Focused Sessions – Sessions to Help Your Body!
For when you’re feeling stiff and tight! Or maybe your abs or glutes need a bit extra. Get looking after yourself and your body will thank you!
These sessions are full routines but with a focus on different areas of your body.
Functional Yoga - Complete Routine Classes
For when you need to get moving, get stretched and get relaxed! Each Complete Routine Class follows a similar pattern but with a different focus in each one. Your body and mind will thank you for every session!
Level: All
Time: 1hr 30min
Quality: Basic - Zoom recording
Access: Free
Functional Yoga - Complete Routine Classes
For when you need to get moving, get stretched and get relaxed! Each Complete Routine Class follows a similar pattern but with a different focus in each one. Your body and mind will thank you for every session!
Example Class – Feel Great!
Shoulders
Hips
Long Stretches
Core Stability
Glutes
Ankles & Feet
Spine
Breathwork
Forget the fancy stuff, this is the functional anatomy you really, really need as a yoga teacher.
Understand what we mean by good movement - what is appropriate flexibility, normal stability - and how you can assess them!
Learn what is OK in how we move, and what is not OK.
Understand the common yoga-injury list and how to teach to avoid injuring others.
Learn about the common injuries people have and standard rehab, and how you can help
Plus the actually helpful fancy stuff! How fascia changes our approach to flexibility; breath and stability; tensegrity not rigidity.
Practical, lots of hands-on, lots of Q&A, and lots of fun.
You will be a better teacher!
Aimed at
Yoga teachers
Personal trainers, pilates teachers and other movement teachers. If you are not a yoga teacher you will need to have attended at least 40 hours of yoga classes.
January 15th & 16th 2022 - WHAT IS GOOD FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT?
How do we know what is going wrong? And what can we do about it?
The spine, anatomy of breathing and the stabilising response.
What is appropriate flexibility and how do we know if a muscle is too short / too long?
February 12th & 13th 2022 - THE DETAIL – ANATOMY JOURNEY & PRACTICAL TEACHING.
Functional anatomy of the feet, ankles, lower leg, knees, upper leg, pelvis, lumbar spine
How does it work? What goes wrong? What does good movement look like?
How is yoga helpful? How as yoga teachers do we make things worse?
Standard injuries and how can yoga help.
Leg & lower torso as a functional unit.
March 18th, 19th, & 20th 2022 - THE DETAIL - ANATOMY JOURNEY & PRACTICAL TEACHING.
3-day weekend – Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Functional anatomy of the torso & thoracic spine, shoulder, arms, wrists, neck.
How does it work? What goes wrong? What does good movement look like?
How is yoga helpful? How as yoga teachers do we make things worse? Standard injuries.
Arm, shoulder, upper torso as a functional unit.
Putting it all together – functional & helpful movement patterns in standing, inversions, back-bending, rotating, forward bending.
Case studies & scenarios!
Practical, realistic, teaching-centered, hands-on and lots of Q&A.
Fantastic pre-course online learning materials & lectures to prepare you.
Teaching to not injure others and helping with our students’ chronic / acute injuries.
Understanding interplay of appropriate flexibility and normal torso stability.
The actually helpful fancy stuff! Fascia and flexibility; breath and stability; tensegrity not rigidity.
Superbly researched reading list to help you with all aspects of the course.
3 weekends – 2 x 2 days (Saturday & Sunday); 1 x 3 days (Friday, Saturday & Sunday)
January 15th & 16th, Saturday 11:00 – 18:30; Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
February 12th & 13th Saturday 11:00 – 18:30; Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
March 18th, 19th, & 20th, Friday 11:00 – 18:30, Saturday 11:00 – 18:30, Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
In-studio Chester, UK – with easy road and rail access (regular direct 2 hr train from London)
Beautiful location with excellent practice and learning / teaching space.
Or online via Zoom
Training may move online or a mix as covid rules change.
Early Bird
£799 available until 30th November 2021. Full payment on registration or a deposit of £249 and balance of £550 before 30th November 2021.
Full price
£899 Full payment on registration or deposit of £249 and balance of £650 before 10th January 2022.
Payment plan
£899 Deposit of £299 upon registration and 2 further payments of £350 on 1st February 2022 and £250 on 1st March 2022.
Testimonials Style 1
Sarah’s enthusiasm for what she does is infectious. I come away from every session feeling inspired, wanting to learn more & keen to pass on my knowledge for the benefit of others. For anyone with an interest in Yoga for Sport, this course is a must.
I spent five years looking for a course like this & it exceeded all my expectations: it was fantastic! I have always had both amateur & professional athletes in my classes & I wanted to learn how to tailor yoga- based programmes to their specific sports. I came away with a whole new way of assessing athletes & a whole new body of stability & flexibility exercises. Sarah delivers her wealth of knowledge & experience in a direct & accessible way. I gained so much.
The accreditaiton has assisted my practice greatly, & has developed my understanding of movement control. The course has given me the foundation from which to devise & deliver my own routines to specifically meet the needs of the players I work with.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this course and learned so much more than I was expecting! I have worked with athletes for a while and I can’t believe how much information we have covered in a year – Sarah is a great teacher. For me the main thing has been my increased knowledge in assessing individual athletes and planning appropriate sessions relevant not only to their bodies but to their sport. Thank you, Sarah!
Testimonials Style 2
Sarah’s enthusiasm for what she does is infectious. I come away from every session feeling inspired, wanting to learn more & keen to pass on my knowledge for the benefit of others. For anyone with an interest in Yoga for Sport, this course is a must.
Sheila McVitty
I spent five years looking for a course like this & it exceeded all my expectations: it was fantastic! I have always had both amateur & professional athletes in my classes & I wanted to learn how to tailor yoga- based programmes to their specific sports. I came away with a whole new way of assessing athletes & a whole new body of stability & flexibility exercises. Sarah delivers her wealth of knowledge & experience in a direct & accessible way. I gained so much.
Karen Russell
The accreditaiton has assisted my practice greatly, & has developed my understanding of movement control. The course has given me the foundation from which to devise & deliver my own routines to specifically meet the needs of the players I work with.
