of Yoga and human evolution to which I added many of my own thoughts. We breached controversial subjects such  as the future of Yoga Alliance, national governments interaction and view of the yoga community, and how once you’ve blossomed into a more expanded consciousness, there is no going back. It’s about seeing what is possible and it’s always more than you can know at this moment. Ram concluded with chanting an entire chapter from the Vedas, which has been the duty and honor of his family’s lineage to memorize for a long, long time. He recited more syllables in 10 minutes than anyone I know does in a day. It was beautiful.  I had profound experiences listening to Ram. I could see subtle yantras opening in my mind as if I was being pulled through a portal. I also felt old emotional events being dredged up and resolved into peacefulness. Straight up, it was cosmic. Thanks brother Ram.

I was also able to join Tingting’s last sessions which were very opening as well, to one another as humans. With everyone arranged in two lines, holding hands, so close you touched your partner toes, she had us stare deep into each others eyes while instructing us to look sincerely into that person and be completely open ourselves. To allow our entire soul to be visible through our eyes. Yes, there was laughter. Yes, there were shifty eyes. But a few of you…my, did we ever look deeper and deeper until a mirror like sense of vertigo occurred and you couldn’t be sure who was who! I also felt  energetic sensations and used vibrant auric visualizations of peace and spiritual power with my “strong” partners who I thought could handle it…

Classic… On Consciousness

Finishing Up!

The very last day we kept practice bright and light in the morning. 6:00 We started our pranayama session in a big circle on the fine, soft sand at the beach. Once everyone was done I got the group to stand up, hold hands, and then make it’s way into the ocean for aqua yoga! What ensued was a fun yoga poses in the water, laughter, and picking each other out of the ocean to be tossed back in again. We gave the students some free time before meeting back at the studio later.

9:00 Back at the studio we commenced with some partner practice and basic acro yoga led by Tingting and I. We did some very relaxing back to back seated poses with breathing, twists, and forward folds. It felt great to be the acro base for some of our students and give them a little massage love.  One student got over her fear and felt liberated while hanging on my feet allowing her spine to relax and elongate towards the ground. Acroyoga is a great practice I’m glad it’s part of what I can offer people.

The last day for the teacher’s we did a photo and video shoot at sunrise on the beach. Jon, the camera man Kosta hired, has done some amazing work for us already. He’s also a very friendly guy and I like hanging out with him. His history is rather inspiring too. He’s currently rehabilitating from an accident and only one month out of his wheel chair. Yoga has helped him immensely and he’s already climbing all over rocks and anything else to get the good angles for his shots. Here are some of my own behind the scenes shots by myself and my brother Michael.

Students Blogs

Many of our students kept blogs about their experiences for the course and some will continue to use them for their own yoga careers I believe. Here are a few if you are interested in the Vikasa Yoga Teacher Training program and the student’s experiences.

Nicole fitness instructor

from North Carolina, USA

OM Away from Home

Edin

super star make-up artist

from Reno, Nevada

On a Bender

Aline the animal activist and linguist

from Montreal, Quebec

Ally in Yogiland

Jackie

business owner

from British Columbia

Vikasa Yoga via Floost

Amanda

musician and DJ

from Singapore

Evolution of Yoga Teacher Training

*

Water Fasting

I had decided sometime during the course that once everything was finished up it would be a great opportunity to do another fast. It’s been over a year since the last one where I tried the “Master Cleanse” drinking only a lemonade of water, lemons, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup. This was pretty easy with the maple syrup. I felt pretty great the whole time, lots of energy. The lemon alkalize your body and the cayenne pepper has many benefits such as stimulating circulation and anti-inflammatory properties. This time I am doing a 7 day water fast. The tissue detoxification will be deeper. After approximately 24 hours of zero calories to ingest the body changes gears. It will begin purging toxins from the intestinal walls and other tissues. It also puts most of the glands into a state of rest. Most importantly, for yogis, fasting can elicit more subtle understanding of the mind as it becomes rather quiet, which can cultivate spiritual awareness. Finally, it gives one a much greater appreciation for food, healthy, delicious, fresh foooood.

What you eat before fasting is important, especially if you have never fasted or have lots of toxins. You should prepare up to a week in advance, or really all the time, with a mostly raw, and mostly vegetarian diet at the least. You should also consider supplements like spirulina, intenstinal cleansing herbs, and liquid minerals. My last day before starting I ate the following.

7:00 1 Wheat grass shot, then a slice of orange

8:00 20-ish mangosteens

13:00 more Durian than I’ve ever eaten…a lot, so much it made me feel high

13:30 – 16:30 random bananas think I had 4 in total?

20:00 1 salad loaded with celery, garlic, carrot, avocado,coco oil, lime, and apple cider vinegar

20:45 3 more huge sticks of celery

The first night I joined friends and students at a Japanese restaurant. It was amazing how sharp my sense of smell was. I could smell each individual item of food all together at the same time. I didn’t feel the least bit impulsed to eat however about 30 minutes into everyones meal, about 23 hours after my salad the night before..I started to get headache and nausea. I excused myself and went to lay down in another room of the restaurant which had some comfy cushions. The Yoga Vacation director, Vadim, gave me a lift back to my room after they finished dinner. Whenever I lay down I felt fine. I rode in the back of the pickup truck on the bench, clutching the side railing and looking up at the stars. When I got home I promptly fell asleep.

