Ad Astra Yoga & Pilates

Ad Astra Yoga & Pilates Fitness expert specialising in:

⭐️Vinyasa Yoga
⭐️Pilates Seniors
⭐️Pilates Strong
⭐️ Yin & Nidra I teach my favourite 3 classes - Pump, Mat Pilates and Yoga.

Founder, Jayne Attwood holds many qualifications, including;

✔ Level 2 Exercise to Music
✔ Indoor Cycling Advanced Instructor
✔ Pump FX
✔ Boxercise & Kickboxercise Instructor
✔ Level 3 Mat Pilates Diploma
✔ Level 3 Yoga Diploma + Advanced Vinyasa, Yoga Nidra & Level 1 Yin Yoga
✔ Pilates for Orthopaedic Conditions Diploma
✔ F L E X Instructor
✔ EMD-UK Ready Mark for covid-19 compliant classes

"So

let me say hello and tell you a little about me. Having been into sport (swimming, running & triathlon in particular) all my life, I decided to start turning an interest into a career in 2010. I have taught exercise in various forms around West Oxfordshire as my full time career for 10 years, gaining qualifications, teaching experience, and having lots of laughs. I’ve participated in Yoga for 25 years, but once I completed my Yoga Teacher training, I just knew that this was where it would be at for me. In my world of crazy teens & hubby working away from home, sharing my love for Pump, Yoga & Pilates is a MUST to keep me mentally and physically sane. I’ve had a great experience taking my classes online during the COVID-19 lockdown and it has been a blessing to be able to start COVID risk-managed face to face classes again more recently though. Physical Goal: Half Ironman

Teaching Passion: Yoga – I love it so much because it can be so many different things – slow, fast, sweaty, calm, strong, stretchy, mindful….. Everyone needs some yoga in their life – and just to dispel a myth – you do NOT need to be flexible to do Yoga! Favourite Ways to Keep Fit: Yoga (obviously), Pump, walking & 5-10km runs (well, jogging really). I use guided meditation from the Calm app to keep my brain fit too. Top Nutrition Tip: Keep a track of your carbohydrate intake! The NHS recommends around 260g of carbs/day. If you’re trying to lose weight, or are peri-menopausal, I’d recommend below 120g/day, with your biggest carb source being vegetables, then fruit, then starchy carbs (brown/wild rice, quinoa, baked potatoes, oats)."

I'd recommend PJs and socks rather than that outfit, mind...
22/08/2025

I'd recommend PJs and socks rather than that outfit, mind...

𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐠𝐚 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬Yoga blocks don’t come in all shapes and sizes, but they do come with a multitude of u...
21/08/2025

𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐠𝐚 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬

Yoga blocks don’t come in all shapes and sizes, but they do come with a multitude of uses. If you’re tired of packing them in your bag and never getting much use out of them, these eight ideas should see you getting them out more often…

𝗦𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝘆

First and foremost, yoga should be comfortable with a degree of challenge, but sitting comfortably isn’t always as easy as it sounds.
If you find your hips, knees, lower back or ankles are uncomfortable when sitting cross legged, try slipping a single yoga block under your tail bone or knees, just to give you a little more height or support. You’ll find you can sit more comfortably for longer and can concentrate better on your breathing practise.

𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲

Some people’s bodies just won’t stay upright no matter how hard you squeeze your core and glutes! Make balance easier by having a yoga block to hand. We’re in Half Moon Pose in this photo, which I find imperative to have a block for to achieve a stable result, which ultimately makes the pose far more beneficial.
Or if you want some fun, you could challenge yourself and try your balancing poses while standing on a block!

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵

If you’re one of those rare beings that is wonderfully stretchy and wants to increase the effort, try adding a yoga block to your favourite stretches to just give you a bit more range. Be careful though, if you are hypermobile, and build up slowly…
You could pop one under a foot in ‘runner’s’ hamstring stretch, low lunge or under the hands in Child’s Pose.

𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁

Yoga blocks are great at giving you a boost! You can place them under the feet to help with headstand, you can pop a slim block under your tail bone to help you roll up in Pilates and you can use two on top of each other to help you maintain good form when holding certain poses.

𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺

I’m thinking specifically about Bridge here… Your knees need to remain the same distance apart as your feet, and when you’re moving up and down in Bridge your knees can very easily drift apart. Holding a yoga block between them solves that problem, but beware – it can create a whole other problem if you’re doing a Single Leg Bridge!

