Yoga, Pilates & Zen

Balance for body & mind

The roots of yoga lie in India. It is an ancient philosophy of life that entails much more than merely performing movements. Yoga restores the balance between body, mind, and soul. It makes you feel better physically, your energy can flow more freely, and it offers a moment of rest.

Thermae Sports Merchtem offers 5 styles of yoga. If you are up for an intense session, go for Hot Yoga in our Zen Studio, which is heated to 40°C, or Vinyasa Yoga. Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga and Yin Yoga are less strenuous styles of yoga.

Be sure to also try our Pilates and Mindfulness Meditation classes for a healthy and agile body. You don't have to bring a yoga mat, there is one waiting for you.

All group classes require registration in advance. You can do this via the computer screen at the entrance, or in the fitness area. The schedule is subject to change at all times. So be sure to regularly check the screens and posters at the club. You can find our latest timetable here.

Mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness is the training of attention in the present moment. It seeks to develop attention in a non-judgmental and compassionate way. This scientifically supported practice teaches you how to gain more insight into your own thoughts, feelings, and sometimes fixed mindsets. You’ll learn to be satisfied with what is and who we are now. This half-hour lesson teaches you the basic principles you’ll need to know to start meditating. Various forms (seated, lying down, and walking meditation) and themes (dealing with stress, fatigue, anxiety ...) will be addressed.

Pilates

Pilates is a form of movement that helps you to get know your body a lot better. The different exercises require intense concentration, well-controlled breathing, and full muscle control. In other words, you take back control of your body. During Pilates, you will work with the ‘core’ (stomach, back and pelvis). You will create more body awareness starting from the core of your body. The effects of this training method are quite diverse. You will become more agile and calm, and will improve your stamina, posture and coordination.

Les Mills Bodybalance

60'

BodyBalance is a workout that combines the best of yoga, tai chi and Pilates. You build up flexibility and strength and you get a feeling of peace and quiet. Controlled breathing, concentration and a carefully structured series of stretches, movements and poses to the sound of the music create a holistic workout that brings you to a state of complete harmony. Every lesson ends in meditation to completely relax your body. Moreover, this meditation will boost the effect of the different exercises.

Pranayama-Yin Yoga

This practice combines two restorative techniques for mind and body. The breathing exercises of Pranayama calm the mind, relieve anxiety and promote powers of concentration. Deep targeted stretching of specific tissues in the body through Yin yoga techniques will help you gain range of movement in your body.

Pranayama ('expanding the life force by controlling the breath') is an ancient yogic system of breath regulation prescribed for stilling the needless fluctuations of the mind that create conflicts and anxiety leading to stress. By calming the mind, all humans can revert to our natural state which is 'constantly joyous' (satchitananda).

While many forms of yoga today are dynamic, active practices designed to work the muscular half of our body or the “yang” tissues, Yin Yoga allows us to work the other half, the deeper “yin” tissues of our ligaments, joints, and deep fascial networks. Yin tissues being much less elastic and more plastic- appreciate and require gentler pressures, applied for longer periods of time, in order to be stimulated to grow stronger.

By practicing the Yin way of yielding, allowing, and nourishing these tissues and by practicing Pranayama you can train to have a more flexible body and increased the resilience and equanimity of your mind.