This morning I went for pranayama on the beach, as I do everyday I’ve been here, and had a great practice. Everything felt open and easy. My physical energy is very low however today. I don’t have the nausea of last night but my legs feel achy. My muscles just don’t want to do a thing, which is fine. People are being very nice to me. While on the cushion last night I talked with my girlfriend on the phone. She called this afternoon to check on me during her short break. Thank you Si! Other people have been giving me rides, and I also got a massage today from a co-worker. Thank you Alisa!

I’m practicing a shut down, to assimilate the experience of the last month, to rest my organs, cleanse my skin, go into some deep meditation, and come back with more life and motivation than ever to be a giving person and renowned and wise yoga teacher. Tonight I’ll teach my last class at Vikasa Yoga for the week and then move up into the mountains to basically be a recluse where Kosta will join me for the last three days of my fast. It will be comforting to have someone around.

I’ll be updating again near the end of the fast with how it’s going and to also breakdown how to come out of a fast, which is even more important than how you go in.

Peace and Good Food(or water)!

Aqua Yoga is a series of yoga exercises done in water developed by Franзoise Barbira Freedman that combines the therapeutic and afloat nature of water with the stimulating and balancing of yoga. In short it takes the principles and movements of yoga and adapts them to the environment of water. With the release of gravity the body is able to find the most advantageous stretching.

Aqua Yoga combines slow stretching with the use of breathing and relaxation as the water provides resistance for the muscles to work against. Aqua yoga is a natural and all-encompassing way to promote and sustain fitness and health. It offers a gentle and easily available way to enjoy movement and breathing using the supportive element of water. Many aqua yoga exercises are classical yoga postures adapted to water. You feel virtually weightless in water, so that stretches that might be difficult on the ground can be accomplished without strain. Aqua yoga is the perfect combination of the benefits that yoga and swimming can bring.

No previous experience of yoga is necessary to benefit from these exercises. Aqua yoga can be practiced by swimmers and non-swimmers alike but to train as an aqua yoga teacher you will need a swimming qualification. Aqua yoga strengthens and tones the body whilst relieving tensions and renewing energy. Aqua yoga makes exercising safer for many people, especially those whose weight problems, injuries, pregnancy, old age etc., as the water helps bear the body, easing wear and tear on the joints.

Benefits of Aqua Yoga

Aqua yoga is beneficial for those with many medical problems, as it is gentle and low impact. Aqua yoga can be safely practiced by people with a wide range of fitness levels and physical abilities.

Joint, muscle, back and other musculoskeletal degeneration

Water provides resistance, and this resistance is used in aqua yoga to help strengthen and develop control. This is very useful in helping with some joint and other musculoskeletal problems. The weightlessness in water especially allows those with back problems to move more easily and comfortably in water. Aqua yoga helps improve flexibility and function, reduce stiffness, and strengthen the muscles around the joints, reducing strain on the joints themselves.

Obesity

Obesity puts added strain on the joints when exercising on land, so the low-impact of exercise in water really helps. Aqua-yoga helps strengthen and tone the body, and relaxes the whole body.

Blood pressure

Being in water reduces blood pressure slightly. Aqua yoga is very beneficial for people suffering from high or erratic blood pressure.

Pregnancy

Aqua yoga for pregnancy gives women the opportunity to enjoy freedom of movement supported in the water environment. Flexibility and mobility are increased and women are able to feel more comfortable while promoting health for mother and baby. Breathing is expanded and the circulation improves. Movements practiced in the last few weeks of pregnancy will encourage the baby into a favorable position for birth.

Ashish Bhattacharya armed with a degree in East Asian Therapies from China, he has worked in a Mauritius Spa Resorts, and is an expert in Health Spa Mauritius.

It’s funny. Sometime these little precise phrases come to my mind right before bed. Usually they stick with me as my theme for yoga classes that week, sometimes they linger for contemplation for much longer. A few nights ago this was the phrase that started to grow buds inside my heart/head.

“Impermanence is a blessing”.

As a culture (myself included) we love the idea of change except when we want something to stay put or the same. Looks, relationship ring a bell? There is a baby-bird-falling-out-of-the-nest kinda of feeling that arises when the change happens suddenly and without our approval. Things have been shifting radically within my yoga community and this dramatic change has birthed some of the greatest beauty to date. At the same time it caused a great deal of sadness and discomfort. Luckily, just like high tide, the sadness and hurt can only hang around for so long. What I’ve found though, is that as the sadness pulls back into the ocean of potential, the beauty remains.

The wildly beautiful and sometimes (read often) scary part is that we don’t get to choose a lot of the time. Nature, life has her way with us and that is that. We can be dragged along kicking and screaming against the change or we can welcome it with open arms knowing that the alternative of life being a ”static thing” would be very boring.

How do we find comfort in a world that is always changing? Knowing that there may be a Tsunami size wave behind a nice 3-4 footer. To be honest, I have had some very decent size swells reach my shore lately. For me, in the constant shifting of life and all it’s relationships, it’s what’s inside. It on many days feels like a warm ember of a bonfire totally protected from the damp ocean breeze. Things grow, things die, day comes, night falls..the ember inside is still there unaffected. If can be a refuge of comfort and support, if we let it.

Every day I go to our cove to paddle out, the shore looks different. Sometimes a little and sometimes a  lot. I welcome the change, that change is easy to embrace. Mother Nature shape shifting herself in those subtle ways. My hope is to find that ease and welcome for the changes that are unexpected or uncomfortable.

