Get to know the Instructors - Kristy
Outside of yoga, our lovely Kristy is a self-proclaimed professional court jester, having worked as an actor, improviser and presenter in Australia and Los Angeles. She loves hosting events that are fuelled with purpose such as Dog Rescue Adoption days and Mother-Daughter mental health retreats. She...
Get to know the Instructors - Kate
Our lovely Kate recently moved to Sydney from Dublin, Ireland and loves teaching nurturing classes to make you feel supported, safe & held. Find out more about her below:
Why you became a yoga teacher:
To share the transformative power of mindfulness practices.
Favourite pose and why:
Wheel...
Get to know the Instructors - Ciara
Our lovely Ciara is originally from Cork, Ireland and wears a few hats… yoga teacher, environmental advisor, surfer and the friend who always has snacks 🙌 Find out more about her below:
Why you became a yoga teacher:
My total love and obsession with learning more about yoga
What to expect from
...Get to know the Instructors - Meri
Our lovely Meri is originally from Cheshire, UK and has fallen in love with the outdoors lifestyle in Sydney. She has started surfing recently and loves being out in the waves, making her feel like a kid again. Find out more about her below:
Why you became a yoga teacher:
I started yoga ten year...
Get to know the Instructors - Tate
Our lovely Tate has a background in high performance sport and was initially drawn to yoga to both complement athletic performance and to recover. Find out more about her below:
Hometown:
Auckland, New Zealand
Why you became a yoga teacher:
Yoga transformed how I thought about movement and...
Get to know the Instructors - Jamila
Our lovely Jamila comes from a family of yogis but discovered her own path - specialising in the fields of Tantric Hatha, Vedic philosophy and Somatic artistic expression. As a lover of dogs and almond croissants, she fits in well with the HDY team and has the hidden talents of being a jazz singer!...
5 Tips on How to Stick to Your New Year Health and Fitness Goal
Deciding to finally break old habits and adopt a healthier lifestyle in 2022 may be one of the best decisions you make. Having health and fitness goals is essential for several reasons. They keep you accountable, broaden your idea of what is possible, and motivate you to push through momentary suffe...
Get to know the Instructors - Belinda
Our lovely Belinda found yoga (or yoga found her!) when she was close to burn out and fell in love with all aspects of the practice. It made her explore the body in new ways and she achieved things she never imagined possible – from being able to touch her toes to later being able to touch them to h...
Get to know the Instructors - Thana
Our gorgeous Thana is a music, performance art and dog (all the breeds, he doesn’t discriminate!) lover. After just 1 class with him, you’ll notice his flows are mesmerizing – combining strength and grace. He aims to challenge the body and integrate the mind. Find out more about him below:
Why you
...Get to know the Instructors - Sam W
Our Canadian yogi moved to Bondi in 2014. When Sam is on her mat or in the ocean, she’s fully conscious, aware and nothing else matters - it's magic. Find out more about her below:
What to expect from a class with you:
Expect a strong, slow, and intuitive sequence to take you deep into your prac...
Get to know the Instructors - Liz
Our lovely Liz is warm and welcoming. A self-proclaimed yoga nerd - when she’s not at yoga, she’s walking her Cattle Dog x Lab x Staffy pup, Maple, cooking (recently exploring food from her Greek-Cypriot roots), travelling (when allowed) and trying different types of movement. Find out more about he...
5 Learnings, musing and some hilarious fails from my 5 days cleansing with Sol Cleanse
I’m thinking we’ve all at least heard of the term “Cleanse” before. The much raved about physical benefits and glowing testimonials out there drew me to try out...
Get to know the Instructors – Morgane
Our lovely Morgane is passionate about all aspects of yoga including mantra - have you heard her angelic voice when she leads kirtan with her harmonium? Coming from a foodie family (her brother is one of the top chefs in Singapore with a 2 Michelin star restaurant), she is also passionate about food...
5 yoga poses for couples to strengthen the relationship
Today’s fast-paced life, work stress, daily chores and responsibilities take a toll on relationships. Lack of intimacy, understanding and communication gaps are putting dents in our bonds. Here’s how yoga can help bring back that lost spark in your relationship and help it flourish again. Couple yog...
