I have practised yoga for over 20 years and found this has been of great benefit to my mind and body. Four years ago, I qualified as a yoga teacher and I now combine this knowledge with my approach as a Feldenkrais teacher. The result is what I describe as “Functional Yoga”. I believe that how we practice yoga should be highly dependent upon our individual anatomy and beneficial movement patterns. Functional yoga allows for more individualised alignment that encourages correct muscle activation rather than sticking to traditional alignment.

Why is this important? Yoga is the unity between mind and body and it is important to find an approach that does not cause pain or stress. By learning to move mindfully and understand how to use your skeleton efficiently, you reduce muscle strain and can achieve easier rotation in the shoulders, upper body and hips. You will be able to move into Warrior Pose without hurting your knees, lift your chest into a backbend that doesn’t put undue pressure on the lower back and finally find that flexible spine.