Just like doing a headstand on a paddle board. It’s just gonna take more practice.

With Love,
Erin

Time

10:30am to noon, followed by lunch

Place 

Pool in Ariyasom Villa

Fee

Up to you. Fee will be donated to Bangkok Breast Cancer Support Group

If you are not hotel guests, I ask you to have lunch at the hotel restaurant or pool side as facility fee to the hotel.

*

Detail : Please have a look ‘Aqua yoga’  and  last year’s photos.

Session will be held more than 3 person. Maximum 6 person (not include hotel guests)

If you are intersted in, please post comment below. Need reservation. I’ll read and reply but  your comment will not on the blog.

Wish I’ll see you.

Aqua Yoga is a series of yoga exercises done in water developed by Franзoise Barbira Freedman that combines the therapeutic and afloat nature of water with the stimulating and balancing of yoga. In short it takes the principles and movements of yoga and adapts them to the environment of water. With the release of gravity the body is able to find the most advantageous stretching.

Aqua Yoga combines slow stretching with the use of breathing and relaxation as the water provides resistance for the muscles to work against. Aqua yoga is a natural and all-encompassing way to promote and sustain fitness and health. It offers a gentle and easily available way to enjoy movement and breathing using the supportive element of water. Many aqua yoga exercises are classical yoga postures adapted to water. You feel virtually weightless in water, so that stretches that might be difficult on the ground can be accomplished without strain. Aqua yoga is the perfect combination of the benefits that yoga and swimming can bring.

No previous experience of yoga is necessary to benefit from these exercises. Aqua yoga can be practiced by swimmers and non-swimmers alike but to train as an aqua yoga teacher you will need a swimming qualification. Aqua yoga strengthens and tones the body whilst relieving tensions and renewing energy. Aqua yoga makes exercising safer for many people, especially those whose weight problems, injuries, pregnancy, old age etc., as the water helps bear the body, easing wear and tear on the joints.

Benefits of Aqua Yoga

Aqua yoga is beneficial for those with many medical problems, as it is gentle and low impact. Aqua yoga can be safely practiced by people with a wide range of fitness levels and physical abilities.

Joint, muscle, back and other musculoskeletal degeneration

Water provides resistance, and this resistance is used in aqua yoga to help strengthen and develop control. This is very useful in helping with some joint and other musculoskeletal problems. The weightlessness in water especially allows those with back problems to move more easily and comfortably in water. Aqua yoga helps improve flexibility and function, reduce stiffness, and strengthen the muscles around the joints, reducing strain on the joints themselves.

Obesity

Obesity puts added strain on the joints when exercising on land, so the low-impact of exercise in water really helps. Aqua-yoga helps strengthen and tone the body, and relaxes the whole body.

Blood pressure

Being in water reduces blood pressure slightly. Aqua yoga is very beneficial for people suffering from high or erratic blood pressure.

Pregnancy

Aqua yoga for pregnancy gives women the opportunity to enjoy freedom of movement supported in the water environment. Flexibility and mobility are increased and women are able to feel more comfortable while promoting health for mother and baby. Breathing is expanded and the circulation improves. Movements practiced in the last few weeks of pregnancy will encourage the baby into a favorable position for birth.

Ashish Bhattacharya armed with a degree in East Asian Therapies from China, he has worked in a Mauritius Spa Resorts, and is an expert in Health Spa Mauritius.

Yoga is a term that originated in Ancient India and was a discipline utilized by many Hindus to integrate mind, body and spirit. However, the practice of Yoga soon spread behind Hinduism. People of all religions (and those practicing no religion) may enjoy Yoga without fear that it will conflict with their existing belief system.  The word Yoga is Sanskrit (an ancient eastern language) and means to yoke or unite the mind, body and the spirit.  There are 8 limbs of Yoga, and a strong Yoga practice will work with all of these aspects to create a mind/body connection.

The branch of Yoga that has become most popular in Western society is called Hatha Yoga.  It involves learning a set of asanas or postures and Pranayama or breathing techniques.  When you think of the yoga classes that are held in most gyms or the DVDs you see in stores or may order online, this is usually the form of Yoga being offered.

Hatha Yoga can be broken down further into different branches or specialties.  Some forms of Hatha Yoga may be better suited for pregnant or older students. Special pre-natal and senior classes may be found at gyms, but are more often found at Yoga studios.  These are definitely worth checking out!

Pre-natal Yoga:

Pregnant women may benefit immensely from Yoga.  Not only is a great bonding experience with your unborn child, but the Pranayama (breathing practices) may help prepare you for the birthing process. Yoga helps build awareness, focus and the ability to turn inward and stay calm, all of which are beneficial in the delivery room.

The gentle movements that you will go through during a session can also help provide some relief to the body during a time of extreme stress.  Being pregnant is hard work!  Our bodies can use some relief, so be kind to yourself during this special time and try Pre-natal Yoga.

Another great option during pregnancies is to work privately with a qualified Yoga Instructor who can work with you to develop an individualized plan to meet your specific needs. Together, you can decide which goals you want to achieve and how you will achieve them.  This is especially useful if you are experiencing extreme fatigue or other difficulties with your pregnancy.

