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Tirisula Yoga: It’s a Lifestyle Not Sport

WARNING: This is a super long But informative article which will TOTALLY change your mind about Yoga after reading!
Everyone knows the benefits of doing Yoga, but there are still many people with misconceptions about Yoga. After a 2-day Introduction to Yoga course with Tirisula Yoga, instead of doing the usual hour-by-hour event coverage, I thought I will reorganize and share some things that I’ve learnt from there. Hopefully after reading this article, you guys can all attempt the Yoga Lifestyle!

5 Yoga Myths Cleared!

Tirisula Yoga Master paaluThere are actually many more misbeliefs about Yoga, but here’s the 5 common ones, some of which Master Paalu (see his profile here) mentioned during his workshop. These myths are busted during our 2 day workshop and the 20 over bloggers who attended are the living proof! I believe majority of you will agree with me that one or more of the below mentioned points are common excuses people have!

1. Yoga is a ladies’ thing
Tirisula Yoga MenJust like Ip Man’s Wing Chun (咏春拳) which was commonly known as a female or feminine form of self-defence martial arts, Yoga is also often known as an activity for the women. Unknown to many, Yoga was actually started by men and practiced exclusively by men thousands of years ago. Although there are more men nowadays trying out Yoga, this percentage is still pretty small in Singapore. Remember, yoga is also about finding inner peace and relaxation, and I bet the men in Singapore need that a lot!

2. Yoga is for the young people
Guess what? 80% of the Yoga Instructors I know personally took up Yoga Teaching when they are in their mid thirties (some forties). Prior to that, some of them didn’t have any dance or yoga background! I’m not saying we should all become teachers, but if they can do it, and become instructors, why can’t you practise Yoga?
Tirisula Yoga YoungIf there’s anything a beginner shouldn’t do, that’s to join those mass Yoga classes you get from online deals. Why so? If you haven’t been moving your muscles (in the yoga way) for the past few decades, it is easy for you to injure yourself especially when the teacher has so many students to look after!
Opt for private or smaller classes so that the yoga instructor is able to focus on you! (P.S. Tirisula Yoga do have 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course for Seniors!)

Yoga is for the flexible people
This statement is wrong because Yoga help increases flexibility! That is, if you are not flexible, Yoga help you become flexible, if you are flexible, Yoga can increase your flexibility!
Tirisula Yoga FlexibilityThink, if you aren’t flexible now, what about 10, 20, or 30 years later? We all have to start somewhere, so why not now? Start practicing now so you CAN be flexible. Besides, Yoga requires a combination of strength, balance, and flexibility. We are usually better in one of the aspects so use that to help you improve the other areas of your practice.

Yes, it’s true that there are some difficult yoga positions but most postures can be modified to fit your skill level!

Yoga is for unhealthy people
Tirisula Yoga UnhealthyJust because we look healthy on the surface doesn’t mean that we are healthy inside. In our current fast-paced society, everyone is always on their phones or laptops. We are often eating fast food with chemicals piling up in our system over the years. Many people thought that you need to have a particular problem before taking up Yoga. I find this statement ridiculous. I mean, it’s totally like the theory where one eats vegetables only when they have constipation.

Yoga is for healthy people
healthy yogaOn the other hand, many people thought Yoga is only for those who are healthy and think that Yoga is not suitable for people with ailments.
But do you know Tirisula Yoga is popular for their Yoga Therapy Workshops which help treat problems like Scoliosis, Asthma, Breast/Colon Cancer, Depression, Insomnia etc. They use the methodology S.P.E.A.R (Simple | Pain-free | Easy | Adequate | Rejuvenating) to help enhance the quality of life of those who are already seeking medical attention.

But because of that, Master Paalu told me how Yoga is often seen as a healing therapy for the unhealthy or sick people. With the number of workshops they are holding, I won’t say it’s completely untrue but who says healthy people can’t do Yoga?

Yoga is expensive
Whys-Yoga-So ExpensiveI hate to admit, but this is what I feel. I love yoga, especially hot yoga, but the schools in Singapore are so costly! Before I became a blogger, I went from trial classes to trial classes, online deals to online deals, most yoga studios offer introductory specials for new students but you will usually end up being pulled into the endless pestering to sign up and refer other people!

However, Tirisula Yoga is proving me wrong by giving promotions to you readers as well as their followers on Facebook (Hold your horses, for I will tell you more about the various promotions at the end of my article + what is so different about their courses and the deals we see online!).

My Experience at Tirisula Yoga

Tirisula YogaPrior to the course, my impression of a Yoga introduction course will be all about the different poses, twisting here and there, working out as well as some history or theory background of Yoga, and perhaps another round of hard-selling of their packages and courses (Yes, I’m VERY ready for that). But man, how wrong I was! There wasn’t much mention about wanting us to get their packages, in fact, we were the ones who enquire about it after the workshop!

