FUNCTIONAL FITNESS FUSION
Yoga, Pilates, TRX, Fascial Movement & Functional Fitness
Functional Fitness is a well supported evidenced based form of rehabilitative exercise, consisting of various methods of training that prepare the body for the movements required for daily life. It’s important for quality of life that daily tasks are performed without pain, injury and dysfunction. Char takes a multidisciplinary approach to Functional Fitness for injury prevention, mobility, pre-hab and post rehab training. This has evolved into a natural fusion of her teaching modalities. Allowing her to take a holistic approach to helping her clients restore balance in their lives and achieve their movement goals. This includes improving flexibility, balance and coordination, gaining strength, building mental, physical and emotional stamina and reducing pain; while teaching focus and relaxation and encouraging kinesthetic and proprioceptive awareness and mindfulness of movement. See Char’s Functional Fitness & Fusion Offerings Below:
Functional Fitness & Fusion Classes:
ROLL MODEL® METHOD: FASCIAL MOVEMENT & SELF MYOFACIAL RELEASE
Fascial Movement, Yoga, Corrective Exercise, Full Body Rolling & Self Myofascia Release
Join Char Willingham for Roll Model® Method Self Care Fitness classes & workshops that release and nurture fascia, erase pain, improve posture and enhance athletic performance. This class incorporates self-myofascial deep and gentle tissue release techniques, gentle yoga stretching and corrective exercises to release trigger points, lengthen tight muscles, lubricate joints, hydrate connective tissue, soften scar tissue and unwind knots and adhesions that occur from overuse, underuse, misuse, or abuse. The techniques used in this practice helps to increase blood flow to the treated area and improves circulation, mobility, flexibility, proprioception and kinesthetic awareness. Leading to an improved somatic landscape and proprioceptive sense, which in turn helps to minimize injury and reinjury and improve physical performance. Each “hands-off” self-treatment and down-regulating class restores fluidity and warmth in the tissues, while encouraging tranquility, rest and repair.
TRX POWER YOGA: MOVEMENT FOR YOUR HEART-MIND & BODY
TRX Power Yoga Flow - Find Your Zen
This unique fusion of suspension training and yoga offers a fresh take on two incredible disciplines. TRX yoga is a style of power yoga that leverages the TRX suspension trainer as a way of informing the body and the senses while building true resilience. Allowing you to explore yoga asana without fear, or hesitation. By using The TRX Suspension trainer to perform variations of yoga poses you increase stability while using full range of motion. A TRX Yoga class has all of the elements of a traditional yoga practice while firing up the body in a very safe and effective way. It also gives practitioners an opportunity to bravely explore previously inaccessible yoga postures. This exciting fusion program embraces the powerful mind, body and breath connection of yoga, while enhancing the experience with TRX Suspension Training principles. Join Char for Group TRX Yoga classes, or schedule a small group, or private 1-2-1.
AERIAL YOGA HAMMOCK ALL-LEVEL, LEVELS 1 & 2
+ BEGINNERS & RESTORATIVE AERIAL YOGA
What is Aerial Yoga: Aerial Yoga is a fun combination of Aerial Arts, traditional yoga and pilates. A typical Aerial Yoga class combines elements of a traditional yoga practice such as; breathing, stretching and mindful movement with bending, reaching, twisting, flipping and turning. Suspended silk hammocks are used to lengthen muscles and tissues, increase flexibility and increase upper body and core strength. While offering zero compression of the spine during inversions, greater accessibility to more challenging mat yoga poses and increased awareness of where the body is in space. There are also numerous mental and emotional benefits, such as trust building with one’s own body and the aerial silks. During the incredibly relaxing Savasana, the silk hammock becomes a space for self acceptance and reconnection, as each person is suspended in their own private silk cocoon. Group Aerial Yoga classes are offered for various levels:
Aerial Yoga for Beginners: A wonderful opportunity for those new to aerial yoga to become familiar with the fundamentals of an Aerial Yoga practices, build confidence and strengthen body awareness. Basic poses are introduced, leading to simple inversions, while building the upper body and core strength needed to advance to more challenging poses. The class ends with an extended Savasana in the safety of your own silk hammock.
Aerial Yoga Level 1: Builds upon the fundamentals in a safe and balanced aerial yoga practice. The slow pace of this class gives the aerial yoga novice an opportunity to acclimate to the silk gradually. This helps to build confidence, improve body awareness and increase comfort level. Any pose used in this practice can be modified as desired, to allow the practitioner to remain in contact with the floor. During this hour long class yogis are guided through standing postures using the silk as a prop, seated postures using the silk as a sling, and some simple inversions. The class concludes with an extended Savasana in the safety of your own silk hammock.
Aerial Yoga Level 2: Continues to build on your knowledge of Aerial Yoga and your skillset with the introduction of a few new poses, transitions and variations. This class is designed to build full body balance, coordination and confidence, while developing the upper body and core strength needed to advance through more challenging poses. The class class ends with an extended Savasana in the safety of your own silk hammock.
Restorative Aerial Yoga: Much like a Restorative Mat Yoga practice, Restorative Aerial Yoga provides a well needed opportunity to slow things down, so that students can nourish their body, mind and heart. The Aerial yoga silks, along with traditional yoga props are used to help support the body while performing traditional yoga poses and help release the body for deeper relaxation. A restorative aerial yoga practice is another method for achieving the tranquility and mental clarity sought through similar meditative and relief practices.
AntiGravity® Fitness
Is a fun fitness workout that connects the body and mind. It’s also a technique that allows one to stretch further and hold challenging poses longer by utilizing the AntiGravity Hammock. AntiGravity was created by Christopher Harrison in 1991, making it the originator of the Aerial Yoga Suspension Fitness Genre.
CLASSICAL PILATES MAT
“Change happens through movement and movement heals.” ~Joseph Pilates
Pilates is truly the ultimate mind-body exercise to strengthen, streamline and realign the body! This low-impact mat class is based on the teachings, techniques and variations of Joseph Pilates and utilizes Pilates exercises to enhance outcomes associated with weak abdominals and muscular imbalances. In addition to overuse injuries, arthritis, postural disorders, malalignment issues, and low back pain. This functional, yet effective core mat practice helps to lengthen tight muscles, which enhances your yoga practice, improves running and recovery and workouts of all types; as well as daily life activities. Studies on Pilates show that this practice also challenges the mind and improves cognitive functions, while strengthening mental and physical awareness through the emphasis of breath and body and how they move together. Open to all levels, no prior experience necessary.
DANCE & INTUITIVE MOVEMENT
Char’s dance and intuitive movement workshops are the essence of yin energy, which helps to bring the practitioner into the physical body with a higher consciousness, freedom and a stronger sense of self awareness. Introducing participants to a unique Shakti journey, while integrating body, mind and the non-physical Self. This class encourages self connection, expression, compassion and awakening through music and movement. Bringing forth wisdom, spaciousness, creativity, power and playful energy; while encouraging balance through grounding, anchoring, and stillness. Those who dance feel less stressed, experience greater physical well-being, increased confidence, improved memory and coordination and a greater connection to self, others and community. Join Char for dance & intuitive movement classes and workshops that incorporate simple to follow choreography and motivating music, or a fusion of yoga, meditation and sound healing for a revivifying experience. Visit ‘Events & Workshop’ for upcoming dates.