Dave Clark
I have thoroughly enjoyed this course and learned so much more than I was expecting! I have worked with athletes for a while and I can’t believe how much information we have covered in a year – Sarah is a great teacher. For me the main thing has been my increased knowledge in assessing individual athletes and planning appropriate sessions relevant not only to their bodies but to their sport. Thank you, Sarah!
Vicky Rees
Testimonials Style 3
Fantastic and inspirational course which took my teaching AND learning to a new level of understanding. The detail is incredible, providing vital knowledge about anatomy and how the body works; and also offering practical information about teaching Yoga to Athletes (and much much more too). If you're interested in becoming a better Yoga teacher this course is fantastic, regardless of whether you want to teach athletes or not!
Wil Hesketh
Sarah’s enthusiasm for what she does is infectious. I come away from every session feeling inspired, wanting to learn more & keen to pass on my knowledge for the benefit of others. For anyone with an interest in Yoga for Sport, this course is a must.
Sheila McVitty
Sarah’s training is exceptional! The way I approach teaching yoga has changed radically as a result of the knowledge I have gained. The training puts the teaching of asana into a realistic perspective of real people, real bodies and functional movement.
Rebecca Wood
I have thoroughly enjoyed this course and learned so much more than I was expecting! I have worked with athletes for a while and I can’t believe how much information we have covered in a year – Sarah is a great teacher. For me the main thing has been my increased knowledge in assessing individual athletes and planning appropriate sessions relevant not only to their bodies but to their sport. Thank you, Sarah!
Vicky Rees
Working with Sarah has been invaluable….. I have integrated Sarah’s work into existing strength, movement prep, and recovery programmes, improving almost immediately the impact of these sessions. And most importantly the players are really buying into it. I would have no hesitation in recommending Sarah’s course to any Strength & Conditioning coach responsible for the physical preparation of professional footballers.
Donough Holohan
I had waited for a couple of years to do this course and it was absolutely worth the wait – so much knowledge and relevant application, Over the months it has shifted the way I approach teaching – not just to those involved in sport, but in open classes too. I can’t recommend it enough!
Esther Abrey
The gold standard of Yoga teaching has been set! I knew this course was exactly what I was looking for and it certainly surpassed my expectations. Once you have attended one of Sarah's courses you will be forever addicted to her emphatic style that is brimming with knowledge and the discipline of practice. Sarah is the most organised and professional Yoga Teacher I have ever ad the pleasure to meet with refreshing honesty about what yoga can and cannot do. THIS IS THE COURSE FOR YOU!
Dale Walker
Amazing course! Sarah’s knowledge of the subject is immense, and her course resources are top-class. Couple all this with real world personal experience, explanations and insights made for a truly exceptional course. One of a kind – if you have any interest in anatomy, movement or working with anyone involved in physical activity – do this course!
Gary Williams
I spent five years looking for a course like this & it exceeded all my expectations: it was fantastic! I have always had both amateur & professional athletes in my classes & I wanted to learn how to tailor yoga- based programmes to their specific sports. I came away with a whole new way of assessing athletes & a whole new body of stability & flexibility exercises. Sarah delivers her wealth of knowledge & experience in a direct & accessible way. I gained so much.
Karen Russell
As a personal trainer I felt there was a gap in my knowledge when it came to helping people with muscle imbalances, injuries and chronic inflexibility issues. This course has enhanced my knowledge of anatomy and given me a whole new repertoire of movements beneficial to my clients. It has been so incredibly useful and full of information on how to help ourselves and those around us to move better. It’s also fun, you get to meet great like-minded people, and come out with a recognised qualification. Thank you, Sarah and team!
Annabel Heap
10 out of 10!! This course was packed with high quality information. I am amazed how much knowledge I’ve gained since the very start. The assessments were a valuable part of my learning too and gave me great confidence to implement what I had learned.
Tamar Barclay
As a physio I was looking for a course that kept me challenged and showed a different perspective of how to work with yoga and athletes...this was the course! Not only did it cover anatomy but a whole host of different topics - breathing, functional movement, how to work with athletes, how to pitch it, networking, how to assess and put together a program specifically for a certain sport or athlete. Can't recommend enough.
Sheena Kirk
Sarah’s Sports Yoga course was a fantastic investment, from the quality and content of the course materials, the standard of knowledge and teaching, the further perspectives and experiences of assistant tutors, and the required assessments. Her approach and style is warm, welcoming, encouraging, positive and her knowledge of this material is outstanding.
Without a doubt worth every penny! Thank you and thank you again!
Helena Shirley
The accreditation has assisted my practice greatly, & has developed my understanding of movement control. The course has given me the foundation from which to devise & deliver my own routines to specifically meet the needs of the players I work with.
Dave Clark
I love the friendly, welcoming vibe of Sarah’s courses. She encourages you to challenge previous knowledge and guides you to make informed decisions about your teaching. I feel a more competent, safer teacher and able to explain my teaching rationale better.
Karen Nobes
This is a wonderful course and the material is highly relevant to the problems that present in class frequently. It was so good to go through the yoga repertoire and look at what is useful, safe and relevant – and what can cause serious injury and we should really not be teaching!
Karen Russell
I honestly think Sarah has forgotten more than I know! She delivers clear, concise and exceptionally high-quality training which is based on her considerable experience and knowledge. Her no-nonsense, functional approach to yoga is so motivating in terms of making me want to be a better teacher.
Claudia Brown
I looked extensively for a yoga-specific anatomy training course and this has hugely improved my style of teaching and knowledge of injuries and body alignment. I wish the course would keep on going for a weekend every month!
Anna Chapman
Welcome to Sports Yoga
Sarah Ramsden helps you move more freely, fluidly and efficiently.
Sarah worked for over 13 years in professional football – including 10+ years at Manchester City and Manchester United Football Clubs with senior, youth and academy teams. She pioneered the use of yoga-inspired routines to improve performance, reduce injury and increase longevity in the game.