#TiriBendIt Challenge

Level 1: The Bow Pose (Dhanurasana – don-your-AHS-anna)
tirisula yoga 3Benefits: Stretches the entire front of the body, ankles, thighs and groins, abdomen and chest, and throat, and deep hip flexors. It strengthens the back muscles and improves posture.
Helps relieve: Constipation | Respiratory ailments | Mild backache | Fatigue | Anxiety | Menstrual discomfort

Level 2: Twisted Chair Pose (Parivrtta Utkatasana – OOT-kah-TAHS-anna)
tirisula yoga 2Benefit: Strengthens the ankles, thighs, calves, and spine, Stretches shoulders and chest; Stimulates the abdominal organs, diaphragm, and heart; Reduces flat feet

Level 3: One-legged King Pigeon Pose (Rajakapotasana – rah-JAH-cop-poh-TAHS-anna)tirisula yoga 1Benefits: Stretches the thighs, groins and psoas, abdomen, chest and shoulders, and neck; Stimulates the abdominal organs; Opens the shoulders and chest
Helps relieve: Urinary disorders

Although many people like to think yoga is a sport due to it’s physical nature, it is by no means an athletic sport. Yoga is not a casual past time that you can just take up as a hobby. It takes a lot of hard work and determination. It is the art and science of physical, mental and spiritual development. The stretches and postures exercised in yoga are meant to heal. So no, yoga is not a sport.

#TiriHoldIt Challenge

Level 1: Head Stand (Sirsasana – shear-SHAHS-anna)
tirisula yoga 4Benefits: Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression; Strengthens the arms, legs, spine and lungs; Tones the abdominal organs; Improves digestion; Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause; Therapeutic for asthma, infertility, insomnia, and sinusitis

Level 2: The Crow Pose (Bakasana – bahk-AHS-anna)
tirisula yoga 5Benefits: Strengthens arms and wrists; Stretches the upper back; Strengthens the abdominal muscles; Opens the groins; Tones the abdominal organs

Level 3: The Tree Pose (Vrksasana – vrik-SHAHS-anna)
tirisula yoga 6Benefits: Strengthens thighs, calves, ankles, and spine; Stretches the groins and inner thighs, chest and shoulders; Improves sense of balance; Relieves sciatica and reduces flat feet

#TiriNotAlone

Tirisula Yoga 7This is a hashtag I thought of after looking through the numerous photos where we were paired up to help each other with our poses. While Yoga is often seen (thanks to the advertisements and commercials) as something we do alone, here in Tirisula Yoga, we are not alone!

Learning Lesson: Not Every Yoga Pose is Meant for You!

Tirisula Yoga Master SatyaWhile most yoga classes consist of people practicing the same postures and doing the same stretches, everyone have different abilities (and disabilities) which might mean that the particular position is not working for you. During the workshop, Master Teacher Satya Chong Wei Ling (Profile Here) taught us something that surprised everyone.

We know about blood type, about horoscope, about zodiac, about body shape, but not many people know that there’s a Ayurvedic Body Type which helps us to identify our your genetically inherited physical and emotional qualities. This is called the Dosha Test (Find out your Dosha here).
dosha testI think this Dosha test is totally worth an independent post on its own, so I won’t elaborate much here (Yes, I will write one up soon ok? Be patient ya! Good things are worth waiting! :P).

But basically, identifying which of the three body types: Vata, Pitta and Kapha are you is important as it will tell you what kind of job you are suitable for (because of your personality), what kind of diet should you adopt and most important, what type of Yoga should you do (and not do!).

Wellness is not JUST Yoga

Instead of a Yoga-brainwashing session, we actually had a very “wholesome” coverage about Yoga and the “optimal” lifestyle, I called this the Yoga Lifestyle. So over the two days, total of twelve hours of workshop, besides the Yoga lessons, we’ve learnt many things, about our own body, about our diet, skincare and cosmetics.

1. Diet – infuusa

All of us know 50%-75% of our body is made up of water, and water is an important necessity during exercise. with so many “sports drinks” available at shops nowadays, people often buy that without knowing how much calories and sugar is in their drink, cancelling out what ever calories they’ve lost during their workout.
Tirisula Yoga InfuusaInfuusa was inspired and founded by that, providing us with a refreshing, no sugar, low calorie beverage that is also good for health using only natural ingredients. Best of all, Infuusa is designed for activity – just pop a sachet into your water bottle, add water, shake and drink in minutes. Super convenient, portable and easy to make. And guess what, I downed the two bottles of infuusa without taking any photos! It’s like super duper irresponsible as a blogger! But I guess it is an evidence that I like it huh? 😛

