This week we're chatting to Alice (Alihearta Yoga), winner of the Yoga and Pilates Instructor category in the MoveAWARDS to find out more about what motivates her and how she came to get involved in health and fitness.
What inspired you to get into the world of fitness?
I stated practicing yoga to help with the recovery of a knee injury I sustained whilst running. It took me a while to get into it, but once I started seeing the positive affects it had on my mental and physical self I was hooked. Practicing yoga on a regular basis has made me feel so great that I wanted to share the yoga love with as many as possible.
What do you love most about what you do?
I love everything about teaching yoga, I am so passionate about it. What I really enjoy the most about teaching is the interaction I have with my students. Seeing them develop and improve over time is very satisfying.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Teaching yoga to the wonderful people of Bristol, happy and still sharing the yoga love.
Who or what is your inspiration?
There have been so many people who have inspired me on my Yogic journey, from teachers, to friends and even my students. However there is one teacher who really stood out for me, and that is Happy Harry who I met in India. He is the happiest person I have ever had the good fortune to meet. He would always push me to explore my own limits in the most gentle way. I always left his class feeling happy and challenged.
What's your top tip for anyone looking to get into yoga?
My top tip would be to just do it without over thinking it too much. I think many people are put off by yoga because they think they have to be flexible to be able to practice. We all have to start somewhere, when I started practicing I was very inflexible and would have to stop to rest all the time. However yoga is not about being flexible, for me it's about enjoying the movement with my breath and really connecting with myself. I would recommend a beginners class or course, that way you know that every one in the class will be in the same boat. Just go along and enjoy it for what it is, with time flexibility is inevitable.
If you're in Bristol you can try out Alihearta Yoga for free! Just follow this link and sign up to get 3 free fitness passes!
