About Zohar.Yoga.Flex
Zohar.Yoga.Flex was created by Zohar, a certified yoga teacher, flexibility coach for adults and a contortionist with a decade of experience. She lives between Switzerland, Spain and Portland OR, where she organises group classes, workshops and gives private coaching. Based on her vast experience in event management in the corporate world, she also organises workshops with her contortion coaches and active retreats lead by her.
Zohar's aim through ZYF is to empower people through movement, helping them to gain self-confidence and realise about their full potential. Nothing is impossible with dedication, consistency and someone guiding you in your flexibility and fitness journey. For this reason, ZYF provides a wide range of online and on demand classes for adults, who would like to increase their flexibility and mobility, but they do not know how to start and have difficulties to stay consistent. At the same time, athletes and dancers can benefit from more advance routines or explore the art of Contortion through the on demand library or 1-1 coaching. The teaching approach and techniques will not only increase safely your range of motion, but will also build your endurance and overall fitness level.
A BIT ABOUT ME...
My background is not in dancing, rhythmic gymnastics or any artistic sports. I used to be a swimmer, competing between ages 8 to 14. Afterwards, I spent +10 years mostly running and swimming. I did however started practicing Pranayama and Hatha Yoga at age 19, while I was studying technical product design at a Basque university. In 2011, during my exchange semester in Poland, I explored the Iyengar methodology. Through the Iyengar Yoga, I was lucky to learn the correct alignment of the asanas and how to use props during the yoga practice. However, when I moved to the UK for studies, I stopped practicing any type of yoga.. Once in Switzerland, years later, I found a Power Yoga class that was based on Ashtanga. And here is where my curiosity towards flexibility started. I remember that class, when the teacher asked us to enter in Hanumanasana, and I realised that most adults could not get as deep as I was getting. Until that moment, I honestly thought all adults were flexible.
Being since kid a very creative person, I started seeing flexible bodies as a way to create art, which it led me to start training contortion. Since in Switzerland there were no contortion coaches, in 2018 I traveled to the West Coast to attend my first Mongolian Contortion class. It is then when I first worked with world-renown coaches Serchmaa Byamba and Undarmaa Gold. After that trip, I worked with different coaches online and in person, like Iona The Contortionist, Micah Walters and Olga Karmansky.
My current flexibility level has not come naturally though, but it is the result of consistent hard work and passion. I do have hypermobile shoulders and natural flexibility in certain parts of the body - but they had to be unlocked and also stabilised. But foremost, I am very proud of my backbend flexibility, since my spine does not naturally like to bend backwards. However, an unfortunate event in summer 2021 led me to an injury in the spine that reduced my back mobility to almost zero. After 6 months of recovery process, I restarted with flexibility training, and a year later with contortion. It was hard to see that all the work I did throughout the first years was gone. However, thanks to all what I have learnt from my coaches and students, I could progress and slowly gain back part of the flexibility I lost.
For me, stepping into flexibility training and contortion has been the best choice of my life. Until then I used to have lot of muscular pain. Now, at age +30, I live in a body that is younger than when I was 20: flexible, strong and agile. This is why I can't recommend enough to everyone to work in their flexibility!
In 2022 I started performing in theatre plays and cabaret venues as actress, dancer and contortionist. If you want to learn more about my art, check out Zohar The Nootzel :)
Education
February 2017 - Pole Stretch Instructor training by Loft1
July 2019 - Ashtanga Vinyasa 200hr YTT by All Yoga Training
September 2020 - Positive Psychiatry and Mental Health by University of Sydney
November 2020 - Advanced Stretching Technique Instructor training by Bendy Kate
November 2021 - 101 Handstands Program 30hr YTT by Seline Movement
Becoming more flexible as an adult is not impossible, and our current skills are a proof of it! If we can do it, you can also get your flexibility goals!
These classes are taught via Zoom in Spanish and cover full body flexibility from active to passive techniques, to arm- and hand balancing for beginners. Basic understanding of Spanish is mandatory to join these classes.
Wednesdays 19:30 - 20:45 (CET timezone)
Online on-to-one coaching to help you achieve your fitness and flexibility goals. Privates can be used in two ways:
1) To assess current flexibility and build a targeted stretching or flexibility program
2) To stay consistent with your training under the supervision of an experienced coach.
Possibility to do in-person privates in Zürich, Bilbao or Portland (OR).
Starting at 85CHF/85EUR the hour. (Discounted packages are available)
Through the Monthly Membership and Monthly Membership (+) plans you gain unlimited access to class recordings that focus on flexibility and strength for splits, back, shoulders, and folds from open level to beginning contortion. The (+) plan includes free access to join live all Wednesday classes, and having unlimited access to the recording of these classes. However, understanding Spanish is required to benefit from this plan.
Membership starts at 39CHF per month.