Her approach is straightforward, accessible and enjoyable. It will help you go on doing your sport better and for longer. And help you live your life with more ease and less restriction.
If you feel stiff and restricted doing your sport then head to Yoga for Athletes where you can download sport-specific routines.
If you want yoga-inspired training aimed at helping real human bodies, then the try the online classes in Functional Yoga.
If you are looking to train as Sports Yoga instructor, deepen your knowledge of functional movement, or work with Sarah then check out Training / Workshops.
You can attend Sarah’s Online Classes, or purchase from the library of routines at Purchase Sessions.
And there are lots of articles and research papers in Resources.
Fantastic and inspirational course which took my teaching AND learning to a new level of understanding. The detail is incredible, providing vital knowledge about anatomy and how the body works; and also offering practical information about teaching Yoga to Athletes (and much much more too). If you're interested in becoming a better Yoga teacher this course is fantastic, regardless of whether you want to teach athletes or not!
Wil Hesketh
Sarah’s enthusiasm for what she does is infectious. I come away from every session feeling inspired, wanting to learn more & keen to pass on my knowledge for the benefit of others. For anyone with an interest in Yoga for Sport, this course is a must.
Sheila McVitty
Sarah’s training is exceptional! The way I approach teaching yoga has changed radically as a result of the knowledge I have gained. The training puts the teaching of asana into a realistic perspective of real people, real bodies and functional movement.
Rebecca Wood
I have thoroughly enjoyed this course and learned so much more than I was expecting! I have worked with athletes for a while and I can’t believe how much information we have covered in a year – Sarah is a great teacher. For me the main thing has been my increased knowledge in assessing individual athletes and planning appropriate sessions relevant not only to their bodies but to their sport. Thank you, Sarah!
Vicky Rees
Working with Sarah has been invaluable….. I have integrated Sarah’s work into existing strength, movement prep, and recovery programmes, improving almost immediately the impact of these sessions. And most importantly the players are really buying into it. I would have no hesitation in recommending Sarah’s course to any Strength & Conditioning coach responsible for the physical preparation of professional footballers.
Donough Holohan
I had waited for a couple of years to do this course and it was absolutely worth the wait – so much knowledge and relevant application, Over the months it has shifted the way I approach teaching – not just to those involved in sport, but in open classes too. I can’t recommend it enough!
Esther Abrey
The gold standard of Yoga teaching has been set! I knew this course was exactly what I was looking for and it certainly surpassed my expectations. Once you have attended one of Sarah's courses you will be forever addicted to her emphatic style that is brimming with knowledge and the discipline of practice. Sarah is the most organised and professional Yoga Teacher I have ever ad the pleasure to meet with refreshing honesty about what yoga can and cannot do. THIS IS THE COURSE FOR YOU!
Dale Walker
Amazing course! Sarah’s knowledge of the subject is immense, and her course resources are top-class. Couple all this with real world personal experience, explanations and insights made for a truly exceptional course. One of a kind – if you have any interest in anatomy, movement or working with anyone involved in physical activity – do this course!
Gary Williams
I spent five years looking for a course like this & it exceeded all my expectations: it was fantastic! I have always had both amateur & professional athletes in my classes & I wanted to learn how to tailor yoga- based programmes to their specific sports. I came away with a whole new way of assessing athletes & a whole new body of stability & flexibility exercises. Sarah delivers her wealth of knowledge & experience in a direct & accessible way. I gained so much.
Karen Russell
As a personal trainer I felt there was a gap in my knowledge when it came to helping people with muscle imbalances, injuries and chronic inflexibility issues. This course has enhanced my knowledge of anatomy and given me a whole new repertoire of movements beneficial to my clients. It has been so incredibly useful and full of information on how to help ourselves and those around us to move better. It’s also fun, you get to meet great like-minded people, and come out with a recognised qualification. Thank you, Sarah and team!
Annabel Heap
10 out of 10!! This course was packed with high quality information. I am amazed how much knowledge I’ve gained since the very start. The assessments were a valuable part of my learning too and gave me great confidence to implement what I had learned.
Tamar Barclay
As a physio I was looking for a course that kept me challenged and showed a different perspective of how to work with yoga and athletes...this was the course! Not only did it cover anatomy but a whole host of different topics - breathing, functional movement, how to work with athletes, how to pitch it, networking, how to assess and put together a program specifically for a certain sport or athlete. Can't recommend enough.
Sheena Kirk
Sarah’s Sports Yoga course was a fantastic investment, from the quality and content of the course materials, the standard of knowledge and teaching, the further perspectives and experiences of assistant tutors, and the required assessments. Her approach and style is warm, welcoming, encouraging, positive and her knowledge of this material is outstanding.
Without a doubt worth every penny! Thank you and thank you again!
Helena Shirley
The accreditation has assisted my practice greatly, & has developed my understanding of movement control. The course has given me the foundation from which to devise & deliver my own routines to specifically meet the needs of the players I work with.
Dave Clark
I love the friendly, welcoming vibe of Sarah’s courses. She encourages you to challenge previous knowledge and guides you to make informed decisions about your teaching. I feel a more competent, safer teacher and able to explain my teaching rationale better.
Karen Nobes
This is a wonderful course and the material is highly relevant to the problems that present in class frequently. It was so good to go through the yoga repertoire and look at what is useful, safe and relevant – and what can cause serious injury and we should really not be teaching!
Karen Russell
I honestly think Sarah has forgotten more than I know! She delivers clear, concise and exceptionally high-quality training which is based on her considerable experience and knowledge. Her no-nonsense, functional approach to yoga is so motivating in terms of making me want to be a better teacher.
Claudia Brown
I looked extensively for a yoga-specific anatomy training course and this has hugely improved my style of teaching and knowledge of injuries and body alignment. I wish the course would keep on going for a weekend every month!
Anna Chapman
Testimonials for Yoga for Athletes. Currently generic sample of testimonials below.