Get to know the Instructors – Ella
Our lovely Ella is a professionally trained and working actor with over ten years’ experience in theatre, film & voiceover – you’ve probably watched or heard her previously without even realising! She loves to dream big and has a beautiful poetic manifesto (just ask her to share it next time!) Find...
7 Reasons To Warm Up Your Body With Hot Yoga This Winter
Get hot and detox this winter!
Looking for a practise that will build heat in your body, fire up your metabolism, strengthen your core and warm the cockles of your soul all at once?
Two words: hot yoga. A deeply nourishing and detoxifying practise, hot yoga has many health benefits for mind, bod...
Get to know the Instructors – Rachel
Our lovely Rachel loves the ocean, yoga (obviously), indoor plants, red wine, La France, sunrises and sunsets, and spending time in cafes consuming the Good Weekend. Find out more about her below:
Hometown:
Sydney, but I grew up in Hong Kong.
Why you became a yoga teacher:
As soon as I start...
Easy Bliss Ball Recipe
These Bliss Balls are really easy to make. All you need a food processor and a bit of time!
Ingredients
- 12 Medjool dates
- 1 cup LSA (Linseeds, Sunflower seeds and Almonds)
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/3 cup cacao powder
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
Method
- Soak da...
Top tips to stay calm over the festive season
The festive season can be a very stressful time of year. For many, the holiday period is a mass of complex social interactions with the extended family, some of whom you may rather not see. Don't let the this get you down: follow the tips below, relax and enjoy yourself.
Breathe
Conscious breat...
5 Yoga Poses for Runners
Runners often suffer from chronically tight hip flexors, hamstrings and calves - and that immobility can track up the body into the spine. Being able to lengthen, open and stretch those areas will help with peak performance and preventing injuries. Also, yoga relaxes the body and promotes active rec...
Get to know the Instructors – Jacqueline
Our little Ashtangi fell in love with the “feeling" of yoga 10 years ago and strives to share her passion and love of yoga with others of all ages, abilities and levels! Find out more about her below:
What to expect from a class with you:
My classes are a mixture of the foundations of Ashtanga y...
Yoga off the Mat
Yoga means union and while it may seem easy to unite body, mind and spirit during class, what happens after your class when you step off your mat into the world? Here’s how to apply the lessons you learn from your practice to your everyday life.
Slow down
Busyness is not the goal. Take a breath...
Ideas To Fancy Up Your Avocado Toast
Though nothing beats the classic avocado toast (with salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil), here’s some suggestions of add-on ingredients for when you’re feeling creative, need that gram-worthy photo or just need another excuse to eat avocado…
- heirloom tomatoes, burrata and basil
- lemon juic...
How much water should you be drinking?
The human body is roughly 60% water and we are constantly losing water from our bodies via urine and sweat. The common rule is 8 glasses of water per day, which is roughly 2 litres. However, there’s limited science behind this, and it really depends on the individual.
Circumstances that increase w...
Get to know the Instructors – Sam
Our Tassie beach babe has a big heart and even bigger dreams. Her classes involve soulful movement that intertwines the mind body connection and offers philosophy and compassion along the way. Find out more about her below:
Favourite pose and why:
Half pigeon. There is no hiding in Eka Pada Raja...
Nadi Shodana
Prana means life force or breath sustaining the body; ayama translates as "to extend or draw out." Together, pranayama refers to the formal practice of controlling the breath. As the 4th limb of yoga, pranayama is considered to be the bridge between the ‘lower’ rungs of Hatha yoga and the ‘higher’ r...
5 Desk Yoga Poses (That Won’t Get You Weird Looks)
If you’re stuck at work and can’t make that lunchtime class, try these poses you can do at your desk to release some tension and leave you energised – all while not drawing attention you’re your colleagues / interrupting their conference call.
Neck stretch
If your neck and shoulders ache from st...
How to Make Kombucha at Home
Kombucha is a fermented tea made by adding a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast or SCOBY to a sweet tea and sometimes fruit juice and other flavourings. The beverage has a slight effervescence and a sweet, tangy flavour. Kombucha can be an acquired taste.
Kombucha does contain a very small amo...
Get to know the Instructors – Natasha
Our bendy Tash is also a dancer and a circus aerialist. Yoga is an essential part of her daily routine for conditioning, injury recovery, and overall mental wellbeing. Find out more about her below:
What to expect from a class with you:
I really, really love stretching! So expect to work throug...
