Steph Gongora's "Full Body Backbends" Online Video Workouts on ALO Wellness Club
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Difficulty & Intensity Guide

This comprehensive guide will help you find which series is right for you

Difficulty Levels

Difficulty refers to the level of skill and technique called for in a class.

Introductory

Introductory classes are designed for those who have never taken a yoga or fitness class before.

As a step below the beginner level, introductory classes move at a slow pace, take time to break down each pose and exercise, and are shorter in length to help you build endurance as you create a new movement routine. These classes are generally bodyweight only and contain modifications to help you feel safe and supported.

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Difficulty—Beginner—Outlined Copy Created with Sketch.
Beginner

Beginner classes are geared toward those who have very little exposure to yoga or fitness.

These classes offer many modifications and detailed instructions on fundamental poses and exercises. Beginner classes are perfect for someone who is looking to start a regular yoga practice or fitness routine, though they’re also suitable for all levels to practice and brush up on the basics with alignment and form. You can also find mindfulness and wellness in this category.

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Difficulty—Moderate—Outlined Copy Created with Sketch.
Moderate

As the next step up from beginner classes, moderate classes include higher-level modifications and less detailed instruction than you would find in a beginner class.

Moderate classes are well-suited for those who have previous yoga and fitness experience and a basic understanding of poses, exercises, and class structure. This is an excellent choice if you’re trying to maintain consistency in your routine and increase your strength, skills, and flexibility with a class geared toward all levels.

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Intermediate

Looking for a challenge? Intermediate classes tend to weave in more challenging poses and high-intensity exercises at a faster pace.

These classes will help build your strength, deepen your flexibility, and enhance your body awareness. For yoga classes, you can expect creative transitions, options for arm balances and inversions, and workout-inspired flows. For fitness classes, expect heavier weights, a higher sweat factor, and a quick pace that challenges your strength and cardio endurance.

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Advanced

These classes offer the perfect opportunity to explore your potential beyond what you’ll find in typical all-levels studio classes.

Advanced classes are designed for those with a strong and consistent yoga and fitness routine. Expect advanced-level inversions, arm balances, and backbends; challenging peak pose variations; deep flexibility; strength work; and tricky transitions. You’ll find your edge while exploring a greater level of strength, control, and skill work.

Read more Close
Introductory

Introductory classes are designed for those who have never taken a yoga or fitness class before.

As a step below the beginner level, introductory classes move at a slow pace, take time to break down each pose and exercise, and are shorter in length to help you build endurance as you create a new movement routine. These classes are generally bodyweight only and contain modifications to help you feel safe and supported.

Read more Close
Difficulty—Beginner—Outlined Copy Created with Sketch.
Beginner

Beginner classes are geared toward those who have very little exposure to yoga or fitness.

These classes offer many modifications and detailed instructions on fundamental poses and exercises. Beginner classes are perfect for someone who is looking to start a regular yoga practice or fitness routine, though they’re also suitable for all levels to practice and brush up on the basics with alignment and form. You can also find mindfulness and wellness in this category.

Read more Close
Difficulty—Moderate—Outlined Copy Created with Sketch.
Moderate

As the next step up from beginner classes, moderate classes include higher-level modifications and less detailed instruction than you would find in a beginner class.

Moderate classes are well-suited for those who have previous yoga and fitness experience and a basic understanding of poses, exercises, and class structure. This is an excellent choice if you’re trying to maintain consistency in your routine and increase your strength, skills, and flexibility with a class geared toward all levels.

Read more Close
Difficulty—Intermediate—Outlined Copy Created with Sketch.
Intermediate

Looking for a challenge? Intermediate classes tend to weave in more challenging poses and high-intensity exercises at a faster pace.

These classes will help build your strength, deepen your flexibility, and enhance your body awareness. For yoga classes, you can expect creative transitions, options for arm balances and inversions, and workout-inspired flows. For fitness classes, expect heavier weights, a higher sweat factor, and a quick pace that challenges your strength and cardio endurance.