Testimonials
Sarah’s enthusiasm for what she does is infectious. I come away from every session feeling inspired, wanting to learn more & keen to pass on my knowledge for the benefit of others. For anyone with an interest in Yoga for Sport, this course is a must.
Sheila McVitty
I spent five years looking for a course like this & it exceeded all my expectations: it was fantastic! I have always had both amateur & professional athletes in my classes & I wanted to learn how to tailor yoga- based programmes to their specific sports. I came away with a whole new way of assessing athletes & a whole new body of stability & flexibility exercises. Sarah delivers her wealth of knowledge & experience in a direct & accessible way. I gained so much.
Karen Russell
The accreditaiton has assisted my practice greatly, & has developed my understanding of movement control. The course has given me the foundation from which to devise & deliver my own routines to specifically meet the needs of the players I work with.
Dave Clark
I have thoroughly enjoyed this course and learned so much more than I was expecting! I have worked with athletes for a while and I can’t believe how much information we have covered in a year – Sarah is a great teacher. For me the main thing has been my increased knowledge in assessing individual athletes and planning appropriate sessions relevant not only to their bodies but to their sport. Thank you, Sarah!
Vicky Rees
Key
1: #216A0A
2: #F69625
3: #F1C548
4: #AC2C7F
5: #5A3676
6: #DC6992
7: #33AFE3
8: #BDB3A7
9: #E2552A
10: #99CD61
Key
1: #2A7554
2: #EE962F
3: #ECC74E
4: #A7207F
5: #593275
6: #D66592
7: #4FAEE2
8: #BCB3A7
9: #DA5230
10: #9BD064
Yoga for Athletes
Yoga-Inspired Training in Sport
Shoulder pain, rotator cuff injuries, neck pain, tight upper back, wrist pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, lower back pain, illio-tibial friction syndrome, tight ankles, hamstrings, calves, glutes, hip flexors, shin splints, knee pain and knee degeneration, achillies tendonitis, plantar fasciitis. These are the things sport does to you.
Most sports are endlessly repetitive. Even dynamic sports like football or tennis have repeated movement patterns. And every sport involves stresses though your body – the impact of your foot-strike on the pavement, the reactive force from slamming a hockey ball, pulling a blade through the weight of a river as a rower. And often you are deliberately doing your sport to muscular and neural fatigue.
The repetition of the movement and ensuing fatigue mean that some muscles become shortened and tight through the continuous contraction – like biceps, hamstrings, calves, hip flexors. And some muscles become weakened and underused – upper back, abdominals, stabilisers.
By stretching muscles that have become short and balancing the two sides of your body (you’re going to have all sorts of cross-body imbalances), you improve joint mechanics. That’s a fancy way of saying you reduce your risk of injury – especially the niggly ones. The majority of sports’ injuries are actually chronic over-use and over-shortening injuries, (different from acute injuries like when you trip and do an ACL).These chronic injuries you do to yourself through all those hours playing your sport, plus poor mechanics and allowing muscles to shorten endlessly.
BEWARE - short tight muscles are more at risk of tearing. You need to stretch.
Good techniques require good body mechanics – which require both strength AND appropriate flexibility. Runners need to be able to stand tall without their lower backs collapsing into swayback; cyclists need fabulous hip-knee-ankle alignment to prevent knee pain, swimmers need awesome movement and strength at their shoulders. And you need these at every stride and stroke. Especially when you are fatigued.
The standing poses in yoga require you to learn and practice good functional movement patterning. And the longer stretches slowly restore your flexibility, allowing your body to move better.
This is huge. The multiplane, multidirectional movement of yoga, plus the mobility and stretching, helps you recover faster. You flush out the build-up of metabolic waste, pump fresh blood through, untether tissues that have become stuck down and tight and re-set the resting length of your muscles. You will feel less fatigued and getting out the day after your yoga will feel easier.
Never, never underestimate the role of your core in any sport (and that doesn’t mean loads of ab crunches - that just makes everything worse). Generally, your torso must keep coming back to neutral so that your abs and glutes can work efficiently, and you don’t keep crunching your lower back. A good yoga class will do good core training as the necessary twin of flexibility.
Being more flexible (or just less stiff) will have the biggest impact on your sport – you will feel freer and easier. Why? Because you will be. Supple joints move better. Good flexible muscles use less oxygen making movement compared with when you are just fighting your own stiff, tight, stuck, restricted muscles tissue. Put simply, your efficiency increases.
It is vital to be able to breathe with your strides or strokes. Yoga increases lung capacity (you do a lot of breathing in a yoga class!) and helps you breathe diaphragmatically instead of always chest breathing. Yoga will help with your breath awareness and your ability to control and train your breathing.
Yoga includes mindfulness – which means being present, not being distracted by our thoughts. That head space gives clarity and the ability to focus on what is happening now without becoming reactive, tense, angry, dispirited. This is a massive help in everyday life - and in your sport.
Because yoga is for bendy skinny women and you will feel embarrassed.
Don’t believe what you see on Instagram! My classes are 50-50 male-female and are full of really tight, restricted, regular, real life human beings who love their sport. I don’t believe in contortion-like flexibility, and I teach good functional movement and the flexibility you really need in a way you can manage it. BTW, if you ever get to a class that looks like it is coming straight off Instagram, then its not for you. Leave.
Because your training programme doesn’t allow you time to do so.
Your training programme will eventually be full of time because your body will stop you if you don’t look after it. Better to get to a yoga class AND continue enjoying your sport!
Because it isn’t important – I can push through pain
Really? Remember there is no Mind-Over-Matter (except in the super short-term). Your body is always in control and will nag you to start with and then stop you if it really needs your attention: willpower is no match for physiology.
The Body Aligned - Yoga, Functional Anatomy & Injury
Practical functional anatomy, teach to avoid injury, dealing with students’ injuries.
60-hour, Teacher-Only YAP approved Further Training
January - March 2022 (3 weekends)
In-studio Chester or Online
Forget the fancy stuff, this is the functional anatomy you really, really need as a yoga teacher.
Understand what we mean by good movement - what is appropriate flexibility, normal stability - and how you can assess them!