P.S. If you are interested to try out infuusa, here’s a promotion code for you! Key in “infuusatirisula” to get 20% off any purchase above S$25! Valide till 7th Nov 2014

Available at: http://infuusa.com/

2. Skincare – Belif

Tirisula Yoga BelifA Korean true herbal cosmetics brand, Belif is a skincare product made from traditional and herbal processing method passed down from a British herbalist since 1860. The skincare brand focuses a lot of skin hydration, including ingredients like the Hungarian Water and many other herbs!
Available at: Plaza Singapura | Junction 8 | Wisma | Jurong Point | VivoCity Tangs

3. Makeup – Rachel K Cosmetics

Tirisula Yoga Rachel KThe founder of Rachel K products(Don’t mix this brand up with Mary Kay! Mary Kay is from Texas) Rachel Kum was Miss Universe Singapore in 2009. Rachel K’s product hopes to achieve multi-functions with just a few simple products. Most importantly, there’s no Parabens, oil free, no talc, no sulphates. Their iconic CC Cream is known for their anti-oxidant properties and deep repair abilities with ingredients such as Deep Sea Water, Shea Butter, Macadamia Nut Oil and EGF Factor.

I have to confess that I have yet to try on their products as I’m suffering from another round of breakouts again, but whatever I am learning as I typed this article, it’s convincing me!
Available at: Watsons OR www.luxola.com

4. Healthy Indulgence – The Fitness Grocer & Provenance Distributions

Tirisula Yoga fitness grocerHealthy food made for fitness is rather rare or even expensive in Singapore. The Fitness Grocer is an online retailer based in Singapore providing a wide range of affordable, fitness-focused, nutritionally-balanced food for everyday living.

I was surprised to be presented Coookies, Brownies and Juices in the Welcome Pack when it’s a Yoga Course, supposedly healthy lifestyle so no sweet treats right? But on a closer look, I realised that these are the healthier versions of our daily treats!

fitnessgrocerFor example, the Lenny & Larry’s Complete Cookie® is all natural without preservatives, dairy or animal products! It has 16g of protein, 6g of fiver and 0g trans fat. Very suitable for vegan!

They carry brands such as P28 Foods High Protein Spreads, Quest Nutrition, Unviersal Nutrition Doctor’s Carb Rite, Rude Health, Boundless Nutrition Oatmega, Boundless Nutrition Perfect Fit Protein Cookie, Lenny and Larry’s Complete Cookie and FIT Protein Brownie, Nuts n More, In Balance INBar, Atkins Nutrition.

provenanceNow that you’ve got food, what about drinks? No Pink Dolphins, no 100 Plus please! Provenance Distributions is Singapore’s biggest importers of 100% natural coconut water in premium Tetra Paks. It also imports Nu Smoothie, an award winning drink from France which has a blend of 100% fruit with no added sugar, no preservatives, no dairy and no additives! No prizes for guess what I’m munching on and drinking while I’m typing this blogpost!

Available at: http://www.thefitnessgrocer.com/ | http://provenance.com.sg/

5. Fashion – Tirisula Yoga Shop

Tirisula Yoga ShopThe Tirisula Yoga Shop is not just a shop! It’s a haven for all yogis and mini retreat corner! There are clothes, mats, bags, books and accessories, everything you need for Yoga! They carry brands like Manduka, Jade, Lorna Jane, Gaiam, Mika, Kira Grace, Dharma Bums, Onzie, Liquido Active and many more…

Available at: 62A Arab Street, Singapore 199777
Opening hours: Mon to Thurs: 11am – 8pm | Fri: 11am – 6pm | Sat and Sun: 11am – 4pm

Tirisula Ambassador

If there’s anything you need to remember after this lengthy article, I hope everyone remember that Life is made up of Body + Mind + Soul. One will be unhealthy if any one of them is imbalanced. Fitness and health should be our lifestyle, not a hobby. Yoga is a form of practice and lifestyle which helps us balance and calm down our Body, Mind and Soul in this noisy society where we are bombarded by different information all the time.

Tirisula Yoga SandraSandra Riley Tang from The Sam Willows is the ambassador for Tirisula Yoga, and I hope to the ambassador too! This is not only for my personal well-being but also for the people around me! As you know, I’m the A.B.C girl (A for Acting, B for Blogging and C for Coaching). Being the ambassador will mean that I will be able to
Act: Share this lifestyle with my fellow Acting friends (they led stressful lifestyle with irregular hours.)
Blog: Share the information with my readers.
Coach: I will be able to coach people, as an additional source of income + Pass this lifestyle to my drama kids by incorporating Yoga poses in their warm-ups!

So please help me vote by clicking the picture below and liking it! Help me win by sharing and getting your friends to vote ok?

Your votes make up 30% of the judging criteria. ONE Lucky voter (chosen by Me!) also gets to win ONE whole set of CC renew cream and CC renew pressed powder from Rachel K.

