Hi everyone,
My name is Tal Saporta. I've been practicing yoga since I was 18, and surf since i was 15. These two worlds of yoga and surfing have guided me through life, and I’m grateful for the connection with the body through the practice of yoga and the connection to the sea through surfing.
I’ve been teaching yoga for 12 years and I get to see how much the yoga practice adds value to people’s lives and improves them, at any age, and at any level.
I study and teach Iyengar yoga and am so happy to be part of this path and methos, which carries so much wisdom and is so right for the body.
I’m grateful for the path and for the teachers who teach me about myself, and guide me on how to teach others in the most professional way.
Q: How did the pregnancy change the way you practice? What adjustments have you made to your practice?
A: The pregnancy changed my practice completely. The focus on change from what was right for me, to what’s right for me for my fetus and my body which is changing constantly.
The adjustments were mainly to support the new and rapidly changing sensations, which can vary from moment to moment and from women to women. Like with the fatigue in the beginning, so you practice more resting positions in the beginning of the pregnancy, not so many jumps and dynamic positions. Mostly letting the body relax and get used to the rapid changes. At the second trimester of the pregnancy, when there’s more energy, you can come back to more dynamic practices, with standing positions, to prepare the body and strengthen it for labor, and to support a growing belly.
You learn a lot from practicing in pregnancy. It taught me that there’s a lot to learn in every situation. I usually tend to be very dynamic and to challenge myself, and this time I learned a little how to let go, and to practice more gently and quietly. The practice changes with the pregnancy and I’m sure it will change throughout my life.
Q: Do you have any tips or suggestions for exercises for pregnant women?
A: I always recommend to find a teacher that can direct us through the practice, whether you’re pregnant or not. I practice and teach Iyengar yoga, and really recommend this method, especially for pregnant women. I find the wisdom this practice has to offer to pregnant women is genius, it helps me in so many areas in life and especially in pregnancy. The support pregnant women get with the different props is brilliant, and is so right for this stage when the body changes a lot. You don’t have to have special props, you can always use things you find at home.
Q: How did Ripple’s clothing support you at this stage?
A: Ripple’s clothes were always my favorite. In pregnancy, the fabric waistband doesn’t put pressure on the stomach, together with the awesome ripple pants that I practice with and wear everywhere. The fabric supports and allows the tummy to grow in it, and it’s so soft, especially when the skin of your stomach starts becoming sensitive and itchy.
Q: As someone that movement is an inseparable part of her life, how are you coping with the changes and the different physical abilities?
A: I think that because I practice daily for years, these changes are not felt as something odd, they are a part of life. I learned how to adjust the practice always to the state that I’m at in the present moment, and it felt very natural in the pregnancy. I’m grateful for the practice that’s always there for me despite the physical changes.