Last, but not least, Aqua Yoga provides a wonderful Yoga program for women during pregnancy.  The support and nurturing environment of the water provides a calming environment for a peaceful, stress-free practice.  The water supports the body so there is less stress than standing on the land, yet we are able to perform strength building standing asanas.  Pregnant women are in training for giving birth – one of the toughest jobs on earth, so we need to take this opportunity to get as strong as possible.

Yoga for Seniors:

Gentle or Restorative Yoga is not only a social opportunity and stress relieving activity, http://www.whitecrowyoga.com/restorativeyogabut the strength, balance and flexibility benefits gained are enormous.  Because there is less stress and strain on the joints, many seniors are more comfortable in a gentle Yoga class than in more strenuous exercise programs. As we age, our posture may become more out of alignment and slouched.  Yoga has been shown to strengthen the muscles that support good posture, which is intricately linked to good health.  Other Yoga benefits that are especially important for older Yogis are balance and coordination improvement.  The elderly, who represent 12% of the population, account for 75% of all deaths attributed to falls, and trauma is the fifth leading cause of death among the elderly – much of this caused from falls.

Aqua Yoga is a nice option for seniors. Because we are supported by the water, we are not at risk of falling.  We also bear less of our body weight, meaning it provides a more gentle way to put our joints through an appropriate range of motion without excess stress.

No matter your age or physical state – from young to old, from child-bearing years to grandparent stage – Yoga may be the perfect program for you!  Find a Registered Yoga Teacher in your area by going to www.YogaAlliance.org, or stop by www.WhiteCrowYoga.com.

If you’d like to learn to teach Yoga or Aqua Yoga, or you’d like information on private yoga lesions, please contact us at workshop@WhiteCrowYoga.com.

Article by Mary Irby, RYT of White Crow Yoga.
White Crow Yoga offers Yoga Teacher Training, Aqua Yoga, Yoga Workshops and Private Yoga Sessions.
www.WhiteCrowYoga.com
workshop@WhiteCrowYoga.com

There are several Pranayama breath patterns that are beneficial in Yoga, depending upon what we are trying to accomplish.  For example, we may use one type of breath for energizing, one type of breath to induce a relaxation response, a different technique to allow us to fold deeply into a posture, and yet another type of breath to help us invoke a state conducive to meditation.

A Yoga class (land or water based) is not complete without a solid Pranayama practice!

During our practice Aqua Yoga practice, we breathe in and out through the nose.  This helps us retain heat for our practice and helps us focus on our breathing, allowing us to turn inward and leave the focus of the outside world behind.  Taking deep, diaphragmatic breath allows us to pull more oxygen into our bodies and helps reduce stress.  This is in contrast to the shallow breathing most of us use unconsciously in our daily lives.  Possibly the most important reason to practice deep nasal breathing is that it invokes the parasympathetic nervous system, which creates a natural relaxation response.

Learning to utilize a Three-Part Breath (also called Complete Breath or Dirga Pranayama) is a vital component of Yoga.  This technique energizes, purifies and balances us.  We want to create an inhale and exhale of equal length with our Three-Part breath.   Think of using a deep, diaphragmatic breath, first filling the bottom part of the lungs, followed by the mid-lung area, and finishing by inhaling into the top part of lung.  When exhaling, we breathe out from the top, then the middle, then the bottom portion of the lung.  Think of this inhale like filling a picture of water – from the bottom first – and the exhale as emptying the picture of water – from the top first.

We often partner a Three-Part Breath with our Ujjayi Breath.  In Ujjayi breath, we create a sound similar to ocean waves, which comes from the gentle constriction of the throat (the glottis – located behind the larynx) to create a slight resistance to the passage of air.  Some people call this Darth Vader breath, although it is less pronounced than the Darth Vader noise.   To find the partially closed glottis position, if we say the word “butter” but drop the “tt” sound out of the word (“bu…er”), we should feel the partially closed position of the glottis.  Ujjayi breath stills the mind, oxygenates the blood, and balances the male and female energies or right/left sides of the brain.

An Expanding Breath is beneficial in poses that open the chest.  For example, in Standing Chest Expansion, Camel or Flying Bird pose, we want to inhale deeply as we expand the chest and maintain our expansiveness as we exhale.

In our Relaxation breath, we want to create an inhale and exhale of equal length, as we do in Three-Part breath, but this breath will not be as deep.  This is a slow breath that helps us achieve a relaxed state and is well-suited to our final relaxation pose.

We can add breath retention to any Pranayama we choose.   Breath retention is a way of controlling the breath, and if we can control the breath, we can control the mind.  Controlling the mind is essential to develop a meditation practice, which, with much practice, helps us remain calm throughout our daily lives.   If a person is pregnant or suffers from high blood pressure, glaucoma, eye problems, respiratory disorders or a sinus or head infection, we should caution that student against breath retention.  Note that there may be other medical conditions that may be reasons for opting out of breath retention.

Those with slightly low blood pressure may practice breath retention if done carefully, closely supervised, and with a practice that allows the student to build up to longer holds (breath holding may make a person with low blood pressure dizzy).  Those with extremely low blood pressure should avoid breath retention.  If a student experiences nausea, light-headedness or any discomfort, ask him or her to stop the breath retention practice immediately.   If we are unsure if a student should practice breath retention, we advise you to ask the student not to practice this technique until they are cleared by their personal physician or health care provider.

Directly related to Pranayama is mindfulness.  While deep breathing has physiological benefits of its own, it also helps us turn inward, creating mindfulness.   Focusing on the breath is often used as a meditation practice.  Let’s briefly examine what meditation is, what benefits may be attained from its practice, and how we may approach this ancient practice.

