As a pure yoga fan, I’ve always been a little offended by the Hollywood-sounding concept of Yogalates, but after meeting the pint-sized but big-hearted Noura – Dubai’s most sought-after Yogalates instructor – her finely honed body and sparkling spirit was contagious enough for me to give in and give a session a go.
What is Yogalates? “Yogalates blends the best of Yoga & Pilates in a one hour session to give you an all-over feel-so-good workout!” says Noura El-Imam, a certified 200hr Yoga Teacher who has focused on Vinyasa Flow and Ashtanga components, and has achieved mat intensive level 1 Pilates training through Stott Pilates.
As in yoga, Yogalates helps increase flexibility, and improve muscle strength, digestion and breath control. Meanwhile, like Pilates, it helps you to develop greater inner core stability, thus giving clients the best of both worlds.
“My main theme is teaching outdoors,” says Noura of her open-air rooftop evening classes. She poetically explains how the open space is able to expand everyone, giving them a chance to break out of the concrete jungle, and the binding corporate ‘indoors’.
“Within the confines of a studio, yoga and Pilates teachers do their best to create an ambience of soft lights and pleasant sounds, and even an aromatic experience. But striking a mood is perhaps just an attempt to evoke a natural setting—the great outdoors. Why settle for a replica when you can have the real thing?”
Yogalates and Sport Aside from Yogalates, Noura adds surfing and climbing to her active repertoire, and credits Yogalates as being the foundation for improving and performing well in these passions.
“A tightness in hamstrings and weak core strength can prevent you from moving further into extreme sports. By increasing flexibility and strength, I can climb faster, hold onto the surfboard in plank stronger, and so forth.
“Breath and focus play a vital role in more extreme sports too, and Yogalates teaches you how to connect breath with movement.”
A Typical Class Starting off with a light warm-up to loosen up the body, or in a simple Child Pose to connect the body and mind with breath, Noura encourages the class to shut off the outside world and focus inward.
We then do a couple of sun salutations to build heat in the body, as well as to deepen and enhance flexibility and strength for what’s to come next – poses such as Warrior 1 and Warrior 2 for deep focus and strength, inversions and balancing postures, tied in with backbends to wrap up the session after a short and sweet intense core mat workout incorporating pesky planks, crunches, and Pilates single and double leg stretches.
“To keep clients on their toes I love to throw in new and challenging (yet always fun!) poses, such as The Crow, shoulder stands, The Rockstar, The Wheel (full bridge) and more, and students can either tackle the basic posture at their own level or advance to the next option given.”
It’s gruelling stuff, but “laughter is key,” Noura adds.
“I always make sure the class is light-hearted and fun!” It’s true – the only thing I could think to do in the face of seemingly endless Pilates crunches was laugh through the pain.
But the very end of the session, which sees us lie in Corpse Pose (flat on our backs with loose and relaxed limbs), is worth the effort. We get to focus on a star in the sky while completely letting go of any tensions in the body.
“This is a powerful experience and some have got a wink of sleep in my sessions!”
The Verdict: In a city where free time seems as rare as gold dust, get the most out of your workouts with Yogalates. It’s spiritual, mental, physical, and sensible.
Where: 7th floor, Fraser Suites, Dubai When: Mondays at 10.30am (indoors) and 7.15pm (outdoors), and Wednesdays at 6.30pm (outdoors)
Information: www.yogalatesblissindubai.com
Catch Noura at These Yoga Events Too:
►31st August – 5th September – Yoga and Adventure Retreat in Zanzibar. An Eid getaway like no other; escape to the Fumba Beach Eco Lodge on the majestic spice island of Zanzibar with Noura and Wild Guanabana.
Let loose in blissful yoga flow sessions with Noura, try a hand at exotic Swahili cooking, spot the Red colobus monkey and deer in Jozani Forest, snorkel with dolphins, and enjoy a chilled guided tour into the world of cinnamon, cloves, ginger and green pepper spices all for just 4500dhs, excluding airfare but inclusive of lodging, meals, activities and daily yoga sessions – a huge drop from the original 6,650dhs price tag. Interested persons must book by Saturday 27th August (tomorrow).
►21st-22nd October – Transformational Yoga Workshop with Nico Luce. In this three-part workshop, participants are invited to explore how to take the reins of their life by using ancient yoga wisdom when facing any situation: Change it, Accept it or Walk Away. In ‘Change it’ Nico will tap into your innate creative power while doing hip openers and twists.
‘Accept it’ will have participants experience the joy of back-bends, and in ‘Walk Away’, inversions and forward bends will teach you how to let go and to let in. Fees are 200dhs per workshop, or 750dhs for all three.
►November 15th –December 10th – 200hr Yoga Teacher Training with Angela Boltz. This intensive course for aspiring yoga teachers is suitable for anyone with a dedicated yoga practice who would like to explore the creative freedom of Vinyasa yoga, whether you like the fiery energy of Power Vinyasa or a slower flow, focusing on alignment and passive release.
Topics will include: Understanding the Art of Yogic Living; Chakra Theory and Energetic Anatomy, and Sanskrit Fundamentals and Pose Identification, to name a few. Early Bird rates (August) starting from 12,500dhs. For more information and booking contacts for all events, visit www.yogalatesblissindubai.com
