My name is Ali, short for Albena. I was born in Bulgaria, I grew up in Sofia. I practiced gymnastics and track and field as a child. I went to school in Sofia for Public Administration, part of the philosophy department in Sofia University. I moved to the United States at the age of 22. I've lived mostly in Los Angeles with the exception of a couple of years spent in Las Vegas. I discovered yoga while living in Las Vegas where I also became an avid rock climber. My journey into yoga is a continuation of a spiritual quest I have been on since I was a teenager, and maybe way before that. I was always very drawn to the spiritual in terms of trying to understand our purpose here on Earth and the evolution of our souls in the great scheme of things. And the search into the depths of my psyche has been a very natural and intuitive process. I started my yoga path by studying on my own. From the very first second I did yoga I felt an old familiarity with it. I felt like I "got it" from the very first second I started my practice, like an old lover who was long lost but I knew so well and so intimately. :)
Then I studied to become a yoga teacher, and ended up getting my 500 hours RYT. After that when I came back to LA I was fortunate enough to meet and start working for my biggest yoga inspiration. A soul I highly value and a "guru" (who would never admit he is a guru hehe) who influenced my view on yoga the most. I started teaching at MARK BLANCHARD'S POWER YOGA studios. And Mark's influence was a bench mark (no pun intended) in my understanding of the subtleties, fluidity, freedom and creativity in yoga. I discovered freedom in yoga through his teachings; dance and flow was there all along but I was able to see it and feel it more clearly than I ever had before. I developed my own style based on dance, high intensity interval training, bodybuilding, athletics and power yoga... and INTERVAL YOGA was born.
For years I was teaching up to 20 classes a week and when I was getting burned out and ready to quit I discovered YouTube. It has allowed me to capture the essence of my teachings and style and place the freedom and flexibility back into my students hands.
Thanks for all you warm messages and support.
So lets write the next INTERVAL YOGA Chapter together!
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR LOVE AND ALL MY LOVE TO YOU!
NAMASTE
So now I ge to know you a little bit more...hehehehe...Thank you Ali for sharing... :)
ReplyDeleteAgapyEllinida blessings <3
DeleteThank you for sharing! God bless you :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing Ali, I always wanted to know more about you :)
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way about yoga when I started: "like an old lover who was long lost but I knew so well and so intimately."
That's so beautiful :)
All my love to you!
aha so you understand! :) <3
Deletethank you for sharing and teaching us...love you
ReplyDeleteIvana sending my love to you :)
DeleteThanks for sharing your story Ali. You are such an inspiration. Where there is a will, there is a way! Namaste :-)
ReplyDeleteMarcelo yes, yes our possibilities are infinite :) Love and Blessings
DeleteNice! :) But let me ask one small question: how old are You? I thought that You are 20-25 years old but aften I read this post I realized You may be older :) Anyway, You look great, fresh and very very very young and I love Your classes! Love&kisses, Marta from Poland :*
ReplyDeleteYour background explains a lot about why your method is so exciting...and, why it is to diversely popular...something for everyone, so to speak. It's not too ahh, oohhmm for the power athletes, yet it's so fluid and you are so calm, that it provides that same sort of comfort factor...And the dance...everyone enjoys feeling graceful. I was working through the basic postures in a dark, quiet room on Sunday. As I moved, in this fashion, I realized how much "strength control" (for lack of a better term) I have gained over my body while in motion...ultra strong arms, shoulders, core, glutes, hamstrings, even hands and feet...It was such a lovely feeling to feel my mind motion in sync with my body while slowly moving through extremely difficult and fluid postures. The plank with one arm forward comes to mind because it seems impossible to do that without having the torso shift somewhat. Yet, after practicing diligently with you for these many months, I am able to do so many strength/balance postures with focus and success. I know I have said it before, but I believe that your method combination is quite unique, and that anyone working with purpose would greatly benefit. You are a beautiful, determined soul Ali (Albena...A lovely name)...and. I thank you for the many gifts you bring to this yoga community...which, through you, is what we have become. Someone gave this to me. It is so much like you that I will share it with you......HORIZONS Several worlds meet in the union of earth, sea, and sky. The child is filled with wonder about the world below while stars beckon to her from the vast worlds of dreams over her head. Josephine Wall... You are amazing Ali...like a lovely dream...xoxo, L
ReplyDeleteAh Laura you are gonna make me cry with joy :) Such a lovely divine soul you are! I am truly honored to be able to give and hod space for you while you are become a stronger, more graceful, more connected woman. Thank you for the beautiful words!!! I am excited to see where this journey takes us :) We are just getting started :D LOVE AND LIGHT <3
DeleteYou're so cool Ali. ;u; Thank you for sharing your story! (⑅ ॣ•͈ᴗ•͈ ॣ)
ReplyDeleteAshley thank you!!!! LOVE <3
DeleteNice to know we have this lovely short story of yours and Mark to thank for getting the chance to find such a life changing practice :) namaste beautiful Ali <3
ReplyDeleteaaah as sweet as ever!!! Love and yes thankful for Mark :)
DeleteI feel like you are more close to me now ,hehe
ReplyDeleteI can't thank you more for sharing all your teaching and experiences and encouragement!! I started my yoga teacher training from 2012 but then I stopped , but because follow your practicing I found my courage and the reason why I wanted to do this training back, so I started it again from last Sep, the course is 2 years, and I am so happy that I have your class walk through this journey with me. I hope one day I could also be the teacher like you, so warm, full of love, bring people energy , creation and love.
