WE’D LIKE ONE BEROCA AND A GLASS OF WATER EVERY MORNING OF YOGA BOOTCAMP.
Best wishes Team Sunshine

Today we mobilised the shoulders as promised. We also worked the famous Yoga Bootcamp “puddle and snatch’ move to work the spine and abs at the same time. Shoulders responded much better than expected. Great roll-up to all week one sessions. Recruits rated the session highly and their participation high. The trainer was pleased. When learning new movements, it works well to leave it to sink in and then review it – so looking forward to next week! Big focus on digesting in preparation for Christmas and New Year.

Bursting at the seams was Milton Yoga Studio this morning! Doors opened 5.58 am as promised and the new recruits assembled on the mats awaiting their first session. First test was to remember the name of the recruit they sat next to. After five blank memories, (it was 6.05 am after all), the group took a moment to tell each other their code names. They also volunteered a group spokesperson Beachcomber to respon on behalf of the group when the group lost its ‘yes ma’am’, ‘yes sir’ gusto. Beroca nominated her, and Dawn seconded it. Other recruit codenames for this Yoga Bootcamp are: Radical, Light, Strong, Progress, Imagine, Petal, Strength, Serenity, Grace, Lithay, Spark, Cornerstone. Using codenames is a way to step out of the ego, and step out of the ingrained habits, into a new aspect of self with new possibilities. The individual’s codename is a word that is motivational/ inspirational to them personally.

An apology to Promise, codename‘Swooshed’ last Yoga bootcamp. She (belatedly) received the inaugural Bugle award for having graduated from four Yoga Bootcamps. Promise left for work with instructions to wear the bugle all day…..so did you, Promise?!

ALL RECRUITS: YOU ARE WELCOME TO ADD YOUR COMMENTS ON THE BLOG UNDER YOUR CODENAME, OR E-MAIL THE STUDIO AND WE WILL PASTE THEM UP FOR YOU. yoga@worklifebalance1.com

Today was recuperation day. Postures were on the more yin side–gentle, slow, silent, focussed.
Sometimes the evaluation is “Will I stay in bed for an extra half hour, or go to Yoga Bootcamp?’ The beauty of the Yoga Bootcamp is that we have scope to ramp it up, or slow it down, according to the group’s energy. All recruit left this morning feeling rested and ready for the day.

Because of Christmas, we will run a shorter Bootcamp for you so that it finishes the week before Christmas. three easy mornings a week. Get in quickly as many of the recruits will continue into this one, making it a seven week intensive for some people.

Today was the gentler side of Yoga Bootcamp. A recovery session. Postures were quieter, calmer, silent, focussed, held longer to bring the mind’s awareness to the body. A more yin approach this morning left the recruits refreshed and ready to face the day. Graduation day tomorow!

Today we used staffs, and wooden blocks to great advantage. We focused on a dynamic Warrior Pose today using a staff to forward bend down and pass to another person. Once the recruits had the idea, we improved the technique by pushing the hips forward, and flowing up into the upstretch. It is a ‘toning’ bootcamp–and this helped achieve that effect. The result? Super strong work through the legs because the hips and knees were moving more. We also used the staff in a seated forward bend. Then to continue the work into the core, and arms, we used blocks to create Lolasana – pendant pose. Those who had attended the Core Strength Workshop on the weekend were able to practice their bandhas with HaHa breath. Good strong session to end off week two.

We announced today the dates for the final Yoga Bootcamp of the year. Because of Christmas, it will be a mini-Bootcamp, and the focus will be on both Digestion – lots of twists and core work to help digest metabolise and eliminate, and keeping your calm. Postures to help you keep your cool, and sanity at this busy time of year! Click on the flyer below:

A few recruits feeling a little tired or low on energy this morning. ‘Beroca’ Missing-in-action. Tomorrow we sound the gong for him as a missing and vital member of this team. The yoga circuit was used extensively this morrning to focus on the target areas of core strength/ abdomen, balance, back and arms. We adapted traditional Yoga postures to modern equipment and the ropes wall. As the energy started to flag and the recruits looked as if they were dragging themselves off to the salt mines instead of changing stations, we disrupted things a little by changing the pace, and frequency/ duration of the poses. Despite the fact that this is explained on the induction sheet at goal-setting it drew mumbling, chaos and confusion from Team Strawberry Strength. The change of pace, and frequency is as beneficial to the mind as it is to the body.. The Team fell into some interval training [light jogging] around the circuit stations until the energy lifted and the sense of humour prevailed. With the lymphatic system awakened with the walking/ jogging, we drove the energy into the body for health and healing via a relaxation. Good Team Spirit —’staff meeting’ tomorrow ….

Eight recruits on the ground lined up like sardines, pulling in the ribs to create Uddiyana Bandha and to snatch the chest off the ground. Supervising were Phoenix, and Re-Fresh. Re-Fresh, [Bubbles] from Vitality Bootcamp, gets special mention for radical change in the shoulder awareness. Ropes wall, floor, and body weight all contributed to the arms poses this morning. Epaulettes had the concept of plank in ‘her mind’s eye’, then lo and behold the body followed and lifted off the floor. Oh and a huge thank-you to Limber for her teachings to the group of the Yamas of Aparigraha, Asteya, and Ahimsa. We all benefited from the real-life application of the precepts!