Meditation may be defined as many things by different people.  It may be thought of as a mental state of relaxed awareness or a technique to help us create more peace in our lives. Meditation seeks to create awareness of the present moment, which helps us appreciate our current place in life, without looking to what we wish our lives would become or fearing what may happen in our future.  If we are unaware and are constantly living in a state of fear or we are waiting to be happy until some future event happens, we aren’t living life to the fullest.   The more we live in the present moment, appreciating life as it is, the more we will experience positive thoughts.  Soon, our positives thoughts will crowd out many of our negative thoughts, and we will develop qualities of love, compassion, confidence, joy and tranquility.

Appreciating our current place in life is not to say that it is wrong to want changes in our lives.  Change is inevitable.   Maybe we are in an unfulfilling job or a relationship that is harmful, and we want to move beyond these things that no longer serve us.  What meditation can do is help us appreciate the journey of moving into the change and find gratitude in the doors that open as we make positive changes.

For more information on Aqua Yoga, Pranayama, Mindfulness, Aqua Yoga Teacher Training, please visit www.WhiteCrowYoga.com.  We offer live and Online Aqua Yoga Teacher Training Certification programs, as well as 200-hour land-based Yoga Teacher Training, Restorative Yoga, and other workshops.

While we don’t have to perform spinal movements in a one-to-one pattern (one flexion to one extension, etc.), we do want to have a balance of movements in all directions.  We want to spend adequate time in each plane of movement during our Aqua Yoga class.  We should also strive to sequence our postures so that asanas performed in each spinal position are interspersed.  For example, we wouldn’t want to do 4 or 5 postures that required flexion without mixing in some extension moves; nor would we want to isolate all of our twisting moves (rotation) to a single segment of the class.  It is important to move the spine in all directions because movement creates space between the vertebrae, allowing nutrition to come into the spine, and movement in every direction keeps the spine flexible in all directions.

Let’s review the terms neutral, flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation.
1)  Neutral Spine – Keeping the natural “S” curve of the spine intact.  Example:  Mountain Pose
2) Spinal Flexion – To decrease the angle between two bones. We flex the spine when we do Knees to Chest pose.
3)  Spinal Extension – To increase the angle between two bones.  When we do a Standing Camel pose, we engage in spinal extension.
4)  Spinal Lateral Flexion – To move in the frontal plane away from the mid-line of the body (“side bend”).  This is demonstrated in Side Angle pose.
5)  Spinal Rotation – Twisting the spine as if gently ringing out a sponge.  Think of this action moving from the bottom up.  This action occurs during Standing Spinal Twist pose.

There are four natural curves in the spine.  Sometimes, we hear of 3 curves and these refer to the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar curves, but you can also see that the sacrum and coccyx form a curved section, too.  These curves allow the spine to distribute vertical pressure along the spine and help keep the spine from buckling under the pressure of the body’s weight.  A neutral spine is the strongest position for the body and the safest position from which we can move.  Yoga works on creating strength in neutral spine and increasing body awareness to help remind us to practice good posture.

There are two common excessive spinal curvatures: kyphosis and lordosis.  Kyphosis occurs in the thoracic spine and is an excessive rounding of the upper back and shoulders.  Lordosis is an excessive sway in the lumbar region.  Both of these disorders may have a variety of causes, but many times it can be contributed to by lack of exercise and the resulting muscle weakness and physical imbalances.  In these cases, Yoga may help by strengthening the muscles and creating body awareness.

Please stop by White Crow Yoga and check out our Aqua Yoga Teacher Training options, including our Online Aqua Yoga Instructor Certification Program.  We offer a Skype session with each online program to allow students to see moves demonstrated or ask any questions that come up during their reading.

This summer, we will offer a 200-Hour land-based Yoga Teacher Training in Florida, and we will offer the first 6 students to enroll a free condo stay during their training.  Contact us for details.

Namaste!

There are specific water properties that can add to the challenge of Aqua Yoga.  Understanding how these principles work will help us create a more effective class and enhance our ability to offer appropriate modifications.

When we move our limbs through the water, we feel a resistance pushing back.  This is called drag, and it is impacted by viscosity and frontal resistance.  Viscosity is the friction between molecules in a gas or liquid, and these molecules adhere to each other (cohesion) and to our bodies when we are in water (adhesion).   Because water is more viscous than air, we can feel more resistance in water.  For example, if we lift our arm, palm up, to shoulder height while on land, it won’t feel as difficult as when we perform this same movement while submerged in water.  Lifting the leg out to the side is easier on land than in water for the same reason.

Let’s look again at the leg lift we just referenced.  A person with more body mass will feel more resistance in the water while lifting the leg than a smaller person because a larger leg creates a larger area for frontal resistance, which is the horizontal force of the water.  For both larger and smaller individuals, moving in different directions impacts resistance because the side of the body has a smaller surface area than the front of the body,  This means that movement in the frontal plane (sideways movement) will be easier than movement in the sagittal plane (moving forward).  We want to take this into consideration when offering modifications or adding warming moves.  One is not better than the other, but we need to consider our intention.