Namaste
Weiting Wu ah that's amazing. And I am so proud of you!!! Whoa you are gonna be in training and learning for a while. Enjoy it! I am sure it will take you on a path you don't even fully see right now. It will open limitless possibilities. Love <3
DeleteSpirituality shows in everything you do, say and write. Some people just have that. That's why you are more than a yoga teacher to your followers. We love you a lot. Loved to read this.
ReplyDeleteJaska
I love you back ) heartfelt and grateful for all of you! Thank you as always. <3
DeleteThank you Ali! You are such an inspiration. I haven't the courage to leave my job and start my journey in yoga. I am afraid of the consequences. I would like to be a yoga teacher.... But it can't be for me... Thank you for sharing and for youa amazing video! ciao Azzurra, Italy
ReplyDeletehey, transition slowly. part time :D its better that way. you have the time to learn. <3
DeleteЗдравей, Али! От близо една година правя йога с твоите видео класове в Youtube и едва сега разбрах, че и ти си българка, като съвсем случайно влязох в блога ти, за да видя дневното ти меню. Това обяснява колко различна и естествена си. Като се сетя сега, че даже съм ти писала коментари на английски ми става особено комично :) Както и да е:) Благодаря ти за страхотните йога класове! Namaste
ReplyDeleteAhh Elena radvam se che si me otkrila "po sluchainost". Blagodaria ti ot sartse. Prodaljavai s yogata i pishi ot vreme na vreme. Pregrudki <3
DeleteMnogo si gotina Ali, uspeh, pozdrawi ot stariq Cologne :)
DeleteAli, I have discovered your videos recently, and love them. Now I read your bio and find out you are (or were?) an avid rockclimber. So am I! I actually started getting more serious about yoga because I felt it would help my climbing, and it would perhaps help me get over my chronic shoulder pain.
ReplyDeleteSo I am now wondering whether you have any special yoga exercises for climbing, and in particular in relation to shoulder injuries? Thanks! Frauke
Yes, that was one of the reasons i got started and a regular vinyasa power yoga practice will just balance you out. sometimes you are using wrong form or just overusing some muscles so just add yoga to your routine and that should make a huge difference. pay attention to alignment :) love
DeleteThank you so much for your advice. Ok, i will do that. I also noticed your yoga for shoulder, back and neck and I have started to use that as a way to keep my upper back flexible. I will report back. Thanks!
Deletewith rock climbing you tend to overdevelop the back and the chest can collapse. anything with pushing motion is a perfect compliment to the pulling in climbing. yoga is perfect for that. all the chaturangas, down dogs, push ups etc. building the chest.
Deleteyes, i guess that's why i always struggle with the chaturangas! :-)
DeleteThankyou for bringing the light out in all of us
ReplyDeleteThank you Celeste! Love and blessings
DeleteAwesome videos and great blog, Ali! I started yoga recently and has been helping me a lot when it comes to climbing. So, I see some recommendations for rock climbing (duly noted). Do you have some for mountaineering? If everything works out right, I'm climbing Mt Shasta this summer and it will be nice to get your take on training, including yoga.
