About

My name is Jacqueline Brandes and I welcome you to my site – jbyogafit.com - Firstly, I would love to introduce myself to you and tell you what it was that drove me to create this site.

Five years ago, I felt as though everything was falling apart, especially my body. I was suffering from grief due to a death in my immediate family and on top of that I was juggling a high-pressure corporate IT job in an international investment bank, a new relationship, as well as living in a new country. It all started to become too much for me both physically and mentally.

I went to see doctors, chiropractors, physiotherapists and specialists to try and find reasons behind my quick physical and mental decline. Physically, I was suffering from severe dizziness. On top of that I had chronic neck, shoulder and back pain that just never seemed to go away and therefore I had a lot of time off work, which only added to my stress levels. I was at a very low point and nothing seemed to be working to fix the problem.

The only thing that seemed to make me feel a little better was doing Yoga and some breathing exercises. I had been practicing Yoga on and off for more than 10 years and the slight difference it did make was enough for me to begin researching Yoga and other natural therapies in order to improve my quality of life. I found even just researching and reading about the benefits gained, gave me more of a lift than anything else I had been exposed to medically or otherwise.

Then at the beginning of 2009 I was made redundant from my corporate job and for a while felt that everything that I had worked for was slowly vanishing before my eyes. But, through the gentle persuasion of my very supportive partner, I began to look at that moment as a turning-point in my life, maybe even the opportunity to completely re-invent myself.

After researching many different natural therapies and practices, I embarked on a training course to become a qualified Solomon Yogalates™ instructor, which is a blend of Yoga and Pilates and combines them into a truly unique and uplifting workout routine. Throughout the study, I followed the routines myself and was astounded in the changes I saw, both physically and mentally.

My body shape began to change and the areas that were giving me the most trouble being my neck, shoulders and back, started to strengthen and the ongoing persistent issues melted away over time – And most importantly, the dizziness was dissipating. After achieving certification as an instructor, I found great joy in teaching other people these amazing workout routines and being able to see great changes in them and their lives as well.

Since being certified in Solomon Yogalates™, I have also become a certified instructor in Iyengar Yoga, sports nutrition and weight-loss/weight management. And it is this blend of training and techniques that I have incorporated into this site; with the possibilities of being able to reach more people and hoping that maybe, just maybe I can help to change your life too.

I do truly thank you for stopping to read this and take a look at my site.

Have a great day – Namaste!

 

Certifications/ Training/ Work Experience

 
LEVEL 1 Certificate in Teaching the Solomon Yogalates™ Method (600 nominal hours) Completed in
Nov 2009
8 units of instruction in Foundation – Extremeties course in Ortho-Bionomy® Completed in
May 2010
5-week Work Experience Placement at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, Queensland, Australia Completed in
Sept 2010
Iyengar Yoga Certification (Expert Level) Completed in
March 2011
Sports Nutrition Certification (Expert Level) Completed in
May 2011
Weight Loss Certification (Expert Level) Completed in
Oct 2011
"How To Get Unstuck" online training conducted by Susi Hately from Functional Synergy, Canada
 
Included the following lessons:

  • Principles for "Getting Unstuck"
  • Hip and Pelvis Mechanics
  • Shoulder Mechanics
  • Shoulder and Hips Mechanics
Completed in
Feb 2012
Healthy Eating For Weight Loss Certification (Expert Level) Completed in
March 2012
"The Wisdom of Jalandhara Bandha: Neck Health and Why It Matters" online course conducted by Doug Keller, Yoga U Online Trainings Completed in
September 2012
"Mapping the Body - Anatomy Trains for Yoga Practitioners" online course conducted by Tom Myers, Yoga U Online Trainings Completed in
February 2013
"Asana Practice Screen for Yoga Teachers" online course conducted by Chrys Kub, Yoga U Online Trainings Completed in
February 2013
"Freeing the Breath - Keys to Releasing and Retraining the Abdominals" online course conducted by Julie Gudmestad, Yoga U Online Trainings Completed in
May 2013
"Songs of the Spine - Yoga, Scoliosis and Spinal Health" online course conducted by Narelle Carter-Quinlan, Yoga U Online Trainings Completed in
July 2013
"Subtle Yoga: Enlivening the Healing Power of the Meridians in Yoga Asanas" online course conducted by Kristine Kaoverii Weber, Yoga U Online Trainings Completed in
August 2013
"Pelvic Balance - Dealing with Shifts, Tilts, Rotations and Their Effects" online course conducted by Doug Keller, Yoga U Online Trainings Completed in
September 2013
"Yoga for Back Pain: The Essential Guide to Lower Back Pain Relief" online course conducted by Robin Rothenberg, Yoga U Online Trainings Completed in
March 2014
"I Love Anatomy" online training conducted by Susi Hately from Functional Synergy, Canada Completed in
July 2014
"Yoga for Healthy Sleep: Keys to Overcoming Insomnia" online course conducted by Dr. Loren Fishman and Ellen Saltonstall, Yoga U Online Trainings Completed in
November 2014
"Issues in the Tissues - Releasing Emotional Holdings through Movement and Body Repatterning" online course conducted by Tom Myers, Yoga U Online Trainings Completed in
November 2014
"Yoga Techniques to Lift Your Mood: Simple Yoga Practices for Depression and Anxiety" online course conducted by Amy Weintraub, Yoga U Online Trainings Completed in
December 2014
"Yoga for Back Pain: Keys to Preventing and Healing Sacroiliac Instability" online course conducted by Robin Rothenberg, Yoga U Online Trainings Completed in
January 2015
"Keys to a Healthy Asana Practice: The Art of Building Core Stability" online course conducted by Natasha Rizopoulos, Yoga U Online Trainings Completed in
February 2016
"Prenatal Yoga Essentials for a Healthy Pregnancy & Birth" online course conducted by Sue Elkind, Yoga U Online Trainings Completed in
December 2016
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