5 Main Triggers of Hunger
Hunger is the strong desire or need for food. Its main purpose is a survival mechanism to ensure the body gets enough energy and nutrients needed to survive. However most of us are fortunate to live at a time where food exists in abundance, and therefore hunger is being triggered when survival isn't...
What are Chakras?
Chakra is a Sanskrit word which translates to wheel. In yoga, this refers to the 7 main vortexes of energy/prana along the spine, starting from the base of the spine through to the crown of the head. If any or all of these centers are blocked, we can experience illness, emotional imbalance or fatigu...
DIY Face Masks
Pamper yourself with these simple, homemade facial masks.
Anti-Acne Honey Mask
Honey is highly beneficial for acne-prone skin because of its antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Its anti-inflammatory nature also helps reduce redness and inflammation caused by acne and pimples.
Mix 3 teaspo...
Instagram Yogis
Yes, yoga isn’t about the poses however it’s hard to share the inner journey on a platform like Instagram without posting a photo of something. We don’t have a problem with Instagram if the photo of a headstand split motivates someone to start moving, strengthening and stretching. In fact, Instagram...
Get to know the Instructors – Amanda
Our “Chicagoan” grew up attending her Mum’s yoga classes and was enchanted not only by the practice itself but the calm, powerful energy in the room. Having worked as a massage therapist and is now a ceramicist, she has magic hands! Add her ability to tell dad jokes and carry a tune, this girl is mu...
Healthy Snacks
Yoga shouldn’t be done after a heavy meal. But what if you need something before class just so your stomach doesn’t make weird noises during savasana? Cue healthy snacks to maintain energy levels and even contribute essential nutrients. Snacks that don’t take more than a few minutes to prepare too,...
5 yoga poses to help insomnia
Recent research shows people with insomnia are more likely to experience associated health problems such as anxiety, depression, diabetes and congestive heart failure. If counting sheep or drinking chamomile tea before bed don’t cut it for you, try establishing a relaxing bedtime routine. A good pla...
Morning rituals to empower your day
Begin each day by including a few of these simple rituals in your morning routine. By mindfully easing into the morning, you create clarity and a positive mindset, ensuring a day full of productivity, joy and enthusiasm.
Hot lemon water
When you wake up in the morning you’ve just gone without wa...
Get to know the Instructors – Victoria
Our lovely Victoria was born in Ukraine and raised in the USA. However, having lived in Australia for over 27 years, she calls herself a Sydney girl through and through. Together with her husband, they have 3 sons and 3 dogs so she loves a loud house, full of laughter and the sounds of joyful living...
Raw caramel slice recipe
We have been known to park at Kiaora Place for yoga classes and the occasional popping into About Life on the way back to the car for a raw treat. Ok maybe more than occasional. Their raw caramel slices are the best and you can make them at home too!
Recipe & photo from About Life
Prep time: 2...
Essential oils
An essential oil is a liquid that is generally distilled (most frequently by steam or water) from the leaves, stems, flowers, bark, roots, or other elements of a plant. Essential oils are highly concentrated and a little goes a long way.
Where essential oils are derived from the true plants, fragr...
A Yoga Sequence for Happy Hips
Tension and stress get stored in the body resulting in tight body parts. In yoga, the hips are thought to be where negative emotions are stored. So, releasing them, while physically, mentally and energetically good for you, may be an intense experience. Be patient and gentle with yourself; go slow....
How Yoga Improves Emotional Health
With the pressure and stress you face each day, it's easy to feel overwhelmed, anxious, and frustrated. And if you fail to address them properly, you can end up with more serious problems.
Yoga is one of the best and most effective solutions you can use to regain control of your life. You can thin...
Get to know the Instructors – Jeremin
Our founder, Jeremin, loves featuring the Hot Dog Yoga team on social media but when it comes to herself, she’s a little camera shy. So today we turned the tables and got her talking about herself! Find out more about our ever graceful, stretchy leader below.
A little taste of you:
I’m a kiwi wh...
Top 10 Savasana Tracks
We know why Savasana is the best part of our yoga practice (if you don’t, refer to our previous post...
10 surprising uses of coconut oil
So everyone knows coconut oil can be used for as a cooking oil with a high smoke point, an effective moisturiser for dry skin and topically applied for shiny hair. But did you know it also had these uses?
