Welcome to our four week yoga, breath-work and meditation programme suited to individuals who want to improve and sustain mental focus, reduce stress levels, improve sleep, and increase flexibility & mobility. This series hones in to improve your specific sporting area as well as your day-to-day functioning.

No matter where you are in your training, this programme is a beneficial addition. With this programme,    you'll go through four weeks of eight progressive workouts, guided meditations and breathing exercises. You will also explore the basics of mindfulness; what it is, the research behind it, benefits around performance and daily life through three informative lectures.
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 Access for 8 weeks 

Mind to Body Benefits

The World Health Organization has labelled stress as the “Health Epidemic of the 21st Century”. From work to our sport, to our home life, stress tends to creep up in every area. Mindfulness approaches has become a popular tool to combat this epidemic, showing to reduce anxiety, stress and neurobiological markers such as cortisol and adrenaline. 

Research has shown that mindfulness meditations can help people, specifically athletes, better access their 'flow state'. This is the mental state in which the mind is completely focused on the task at hand, what athletes like to call 'in the zone'. This Flow state has been shown to improve performance by improving concentration, mental clarity, and decision-making.


Enhanced Focus

Research has shown that mindfulness meditations can help athletes better access their 'flow state'. This is the mental state in which the mind is completely focused on the task at hand, what athletes like to call 'in the zone'.
 
A study was done on a group of cyclists, both elite and recreational, completing an 8-week mindfulness programme. This study showed that participants in the mindfulness intervention group had a significant increase in ‘flow experiences’ reported in comparison to the control group after the intervention.

Participants in studies using mindfulness applications have been shown to have reduced levels of self-reported stress and improved average mood ratings. This has been shown to be effective in as little as 10 days of a mindfulness introductory programme

Injury Prevention

Yoga practises have been increasingly incorporated to the training regimes of many athletes and sports teams. Such practises are useful in injury prevention. Possible reasons for this in previous studies have been: an increase in core stability, increased flexibility and mobility, as well as promoting recovery and reducing perceived fatigue.
There has been lots of research into the benefits of a yoga routine for people who participate in repetitive sports such as running or cycling. The repetitive nature of these sports can cause musculoskeletal imbalances in some people, leading to decreased flexibility and mobility. Yoga can benefit this population as it can restore this range of motion and create greater ease of movement.

Improved Sleep

Mindfulness meditation practises as well as yoga has been proven to improve sleep quality and quantity in various populations.
In such mindfulness interventions, there was reported decreases in 'sleep interfering cognitive processes' i.e. worrying and anxiety.
Mindfulness meditations can also reduce the heart rate by activating our parasympathetic nervous system, encouraging a slower rate of breathing, and therefore preparing the body for sleep.  
Studies have also found positive results in improving sleep in athletic populations taking part in yoga interventions 

Course Description

Course Description

Olivia Bloomer

Olivia Bloomer

BSc (Med) (Hons)

Biokineticist

Olivia is a Biokineticist and a qualified yoga instructor, Olivia has a special interest in yoga-specific rehabilitation and sports performance.

Olivia uses mindfulness techniques to improve performance, focus and encourage relaxation. With a strong scientific background, she is passionate about making these practices accessible to all with a strong scientific backing.

Olivia completed her 200hr teacher training at The Wellness Connection in Cape Town, this sparked her interest in using yoga and mindfulness-based practises in the world of sports performance and as a tool for rehabilitation. She focuses her classes on building strength and flexibility in different ranges of motion and also touches on a softer side of the connection to breath and restorative flows.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

1. What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is formally defined as ‘a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.’Mindfulness based exercises focus on reducing reactivity to challenging experiences through non-judgmental self-awareness of sensations and emotions emotions. 
Throughout this programme, you will be guided through guided meditations and breathing exercises. These exercises will be used as tools to achieve mindfulness.

2. What is yoga?

Traditional yoga refers to a physical and philosophical way of life. It has a rich history that can be traced back to 5th century India.
 The yoga in this programme will refer to the practice of physical poses (known as asana). Using a style of Vinyasa yoga, a flow of postures strung together to move seamlessly, connecting movement with breath. Focusing on improving flexibility, strength, stability, and balance

3. Do I have to be flexible to join this programme?

No. This programme is designed to appeal to all levels with teachers experienced in adapting classes providing modifications to best suit your body.
 This programme is directed towards beginners and is periodised, meaning it is structured in different training phases to gradually increase flexibility, strength, and stability requirements as the programme progresses.

4. Is yoga or mindfulness religious?

No. This programme is completely secular. There will be no use of Sanskrit, chanting or religious concepts included in the programme.
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