The group of recruits became a team today, and named itself Team Strawberry Strength. Some team bonding, co-ordination and gentle cardio work combined in a bolster workout in a circle. Beroca handling up to three bolsters at a time to keep the peace, and Fighter throwing to Sergeant Delight – both highly innovative moves that we haven’t seen in this activity before in previous Yoga Bootcamps. Much hilarity proved that some Laughter Yoga at 6 am is a good and healthy thing.

The focus in Yoga Bootcamp today was the use of the entire body, following on with the core strength theme from Saturday’s workshop. Building on the spine work with plank, and leg work with Yoga Squats. We did a 10 minute standing routine warming up the shoulders and arms – going through prayer, palm tree etc while balancing on the toes in Tadasana through to squatting. Great Yoga Asteya to see individual recruits choosing how far into the squat they would go depending on their individual bodies. One Yoga Squat with knee bandhas working and hips forward equals 10 squats with bum sticking out. Be proud Team Strawberry Strength! We started with backbends today. Fighter, Lightness were noticeably stronger compared with last week – already! Positive – building greater awareness. Grace – Sergeant can see that you are putting tremendous effort in to working your back (and therefore your tummy and legs) in a completely new way. Keep it up. Phoenix – you’re in my sights for tomorrow.

Note to the whole team: When there is new learning, you may pass through a period of discouragement and frustration – even hopelessness. Stay SANTOSA – if you keep going, the body in its innate intelligence builds more strength and neural pathways. Before you can say Aparigraha you will find that you have progressed. This also teaches you emotional resilience to handle the tough times life throws at you.

This morning the Yoga Bootcamp went from a group to a Team. They have named themselves ‘Team Strawberry Strength’. The name chosen is a combination of the 13 group goals. This becomes a Team goal and sets this Yoga Bootcamp apart from any other. some recruits are at a point of confusion, where they haVe picked movements up easily Day 1 or 2, but are having difficulty maintaining it at Day 4. This is simply an assimilation issue, and if the ego stays out of it, the body will regain what it had in days one and two. There was a group task this morning that involved bolsters being used dynamically. Full points to Fighter for throwing the bolster to the Yoga Trainer, and Beroca, who was holding up to three bolsters at one time for the continuity of the task. Two very innovative thoughts – never before seen in 12 months of Yoga bootcamp.
This Team has named their Yoga /Trainer —– ‘SERGEANT DELIGHT’!!!

0610 hours and the Tibetan singing bowl was just bringing the Yoga Bootcamp out of meditation. Our surprise guest trainer for the morning who had sneaked in during meditation, was Police Constable ‘Lewis’. His 50 minute session worked the cardio-vascular fitness a little more than the previous two days. Much focus oncore strength and correct placement of the back in preparation for the Core Stength Yoga Workshop on Saturday. It was fantastc from a yoga training point of view to be able to walk around and observe. The recruits who lacked abdominal strength and overused the head and neck, were stiff through the spine. So, we will add spinal limbering into the mix next week. the session with Constable Lewis reminded the Yoga Bootcamp of the importance of doing the more dynamic (flowing) movements to help build flexibility and fitness.

Fantastic work this morning! The noticeable thing about this group is their desire to learn and apply. We acknowledge that it is hard work to learn how to move the spine differently to start using different muscles. The reward was some shaky legs and abs starting to feel sore even after yesterday. Not that we want you to feel sore, but that is recognition that you have worked the body out of its usual comfort zone. Your body’s response to that is to build stronger muscles, tone, improve your heart rate. Arms had a workout this morning with a seated yoga sequence, a touch of martial arts arms, and ‘peeling up’ from crocodile to work the back muscles, arms and shoulders. Every Bootcamper had progressed overnight. Congratulations. Signing off [Sergeant Bootcamp].

0600 today, Monday morning saw the arrival of the new recruits. Day 1 allows us to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the recruits now they have assembled as a group. The expectation by the end of week three is that there will be a noticeable improvement We went through cat, active cat, downward dog, plank, yoga lunges with cardio, and a short balancing sequence. Oh, and yoga squats with the tail tucked under–guaranteed to work the legs 10 times harder. The Yoga Studio spent an hour after this mornings session working out a sequence with a surprise guest trainer. We don’t know whether to bring in the surprise as a ‘reward’ … or a ‘punishment’ …this is a Bootcamp after all!