ReplyDeleteBlagodarq mnogo:)
Ah Stefan, Mt Shasta! how fun!! I have hiked up there, sooo pretty! As far as your questions goes best thing you can do is to increase your cardiovascular capacity, while increasing general fitness level and strength. My Interval/Impact yoga routines will address that in addition to flexibility, leg strength, core stability, etc. You can also add general Vinyasa yoga and HIIT to your training. In general I have designed my routines so that they are a tool for increasing overall strength, flexibility and endurance as well as injury prevention so we can run off into the wild and have fun :P. Have fun getting ready for that. Pregrudki
DeleteThanks for the great yoga, Ali!
ReplyDeleteRadvam se che si bulgarka i imash takiva interesni yoga videos. Sega shte pravia redovno yoga zaedno s teb. Az sum v Canada i sega tuk e mnogo studeno no hubavata priroda kudeto ti si zasnela videoto mi deistva mnogo dobre.
Blagodaria!!!
Pavlina
Ali,
ReplyDeleteI have been watching your videos for about 6 months and I feel about the same as many of the people who comment on your videos. As beautiful as you are on the outside, it really pales in comparison to your inner beauty and spirituality. Agreeing with many of the comments before me, you are very inspiring and have taught me all I know about yoga. An athletic person my whole life, my weight seems to have gone up and down like the sun since my sons birth 4 years ago. I find as long as I chose one of your many videos each day, everything, mind body and soul, stabilizes. For all that, I thank you.
PS the video from redwood forest with reflecting insight from you as intro, brought me sobbing to my knees in a wonderful release of pain and truth. How you spoke the words, directly to me without knowing a thing about me was awesome.
Loving Kindness to you always Ali.
Здрасти, Али! Искам да ти изкажа огромните си благодарности за страхотните класове и най-вече за вдъхновението, което даваш на толкова много хора! Аз никога не съм била спортна натура, хич не обичах часовете по физическо в училище, но от няколко години тялото ми реши, че иска да си навакса и ме застигна една огромна вълна от желание за спортни дейности. Живея във Ванкувър и тук йогата е направо модна тенденция и социален статус ( родното място на Lululemon ), но така и никога не съм посещавала истински клас. Твоите видео класове тотално обърнаха представите ми, вдъхновиха ме и породиха огромен порив за йога практика. Ти ме спечели не само с богатото разнообразие на различни вариации на начинаещи и напреднали, но и със спокойния, мирен глас, професионалните, подробни и полезни обеснения за всяко движение и не на последно място безупречният ти вид във всяко видео! Страхотна си! Ти ме караш да препускам бързо след работа, за да си пусна поредното видео! Хиляди благодарности, мило момиче! Ако някога решиш да дойдеш до Ванкувър, бъди добре дошла!!!!
ReplyDeleteХа явно във Ванкувър се оформя група с ученици на Али :) аз също съм тук и макар че скоро открих класовете усещам значително подобрение в практиките ми. По принцип правек пилатес около 2-3 години сама без да посещавам курсове но винаги съм имала добра физическа култура и съм практикувана много различни спортове и ми се отдаде. От доста време исках да се насоча повече към йога но все не се получаваше. След като дойдох във Ванкувър забременях с дъщеря си и тогава йога ме намери. През цялата си бременност правих йога и мисля че много ме подготви психически и физически за раждането. Щастлива съм че успях да се справя с него напълно естествено без никакви лекарства.
DeleteОткривайки класовете на Али вече знаех че това е- почнах да практикувам всеки ден и дори с нетърпение чакам всяка следваща практика.
Комбинацията от танци и йога занимаваше съзнанието ми и ето че я видях реализирана в една от личните практики на Али в YouTube. Наистина толкова красиво и изразително! И аз ще се включа към поканата за Али да гостува на Ванкувър и на нас. Тук е много красиво място в което можеш да усетиш енергиите на Севера и неговият характер (за щастие не толкова суровият Север). А Tochka ако имаш желание да се запознаем някой път може да ми пишеш на viktoria_eftimova@yahoo.com, ще ми е драго!
I would be lost with out Interval Yoga Gracias Ali!! <3
ReplyDeleteFrom Alaska - awesome yoga. Awesome human being. You have a unique style and incredible strength. Thank-you so much.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ali, for your cheer and beautiful, spiritual yoga. I grew up in ballet and gymnastics and later became a runner. When a friend recommended your Youtube videos to me, I experienced a similar sort of old familiarity that you describe as well as a thrill as I began to learn yoga through your videos. Thank you for your grace and ability to make even a novice like me feel motivated to rise to a challenge. Namaste!
ReplyDelete