Discount for readersAlso, you get 50% off the 50-Hour Yoga Transformation Course if you quote my name when registering! (Update: Promotion ended!)

In A Glance

tirisula yoga logo
Address: 62A Arab Street, Singapore 199777
Tel: +65 62995191 / +65 85184900
Email: info@tirisulayoga.com
Website: http://tirisulayoga.com/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TirisulaYoga
Instagram: http://instagram.com/tirisulayoga/
Youtube: http://youtube.com/tirisulayoga

Available Certification Courses @ Tirisula Yoga
50/90 hour Yoga for Self Practice
200 hour Yoga Teacher Training
300 hour Yoga Teacher Training
Pilates Matwork Teacher Training
Yoga Therapy
Reiki and Kundalini
Meditation
First-aid

Sponsors’ Links:
Rachel K | Belif | Infuusa | The Fitness Grocer | Provenance Distributions

xoxo
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26 thoughts on “Tirisula Yoga: It’s a Lifestyle Not Sport”

  1. I appreciate your love for yoga. However, it should be noted that Tirisula does not meet the Yoga Alliance requirements. They do not complete the full 200 or 300 hour course. They give certificates with Yoga Alliance trademark and yet they are not meeting their standards. I would advise anyone reading this article to choose a different studio that doesn’t lack integrity.

    1. Hi Ariel, thanks for the information. This post was accurate at the point of time the article was written. Things might have changed and I’m saddened to hear that. But I do appreciate your comment to update the readers about the standard. 🙂

  2. Thank you, so much for posting this article. This is an awesome post, I must say you are very skilled at persuasive writing.thanks for information.
    I love the way u show all the poses.

  3. Thanks for the sharing! It is important to learn and practice yoga techniques under the supervision of a trained. follow yoga tips on yoga conference.

  4. Pingback: Yogamudra (Yoga Exercise) | Find Me A Cure

  5. I have also heard the prejudice that yoga is for girls mainly and most of my boyfriends say they would never ever practice yoga. But I totally disagree with their narrow point of you. You are so right, yoga is for everyone, no matter if a boy or a girl, healthy or unhealthy, etc. I love yoga and feel addicted to it!

  6. This just made me want to try Yoga more. I’ve been dragging my other leg to enroll in a Yoga class, but just like what you said above and just like in SG, Yoga classes is soooo expensive in Philippines as well. That’s why I’m just doing Yoga on my own with a guidance of some YouTube videos.

  7. What a very detailed post, thank you so much. I’m thinking yoga may be the right form of exercise for since my doctor banned me from doing badminton. I will be reading this again.

  8. This was a really fabulous post Tiffany, I loved it! I have to say that I have always avoided yoga because I lack flexibility due to arthritis, but maybe I should be rethinking this position. It could probably really help me. Add in what it can do for your inner health and I am sure my kids would benefit from it to. Thanks for all the great info!

  9. What an awesome post! Admittedly I have never considered Yoga mainly due to my extra blubber but when I slim down I will give it a go – classes are included with my gym membership. I am just so uncoordinated though! Simone x

  10. Yoga is definitely not just for women but for men as well. I know of a Canadian friend who teaches yoga and he is very enthusiastic about it.

  11. Thanks for clearing the myths Tiffany! I really thought that yoga is only for those people who has a flexible body. I’ve seen my friends post their yoga bends which made me conclude that. I’m now more interested to do yoga than going to the gym! 😀

  12. What is “Hot” Yoga? I’ve been hearing about this Yoga Trend for awhile and really want to know what it is and why people like it so much. Very informative post “ABC” Girl

  13. I recently just discovered how good yoga is ( yup, I’m a newbie ) and I appreciate all the information that you shared. I’ve learned soooo much and am more inspired + determined to do yoga. PS. I totally agree with you on how sugar is the culprit. I myself have been reading labels and have been avoiding most flavored drinks.

  14. I’ve always been interested in trying out Yoga. I was able to try Anti-Gravity Yoga last year, but it was quite scary for me since I’m not the type of person who enjoys not having my feet on the ground. Anyway, if only I were living in Singapore, I’d totally call up Tirisula Yoga. You’ve really convinced me! 🙂

    Will definitely try and find a good Yoga class here in the Philippines. I’ve always wanted to increase my flexibility and improve my posture. ^^

  15. OH MY GOD! I love this post! I have been wanting to do yoga but I don’t have alot of time.(or I’m juts making up excuses?) hahahah! Anyway, is yoga also good in losing weight fast? How about toning?

  16. As always, another fun, enjoyable, interesting and detailed post. I learned a lot! I’m proud that even if I don’t do yoga- I can identify the myths using my dependable instincts:) Would love to try this! You’re gorgeous by the way:) And fierce! xoxo

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