All recruits Limber, Lightness, Re-Fresh, Giraffe-Woman, Epaulette, Free, Beroca, Fighter, Positive, Namaste, Phoenix, Strong, Grace, you are welcome to add comments using your e-mail address and codename. Signing off [Sergeant Bootcamp]

Both Teams concluded Yoga Vitality Bootcamp with a fast and strong review of the postures they had covered over the three weeks. We had gone through the same routine over week one, and the last session ramped it up, with no breaks. As not every Recruit could attend the last session, even those who were absent still received applause and acknowledgement. As to what the Recruits achieved for themselves? Read the team comments:
‘stronger’, ‘more flexibility’, ‘stronger in my core’, ‘less headaches’, ‘regained the person I was and the flexibility I had years ago’, ‘lightness within myself’, ‘happier’, ‘feel better around my middle’, ‘hips and knees have improved’, ‘more energy’, ‘I’m doing so much more than I was at the beginning’, ‘much better balance’. Many Recruits have their names down for the next Bootcamps which will start after a few weeks break–why not join in?!

Sergeant Springer and Gong signing off. DISSSMMISSED!

What a hilarious day! Perhaps the impending rain has made everyone a little upbeat! 6 am Sergeant Springer Team began with a little nausea-quelling technique (Chinese acupressure ear massage), then a review of Yamas and Niyamas turned into the form of a personal question. Standing forward bends, lunges and lunge twists followed. What great progress since we first did this on Week One. Rock-solid balance and a good concept of how to move the belly and spine in the twist. A few recruits stayed for a cup of RooiBus and discussed the integration of migrants into Australia–all that before 7.15 am!

Thanks for your comments today! Spring–how could you forget your codename … and a staff meeting? There will be three weeks break maximum, and we will start a brand new Yoga Bootcamp. Tell us if you would like to know when that starts. Every Bootcamp uses different postures, has different attendees-and remember that each of you are a vital part of the Bootcamp, as your goals, attendance, and codename make the Bootcamp unique. If you bring a friend next time, you will save 30%. But the really important point about returning is that we accumulate your goals. Next time you register, we add our observations in with yours so that we can finetune your postures to your body better and better each time.

If you are sad about the break from Yoga Bootcamp, why not join us at Murwillumbah for the weekend Womens Vitality Residential? … Or the annual Men’s Workout this Saturday? * An event not to be missed if you like to work deeply.

There’s photos in the Studio for all to see tomorrow–and the kettle will be on for cups of herbal tea- both teams welcome.
*PS: you can’t attend both, but you could tell people about them!

With two days to go, there is a definite increase in the energy and vitality of the group as a whole. The dedication to turning up and going through the poses is paying off-and it shows. Today we revised some key principles from the Induction–Yamas and Niyamas (behaviours and thoughts) relevant to Yoga Bootcamp. As we move into stronger stretching, the recruit is hedged in safely by some perameters. These include not forcing, or being violent to the body; being aware that different parts of the body may need special attention; pushing self out of the comfort zone and inertia, but at the same time not being too driven and ‘greedy’ to attain the pose, and accepting that every day is different, every pose is different and that there is no perfect pose. Have a ‘Santosa” day!

Team Gong put in a really good session (despite their complaining!) practicing a dynamic balancing pose with partners that worked the whole body, got the heart rate up, and required focus.

The 6 am Springer Team had a session of arm poses both stretching and strengthening through shoulders and chest. They also practiced HA/ HA breath to stimulate internally and release the diaphragm.

The 6 am Team sent ‘Improve’ off with humming breath in a circle to vibrate her cells into a happy and energised birthday. This morning we used a tone combined with the outbreath to free up the chest, and bring vitality to the area deep within the lungs. The Team continued to build vitality through poses focussing on core strength-balancing and back releases. Well done!

The 11 am Team followed the same basic setup as the 6 am. A smaller, and more stoic group. This Team is already looking for a codename for its Yoga Trainer. These new recruits kept the energy moving with a good sense of fun.

These start next week, so … Challenge yourself and your friends/ family/ work colleagues and recruit yourselves into our latest Yoga Bootcamp. The theme: Build Vitality!

Contact us 3369 7404, yoga@worklifebalance1.com for more details. Also check out the flyer on the Yoga Bootcamp Info Page on the left.

Thank you for the response to the Winter Warmer Yoga bootcamp starting next week. (Hopefully most of the team will start on Monday 18 June, but it is possible to start other days of the forthcoming week.) We have two packages for the 6 am session left–Goals Sheet, Induction Info Sheet, and attendance at as many Bootcamp mini-workshops as you can fit in. $150 per package–if you bring a friend, pay only $100!. Level 1: all levels is a great way to start Yoga, or to deepen your experience. Contact us if you are wanting more info–or to see if there is a space left–but Hurry! 3369 7404 leave a message.

If you would like a fitness experience that will work your entire body without any yelling or screaming, then contact us about our next Yoga [Winter Warmer] Bootcamp. Based on the yoga principles of mind and body connection, the bootcamp is at 6 am, running for three weeks. It is a set fitness, stretch and strength programme that suits even those of you who are new to yoga. 11 sessions in all, we hope you would be able to attend at least two each week for maximum benefit. Contact us by email: yoga@worklifebalance1.com or phone (07) 3369 7404 to answer your questions and/ or book you in.