Hawke’s Bay Alma Studio yoga teacher says online fitness programs are setting people up for failure

A Hawke’s Bay yoga teacher says promises to get six-pack abs in 28 days or learn to do a handstand in three weeks through online fitness programs are setting people up for failure.

Daniel Harper, founder of Alma Studio in Havelock North, said it was worrying to see programs over-promising what they could achieve.

“These goals are so unattainable that participants feel like they’ve failed when there was no chance of success in the first place,” Daniel says.

Originally from Los Angeles, Danielle moved to New Zealand six years ago with her Kiwi husband.

Two years ago they moved to Havelock North and bought a house. “I said to her husband, ‘Where’s the studio?'” There was nothing, so that was the beginning of Alma Studio.

“My goal was to create a space that felt like an ashram. In addition to two beautiful studio rooms, a Pilates reformer studio and a yoga studio, I wanted to create a space where I could sit, drink organic tea, and talk with like-minded people. There’s also a space where you can read books, pick up a book and spend some time to yourself. It’s called the chill room.”

Spanish is LA’s second language, and Alma means soul in Spanish and nourishment in Latin.

“When I was looking for a name, it was really difficult.”

Daniel was an active young man who tried his hand at dancing, ballet, and cheerleading.

At just 10 years old, she was diagnosed with scoliosis, a curvature of the spine.

“As a teenager, I lived with a lot of pain trying to find a solution.

“I finally discovered yoga. I fell in love with it and have dedicated my life to it. It’s not just movement, it’s meditation, breathing. It grew into a passion and now I don’t have any pain. Ta.

“Yoga and Pilates can help with all kinds of aches and pains because they strengthen your core. You can get up off the floor without using both hands and feet.

“On a deeper level, it helps you feel calm and calm. You begin to feel one with the universe, become more compassionate, and able to deal with any negativity.”

She says the feedback from the community has been great. She says, “I’ve had people say to me, “Alma changed my life” and “I love the fun classes.”

“People-centered companies need the right people,” says Daniel, who has more than 20 years of experience teaching yoga.

“I’m concerned that people aren’t receiving quality feedback on posture, alignment, form, and technique, all of which are very important feedback when learning new skills.

“Interestingly, people never think to learn how to play the piano by watching YouTube videos or online courses, they think it’s possible to learn a whole new skill without a teacher in the classroom. .

“The risk of falling into compensatory patterns caused by old injuries or bias to one side of the body is real, and simply learning from a screen instead of in front of an instructor will not be as effective as it could be. Although it’s worth the money, it can actually cause a lot of damage to your body and make it difficult to learn Pilates or yoga properly in the future.

“I believe in being in the classroom with the teacher, so there is no online part of the business.

“We have a great team of teachers. We don’t have contracts. We want customers to come here because they don’t want to come because they have a direct debit.”

She loves living in Hawke’s Bay.

“I love the slower pace of life. It’s more natural and there are a lot of health benefits you can get from it. People also look out for each other in the community. I miss seeing my family and friends in LA. But I love living in New Zealand’s Fruit Bowl. I love the scenery and the small population. I don’t have to go around the block to find a park. It takes 30 minutes to drive four blocks.”

Alma Studio offers a variety of classes including hot yoga, non-heated classes, and Pilates.

For more information, visit almastudio.co.nz.