11th – 17th October 2024
Marque Garaux, a US Marine Veteran, long time rock climber and overall outdoor enthusiast, discovered Ashtanga Yoga while seeking different ways to alleviate his lower back pain. After noticing an almost immediate physical change, Marque then slowly began to see other positive changes happening in his life as well. With no Ashtanga teachers in the area, he found himself with no choice but to get up early and go through it at home each day. During this time Marque also attended a 200 hour teacher training and several Ashtanga workshops and intensives to deepen his understanding of this beautiful system.
In the fall of 2014 Marque decided to follow in the footsteps of the teachers that he most respected and applied for study at the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute (KPJAYI). Marque was accepted and spent the first 2 months of 2015 in Mysore, India learning under the guidance of R. Sharath Jois. Since that first trip, Marque has practiced with Sharath multiple times and is committed to keeping this teacher/student relationship alive and strong. Marque received the blessing as an Authorized Level 2 teacher from Sharath on December 12th, 2017 during his morning practice.
Marque is the owner of Great Lakes Ashtanga Yoga which is located on eight wooded acres in Geneva, Ohio. He spends about 6 months there per year offering a full Mysore program, private lessons and workshops. The other half of the year is dedicated to his travels where he reconnects with his students around Europe and with his teacher in India.
Over the weekend we will anatomically break down forward folds and backbends, hip opening, twists, and of course the lift up and jump back. This weekend is perfect for all Ashtanga students and even practitioners of other vinyasa based practices. Notebooks or phones for recording are encouraged.
Friday evening:
5.30-7.30pm Lift Up
The key to effortless looking strength is to understand the foundational rules of gravity and balance. A lifetime of climbing has taught Marque that gravity is always at work on our physical bodies. It never rests. In order to create the illusion of weightlessness, we must work harder and smarter. During this 2 hour workshop Marque will explain how to target specific muscle groups that are key to building a solid foundation that we can balance on and move through space.
Saturday:
7.30-9.30am Led Primary
10.30am-12.30pm The Spine: a user’s guide to flexion and extension
The way you move today, greatly affects the way you will move tomorrow. The average individual on any given day will move their spine into flexion far more than they will move it into extension. Our daily activities and gravity are moving us forward at such a highly repetitive rate that the soft tissues connected to the spine will inevitably weaken over time, at some point the spine will lose it’s natural S curve, and we will be left with a chronic pain that makes us want to move less and less. This is all avoidable if you learn to balance your flexion and extension on your mat and carry that into your daily life.
2-4pm The Hips: unlocking leg behind the head postures
In this workshop will take a deep look at the hips and spine and the proper alignment and engagement required to do these postures safely. Everyone will learn techniques to self-assist regardless of their current level of mobility and we will also have a chance to learn and practice how to safely assist others. The workshop will also include my 15 minute, nightly hip sequence and students will receive a video link to continue this sequence as they navigate the journey to unlock their hips.
Sunday:
7.30-9.30am Morning Mysore
10.30am-12.30pm Simplifying the Twists
When talking to other yogis we rarely come across the students who say that twisting postures are among their favorites and because of this these postures are not given their fair share of time in the spotlight. This workshop intends to make twists simple and fun while emphasizing their importance for the health of the thoracic spine.
Monday – Thursday:
6-9am Morning Mysore