Learn what is OK in how we move, and what is not OK.
Understand the common yoga-injury list and how to teach to avoid injuring others.
Learn about the common injuries people have and standard rehab, and how you can help
Plus the actually helpful fancy stuff! How fascia changes our approach to flexibility; breath and stability; tensegrity not rigidity.
Practical, lots of hands-on, lots of Q&A, and lots of fun.
You will be a better teacher!
Aimed at
Yoga teachers
Personal trainers, pilates teachers and other movement teachers. If you are not a yoga teacher you will need to have attended at least 40 hours of yoga classes.
January 15th & 16th 2022 - WHAT IS GOOD FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT?
How do we know what is going wrong? And what can we do about it?
The spine, anatomy of breathing and the stabilising response.
What is appropriate flexibility and how do we know if a muscle is too short / too long?
February 12th & 13th 2022 - THE DETAIL – ANATOMY JOURNEY & PRACTICAL TEACHING.
Functional anatomy of the feet, ankles, lower leg, knees, upper leg, pelvis, lumbar spine
How does it work? What goes wrong? What does good movement look like?
How is yoga helpful? How as yoga teachers do we make things worse?
Standard injuries and how can yoga help.
Leg & lower torso as a functional unit.
March 18th, 19th, & 20th 2022 - THE DETAIL - ANATOMY JOURNEY & PRACTICAL TEACHING.
3-day weekend – Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Functional anatomy of the torso & thoracic spine, shoulder, arms, wrists, neck.
How does it work? What goes wrong? What does good movement look like?
How is yoga helpful? How as yoga teachers do we make things worse? Standard injuries.
Arm, shoulder, upper torso as a functional unit.
Putting it all together – functional & helpful movement patterns in standing, inversions, back-bending, rotating, forward bending.
Case studies & scenarios!
Practical, realistic, teaching-centered, hands-on and lots of Q&A.
Fantastic pre-course online learning materials & lectures to prepare you.
Teaching to not injure others and helping with our students’ chronic / acute injuries.
Understanding interplay of appropriate flexibility and normal torso stability.
The actually helpful fancy stuff! Fascia and flexibility; breath and stability; tensegrity not rigidity.
Superbly researched reading list to help you with all aspects of the course.
3 weekends – 2 x 2 days (Saturday & Sunday); 1 x 3 days (Friday, Saturday & Sunday)
January 15th & 16th, Saturday 11:00 – 18:30; Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
February 12th & 13th Saturday 11:00 – 18:30; Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
March 18th, 19th, & 20th, Friday 11:00 – 18:30, Saturday 11:00 – 18:30, Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
In-studio Chester, UK – with easy road and rail access (regular direct 2 hr train from London)
Beautiful location with excellent practice and learning / teaching space.
Or online via Zoom
Training may move online or a mix as covid rules change.
Early Bird
£799 available until 30th November 2021. Full payment on registration or a deposit of £249 and balance of £550 before 30th November 2021.
Full price
£899 Full payment on registration or deposit of £249 and balance of £650 before 10th January 2022.
Payment plan
£899 Deposit of £299 upon registration and 2 further payments of £350 on 1st February 2022 and £250 on 1st March 2022.
Forget the fancy stuff, this is the functional anatomy you really, really need as a yoga teacher.
Understand what we mean by good movement - what is appropriate flexibility, normal stability - and how you can assess them!
Learn what is OK in how we move, and what is not OK.
Understand the common yoga-injury list and how to teach to avoid injuring others.
Learn about the common injuries people have and standard rehab, and how you can help
Plus the actually helpful fancy stuff! How fascia changes our approach to flexibility; breath and stability; tensegrity not rigidity.
Practical, lots of hands-on, lots of Q&A, and lots of fun.
You will be a better teacher!
Aimed at
Yoga teachers
Personal trainers, pilates teachers and other movement teachers. If you are not a yoga teacher you will need to have attended at least 40 hours of yoga classes.
January 15th & 16th 2022 - WHAT IS GOOD FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT?
How do we know what is going wrong? And what can we do about it?
The spine, anatomy of breathing and the stabilising response.
What is appropriate flexibility and how do we know if a muscle is too short / too long?
February 12th & 13th 2022 - THE DETAIL – ANATOMY JOURNEY & PRACTICAL TEACHING.
Functional anatomy of the feet, ankles, lower leg, knees, upper leg, pelvis, lumbar spine
How does it work? What goes wrong? What does good movement look like?
How is yoga helpful? How as yoga teachers do we make things worse?
Standard injuries and how can yoga help.
Leg & lower torso as a functional unit.
March 18th, 19th, & 20th 2022 - THE DETAIL - ANATOMY JOURNEY & PRACTICAL TEACHING.
3-day weekend – Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Functional anatomy of the torso & thoracic spine, shoulder, arms, wrists, neck.
How does it work? What goes wrong? What does good movement look like?
How is yoga helpful? How as yoga teachers do we make things worse? Standard injuries.
Arm, shoulder, upper torso as a functional unit.
Putting it all together – functional & helpful movement patterns in standing, inversions, back-bending, rotating, forward bending.
Case studies & scenarios!
Practical, realistic, teaching-centered, hands-on and lots of Q&A.
Fantastic pre-course online learning materials & lectures to prepare you.
Teaching to not injure others and helping with our students’ chronic / acute injuries.
Understanding interplay of appropriate flexibility and normal torso stability.
The actually helpful fancy stuff! Fascia and flexibility; breath and stability; tensegrity not rigidity.
Superbly researched reading list to help you with all aspects of the course.
3 weekends – 2 x 2 days (Saturday & Sunday); 1 x 3 days (Friday, Saturday & Sunday)
January 15th & 16th, Saturday 11:00 – 18:30; Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
February 12th & 13th Saturday 11:00 – 18:30; Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
March 18th, 19th, & 20th, Friday 11:00 – 18:30, Saturday 11:00 – 18:30, Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
In-studio Chester, UK – with easy road and rail access (regular direct 2 hr train from London)
Beautiful location with excellent practice and learning / teaching space.
