Hi I’m Abdul! I’m a motorbike Postie, a runner, and a hiker, and have been a Hike Leader for a few years for The Hike Collective. I’m super passionate about being outdoors, exploring and being active outdoors is my hobby, it’s what I enjoy the most especially near water. I’ve always lived in the foothills too so I don’t mind a climb, and I always want to explore every peak! I also believe in reducing the stigma around mental health, it’s a place where I feel I can really make a difference, no matter how small.

That’s actually how I found Vital Beat; I went to one of your outdoor yoga classes for charity.

I practice yoga because I’m a runner, it’s a complimentary training. Some people run to train for events but I run because I feel like it and always maintain a level of training where I could, in theory, enter anything.
 

I once injured my knee and my physio said I should keep running to move the fluid, but I find that the stretches of yoga increase my range of motion too and it’s always so freeing for the knee afterwards, especially when I do Yin Yoga. However I do prefer the vinyasa style because I’m such an active personality type.

Yoga is a really good way to complement a training style, it’s a cross training for me - to improve my flexibility and strength to round out my hiking and running. Breathing is also really important and the breathing you learn in vinyasa yoga - regulating the nervous system while moving - is a controlled breathing while in exertion and learning not to go into panic/fight/flight mode. I use that breathing skill in running, and if I hear people doing a shallow breath when hiking or running, I would suggest people try yoga to learn to breath properly into their diaphragm.

I’ve tried a few yoga studios but some are just a bit too serious for me and the overall vibe doesn’t suit me, I love the music here and have always been a fan of RnB - I’m always getting busted humming the songs in class! I even used to be a big karaoke fan! ‘No-one’ by Alicia Keys is always a really good track to flow to, and lately it’s been ‘Silence’, by Marshmellow & Khalid 

I really like trail running & hiking because it’s a mindfulness practice, you have to pay attention to what you’re doing, your feet and balance. I guess that’s the same as moving in a yoga class; bringing the two things together makes the experience of both just so much better.