𝗠𝘆𝗼𝗳𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲

This time giving the trigger point balls a boost, you can get better contact and increase the pressure to ease sore muscles. Granted, you can’t roll about on the balls, as they’ll just fall off the block, but once you’ve found a pinchy bit, you can set up a combo like in the picture and let the balls do their job…
Fish Pose is another gentle form of myofascial release which can be increased by turning the block on it’s long edge

𝗟𝗲𝗴𝘀 𝘂𝗽

One of the best restorative poses in yoga, and one that I would even recommend everyone does every day is legs up the wall - or at least wave them around in the air above the heart. If you don’t have a suitable wall to hand, popping a block under the hips helps you relax and rest in this pose and gets the feet even higher.

𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗮

Ah yes, Savasana – the time your body processes everything you’ve asked it to do, and when you take a moment to consolidate your thoughts around the ‘intention’ you set for the practise.
Sometimes your lower back might feel uncomfortable when lying flat on the mat after a yoga class, so you can lift your knees slightly with a yoga block to take the pressure off. You can pop the block under your head or shoulder blades to give your neck or upper back and chest a gentle stretch, and you could lift your feet if you like.

𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝗴𝗮 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀

My yoga and Pilates classes are suitable for all abilities and ages, so please don’t be shy about experimenting with yoga blocks to support your practise.

I always have a few to hand, but if you have brought some along, get them out and start experimenting – there’s no rush, and you might give others some good ideas too.

Jayne 😊

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📍 Carterton Community Centre
🆓 DM for your first class free, or book now
📅 https://www.adastrayoga.org/portal/

Don't forget your blocks and mat!

Love this 🥰🙏
19/08/2025

Love this 🥰🙏

Sorry - but this is so funny 😆
15/08/2025

Sorry - but this is so funny 😆

When wall sits aren't challenging enough - add bands 😆Well, they wanted a new challenge this term and actually it's goin...
13/08/2025

When wall sits aren't challenging enough - add bands 😆

Well, they wanted a new challenge this term and actually it's going very well - everyone opted for a b***y band and most used a resistance band when moving their arms too 💪

Mat Pilates classes are designed so you can set your own level of effort, and all are welcome...

🧘 Pilates Flex
⌚ 7pm Wednesdays
📍 Carterton Community Centre
🆓 DM for your first class free, or book now
📅 https://www.adastrayoga.org/portal/

While classes have been postponed, it's so heartening to see some of my members getting together for a long walk instead...
12/08/2025

While classes have been postponed, it's so heartening to see some of my members getting together for a long walk instead.

I'm so grateful for this lovely community 🙏

ALL CLASSES ON AS NORMAL THIS WEEK - HURRAH!J x
10/08/2025

ALL CLASSES ON AS NORMAL THIS WEEK - HURRAH!

J x

It really is!
08/08/2025

It really is!

🤔 Wait! Who's that teaching Pilates?!Amanda came back to cover, and did not disappoint - they thought we were in for a g...
06/08/2025

🤔 Wait! Who's that teaching Pilates?!

Amanda came back to cover, and did not disappoint - they thought we were in for a gentle class, but oh boy, they were wrong!

This is Fallen Triangle, but there are no photos of Couch Stretch as there were too many grimaces 😂

Lovely to have you with us again, Amanda, and thank you for looking after everyone 🙏

🧘 Pilates Flex
⌚ 7pm Wednesdays
🧘 Pilates for All
⌚ 10am Tuesdays
📍 Carterton Community Centre
🆓 DM for your first class free, or book now
📅 https://www.adastrayoga.org/portal/

05/08/2025

This was an epic flow in yoga last week! Incorporating all the twist and balances of the term so far 🙌

Well done everyone!

So sorry everyone, classes are cancelled until further notice. I’ll keep you posted though, and be in touch if anyone re...
03/08/2025

So sorry everyone, classes are cancelled until further notice. I’ll keep you posted though, and be in touch if anyone requires a refund. All block bookings will of course be honoured …

Wonder if this was commissioned by WD40?!
01/08/2025

Wonder if this was commissioned by WD40?!

Address

Marigold Square
Carterton
OX181AX

Opening Hours

Monday 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Tuesday 9:45am - 11:30am
Thursday 9:45am - 10:45am
7pm - 10:45am

Telephone

+447968344681

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