Studio Shout Out: The pretty sweaty stuff

Our yoga teachers and studios were adaptable and awesome and have found new ways to connect and further teach and support their students. By locking, technical problems and learning to make adjustments practically via the zoom. This month we will throw a light on you! In January we will offer studios here in the blog and chat with teachers to celebrate those who kept us on the ground last year. Meet the yoga teacher and studio owner Lisa Duong by The Pretty Sweaty Stuff below.

Do you tell us a little about why you have set up your studio?

Many of the studios around the Jewelery Quarter in Birmingham are quite similar. The Pretty Sweaty Stuff is located in Birmingham's first and only sensory deprivation spa that is unique in itself! As soon as you enter, there is a lot of energy. Sometimes random people knock on the door to see if they can come in because they only felt the energy when they passed. There is nothing better than that.

In addition to the building itself, I wanted to have full control over my own fate. to be my own boss and offer people courses with a modern touch.

What was your vision and did this come to light?

My vision is to develop myself in yoga and in life and to constantly make progress. As with yoga, my vision is about the trip and less about the goal.

How is the lessons in the studio?

I believe that the environment is as important as the yoga itself. I am incredibly happy to have the unique space I have.

The Floating Spa Post Float Lounge specializes in floating therapy and forms the core of the pretty sweaty courses. No watches, no mirrors and a great atmosphere that bounce off the customer feedback on the board. I personally think it is important to try not to record mirrors in studios, as this can distract practice.

I am the only studio in the area that currently offers yoga before and after birth and strala. Strala Yoga combines the wisdom of Tai Chi with the exercise forms of yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong and traditional Chinese medicine to help people reduce stress, heal and move more easily in all types of challenges. It is a very special and uncomplicated way of practicing yoga!

I also teach a funky and creative flow, slow & restore course as well as my classic strong class, which includes strength and flexibility movements.

How did the studio of your community help?

There are many traditional yoga options in our region, including studios and fitness courses. I was able to offer an alternative to traditional lessons with a variety of different class styles that is open to all levels. Since I specialize in Strala and yoga before and after birth, I can continue to offer a varied spectrum of lessons and personalized private yoga.

How was it different for you in 2020 as a yoga studio and what challenges did you have to deal with?

Lockdown was quite difficult for yoga studios, but it taught me that you have to be on the ball all the time. Adaptation and change to the current situation and the needs of people. It is a never -ending learning curve.

How is your personal trip to yoga and practice and how has she developed over the years?

When I started, I was put on how many people put on the physical aspects. I started with Jillian Michaels, who was more of a fitness yoga, and then my sister Strala introduced myself. I thought it was great how loose Strala was and how good I felt. There is very little indications in Strala, and I love it because sometimes I just want to use the sensation instead of learning what a pose should be. Sometimes I just want to move! When things felt a bit stuck, I moved to Ashtanga, which was strange because Ashtanga is the opposite of Strala, and so I moved away quite quickly because it felt too traditional and a little too rigid for me. However, I liked the fire that Ashtanga offered and decided to venture into trends that included strength and flexibility exercises. When I started my teacher training, I damaged my wrist and my practice changed again. The things that I took a matter of course in my practice became impossible with my broken wrist. When I finally let myself be operated on my wrist, Strala was the only thing I felt like I was like me again. When the force in my wrist improved, my practice also improved. I returned to my usual movements before the operation and everything ran in the right direction until I loaded my knee tendon and became pregnant. I wanted to continue to feel like me and started practicing Strala again, and when I became more difficult, I reduced the strong and fast currents. Now that my baby is 2 years old, my wrist is stronger and I move more intelligently, my practice is stronger than ever. The care of my little child during the Lockdown made it clear to me how much I have to meditate and connect to my center again. I love the creativity of Vinyasa and stick to most days. So if I have little time and my toddler hangs on my leg, I use this style as a moving meditation, but whenever I practice yoga, regardless of what I do, I always feel good my mat.

What is a vision for the future even though things are still in the air?

Learn and make progress and continue to build on our yoga community. I would also like to dare to teach training courses and offer retreats when the right time has come.

To learn more about Lisa and your studio in Birmingham, visit them website or follow instagram .