Dental — recent research suggests that coconut oil is beneficial in reducing plaque form...
How to stay motivated over winter
Winter is the perfect time to do hot yoga. There are far less events on and there’s nothing more inviting than walking into a warm room when it’s freezing cold outside. Who doesn’t love to hang out in a warm room even if all you do is savasana for an entire hour? Here are some tips to keep you in mo...
Get to know the Instructors – Jo
Our teacher mentor, Jo, discovered yoga after the birth of her son, Nick. Her teaching journey was a natural progression from her first incarnation as a physiotherapist (10 years here and overseas) and she never stops learning. Her classes are filled with creative and dynamic flows, contain lots of...
What is your ayurvedic body type?
Ayurveda means the science of life (Ayur=life, Veda=science). Developed in India, it is one of the oldest documented health care systems focussed on maintaining a physically and emotionally balanced state through food and lifestyle routines.
Ayurvedic philosophy indicates that everything in the un...
Alignment Tips for Downward-Facing Dog
One of the most recognised yoga poses (and our favourite at Hot Dog Yoga) is Adho Mukha Svanasana (adho = downward, mukha = face, svana = dog, asana = pose). Here are some alignment tips to take your practice to the next level:
Keep Hands are shoulder width apart with the fingers spread wide. Firm...
Holiday destinations we are dreaming about
Need some inspiration for your 2018 travel plans? Here is our pick of favourites.
Want adventure?
Lewa House in Kenya, South Africa has some of the best game viewing in the whole of East Africa. It’s home to 350 bird species and 70 mammal species so you’ll have a great chance to see all of the...
Get to know the Instructors – Phillippa
Our “Phillippa fish” loves the water but works full time at the Sydney Opera House so you won’t find her at the beach during the day. She loves combining her two passions, yoga and music, so be prepared for some great playlists when you come to class! Find out more about her below.
A little taste
...What does Namaste mean?
You often hear it at the end of yoga classes. But what does it mean?
Namaste (pronounced Nah-mah-stay) is a Sanskrit work and is used as a salutation in India. It has many meanings and uses, including “hello” and “goodbye” in verbal communication. In written communication, it is used in a manner...
Savasana
“By remaining motionless for some time and keeping the mind still while you are fully conscious, you learn to relax. This conscious relaxation invigorates and refreshes both body and mind. But it is much harder to keep the mind than the body still. Therefore, this apparently easy posture is one of t...
Our Favourite Double Bay Cafes/Restaurants
It's easy to work up an appetite doing hot yoga! So we have listed some of our favourite restaurants in Double Bay, Sydney below:
Brunch
- About Life – a great place for a quick, healthy meal. Their dishes welcome all the dietary diverse out there and the coffee is certified organic and fair-tra...
Prenatal yoga tips
What an exciting yet scary (especially if it’s your first) time! Generally, yoga is one of the safest and most recommended forms of exercise for mamas-to-be. Remember, in yoga, whether prenatal or not, there are consistent aims: listen to your body, stay true to you in every moment, be present, pay...
Dog Yoga @ Double Bay Dog Day 2018
On Saturday 7th April, Hot Dog Yoga is participating in Double Bay Dog Day! Pound Paws who help re-home pets in Australian pounds & rescue centres, organise this event that is guaranteed to get tails wagging.
Our lovely Andrea will be guiding Pavlova, the Double Bay doggies and their humans throug...
Get to know the Instructors – Maddy
Our beach babe Maddy was born in New York City, but moved around a lot spending several years living in Italy. Throughout her adolescence, yoga remained a constant source of grounding in her often unpredictable and rapidly changing life. Find out more about her and where you can find her when she’s...
Interview with 28 day Summer Challenger Dawn
In February, we held our inaugural challenge – 28 classes in 28 days. There was an overwhelming response from the community. More participants signed up than we had space on the challenge board! We had 2 special workshops and a Celebration Flow to wrap up the challenge. Including a goodie bag filled...
DIY almond milk
Once you realise how easy and good home-made almond milk is, you won’t go back to store-bought versions. Thanks to The Kichn for the recipe and photo.
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw almonds, preferably organic
- 2 cups water, plus more for soaking
- Sweeteners like honey, sugar, a...
