These lessons offer a little more pace, strength or technique. Again they are taught mindfully, asking students to pay attention to how they experience a posture (everyone has a different body – so why should a pose look the same?). Poses are often sequenced (linking postures that fit well together) so the body can fluidly drift between poses, allowing us to begin to meditate and go inwards, whilst ensuring are in control of their movements and practicing comfortably. In these lessons we might practice arm balances, or headstands and there will always be alternative poses to practice, should you think a pose is not for you on that day. There is never any pressure to do something that you do not want to do. A key aim of Zoe’s ethos is to encourage individual students to gain a deep understanding and awareness of their own body’s ability and then to encourage practice with attentive curiosity. So that practice becomes your own, and you grow to be your own teacher.
Last updated Jan. 7, 2022, 8:33 a.m. UTC
Zoe Marciniak (Yoga Alliance UK, Associate Level 2 RYT 200h and GSY-P1 and P2) started practicing yoga in 1999 and became a hatha yoga teacher in 2013 and Gentle Somatic Yoga Foundation level in 2017 and Practitioner Level 1 in October 2018 and continued her education to gain L2 (Sheffield’s first teacher to run dedicated somatic yoga classes).
She is an eternal student and blends her understanding of hatha yoga, anatomy, functional movement, fascia, form and how it affects movement and Somatic Education in to her lessons – the result of which are varied yoga lessons with an inquisitive approach to poses and a yoga practice where freedom of movement comes with much less effort – using the body’s natural ability.
She brings her experience, humour and warmth to every class. She prior to lockdown was teaching busy in person classes of her own around Sheffield in Bents Green, Ecclesall, Millhouses and Nether Edge, as well as at Nuffield Health and Graves Health and Leisure. She has taught at the University of Sheffield, Virgin Active and offered courses at Silverdale School as part of courses to develop lifelong skills for students. She has developed classes for Sheffield Wednesday football club and Rotherham United football club. Privately, she has taught a Team GB athlete and has provided one to one tuition to a premiership football player and a Premier League football manager.
Before she became a yoga and Somatics teacher, Zoe was an accountant for more than 10 years. After the birth of her son in 2009, she decided she needed a life change, so gave it all up to become a yoga teacher. She studied with Bahia Yoga, and also attended trainings in Sri Lanka, India, Japan, Australia and the US.
A life-long student, Zoe is constantly updating her skills by attending workshops and has the following qualifications:
Yoga Alliance YT200h
Gentle Somatic Yoga P1 and P2
Vasistha method of pranayama
Tiffany Cruikshank of Yoga Medicine – Yoga Anatomy
She is a student of Feldenkrais for Yoga. She has a strong understanding of how a body should move and blends her influences and learning into her teachings, which can make classes fun, interesting and varied.
Zoe regularly run 10Ks, triathlons (sprint and standard) and marathons, having completed the Paris marathon twice as well as the Nice and Berlin Marathons. Zoe also is qualified to scuba dive and likes to climb. Practicing yoga is a good companion to all of these activities, both in terms of mindset, performance, recovery post training and event, knowing what is right for the body and reduction of injury.