In a land-based Yoga practice, we experience the downward pull of gravity.  In Aqua Yoga, we experience this same force, plus the upward vertical force of buoyancy.  The more buoyant we are, the more we tend to float.  Buoyancy is affected by the depth of immersion, body size, body composition and lung capacity.  People with more body fat tend to float more easily and the deeper we are in the water, the less we have to bear our own body weight.  If we are submerged up to the neck, we only bear about 10% of our body weight, compared to 25-35% if we are immersed to waist level.  Buoyancy can help take pressure of joints, allowing students to practice Aqua Yoga who are unable to practice on land.  At the same time, it can add intensity to the muscle work load because we have to create dynamic tension to keep from falling over or swaying with the pull of the water.

Where can water provide more resistance?  Moving into and out of postures, or any postures that flow or allow us to move our bodies through the water (suspended butterfly, flamingo, etc.) will challenge us in the water because our bodies are fighting drag or water resistance.  Think about where we must overcome buoyancy (vertical pull of water).  Anywhere the leg goes to the top of the water, such as half balancing moon or flowing locusts, buoyancy wants to “help” us move toward the top of the water, so we have to use muscle to resist allowing the limb to ‘fling’ to top.   In the down motion (lowering leg back to pool bottom), you have to fight against buoyancy because it wants to pop your leg back up to the top.

Hydrostatic pressure is another factor that benefits us.  While it has no bearing on exercise intensity, the pressure exerted by fluid molecules upon our bodies can be comforting, as it creates a feeling of being gently cradled.  This pressure increases with the water depth.  It can help condition the respiratory muscles because of the pressure exerted on the chest cavity, but it can make it difficult for people with respiratory disorders to breathe, so we need to be sure we’ve screened and warned our participants.

Surface tension may make it difficult for some people to bring a limb out of the water, so we should consider this when performing asanas that take the arms in and out of the water.  We always want to offer the option of either leaving the hands in the water, or performing the entire move with the arms out of the water.  Of course, if a person has shoulder issues, it may be more suitable to keep the arms down.

Please check out www.WhiteCrowYoga.com.  They offer an Aqua Yoga Teacher Training Program, including an Online Aqua Yoga Instructor Certification Program.

Most Aqua Yoga programs are best practiced in water around 88 to 96 degrees Fahrenheit (depending upon the population and the level of class being taught).  For a mixed population class, an 88 degree pool temperature is usually a good middle ground.  Some facilities have a pool that is within the recommended Aqua Yoga temperature, but many instructors will have to share the pool with water aerobics classes and swim lesson participants, which may mean the pool is 83 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit.   In these cases, it may be prudent to add additional warming moves, which you will learn in an Aqua Yoga Teacher Training Course.  Becoming too chilled is not only uncomfortable, but may lead to cramping and injury due to decreased blood flow to the extremities.   It is especially ill-advised for students with arthritis, fibromyalgia and other conditions for which the suggested water temperature for an exercise program ranges from 83 to 96, depending upon the class being taught.

Please check out http://www.WhiteCrowYoga.  We offer a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program and an Aqua Yoga Teacher Training Program.  Not able to make it to our programs?  No problem!  Simply sign up for one of our online programs.  An Online Aqua Yoga Instructor Training Program has just been released.  Get it now and save $40!  Our price is going up by $40 in 2 months, so get it at a discounted price today.

From Tadasana (Mountain Pose), stepping our right foot back, turning the foot slightly out (around 45, but may be as much as 60 degrees for some students) as we bend our left knee, stacking the knee over the ankle.  Firming the Bandhas (Pada, Mula, Uddiyana,  pulling the energy of the hips forward, squaring the shoulders.  (Note we say “energy” of the hips, because they may not be squared for all people – we should not force the hips completely squared if that’s not a comfortable position for us). Option to take the arms overhead or to heart chakra.  (Repeat other side)

Note that we have the option of using the pool wall’s support in Warrior I.   We also have the option of taking a shorter stance if a long stance isn’t comfortable.  If a student is in a sciatic flare-up, this pose should be avoided, although it is used therapeutically for this condition when one is not in a flare-up stage.  Also, during pregnancy, this pose may not be the best option, as it may flare up sciatica issues.  We could offer Warrior II during pregnancy instead.

This pose strengthens and stretches the thighs, ankles, and calves.  Warrior I is a great psoas stretch.   If the arms are taken overhead it can strengthen and stretch the arms, back, shoulders and abdominals.   Common misalignments in Warrior I are allowing the knee to fall inward, not relaxing the shoulders back and down, and forcing the hips to be completely squared off.  While Warrior I is a closed hip pose (unlike Warrior II, which is an opened hip pose), if our foot is anchored at 45 degrees and we try to turn the hips farther forward than 45 degrees, the knee joint gets twisted and stressed.   Instead of squaring the hips, allow the back hip to roll open slightly – just enough to bring the center of the thigh and hip into the same angle as the toes and knees.  For example, in Warrior I with the right foot forward, the hips should face slightly diagonally to the right – not open as in Warrior II, but not fully squared forward as in a lunge.  When we are a lunge, our foot is not turned out at 45 degrees and our back heel is lifted, which makes the forward hip alignment safe for the knee.

Check out White Crow Yoga’s Aqua Yoga Teacher Training Program.  In addition to live trainings, we offer an Online Aqua Yoga Instructor Certification Program.

Aqua Yoga benefits include the same as those on land including physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits.  Yogis discover improved health and fitness, as well as an increased mind-body connection and mental awareness.   Because water allows a greater ROM and supports the body, some students may gain even more flexibility and find new balance in some water based poses.  Students who are unable to participant in a land-based yoga program may gain self-confidence and a newfound sense of wellness.