Or online via Zoom
Training may move online or a mix as covid rules change.
Early Bird
£799 available until 30th November 2021. Full payment on registration or a deposit of £249 and balance of £550 before 30th November 2021.
Full price
£899 Full payment on registration or deposit of £249 and balance of £650 before 10th January 2022.
Payment plan
£899 Deposit of £299 upon registration and 2 further payments of £350 on 1st February 2022 and £250 on 1st March 2022.
Forget the fancy stuff, this is the functional anatomy you really, really need as a yoga teacher.
Understand what we mean by good movement - what is appropriate flexibility, normal stability - and how you can assess them!
Learn what is OK in how we move, and what is not OK.
Understand the common yoga-injury list and how to teach to avoid injuring others.
Learn about the common injuries people have and standard rehab, and how you can help
Plus the actually helpful fancy stuff! How fascia changes our approach to flexibility; breath and stability; tensegrity not rigidity.
Practical, lots of hands-on, lots of Q&A, and lots of fun.
You will be a better teacher!
Aimed at
Yoga teachers
Personal trainers, pilates teachers and other movement teachers. If you are not a yoga teacher you will need to have attended at least 40 hours of yoga classes.
January 15th & 16th 2022 - WHAT IS GOOD FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT?
How do we know what is going wrong? And what can we do about it?
The spine, anatomy of breathing and the stabilising response.
What is appropriate flexibility and how do we know if a muscle is too short / too long?
February 12th & 13th 2022 - THE DETAIL – ANATOMY JOURNEY & PRACTICAL TEACHING.
Functional anatomy of the feet, ankles, lower leg, knees, upper leg, pelvis, lumbar spine
How does it work? What goes wrong? What does good movement look like?
How is yoga helpful? How as yoga teachers do we make things worse?
Standard injuries and how can yoga help.
Leg & lower torso as a functional unit.
March 18th, 19th, & 20th 2022 - THE DETAIL - ANATOMY JOURNEY & PRACTICAL TEACHING.
3-day weekend – Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Functional anatomy of the torso & thoracic spine, shoulder, arms, wrists, neck.
How does it work? What goes wrong? What does good movement look like?
How is yoga helpful? How as yoga teachers do we make things worse? Standard injuries.
Arm, shoulder, upper torso as a functional unit.
Putting it all together – functional & helpful movement patterns in standing, inversions, back-bending, rotating, forward bending.
Case studies & scenarios!
Practical, realistic, teaching-centered, hands-on and lots of Q&A.
Fantastic pre-course online learning materials & lectures to prepare you.
Teaching to not injure others and helping with our students’ chronic / acute injuries.
Understanding interplay of appropriate flexibility and normal torso stability.
The actually helpful fancy stuff! Fascia and flexibility; breath and stability; tensegrity not rigidity.
Superbly researched reading list to help you with all aspects of the course.
3 weekends – 2 x 2 days (Saturday & Sunday); 1 x 3 days (Friday, Saturday & Sunday)
January 15th & 16th, Saturday 11:00 – 18:30; Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
February 12th & 13th Saturday 11:00 – 18:30; Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
March 18th, 19th, & 20th, Friday 11:00 – 18:30, Saturday 11:00 – 18:30, Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
In-studio Chester, UK – with easy road and rail access (regular direct 2 hr train from London)
Beautiful location with excellent practice and learning / teaching space.
Or online via Zoom
Training may move online or a mix as covid rules change.
Early Bird
£799 available until 30th November 2021. Full payment on registration or a deposit of £249 and balance of £550 before 30th November 2021.
Full price
£899 Full payment on registration or deposit of £249 and balance of £650 before 10th January 2022.
Payment plan
£899 Deposit of £299 upon registration and 2 further payments of £350 on 1st February 2022 and £250 on 1st March 2022.
Forget the fancy stuff, this is the functional anatomy you really, really need as a yoga teacher.
Understand what we mean by good movement - what is appropriate flexibility, normal stability - and how you can assess them!
Learn what is OK in how we move, and what is not OK.
Understand the common yoga-injury list and how to teach to avoid injuring others.
Learn about the common injuries people have and standard rehab, and how you can help
Plus the actually helpful fancy stuff! How fascia changes our approach to flexibility; breath and stability; tensegrity not rigidity.
Practical, lots of hands-on, lots of Q&A, and lots of fun.
You will be a better teacher!
Aimed at
Yoga teachers
Personal trainers, pilates teachers and other movement teachers. If you are not a yoga teacher you will need to have attended at least 40 hours of yoga classes.
January 15th & 16th 2022 - WHAT IS GOOD FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT?
How do we know what is going wrong? And what can we do about it?
The spine, anatomy of breathing and the stabilising response.
What is appropriate flexibility and how do we know if a muscle is too short / too long?
February 12th & 13th 2022 - THE DETAIL – ANATOMY JOURNEY & PRACTICAL TEACHING.
Functional anatomy of the feet, ankles, lower leg, knees, upper leg, pelvis, lumbar spine
How does it work? What goes wrong? What does good movement look like?
How is yoga helpful? How as yoga teachers do we make things worse?
Standard injuries and how can yoga help.
Leg & lower torso as a functional unit.
March 18th, 19th, & 20th 2022 - THE DETAIL - ANATOMY JOURNEY & PRACTICAL TEACHING.
3-day weekend – Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Functional anatomy of the torso & thoracic spine, shoulder, arms, wrists, neck.
How does it work? What goes wrong? What does good movement look like?
How is yoga helpful? How as yoga teachers do we make things worse? Standard injuries.
Arm, shoulder, upper torso as a functional unit.
Putting it all together – functional & helpful movement patterns in standing, inversions, back-bending, rotating, forward bending.
Case studies & scenarios!
Practical, realistic, teaching-centered, hands-on and lots of Q&A.
Fantastic pre-course online learning materials & lectures to prepare you.
Teaching to not injure others and helping with our students’ chronic / acute injuries.
Understanding interplay of appropriate flexibility and normal torso stability.
