Blending yoga, mobility training, and biomechanics, this four-part masterclass series gives you the strength-based flexibility to take your backbends, forward bends, arm balances, and handstands to the next level. Each workshop provides progressive sequencing to build each student’s strength and mobility. The intuitive technology of Anusara Yoga will be accessed to provide surprising and effective actions to deepen your poses while keeping your joints safe.
The sessions are designed as a unit to activate all sides of your body so they can work in tandem in all of your deeper asanas. Example: the activation of your back body from your backbend workshop will help you kick up to handstand. The activation of your core and front body from the forward fold workshop will help you STAY up in your handstand. Sessions can be taken together or separately. Includes access to workshop recordings for 6 months. Attending Suzanne’s weekly classes will help you solidify your practice.
This all-levels series is designed for students and yoga teachers. Modifications provided.
You can buy tickets for the full series or individual workshop and choose in-person or online.
Dates: Sundays 10:30am-12.30pm PDT Feb 25, March 24, April 21, June 2
Cost: $140 – 4 series ($35 per class) Or $45 one workshop
Recording: the recording of each session will be sent automatically to you and will be available for 6 months after each session.
YogaKula Policy: No refund but you are welcome to give your ticket to a friend.
1: Next Level Backbends: Bending Deep and Reaching High for Happy Back, Neck and Shoulders
Sunday, February 25th
Glute Bridges & Chest Openers: Networking your Back & Front Body
Revolving around deep backbends related to King Pigeon Pose with arms overhead, this session starts with glute and core drills to prevent lower back pain as we open the quads, and moves on to arm drills, spinal warmups, chest, and arm stretches, with the option of going up into ‘Full Wheel’ pose (easier and more challenging variations provided). Advanced practitioners will have the opportunity to try their new mobility and stability on Standing Dancer Pose with arms overhead (Natarajasana) and on their inversions.
This workshop not only opens your quads, spine and chest, but just as importantly, fires up your entire back body and integrates your core for sustainable asanas. The street-smart alignment loop- technology of Anusara Yoga provides a very effective sequence of key movements that interweave the front and back body for full integration, and spiral actions to create safe alignment in the shoulders. Shoulders are not only stretched but strengthened with particular exercises. Students will come away feeling stronger in their lower back and open in their neck and shoulders, with a greater arm’s reach.
What you'll get:
• targeted warm-up, specific to each pose
• techniques for open quads and open chest
• strong back body: drills for strong glutes and hamstrings
• functional movement in the hips
• strong and open shoulders
• integrated core strength
• more ease, self-confidence & stability
• poses explored (ample variations and modifications provided!): Warrior I, Pigeon, Mermaid and Half-Splits options, Full Wheel Pose, Dancer Pose (Natarajasana)
Option: forearm stand handstand
2: Next Level Forward Folds: Hip Mobility and Core Strength for Happy Back and Speedy Sprinting
Sunday, March 24th
True Liberation for Hamstrings, Inner and Outer Thighs
Get set for TRUE Hamstring/Inner/Outer thigh Liberation. Rather than starting with ‘just stretching’, this workshop uses strengthening drills for the thigh muscles, launching into effective ‘activated stretching’ techniques from runners’ science. Goal is to maintain strength in the legs even when they are stretched out (end range of motion). Springboard pose is Hanumanasana (Yoga splits), using the skills from our backbend workshop for the back leg. The street-smart alignment technology of Anusara Yoga will provide special hip alignment cues that truly deepen your forward folds.
In addition to effective legwork, there will be a fair amount of core activation including arm and shoulder press. Advanced practitioners will have the opportunity to try out their ‘new legs’ on modifications of split legged arm balance pose (Koundinyasana)
What you'll get:
• targeted warm-up, specific to each pose
• hamstring, inner and outer thigh strength and mobility
• functional movement in the hips
• core strength
• more self confidence & staying-power
• poses explored (ample variations and modifications provided!): Forward Fold and Half Forward Fold variations, Half Yoga Splits / Yoga Splits (Hanumanasana), Option to play with Arm balance Splits.
• variations on transitioning into arm balances from various positions in a vinyasa flow
3: Next Level Armbalances
Sunday, April 21st
Prepare your body to get in and out of crow, various twisted, split, and hooked 'crows' and co with yoga, mobility training, and biomechanics! This fun, challenging arm balance workshop provides you with the technique, strength, and confidence to fly through arm-balances with mindfulness and ease. We will explore core and arm drills, and use the street-smart alignment principles of Anusara Yoga can help you overcome physical and mental barriers and enjoy these joyfully empowering poses.
What you'll get:
• targeted warm-up, specific to each pose
• shoulder and arm strength and flexibility
• functional movement in the hips
• core strength
• more self confidence & staying-power
• poses explored (ample variations and modifications provided!): plank, chaturanga, crow/crane, sidecrow, dwi &eka pada koundinyasana ('arm balance-splits'), astavakrasana (eight angle pose)
• variations on transitioning into handstands from various positions in a vinyasa flow
4: Next Level Inversions
Sunday, June 2nd
Fall in Love with ‘Upsidedown’
Prerequisite: ability to hold full plank pose for 10 breaths.
Going upside-down not only increases your ability to stay calm when life throws you for a loop, but handstand work trains your core, wrists and arms, opens your upper back and fires up your back body strength you didn’t know you had.
This handstand-based workshop includes focused warmup drills for your wrists, stabilization and opening techniques for chest and shoulders, core work, and opening and strengthening both front and back body.
What you'll get:
• targeted warm-up, specific to each pose
• shoulder and arm strength and flexibility
• functional movement in the hips
• core strength
• more self-confidence & staying-power
• poses explored (ample variations and modifications provided!): plank, chaturanga, down dog L Pose with 2 legs and 1 leg, and numerous ways to get into handstand.
• handstand against the wall
• various strategies working towards handstand in the middle of the room
Recommended preparation: Taking workshop no. 3: Next Level Arm balances
About Suzanne:
Suzanne’s deep understanding of human movement, anatomy, and how we can recover our innate strength-based ease in the various body regions, informs all her teaching, whether it is a Hatha, Vinyasa, or Anusara class. Her classes often center on classical peak poses, to which she guides students using a step-by-step approach, intelligent sequencing and clear instructions. Besides other Yoga poses, Suzanne makes use of a wide range of tools, from Physiotherapy, Kinesiology and Mobility Training, Martial Arts, Dance, and more, to prepare the body and make even the most challenging poses accessible.
Suzanne has studied classical asana and philosophy as well as cutting-edge anatomy and therapeutics with some of the world’s most skilled teachers, including Noah Mazé and Sianna Sherman, Dr. Douglas Brooks, and Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach.
Suzanne’s passion for teaching yoga is based on her own recovery from chronic pain and numbness. Her life completely turned around as she encountered a combination of Yoga asana, related movement modalities, and mindfulness that reached far beyond the physical. A passionate practitioner of therapeutic, alignment-focused yoga, Suzanne has spent thousands of hours over the past decade guiding students to an active understanding of their own body and mind complex.
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