Are you a yoga convert like me? Maybe you’ve fleetingly considered some yoga classes to improve your flexibility, and maybe you’ve decided that you just don’t have time with all the swim, bike and run you’re already doing. That was me, but I am now a yoga disciple! What I didn’t realise until I started to invest some time in this aspect of my wellness is that yoga is so much more than just a “bit of stretching”. That’s what we’re exploring with today’s High Performance Human podcast guest, Kirsten Steffensen. Kirsten is the life partner of my former business partner, Jack Maitland. You may have heard her Scandinavian tones before in a previous podcast about the vegan approach to nutrition (along with Jack, and Louisa my physio, aka The White Witch), which you can listen to here. Kirsten has a very committed tribe of followers at her yoga and breathing classes (details below). In today’s conversation we’ll be talking about:

What is yoga?

Benefits of yoga

Different styles, and when you might choose one over the other

Getting started, do you need to go to a class or is online yoga just as beneficial?

What to expect in your first class

Is it better to do a few classes each week, or 15 minutes each day?

How will yoga benefit your triathlon performance?

Integrating yoga into a busy schedule

What are the best yoga poses?

Social media links for Kirsten:

www.sportsashram

Twitter: @TheSportsAshram

Instagram: @thesportssshram

Facebook: The Sports Ashram

Athlete Yoga classes that Kirsten runs each week with Jack

Wednesday 7-8pm on Zoom £6.50 book via (https://thesportsashram.com/product/zoom-athlete-yoga-wednesdays)

Thursday 7-8pm in Adel, Leeds £6.50 book via (https://thesportsashram.com/product/live-triathlon-yoga-thursdays)

Breathing Classes

The Breathing School, a 25-minute class where students are either seated or lying on the floor, and Kirsten guides them through a sequence with a breathing exercise and deep relaxation. 

Learn breathing to manage: stress, insomnia, anxiety, depression and pain in the physical body 

The class is on Monday and Thursday 10.35-11am in Horsforth, Leeds £3.00 book via (https://horsforth.clubm.mobi/Portal/Booking/Forthcoming)

Books Kirsten recommends

The Book of JOY by Douglas Abrams a conversation between Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu 

The Monk who sold his Ferrari by Robin Sharma

The Bhagavad Gita (Indian philosophy probably the most important texts of Hinduism and easily the best known) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita

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