FAQ’s

My yoga journey began in March 2015.  I was 29 and a physical therapist recommended it to me to deal with issues in my body due to my gymnastics background.  My background as a gymnast definitely helps with my physical practice, and has helped with my overall strength and flexibility. But through yoga I feel stronger, fitter, and more balanced than I ever did before! Not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, socially, financially, spiritually -- everything-ly!

For me, like many people in the West, yoga began as solely a physical practice. But through listening to my body in asana practice, I developed an attention to the feelings in my body in other aspects of life. It was no longer just how I felt in a low lunge or a downward facing dog. I also began listening to how my body felt when I was angry, or stressed, or if I'd overindulged. I noticed for the first time differences in my mood if I'd responded to a traffic jam with frustration, or with a calm breath.

And this is how I learned that yoga is more than just a physical practice. It is a lifestyle. Meditation, breathing, and being the best person you can be to yourself and to others, is yoga.

I hope that in some way or another, every person can find the inner peace I have found through yoga. Not happiness, not constant positivity, because life doesn't exist without sadness or shadow. But there is peace to be found, and I believe yoga is a powerful tool to find that peace.

My personal practice is greatly inspired by my gymnastics background, so I love adding lots of inversions and arm balances! I mostly do Vinyasa yoga — a type of yoga that flows through sequences of postures and not holding any posture for longer than a few breaths. Vinyasa is a style that allows for practitioners and teachers to be creative, to have fun with their sequences, and flow in a way that best suits the class, the time, the mood. Therefore, this style appeals to me, although I do enjoy other styles as well!

Yes! Absolutely!

I teach yoga for any level! I love to inspire people and offer them an opportunity to try something new, but my classes are always all about giving a solid foundation and building onto that. I give variations to add for anyone with a stronger practice, but I never leave anybody behind!

I currently reside mostly in Tampa, FL but I spend a great deal of time in the UK and hope to move back there more permanently soon.

I am a UK citizen, but I grew up in the USA and have family in both countries.

If you want to read more about me, click "About" at the top of this page.

Yoga is very much a journey and a whole lifestyle. This means it's going to be totally different for each individual.

Start by trying different styles, classes, and teachers. Find what works for you. Find what makes you leave a class feeling GREAT!

And you don't have to go to a group class either. There are dozens of apps and YouTube videos out there that allow you to practice in your own home. You can practice with me at HERE, or check out all my offerings.

Whatever you do, just keep at it. Don't judge yourself. Just listen to your body, and be aware of what your mind's reaction is to what your body tells you. Just keep practising, whether it's 10 minutes of closing your eyes and breathing, or 4 hours of sweating through vinyasa. Physically show up to your mat, mentally show up to yourself.

There's no one path, no right or wrong. Trust yourself.

Like yoga itself, a yoga teacher training is very much an individual journey--different for everyone! What you're looking for in a teacher training might vary greatly from another person.

I would suggest making a list of all the reasons why you want to do this training and what you hope to get out of it in the long term. If it's to be a yoga teacher (as opposed to simply deepening your own practice), then include in the list what you want to teach, what you hope to share with others through your teaching. I say this because for every yoga teacher it's a little different. For example some teachers don't focus that much on the physical practice and teach their classes around the chakras and they include chants and mudras and stories around yoga philosophy, but other teachers want to make their students feel amazing in their bodies. So if it's the former, make sure the teachers at the school are experts in chakras, mudras, chants, and philosophy. If it's the latter, make sure the teachers have a good understanding of anatomy.

Because I don't know the answer to these questions, I can't help you there. But ultimately, I'd say don't overthink it too much. Because a 200hour TTC is REALLY only the beginning. You'll leave with a thirst for more. Those 200hrs are just the very top tip of the iceberg so chances are you'll continue your studies afterwards anyway. No 200hr TTC will have everything you need in it!

It can be helpful to read through reviews and perhaps even contact former students to ask their honest opinion. It can be scary, I know, to make such a huge decision especially when there are so many schools out there! But do a bit of research and then make a decision!

You're beginning a journey of a lifetime, and it's going to be amazing. Keep your mind open to learning, to being wrong, to being challenged as you go into your teacher training, and you won't regret it. Absorb every minute as best you can, and be grateful for every moment.

Still got questions? Reach out to me! I love hearing from you!

Reach out to me! I love hearing from you! Click "Connect" to reach out via my contact form, or just send me a DM on Instagram @adellbridges :-)