Activate + release

Hips, legs, feet

An online course containing 4 modules that you can work through in your own time and revisit as often as you like.

Cost: £19

Purchase course now

Our ways of moving – and also not moving – often mean hips are tight, knees strained and feet neglected. This can be a result of poor movement patterns, overuse, or stress.

Tight hips can have a variety of reasons including tightness in the quadriceps, inner thighs, hamstrings, lateral rotators, and iliopsoas. When the front body is tight, this is challenging for the back body, and lower back pain often stems from tight hip flexors and buttock muscles. Similarly, knee issues can often be triggered by what happens further up or down in the kinetic chain (hips or ankles / feet).

Over the course of 4 sessions we will work with fundamental alignment principles, isometric exercises, and functional movement patterns. This will be supplemented by a range of maybe more familiar yoga related movements and postures.

We’ll look at strengthening and stabilising the lower body, including hips, knees and ankles, as well as actively creating more mobility and passively releasing tension.

Each of the 4 modules of this course builds on the last. You can explore each module for a few days before moving on to the next, or you can move back and forth between modules at your own self-guided pace.

Key elements of the course

Active strengthening of the muscles around the hip joint

Active strengthening to create stability around the knee

Active strengthening of the muscles around the ankle

Exercises to increase mobility and range of movement in the hips

Passive stretches to release tension in the hips

Foot therapy

Module 1 — 50mins

Hip stability and types of movement at the hip joint

The kinetic chain of the legs.
6 plains of movement at the hips.
Stabilising and strengthening muscles around hips and knees in standing poses.
Supine knee stability exercises.
Glute stretches and deep hip release.

Module 2 — 60mins

Ankle stability and types of movement for the foot and ankle

Types of movement of the foot and ankle
Foot therapy.
Postural awareness and gait.
Standing on our feet – challenging balance.
Hip, knee, calf and ankle stability and mobility.
Glute and piriformis activation and strengthening in different orientations in space.
Hip flexor and glute release.

Here are some voices from previous course participants:

Isabell’s courses are an amazing supplement to my yoga practice.The exercises and movements focus on specific target areas of the body, offering unique and insightful ways to strengthen and stabilise them. As always with Isabell's classes fun and challenging. Clear instructions, wealth of knowledge, lots to learn.

Activate + release - hips, legs, feet - course participant

I have done many online yoga videos targeting the neck and shoulders but this is of a different level - Isabell has clearly studied the topic in depth and offers something way more knowledgeable and effective.

Activate + release, neck, shoulders back - course participant

The course introduced me to new postures and practices that encouraged me to connect with my body in different and unexpected ways. I feel that my yoga vocabulary has increased, and I have new tools to include in my personal yoga practice that will help me to develop further strength, flexibility and awareness in my lower body.

Activate + release - hips, legs, feet - course participant

The neck, shoulders & back course provided me with very useful insight into techniques that I could do myself to keep those muscles strengthened rather than the usual passive (& sometimes dangerous) stretches that I would have otherwise done. Isabell’s presence as the teacher added fun and joy to the course, which I have thoroughly enjoyed and am grateful for.

Activate + release, neck, shoulders back - course participant

Isabell is a knowledgeable and inspirational teacher. Her courses are second to none and I always feel like I’ve learned so much, without being overloaded.

Activate + release, neck, shoulders back - course participant

Module 3 — 60mins

Knee stability, glute activation and more work with hips and feet

An exploration of the anatomy of the feet.
Ankle stretch and stability.
Activation of glutes and inner thighs in different orientations in space.
Piriformis release.
Hip and knee stability.
More balancing to strenghten the muscles along the whole kinetic chain of the legs.
Hip flexor and glute release.

Module 4 — 60mins

Stabilising the whole lower body and opening the hips

Expanding on themes from previous modules with different exercises, drills and explorations.

We focus particularly on stability through the whole lower body through sliding feet (and knees) along the floor.

What you will get

Around 4 hours of recorded material in 4 videos

Longterm access to course recordings

– Individual support via email

This course is for you if you’re

Interested in strengthening, mobilising and releasing hips, legs (including the knees), and feet.

Have mild to moderate postural discomfort or tension in these areas.

Looking to improve your overall posture and mobility.

Someone with a sedentary lifestyle.

Please read this additional information before purchasing the course

I’m delighted if you can benefit from these practices. And I also acknowledge that different things work for different people.

The course is suitable for you if you’re generally healthy, without acute injuries, able to move around and get to the floor easily (and get back up) and not frail.

Please keep yourself safe and always work within a pain-free range! 

You have the privilege and the responsibility to look after your own health and wellbeing. Rest whenever you need to. 

If you are at all unsure whether these practices are suitable for you, please speak to a health care professional before signing up to the course. By participating in these sessions you agree that you do so at your own risk, and assume all risk of injury to yourself. You agree to release me of any claims or causes of action known or unknown arising out of these sessions.

Always take care of yourself.

Cost: £19

 

Including unlimited course access, around 4 hours of video  material, and email support for questions – just get in touch with me.

Purchase course now

Different things work for different people. If you have any concerns, please speak to a health care professional before signing up to the course.

My practice and teaching

I started my teaching journey in 2009 and now teach yoga, meditation and related modalities privately and at studios around London at a senior level. I also train new teachers. My teaching is inclusive, accessible, and infused with warmth, care and humour.

I’m interested in movement and pain science and how insights from contemporary science can inform postural practice. Alongside teaching weekly yoga classes, I develop courses and workshops to develop the physical tools to move through the ageing process in the most comfortable and pain free way.

In my private sessions I create bespoke sequences tailored to my clients’ needs, whether exploring some challenging asanas, guiding restorative sessions, practising mindfulness or working with injury or illness. 

I also give talks on wellbeing, managing stress, building resilience, and offer regular mindfulness and meditation courses.

Every year I lead several retreats in the UK and abroad.