Read more Close
Difficulty—Advanced Copy Created with Sketch.
Advanced

These classes offer the perfect opportunity to explore your potential beyond what you’ll find in typical all-levels studio classes.

Advanced classes are designed for those with a strong and consistent yoga and fitness routine. Expect advanced-level inversions, arm balances, and backbends; challenging peak pose variations; deep flexibility; strength work; and tricky transitions. You’ll find your edge while exploring a greater level of strength, control, and skill work.

Read more Close
Intensity Levels

Intensity is not the same as difficulty; it refers to the amount of exertion that a workout requires.

Intensity 1—Outlined Copy Created with Sketch.
Level 1
Ideal for those looking for a slower-paced, chill, or more restorative style of class. You’ll leave feeling calm, relaxed, and at ease.
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Level 2
Great for those who want to move at a slow to moderate pace. Classes within this level vary from feel-good flows to entry-level strength training. You’ll feel comfortably challenged and explore a more dynamic range of movement.
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Level 3
This is the best option for those looking to amp up the sweat factor. You’ll get your heart rate up, test your endurance, and challenge your limits with faster-paced movement and exercises.
Intensity 4 Copy Created with Sketch.
Level 4
These classes are designed to test your limits to the max. You’ll move at a fast pace to push yourself to your peak, increase your heart rate, and accelerate your breathing. Prepare to discover untapped levels of strength and endurance.
Intensity 1—Outlined Copy Created with Sketch.
Level 1
Ideal for those looking for a slower-paced, chill, or more restorative style of class. You’ll leave feeling calm, relaxed, and at ease.
Intensity 2—Outlined Copy Created with Sketch.
Level 2
Great for those who want to move at a slow to moderate pace. Classes within this level vary from feel-good flows to entry-level strength training. You’ll feel comfortably challenged and explore a more dynamic range of movement.
Intensity 3—Outlined Copy Created with Sketch.
Level 3
This is the best option for those looking to amp up the sweat factor. You’ll get your heart rate up, test your endurance, and challenge your limits with faster-paced movement and exercises.
Intensity 4 Copy Created with Sketch.
Level 4
These classes are designed to test your limits to the max. You’ll move at a fast pace to push yourself to your peak, increase your heart rate, and accelerate your breathing. Prepare to discover untapped levels of strength and endurance.
Intensity Levels

Intensity is not the same as difficulty; it refers to the amount of exertion that a workout requires.

Intensity 1—Outlined Copy Created with Sketch.
Level 1
Ideal for those looking for a slower-paced, chill, or more restorative style of class. You’ll leave feeling calm, relaxed, and at ease.
Intensity 2—Outlined Copy Created with Sketch.
Level 2
Great for those who want to move at a slow to moderate pace. Classes within this level vary from feel-good flows to entry-level strength training. You’ll feel comfortably challenged and explore a more dynamic range of movement.
Intensity 3—Outlined Copy Created with Sketch.
Level 3
This is the best option for those looking to amp up the sweat factor. You’ll get your heart rate up, test your endurance, and challenge your limits with faster-paced movement and exercises.
Intensity 4 Copy Created with Sketch.
Level 4
These classes are designed to test your limits to the max. You’ll move at a fast pace to push yourself to your peak, increase your heart rate, and accelerate your breathing. Prepare to discover untapped levels of strength and endurance.
Intensity 1—Outlined Copy Created with Sketch.
Level 1
Ideal for those looking for a slower-paced, chill, or more restorative style of class. You’ll leave feeling calm, relaxed, and at ease.
Intensity 2—Outlined Copy Created with Sketch.
Level 2
Great for those who want to move at a slow to moderate pace. Classes within this level vary from feel-good flows to entry-level strength training. You’ll feel comfortably challenged and explore a more dynamic range of movement.
Intensity 3—Outlined Copy Created with Sketch.
Level 3
This is the best option for those looking to amp up the sweat factor. You’ll get your heart rate up, test your endurance, and challenge your limits with faster-paced movement and exercises.
Intensity 4 Copy Created with Sketch.
Level 4
These classes are designed to test your limits to the max. You’ll move at a fast pace to push yourself to your peak, increase your heart rate, and accelerate your breathing. Prepare to discover untapped levels of strength and endurance.