The actually helpful fancy stuff! Fascia and flexibility; breath and stability; tensegrity not rigidity.
Superbly researched reading list to help you with all aspects of the course.
3 weekends – 2 x 2 days (Saturday & Sunday); 1 x 3 days (Friday, Saturday & Sunday)
January 15th & 16th, Saturday 11:00 – 18:30; Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
February 12th & 13th Saturday 11:00 – 18:30; Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
March 18th, 19th, & 20th, Friday 11:00 – 18:30, Saturday 11:00 – 18:30, Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
In-studio Chester, UK – with easy road and rail access (regular direct 2 hr train from London)
Beautiful location with excellent practice and learning / teaching space.
Or online via Zoom
Training may move online or a mix as covid rules change.
Early Bird
£799 available until 30th November 2021. Full payment on registration or a deposit of £249 and balance of £550 before 30th November 2021.
Full price
£899 Full payment on registration or deposit of £249 and balance of £650 before 10th January 2022.
Payment plan
£899 Deposit of £299 upon registration and 2 further payments of £350 on 1st February 2022 and £250 on 1st March 2022.
Forget the fancy stuff, this is the functional anatomy you really, really need as a yoga teacher.
Understand what we mean by good movement - what is appropriate flexibility, normal stability - and how you can assess them!
Learn what is OK in how we move, and what is not OK.
Understand the common yoga-injury list and how to teach to avoid injuring others.
Learn about the common injuries people have and standard rehab, and how you can help
Plus the actually helpful fancy stuff! How fascia changes our approach to flexibility; breath and stability; tensegrity not rigidity.
Practical, lots of hands-on, lots of Q&A, and lots of fun.
You will be a better teacher!
Aimed at
Yoga teachers
Personal trainers, pilates teachers and other movement teachers. If you are not a yoga teacher you will need to have attended at least 40 hours of yoga classes.
January 15th & 16th 2022 - WHAT IS GOOD FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT?
How do we know what is going wrong? And what can we do about it?
The spine, anatomy of breathing and the stabilising response.
What is appropriate flexibility and how do we know if a muscle is too short / too long?
February 12th & 13th 2022 - THE DETAIL – ANATOMY JOURNEY & PRACTICAL TEACHING.
Functional anatomy of the feet, ankles, lower leg, knees, upper leg, pelvis, lumbar spine
How does it work? What goes wrong? What does good movement look like?
How is yoga helpful? How as yoga teachers do we make things worse?
Standard injuries and how can yoga help.
Leg & lower torso as a functional unit.
March 18th, 19th, & 20th 2022 - THE DETAIL - ANATOMY JOURNEY & PRACTICAL TEACHING.
3-day weekend – Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Functional anatomy of the torso & thoracic spine, shoulder, arms, wrists, neck.
How does it work? What goes wrong? What does good movement look like?
How is yoga helpful? How as yoga teachers do we make things worse? Standard injuries.
Arm, shoulder, upper torso as a functional unit.
Putting it all together – functional & helpful movement patterns in standing, inversions, back-bending, rotating, forward bending.
Case studies & scenarios!
Practical, realistic, teaching-centered, hands-on and lots of Q&A.
Fantastic pre-course online learning materials & lectures to prepare you.
Teaching to not injure others and helping with our students’ chronic / acute injuries.
Understanding interplay of appropriate flexibility and normal torso stability.
The actually helpful fancy stuff! Fascia and flexibility; breath and stability; tensegrity not rigidity.
Superbly researched reading list to help you with all aspects of the course.
3 weekends – 2 x 2 days (Saturday & Sunday); 1 x 3 days (Friday, Saturday & Sunday)
January 15th & 16th, Saturday 11:00 – 18:30; Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
February 12th & 13th Saturday 11:00 – 18:30; Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
March 18th, 19th, & 20th, Friday 11:00 – 18:30, Saturday 11:00 – 18:30, Sunday 9:30 – 17:30
In-studio Chester, UK – with easy road and rail access (regular direct 2 hr train from London)
Beautiful location with excellent practice and learning / teaching space.
Or online via Zoom
Training may move online or a mix as covid rules change.
Early Bird
£799 available until 30th November 2021. Full payment on registration or a deposit of £249 and balance of £550 before 30th November 2021.
Full price
£899 Full payment on registration or deposit of £249 and balance of £650 before 10th January 2022.
Payment plan
£899 Deposit of £299 upon registration and 2 further payments of £350 on 1st February 2022 and £250 on 1st March 2022.
Welcome to Sports Yoga
Sarah Ramsden helps you move more freely, fluidly and efficiently.
Sarah worked for over 13 years in professional football – including 10+ years at Manchester City and Manchester United Football Clubs with senior, youth and academy teams. She pioneered the use of yoga-inspired routines to improve performance, reduce injury and increase longevity in the game.
Her approach is straightforward, accessible and enjoyable. It will help you go on doing your sport better and for longer. And help you live your life with more ease and less restriction.
If you feel stiff and restricted doing your sport then head to On-Demand Sessions where you can download sport-specific routines.
If you want yoga-inspired training aimed at helping real human bodies, then the try the Live-Streamed or In-Person Classes or from the library of classes in the On-Demand Sessions.
If you are looking to train as Sports Yoga instructor, deepen your knowledge of functional movement, or work with Sarah then check out Training / Workshops.
And there are lots of articles and research papers in Resources.
As a long distance fell runner I was plagued with a range of injuries until we started Sarah’s yoga classes!
Jenny & Tim
Give Sarah’s classes a go, you won’t regret it. If you’re stiff and tight, Sarah’s class will sort you right out!
Holly
I always leave Sarah’s classes feeling strong, stretched and relaxed.
Anoushka
Sarah’s relaxed but professional approach suits me well and I felt challenged enough to know it wasn’t easy, guided enough to know what I was doing wrong (and right sometimes!), and felt the physical and mental benefits it was having on my body within just a few sessions. That was over 6 years ago and I have regularly attended and continue to feel those benefits since then.
