The full power of Yoga - without the Netflix effect
Stefanie from Yoga-y-cupcakes is a yoga teacher and has been a Fitico brand ambassador for over a year now. In a personal interview she shares how she got into yoga, what she likes about Fitico Sportswear and why her online yoga courses stand out.
Stefanie,
you have been a brand ambassador for Fitico Sportswear for a year now and support us mainly with yoga content. When and how did you get into yoga?
I started my personal yoga routine about 8 years ago. At that time, I had to cut back on my running for health reasons and was looking for a gentler sport to get rid of excess energy. Little by little I fell in love with yoga and was able to experience many psychological benefits in addition to the physical changes. Surprised and curious about the impact of yoga on my everyday life and well-being, I completed a teacher training in 2017 and am now happy to share the satisfaction I find on the mat with others.
Why did you decide to start a digital yoga school and what makes your online courses so special?
It was a bit difficult to organise regular classes because I travelled a lot and lived in different places. However, since the full power of a yoga practice comes from sticking to it regularly, I decided to teach mainly online. The best thing about my method is that all classes are organised in courses that help yogis work towards a specific goal. This avoids the Netflix effect of too much choice and makes the yoga routine efficient and structured.
What 3 tips would you give to people who would like to start doing yoga?
1. First things first: Just do it! A cliché, yes. But there is some truth in it. It's best to start simple and try out a lot.
2. Find your flow: there are many different yoga styles and yoga teachers. Try them out until you find what suits you. Do you prefer to experience yoga at home with a video or in a local studio? Do you like to sweat and want physical results or are you curious about the philosophy behind yoga?
3. Stick with it. You will definitely notice some changes after a few classes. However, the best results are seen over time with a regular routine. In my experience, it is better to practice 10 minutes a day than 1 hour a week or month.
What clothes do you prefer to wear during your yoga flows? What is particularly important to you?
Since I started yoga 8 years ago in my pyjamas, the yoga industry has come a long way. Nowadays, yoga clothing comes in all colours, shapes and materials. Apart from aesthetics, comfort is important to me; after all, you want to concentrate on the asanas and not constantly fiddle with your outfit. In this respect, I find Fitico great because the outfits fit like a second skin (without feeling naked 😜). The fabric is comfortable on the skin and moves and stretches with me in all directions. It's also important to me that I'm not contributing to the problems of the fast fashion industry. Fitico is ethically made from recycled fishing nets. That's why I wear Fitico with pride and don't have to feel guilty about owning several colours and outfits at once.
In your eyes, how does yoga contribute to mental health?
I think physical and mental health go hand in hand. When we take care of our body, we also take care of our mental well-being and vice versa. I see yoga as a toolbox that provides many different tools to take care of our health. Today we might need a strong power yoga flow and tomorrow a calming meditation or yoga nidra. What especially contributes to mental health is that through yoga we learn to understand ourselves (and the world) better and to act more consciously.
My favourite yoga practice is in the morning, before breakfast. In everyday life, that's usually at home, roll out my mat, jump into my Fitico outfit and off I go. Depending on what comes to mind and what I feel I need. Every now and then I also like to go to a studio and follow a class. At least 3 times a week for 30 minutes I am on the mat. Mostly it's 4 times a week for 40-50 minutes.
