Class Finder

STYLE

You can pick a class depending on which style you feel like practising. If you feel like relaxing and unwinding after a long day then pick a ‘Yin’ class, if you feel like pushing your limits and sweating your ass off then maybe pick a ‘Power Yoga’ or ‘Strength’ class, and if you have no idea what any style of Yoga is because you’re new then take part in my series ‘Introduction To Yoga’ so that you can learn about and practise all the styles of Yoga that i teach on my website.

DIFFICULTY

Difficulty refers to the level of skill and technique required in the class. Each class is categorised as either beginner, intermediate or advanced on the difficulty scale. A class with a difficulty level of ‘Beginner’ will be accessible to everyone and will include simple poses that don’t require a copious amount of skill or technique to practise. A class with a difficulty level of ‘Advanced’ will involve poses, movements or transitions that are advanced and require a higher level of skill to practise. Don’t be scared of this, remember that it’s always your practise, so if you feel like challenging yourself by practising an advanced class then go for it! We grow the most when we step outside of our comfort zones! And if you ever feel like a movement or pose is out of your reach or if you’re not confident to try something in a higher-levelled difficulty class then don’t! Move at your own pace and take your time, you’re not being judged by anyone!

INTENSITY

This is different to difficulty. Intensity refers to the amount of physical exertion required to practise each class. The intensity of a class will be scored between 1 and 4. A class with an Intensity level of 1 will be super chillaxing and won’t require much (if any) physical effort, and a class with an intensity level of 4 will be a very physically demanding class that will be sure to get your heart beating fast.

The duration of each class is also shown below the video. When you have more free time and feel like practising for longer then choose a longer class. When you’re stripped for time or just feel like a quick class then choose a short class.

Props

Props are objects used in Yoga classes to aid the practitioner in achieving a deeper and more personalised practise. Many of the advanced Yoga poses you see online were most likely made possible by using props to help the person progress towards the pose they desired. Many people misinterpret the use of props as ‘cheating’ in Yoga which is a terrible thing to do. Props are here to help you. They can help bring the floor closer to you when you need it, they can get you deeper into certain poses, they can speed up your progression in strength and flexibility based movements, they can create new poses that are impossible without the use of props (especially in Yin Yoga) and they can also be used to spice up your practise when used in creative ways. 

When i first started Yoga i wasn’t sure if i would stick with it, so i didn’t buy my own props for a while, so i understand if you’re thinking the same thing and i’ve listed below what you can substitute the props for in the classes on my website that require the use of props. These substitute props will work but they’re obviously not as good as the real deal so once you feel like Yoga has become a part of your foreseeable future i would definitely recommend buying yourself the following props:

YOGA BLOCK

This is basically a brick shaped thing, generally made of cork, that is the best helper in Yoga. I use my block all the time to achieve a deeper practise and i’d highly recommend that you grab yourself one, especially because you can get them from around $15 in stores like Kmart and Target (if you’re in Australia). 

Substitutes - If you don’t have a block you can substitute with anything solid that resembles a brick shape. The most commonly used substitute is a thick book.

YOGA STRAP

Just like a block aids in bringing the floor closer to you, a strap can be like lengthening your arms and can come in really handy in certain poses where you require some assistance to hold, like the image above. Again, this prop is also used occasionally in creative ways to mix things up.

Substitutes - The Yoga Strap can be substituted pretty easily. Some of the best things to use if you don’t have a strap include a thin gym towel, and old shirt that you don’t mind stretching, or a belt.

BOLSTER

A bolster is basically this heavy, solid, cylindrical pillow that gets used a lot in restorative forms of Yoga. It helps to soften a posture and create relaxation, either by resting on top of or by using as a weight to hold you in a position so you can use less effort yourself to stay in a pose. They really can transform your restorative Yoga practise and help to deepen many passive poses, but they’re generally pretty expensive to buy so here’s your other options until you decide it’s time to buy one:

Substitutes - Try a find some big, heavy pillows from around the house. Grab a few different sized ones so that you can change them around from pose to pose and adjust to how you see fit. You can also roll up a thick blanket or towel if pillows aren’t working for you.

WALL

In some classes a wall can come in handy, especially when practising things that you’ve never tried before like arm balances or deep back bends. Notice that in the photo above there’s no picture frames, corners of tables or expensive chinaware waiting to be smashed by your flailing legs when coming out of a handstand. Try to find a clear wall space in the classes where we use a wall.

Substitutes - hmm… If you don’t have a wall in a class that requires one then maybe pick a different class. Once you practise a class that requires a wall you may notice that you don’t need it the next time you practise the same class because you’re able to practise without the walls assistance.