Steve
Sarah's teaching is spot on, both in the studio and online. A great way to repair day to day damage
Paul
Sarah’s classes are fantastic, she is a great teacher with amazing knowledge.
Frances
Sarah’s classes have been great to help me to stay flexible and strong, so when I go paddle boarding and running, I find I can do more without risking muscle and ligament strains. Her routines are easy to follow but plenty in them to be challenging too.
Angela
Sarah’s classes invigorate, exhaust, exhilarate and relax and I always feel better afterwards; in Sarah’s words ‘a little bit more wonderful’!
Sarah
Sarah is a fantastic yoga teacher, extremely knowledgeable and informative as well as supportive and encouraging.
Anna
Sarah’s classes kept me going during the year of the covid. Sarah is straightforward, clear and practical and delivers her classes with a delicious flow between serious and light-heart. Just take her instructions for ‘left’ and ‘right’ with a pinch of salt!
Sarah
I have been attending Sarah’s classes for a good few years now and really enjoy her style of teaching. Sarah is always warm and welcoming and her sessions can be challenging yet really invigorating. You know you are in safe hands with Sarah’s depth of knowledge, experience and hands on approach.
Anoushka
As an ex-competitive fencer Sarah’s teaching really resonates with me, and I think that her classes would appeal to any competitive athlete. Her approach presents yoga in a way that's very intelligible to anybody who is trying to balance the demands of training against the need to stay healthy.
Michael
I’m fairly active / sporty person with a busy and somewhat stressful work life. Sarah is a great teacher, and her style (focusing primarily on the physical aspects of yoga) suits me very well.
Steve
Sarah’s online classes have really helped me to learn what my muscles can and need to do and have helped with my dancing to stay injury free! I always come away feeling completely relaxed too which is wonderful! I would highly recommend.
Anna
This is functional yoga at its very best, moving your body in all the right ways and finding all those little sweet spots to keep you both strong and supple.
Holly
Sarah’s class has really helped me over the years with my sport and also reduced my back issues, as well as providing an oasis of calm which keeps me sane through the normal ups and downs of life. And on top of that she is a lovely person who just makes me smile!
Jenny & Tim
I honestly think Sarah has forgotten more than I know! She delivers clear, concise and exceptionally high-quality training which is based on her considerable experience and knowledge. Her no-nonsense, functional approach to yoga is so motivating in terms of making me want to be a better teacher.
Jenny
I run, hike and cycle and I find Sarah's functional yoga classes perfectly complement my cardio-vascular activities, providing the perfect mind-body "work-out", keeping me both strong and flexible, and able to meet the physical and mental challenges of both my sport and everyday life now that I am in my sixties.
Julia
As a yoga teacher myself, I’m already quite flexible, but what Sarah has taught me is how to find the right mix of both strength and flexibility in my practice and I feel all the better for it.
Holly
The online classes have definitely prevented my body seizing up after spending hours working from home during the lockdowns!
Sue
Whilst Sarah continues to teach, I will continue to attend and I would recommend her classes to anyone regardless of your yoga experience.
Steve
Sarah has a way of making everyone feel included with her engaging teaching style - which has translated exceptionally well into online classes. If anything, I have found that over the past year my practice is further deepening and strengthening as I practice with Sarah online.
Julia
I’ve been attending Sarah’s classes both in person and online for over two years. Although not a serious sports person I like to keep active by running, cycling and a mix of cardio and weight-based classes and I find Sarah’s class complements these and keeps my body flexible, strong and well aligned, all great benefits as my body gets older and slightly more arthritic!
Sue
I started attending Sarah’s class when l was aged 70 , am now 84 , haven’t been on Zoom classes but perform some of Sarah’s routines at home . These routines have helped me overcome osteoarthritis pains and carry on with my hobbies of walking and fly-fishing. A big bonus is the pleasant people l have met while attending.
Geoff
Haiku: WHAT DOES SARAH’S SPORTS YOGA DO FOR ME?
Total Body Schlump.
Sarah says, arch up, roll back
Zero Body Schlump.
Sarah
Sarah’s classes would appeal any competitive athlete! She’s not afraid to explain the anatomy behind any of the moves or actions when relevant and her straightforward style of presentation means that it's not necessary to buy into the typical yoga ambience in order to benefit from your classes.
Michael
Although Sarah's classes are called "Sports Yoga", as a very non-sporty person, I find her approach to be very friendly and non-intimidating, and it is testimony to Sarah that I have been going to her classes for years! She hits the right balance between seriousness and humour, and between aspiring to the ideal and recognising the limitations of human biology. Whether you spend most of your time sitting in front of a laptop or in a rowing boat, Sarah's yoga classes are about helping the body deal with the demands of everyday life.
Sheila
I've been attending Sarah's yoga classes for over 15 years - both in person and more recently online. Both experiences are equally enjoyable, with Sarah's friendly classes and, at times, rigorous sequences, underpinned by a knowledge of anatomy and physiology which is second to none.
Julia
Sarah lets you work to your own abilities and there is no pressure to force your body into poses that it is not capable of, she has a very keen eye and even in a large class can spot and correct errors in my posture within a pose, whilst making allowance for what I can physically achieve. Classed are presented in a clear way with lots of useful information given about body mechanics.
Sue
I really enjoy attending classes with Sarah! I am a Yoga Teacher myself, and find her style of teaching to be sensible, logical and practical, which really appeals to me. Everything that she says just makes sense.
Victoria
Sarah’s classes were an essential, enjoyable and relaxing part of my preparation for the Pen Llyn Ultra 50.
John
Sarah is very knowledgeable, her style is relaxed, well instructed and always informative to the benefits of yoga as a beginner or intermediate.
Karen
I really enjoy attending classes with Sarah! I am a Yoga Teacher myself, and find her style of teaching to be sensible, logical and practical, which really appeals to me. Everything that she says just makes sense.
It has enhanced my understanding of the Yoga Asanas and given me the confidence to teach from a different, more informed, perspective.