Mythology of the warrior poses
The Warrior poses are central to most yoga practices but do you know the story behind them?
In this Hindu myth, Daksha had a ritual sacrifice, but he failed to invite his youngest daughter, Sati, or her husband, Shiva. Sati found out about this ritual and crashed the party which led to her and her...
Get to know the Instructors - Andrea
Our lovely Chicago-born Andrea has a positive attitude and her energy is contagious. Find out more about her and why she loves handstands below.
Why you became a yoga teacher:
I want to help people realise their potential by living more embodied, connected, curiosity-filled lives. Yoga has guide...
What is Vinyasa?
In Sanskrit, “Nyasa” means "to place" and the prefix “vi” means "in a special way." So the literal transalation of Vinyasa is to place in a special or specific way. Vinyasa yoga is a flowing form of yoga where students coordinate movement with breath. Each movement is linked with the breath so you m...
Meditation tips for beginners
Meditation: We all want to do it, we know we should be doing it, the benefits are widely touted everywhere, but somehow…we just don’t meditate.
If you always wanted to meditate, but don’t know where to start, our tips below will get you going. It’s not scary or complicated. It’s as simple as sitti...
Get to know the Instructors - Jacqui
Our lovely Jacqui teaches fun classes full of yoga jokes to lighten the mood. Find out more about her and where she gets her inspiration for yoga jokes from below.
A little taste of you:
I’m an early morning person, love a comedy show or trivia night, inspired by TedX and motivational speakers,...
Practising Self-Care
We’re sure you’ve heard that quote – “What if we recharged ourselves as often as we did our phones?” Taking self-care time is imperative to a healthy lifestyle. Don’t see “me” time as a selfish pursuit, see it as time to embrace balance and opportunity. Recharging and re-centering yourself is the be...
Healthy 'Nutella' smoothie
Chocolate and hazelnuts. A marriage made in heaven. Tell me I’m not the only one who can eat Nutella by the spoonful straight from the jar. But I would feel sick after… and thanks to this photo which went viral last year, I know why:
Look at the ingredients:
Nutella is 55% sugar! The second hi...
What is ujjayi breath?
Most yoga classes start with asking you to “find your üjjayi breath” and unless it has been properly explained to you, this may have been confusing. So here we’ll break it down.
What is üjjayi breath?
Ujjayi (pronounced oo-jai) is commonly translated as “victorious breath,” and has been used for...
Get to know the Instructors - Vanessa
Our Texan hot tamale, Vanessa, is not afraid to make some noise. Her classes can be both strong with a commitment toward softening and restorative with a bend toward the uneasy. Find out more about her below.
Why you became a yoga teacher:
To supplement my income in grad school for Acupuncture a...
Mindfulness
Can you think of a time when you asked a question without listening to the answer?
Have you ever been thinking about work at home only to find yourself at work thinking about home?
How much of your day would you say is spent in the actual moment, rather than reflecting on the past or planning fo...
The best yoga mats
At Hot Dog Yoga, we provide complimentary use of our yoga mats so you can arrive light and leave even lighter. But what if you prefer to practice on your own mat and are confused about the different kinds (and prices) of yoga mats out there? Here are our picks of the best brands:
- Best non-slip:...
How to avoid silly season weight gain
For most of us, Christmas and its festivities revolve around consuming tasty food and drinks with colleagues, friends and family. Between work Christmas parties, Christmas lunch or dinner, edible presents and not following our normal routines during the holidays, it is so easy to gain weight. Here a...
5 yoga poses to boost energy
Last minute Christmas shopping, late night parties and trying to wrap up work before the holidays may leave you feeling exhausted. Try these yoga poses to stimulate the blood flow through the body. Poses that gently stretch the spine in particular can help combat fatigue and boost feelings of vitali...
Christmas gift ideas
From asana-enhancing accessories, to charity events, to stuff that just makes you feel—and smell—good, here's what we'll be giving this holiday season.
Tea
Yogi Tea – a delicious tea with a motivational message behind each teabag.
Meditation journal
Dropping in – the most beautiful, functi...
Tips to get through your first hot yoga class
What is Hot Yoga?
Hot yoga, is yoga you practice in a heated room. There are a number of styles: Hot Dog Yoga emphasises a flowing practice, linking one pose to the next using the breath. This is in contrast to other hot styles like B...