Yoga Classes

What is Yoga?
Yoga means "yolk" or connection of the mind, body & spirit. An ancient practice of asanas, chants, pranayamas and meditation, yoga helps create balance and harmony within.
Yoga is a series of asanas (poses or postures) that tone your muscles, stretch your stiff joints and create calmness to help relax your mind. It is very important to use proper postural alignment together with breathing techniques to help stretch the body gently and feel great during a yoga practice. Pranayama in yoga is in essence using the breath with control. We take approximately 25,000 breaths each day, how many do we actually think about? Learning the philosophy and theory behind yoga helps us to understand this ancient practice of asanas together with pranayama. Through the yoga asanas we discipline the body to ultimately quiet the mind. Yoga helps the peace flow within us and around us together with a mindfulness of letting go, allowing the waves of life to carrry us forward.

Prenatal and Postnatal yoga is a specialty which should be practiced only with a certified prenatal/postpartum instructor.

Debra has been teaching fitness over 20 yrs. and is a specialized expert in the Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga industry, teaching both prenatal & postnatal yoga exercises (asanas) that are both safe and beneficial to women throughout pregnancy, birth & beyond. Bringing women and couples together to share this amazing time of life through Couple's Workshops, Childbirth Education, Newborn Baby Care, Breast Feeding and more. Teaching couples through education, together with the experience of attending hundreds of births throughout South Florida as a certified doula, friend & birth companion, to help mothers birth with more calmness, mindfulness and power.
Through HypnoBirthing childbirth classes, couple's are educated and taught to use breathing techniques and relaxation to come into a profound place of peace and acceptance of the natural birthing process. Whether choosing epidural anethesia or not, being able to understand the body, how it works with your baby during labor and letting go of "fear" and the "fear of pain" helps a mother establish a deeper connection during this process and stay "in tune" with her inner wisdom, her knowingness of birthing. Learning to Birth Babies with Calm.

Re-establishing connections in postnatal w/baby yoga six weeks following birth.

Prenatal Yoga

Pregnancy is a transitional time for women, when many physical & emotional changes take place. Prenatal Yoga is about honoring these changes in ourselves and our body as we connect to baby throughout these nine months. Postures to help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, keep the body flexible, alleviate many common discomforts of pregnancy, while finding focus through balance & the breath to connect mother and baby and prepare for a healthy, mindful, more natural approach to the challenges of labor and birth. Sharing information and knowledge with meditation/relaxation for a peaceful, calm state of mind.

Prenatal Yoga is used to help mothers connect better with baby, stay healthy throughout pregnancy, remain flexible and strong helping her prepare for the challenges of labor & birth. Prenatal Yoga may be practiced through all trimesters (clearing any medical issues with the care provider). Prenatal Yoga is a great way to connect with other mothers-to-be and establish friendships that go far beyond birth.

Private instruction available. Please call for more information.

Postnatal /with baby Yoga

Postnatal Yoga is used to help mothers reconnect following birth and begin to help the body regain strength and flexibility. The first 40 days after birth is to bond, establish breast feeding, allow the body to regain strength and get lots of rest!

Approximately six weeks following birth, return to Postnatal Yoga with your baby to share support and information with other new moms. Yoga postures for mom to help regain abdominal strength, body flexibility and tone. Enjoy fun yoga, songs and gentle massage with babies to help bond & relax. Breast-feeding is welcome and supported! Sharing this time with other new moms, discussing common postpartum issues and stretching the stiffness away!!

Hosting a private play date? Include Yoga. Call for special group rates

Belly Dancing for Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond - incorporated in our prenatal yoga classes
A personal journey

Belly dancing is a Middle Eastern dance that has been used for decades to help move babies down as a mother labors. This dance tones muscles that are used during labor and delivery with rocking and pelvic movements. This Middle Eastern dance can benefit the pregnant woman profoundly during labor, birth and postpartum.

"During pregnancy, a woman's center of gravity is shifted and the lordotic curve of the lumbar spine is accentuated - causing a significant amount of tension and strain on the lower back. The basic starting position in belly dance - knees slightly bent, shoulders back, hips tucked under - teaches us and trains us to be aware of our body position. This helps to prevent excessive swaying of the back, and it also helps with maintaining our balance and center of gravity."

Dance can help with toning up and feeling better postnatally: Using 'hip and pelvic' movements as exercise can help return abdominal muscles to pre-pregnancy levels of strength while toning other areas and will also improve energy levels, increase mood, and increase self- esteem - which hormonally can be decreased in the postpartum period.

During our prenatal yoga classes we take time to "dance" and celebrate this amazing time of life.

Debra always says: "Birth is not a crisis waiting to happen, it is a Celebration of Life!"

Prenatal Yoga with Partner - One Day Workshops (Sundays - offered monthly)

Prenatal women bring your partner for an afternoon workshop based on our prenatal classes with some individual & partner poses for strength and flexibility, positions for labor & using breathing techniques for better focus, while connecting with each other and baby. Learn massage and acupressure points to assist in during labor and postpartum. Helping Dads understand what to expect and how to better help & honor mom through the labor process. Learn emergency safety Infant CPR, with time to discuss any issues or concerns. Refreshments served.

This is a speacialty workshop that has been part of Prenatal Plus for almost ten years. Come in and learn, embrace this profound time of life together and connect with other couples.

Call for dates and space availability Pre-registration required. (11-3 pm).

Adult/Teen/Kids Vinyasa Yoga

Great for first time students or anyone who wants to brush-up on Yoga postures. Asanas (postures) together with the flow of the breath, helps strengthen the body, gain flexibility and bring greater awareness to the inner self. This inner awareness when used in our everyday life cultivates focus, calmness & joy. As we move into postures with control and proper body alignment we avoid risk of injury and achieve full health benefits. Relaxation and meditation bring harmony to the mind, body & spirit.

Kids Yoga is a practice where a student improves focus, self-esteem, balance & flexibility while having fun doing the yoga poses. Helping with school and in everyday life.
Debra is a Level II certified Radiant Child Yoga Instructor teaching in schools and the studio.