A regular Yoga practice may lead to increased strength, balance and flexibility.  Certain types of Yoga may increase our cardiovascular fitness.  Yoga has been linked to decreased stress, heart rate, blood pressure, fatigue and depression – and a lower risk of all the diseases that accompany these risk factors.  Many Yogis find better sleep, more confidence, a more positive outlook on life, improved moods, and fewer addictive behaviors than they experienced prior to engaging in Yoga.

Aqua environments are calming and inviting.  There is a natural serenity associated with water, and this improves the mind-body connection and readies the mind for a more peaceful, meaningful meditation.  Final Savasana (corpse pose) and breathing in Mountain Pose are extremely nurturing in the tranquility of the water.

Non-traditional Yoga students may be drawn to Aqua Yoga, including pregnant women, individuals rehabbing from injuries and students dealing with chronic injuries, arthritis, fibromyalgia, obesity or neurological disorders (be aware that it may not be advisable for some patients with multiple sclerosis and pregnant women to be in the warmer water, but most Aqua Yoga classes will be taught in a cooler pool because it is shared with aqua aerobics classes).     People who are unable to bear 100% of their body weight or need the water’s support due to physical challenges may be unable to participate in a land-based practice, but may find Aqua Yoga a wonderful alternative.  Overweight or body conscious students may feel less intimidated in the pool, where they feel safer when ‘hidden’ by the water.   Even more fit participants, such as athletes, may be drawn to an Aqua Yoga program to avoid over-training or find a new type of challenge in Aqua Yoga poses.

White Crow Yoga offers an Aqua Yoga Instructor Training Program, including an Online Aqua Yoga Teacher Certification Program.  Please visit our website at www.WhiteCrowYoga.com for more information.

In better news, attended the first Prenatal Aqua Yoga class at Kaiaka Beach today.
We had noodles and practiced various floating techniques among some various new moves like squats and underwater hip circles. All in all it was productive mostly in the joyous way that being in the water with several other mothers-to-be, all floating on noodles, our round Goddess-y bellies all popping up above the waves can be. Next week I’ll bring a camera and share.
One mama-to-be brought her dog, another brought her young son and grandma, who played on the shore as we laughed in the water.
About the Goddess body, the pregnant body really reminds me of all those goddess bodies in ancient societies.

Found this blog post entitled The Shape of a Mother that concurred with my sentiments.
Afterwards several of the ladies re-met at the Beet Box Cafe for some healthy foods. On the way to and from the yoga session, ran into my neighbors Makani and Dave and family, who were having a beach birthday party for one of their four kids, and Makani is pregnant with their fifth, so I got to congratulate them. They have a cafe in the town near me called Universe Juice Cafe, which is food from all local farms and they sell a bunch of smoothies. I think the only reason they can’t claim 100 percent local is their Acai bowls and smoothies. Their food is excellent and the fact that their place is taking off makes me very happy for them. The cafe started as a smoothie shop at the farmers market and has turned into a full time business, so they are living their dream.
Sounds like I’m plugging their business, but I just love the success of it so far. To be able to quit the job you do to make ends meet and instead focus on a little dream of owning your own little business that fits in with your values and beliefs in organics and what not is what they are doing.
Simultaneously to their opening their spot, another two Juice bar type places opened up. One is a grass hut on the main drag that is not organic and the other is a Lanikai juice chain restaurant. Obviously, if you are in Haleiwa town and craving a smoothie or a light meal like a panini or salad, go to Universe Juice! You are supporting not just your own insides with good food, but additionally supporting the perpetuation of the ideal of the American Dream, one that doesn’t seem to exist all that often any longer.
While chatting with the neighbors post-yoga, another neighbor who just had her fourth child showed up with two of her brood. She and her husband run a stand-up paddle lessons company.
There’s another lady down the street that is about to pop as well. So I’m thinking there is definitely something in the water on my block.
Ok, seems the sneezes have subsided somewhat. Going to crawl back into bed and hope this little girl in my belly is going to do the same. She seems to like waking up around 5 a.m. and doing her own personal internal aqua yoga, which I believe is a prelude to what she’s going to be up to once she’s outside the ponsa as well.
Goodnight.

found this sculpture while searching between sneezes for pregnant goddess pictures. Never found one of a large rounded body floating in the ocean. Might have to paint one.

This new fad – anti-gravity yoga has me a bit stumped. Participants precariously hang from the ceiling in harnesses while simulating yoga poses. In my opinion they would be far better off trying aquatic yoga. By taking your practice to a warm pool you’ll reap even greater benefits by “off-loading” your musculo-skeletal system while performing yoga postures. While the buoyancy of the water allows you to increase your range of motion, it also creat … Read More

via bewellcoaching's Weblog

While the buoyancy of the water allows you to increase your range of motion, it also creates an unstable environment where your core and posture are constantly challenged. As a result, the water fosters both flexibility but also stability. Furthermore, for those for whom land-based yoga is prohibitive due to arthritis or injuries, the water offers a wonderful alternative.

My favorite yoga flow sequence involves using a noodle in the shallow end to simulate camel pose, child’s pose, head-to-knee pose, gentle spinal twist  and even upward dog. Other postures that lend themselves beautifully to the water without the aid of a noodle include:  triangle pose, extended angle, eagle pose, dancer’s pose, half moon and tree pose. 

