This month’s HYA Academy Workshop will be led by instructor Amanda Blair, who has designed “Alignment Alchemy: Discover Your Power” to help you unlock your body’s potential by emphasizing proper alignment and technique. In this 2-hour session, Amanda will show you how to use props such as blocks and straps to create a supportive environment that allows you to explore movement safely and effectively. You’ll dive into various poses, focusing on precise alignment to enhance your strength, flexibility, and overall confidence in your practice.
Alignment Alchemy: Discover Your Power
When: February 9, 2025
2-4 PM
Where: Mountain Room
Cost: Free for Ultimate members, $40 for non-members
Amanda is deeply committed to teaching proper alignment, which has been the foundation of the yoga practice she began in earnest at HYA 15 years ago! She will guide you to discover how to harness your body’s energy, empowering you to move with grace and precision. Her workshop is perfect for all levels, offering modifications and variations to cater to your unique needs.
“I have a background in physical therapy, so I have spent a lot of my life looking at people’s bodies and helping them with their body’s mechanics,” Amanda said. “I feel like we do a great job of giving alignment cues at this studio, but this is an opportunity to slow down and figure out what tools they need for their personal practice and their own body.”
Amanda has been teaching at HYA since 2022 after completing her 200-hour Vinyasa training at HYA in 2021. She is currently working toward her 300-hour certification, which has included training in hands-on assists and yoga therapy techniques. She remains an avid runner as well, having completed more than a dozen marathons, and has used yoga to recover from the wear-and-tear of running as well as to prevent injuries. In addition to Vinyasa Flow, she continues to practice the Hot 26 series regularly as well, which is where her practice started at HYA.
“It was still in the old, smaller space, when it was only Bikram classes and we still had carpet on the floor,” she said. “I really loved the challenge of it. I remember feeling really out of sorts because it was way out of my comfort zone, but that made me want to do it more.”
Read more about Amanda’s yoga and teaching journey:
HYA: How did you deepen your practice and decide to become a teacher?
Amanda: I was practicing off and on for a number of years but in 2016 or so I really needed it to be part of my regular routine. I love being at the studio; it’s such a special place and a special community I want to be a part of. During Covid, when the studio was closed, I did the classes on video and in the parking lot. And in 2021, when HYA offered its first teacher training, the idea started to appeal to me. And it helped that Tania Laveck had already signed up. I thought, if she’s brave enough, I can do it.
HYA: How did yoga help you as a runner?
Amanda: A steady yoga practice can really bring balance to an endurance athlete’s life. It’s great for injury prevention and preventing burnout because you’re doing something different with your body. I have definitely had less injuries since I started practicing yoga. I did have some good old overuse injuries and when I had plantar fasciitis, I said I’m not going to run for 6 weeks and I did a 30-day streak of yoga classes during that time. Most endurance athletes don’t mind being pushed hard and the hot part plays into that mindset, but it’s also a chance to take care of your body.
HYA: What are your goals for students in this workshop?
Amanda: It’s really an opportunity to do a posture clinic, to show people not only how to do the postures but how to think about the postures, how to grasp them in your mind. I also want to encourage the use of blocks and straps for modifications. They are tools for everyone to use but not everyone knows how to use them independently.
HYA: What is your favorite part of teaching yoga?
Amanda: I know yoga can be life-changing and be a very serious practice, but I enjoy bringing a levity to the space. So many students can also have a little fun if they choose to. I want everyone to feel welcome and at ease when they come to the studio. That’s more important to me than any posture or any alignment, that they feel welcome and happy when they are here.