Series

Full Body Backbends
Instructor: Steph Gongora

What you get

  • Free 14 Day Trial
  • iPhone & Android
  • Download For Offline Use

Description

Experience the powerful benefits of backbends to activate strength, flexibility, and emotional release. This is the perfect series for intermediate yogis who want to master safe alignment and revisit the foundations of heart-opening poses. This series includes five 30- to 40-minute flows that each focus on a common roadblock to deeper backbends, along with a 60-minute flow that integrates all the techniques. Each class will build strength and stability in your shoulders, activate your back chain, and encourage heart opening on the mat and in your life.

In this series, you will:
- Master safe and effective backbend alignment for greater flexibility and mobility
- Strengthen key areas like your shoulders and hips to deepen your practice
- Cultivate courage, emotional release, and openness both on and off the mat

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instructor Instructor profile

Steph Gongora

Steph Gongora is a traveling yoga, aerials, and movement teacher based in Uvita, Costa Rica. Her teaching is unique and unexpected, combining precise breakdowns of form and anatomical cuing with a creative flow style, stressing unusual transitions and authentic movements practices. An athlete her whole life, Steph was a gymnast and dancer throughout her childhood, and in college, she studied Biology with an emphasis in Human Anatomy. Practicing and teaching yoga allows Steph to embrace her scientific knowledge, as well as share her background in artistic expression through movement.

Steph trains in a variety of lineages and has spent many hours under the tutelage of master teachers including Meghan Currie, Christina Sell, and Erinn Lewis. During her exploration and self-practice, she developed a deep love and respect for inversions, which prompted her to write her first two books: The Beginner's Guide to Handstand and The Beginner's Guide to Handstand Pressing. She has been featured in and contributed to Yoga Journal, Mantra Magazine, Livestrong, People, Cosmopolitan, and more for her work on and off the mat. When she isn’t practicing yoga, Steph enjoys reading, writing, and building her dream life in Costa Rica with her five furry children and supportive husband, Ben.

STYLE

Skills
Backbends

TOTAL CLASSES

7 Classes

Difficulty

Difficulty—Intermediate—Outlined Copy Created with Sketch.
Intermediate

Intensity

Intensity 3—Outlined Copy Created with Sketch.
Intensity 3
Difficulty & Intensity Guide
Difficulty & Intensity Guide

equipment

What you get

  • Lifetime Access
  • Satisfaction Guarantee
  • iPhone Access

More About This Plan

equipment

instructor Instructor profile

Steph Gongora

Steph Gongora is a traveling yoga, aerials, and movement teacher based in Uvita, Costa Rica. Her teaching is unique and unexpected, combining precise breakdowns of form and anatomical cuing with a creative flow style, stressing unusual transitions and authentic movements practices. An athlete her whole life, Steph was a gymnast and dancer throughout her childhood, and in college, she studied Biology with an emphasis in Human Anatomy. Practicing and teaching yoga allows Steph to embrace her scientific knowledge, as well as share her background in artistic expression through movement.

Steph trains in a variety of lineages and has spent many hours under the tutelage of master teachers including Meghan Currie, Christina Sell, and Erinn Lewis. During her exploration and self-practice, she developed a deep love and respect for inversions, which prompted her to write her first two books: The Beginner's Guide to Handstand and The Beginner's Guide to Handstand Pressing. She has been featured in and contributed to Yoga Journal, Mantra Magazine, Livestrong, People, Cosmopolitan, and more for her work on and off the mat. When she isn’t practicing yoga, Steph enjoys reading, writing, and building her dream life in Costa Rica with her five furry children and supportive husband, Ben.