As summer approaches, try taking some of your yoga postures out of the studio and into the pool!

Be Well (and Namaste),

Carolyn

จริง ๆ แล้วหนิงเองเคยได้มีโอกาสเรียน Aqua Yoga มาแล้วครั้งนึง  เป็นช่วงที่บริษัทฯ เริ่มเปิดดำเนินการ  โดยได้เชิญอาจารย์ Dr. ราดรี และคณะมาสอนให้  พวกเราเรียนกัน 5 คน  ซึ่งตอนนี้ก็เหลือหนิงเพียงคนเดียวเท่านั้นที่ยังอยู่เพราะคนอื่นเขาแยกย้ายไปเอาดีด้านอื่นกันหมดแล้ว

มัวแต่เล่าที่มาที่ไป  ยังไม่ได้พูดถึง Aqua Yoga ซ๊ากที 

Aqua Yoga จริง ๆ แล้วเหมาะกับหลายบุคคลนะคะ  ขอพูดเป็นข้อ ๆ ไปน่าจะดีกว่า

• บุคคลแรกที่หนิงคิดว่าเหมาะสำหรับการเล่นกีฬาประเภทนี้  ก็คือ  ผู้สูงอายุ  โดยส่วนใหญ่แล้วผู้สูงอายุมักจะมีปัญหาเรื่องของข้อต่อต่าง ๆ ค่อนข้างเยอะ  จะให้ผู้สูงอายุไปเล่น fitness ก็น่าจะลำบาก  เพราะส่วนใหญ่แล้วจะมีแรงกระแทกบ้าง  หรือไม่งั้นก็ไม่ค่อยมีตัวช่วยในการ support บ้าง  แต่สำหรับ Aqua นั้น  เหมาะมาก ๆ เลยทีเดียวนะคะ  เดี๋ยวตอนท้ายหนิงจะอธิบายให้ฟังอีกทีเกี่ยวกับการทำงานของ Aqua นะคะว่ามันจะเหมาะกับผู้สูงอายุยังไง
• บุคคลที่สองก็คือ  คนท้องนั่นเองค่ะ  เพราะคุณแม่ทั้งหลายก็ต้องการการระมัดระวังเป็นพิเศษสำหรับการเล่นกีฬา
• ผู้ที่ชอบเล่นกีฬาทางน้ำ
• ผู้ที่ต้องการสร้างกล้ามเนื้อ
• ผู้ที่มีเส้นเลือดขอด

สำหรับตัวของ Aqua นั้น  มีการทำงานหลัก ๆ จากน้ำเอง  หนิงจะอธิบายเป็นอย่าง ๆ ไปนะคะ

• น้ำมีแรงพยุง  และแรงลอยตัว  ดังนั้นเวลาที่เราลงไปในน้ำ  น้ำหนักตัวของเราจะลดลง  และน้ำที่มีแรงพยุง  และแรงลอยตัวนี้จะทำให้เราลดแรงกระแทกได้มากทีเดียวนะคะ
• น้ำมีแรงดัน  โดยเฉพาะยิ่งลึกแรงดันยิ่งมาก  ดังนั้นผู้ที่เป็นเส้นเลือดขอดจะได้ประโยชน์มากจากคุณสมบัติของน้ำในข้อนี้นะคะ
• น้ำมีแรงต้าน  ลองสังเกตกันดูนะคะ  เวลาที่เราวิ่งในน้ำ  เราจะวิ่งได้ช้า  และจะเหนื่อยมาก ๆ เลยทีเดียว  นั่นล่ะค่ะเกิดจากการที่น้ำมีแรงต้านนั่นเอง  ดังนั้นเวลาที่เราเล่น Aqua จึงสามารถสร้างกล้ามเนื้อได้ดียังไงล่ะค่ะ

เมื่อเราทราบการทำงานของเจ้า Aqua แล้ว  เราก็ต้องมาปฏิบัติให้ถูกด้วยนะคะจึงจะได้ผล  เพราะขณะที่ทำการฝึกช่วงตั้งแต่ไหล่เราลงไปควรจะต้องอยู่ในน้ำตลอดเวลา  เพราะถ้าอยู่เหนือน้ำก็จะไม่เกิดแรงต้านไงค่ะ  ดังนั้นระดับน้ำที่เหมาะสมจึงควรจะต้องอยู่ประมาณระดับอกเรา  โดยทั่วไปแล้วมาตรฐานของสระควรจะอยู่ที่ 140 cm สำหรับคนบ้านเรานะคะ  แต่หากเป็นชาวยุโรปอาจจะต้องลึกกว่านี้นิดหน่อยเพราะความสูงโดยเฉลี่ยของบ้านเขาสูงกว่าบ้านเรานั่นเอง  สำหรับการฝึก Aqua นั่นไม่ยากเลย  เพราะโดยปกติก็จะมีคนคอยนำท่าให้เราคล้าย ๆ กับการเต้นแอโรบิคอยู่แล้ว  เห็นไห๊มค่ะง่ายจะตาย  อีกหน่อยทางสุโข ก็กำลังจะเปิดให้บริการ Aqua  หลาย ๆ ท่านที่สนใจก็สามารถเข้าไปใช้บริการกันได้นะคะ  เพราะเท่าที่ทราบมาในภูเก็ตเองยังไม่มีใครให้บริการทางด้านนี้เลยค่ะ