Why CANTIENICA® and Yoga Go So Well Together
Yoga offers countless benefits for mental and physical health. But like any form of exercise, yoga can also have its limitations—such as when performing complex poses, avoiding poor posture, or optimizing movement sequences. This is where CANTIENICA® comes in. This unique method for posture and deep muscles is the perfect complement to your yoga practice.
How CANTIENICA® Came to Be in Yoga
From Florist to CANTIENICA® Master Teacher
In 1992, a young, refreshingly cheerful woman from Lucerne came to the studio where Benita Cantieni had begun her body research under the name Callanetics. The young woman’s name was Andrea Tresch; she was a florist by trade, absolutely lovely, and proved from day one—with her thirst for knowledge—that she had talent. For the bodywork itself. She grasped concepts quickly and put what she learned into practice just as quickly. Her well-proportioned body transformed in the blink of an eye into a breathtakingly beautiful one. Above all, she had a gift for guiding others and passing on this bodywork. She treated people as she would flowers and plants. Respectfully, lovingly, without prejudice. A rose is a rose. It cannot be compared to a calla lily. A calla lily is a calla lily and cannot be compared to a sunflower. A violet is a violet and cannot be compared to a pomegranate. And so on. And they are all beautiful—the rose, the calla lily, the sunflower, the violet, the pomegranate. Every person is unique and beautiful in their uniqueness.
Andrea Tresch’s Career
Andrea completed her training as a Callanetics instructor and became a studio manager in no time. Everything that Benita Cantieni created—first under the name NEWCALLANETICS and later under the newly founded brand CANTIENICA®—Method for Body Shape & Posture—had to pass through Andrea’s filter. If she understood it and could pass it on to the course participants, then it was good.
Andrea turned out to be a natural talent in adult education and became the first Senior Teacher and the first Master Teacher of the CANTIENICA® method. She modeled for the early books and helped craft the most precise descriptions of indescribable bodily sensations and movement sequences. For the fitness magazine SHAPE, she developed editorial photo spreads featuring workouts the world had never seen before: anatomically sound on the one hand, and visually presented in a professional and beautiful way using non-professional models on the other. These SHAPE workouts changed the way workouts are presented in magazines and books. Readers learned that they have ischial tuberosities that can be moved, that the spine can be treated with subtlety and care, and that the most beautiful butt is achieved when the gluteal muscles are left alone.
Goal: Making Risky Yoga Practices Safe
At that time, yoga in all its forms and styles was beginning to boom. More and more people were complaining in individual or group classes that they had been experiencing pain ever since they had performed this or that Hatha, Iyengar, Kundalini, Bhakti, Karma, or Ashtanga yoga exercise. Yoga instructors who themselves suffered from incontinence, chronic back problems, or joint pain were increasingly enrolling in CANTIENICA® training programs. We explained to those affected: It wasn’t the yoga exercise itself that caused the problems, but rather the quality of its execution. Anatomical precision. “If I have a professional credo, it is this: Every movement is good if it is performed in a way that is gentle on the body and anatomically correct,”—Benita Cantieni. And: One day I heard myself say, “You could practice yoga in an anatomically safe way.” After a few weeks, Andrea came over and said, “I’ll do it.” “What?” “The yoga thing.”
A CANTIENICA® seminar specifically for yoga teachers
She did it thoroughly, just like everything else she does. Andrea went to New York to attend one of the best yoga schools in 2001. She experienced 9/11 firsthand. She completed an in-depth yoga training program, opened her own studio in her hometown of Lucerne, and combines yoga with the CANTIENICA® method. “Beginners must complete a certain number of CANTIENICA® lessons before they can join the yoga classes,” Andrea explains. “This way, they get to know their bodies and sense what works and what doesn’t.” In addition, Andrea has developed a seminar for CANTIENICA AG that teaches certified yoga instructors how to structure their yoga classes in a way that is safe and promotes health for participants of all ages and fitness levels.
Andrea teaches a conscientious, classical, and challenging form of yoga that incorporates the anatomical principles of the CANTIENICA® method. Important: This is not a new style of yoga. The CANTIENICA® principles make the exercises safer for the back and joints. The CANTIENICA® method helps yoga practitioners develop body awareness and self-awareness, enabling them to perform the exercises perfectly.
Benita Cantieni: “And there’s something else that’s personally important to me, because I’m asked this again and again: No, it’s not a betrayal of the method. On the contrary. I hope that others will follow this example and bring the principles of my new anatomy into the world and into physical training methods; strength training with precise instructions could work wonders. Ballet practiced with anatomical precision could prevent deformities. Aerobics conducted to high standards could restore joint health instead of wearing them down.”
Synergies in Practice
With CANTIENICA®, every asana becomes more intense, safer, and more sustainable. The method helps to specifically correct individual weaknesses such as tension, poor posture, or imbalances. Especially in challenging poses such as Downward-Facing Dog, Warrior Pose, or balance exercises, stability is significantly improved by activating the deep muscles.
Who is this combination suitable for?
Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced yoga practitioner, CANTIENICA® offers added value at every level. People with back or joint problems, poor balance, or a desire for more strength and ease benefit particularly from this combination.
Why CANTIENICA® and Yoga Go So Well Together
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Precision in Execution: In yoga, proper alignment is essential for preventing injuries and performing poses effectively. CANTIENICA® helps you perform each asana with even greater precision.
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Deeper Body Awareness: Consciously engaging the deep muscles enhances your body awareness and adds new dimensions to your yoga practice.
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Relief and Lightness: By specifically activating muscle chains, every movement feels lighter and more powerful—ideal for dynamic yoga styles such as Vinyasa or Ashtanga.
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Improved Posture: Better posture not only leads to more graceful movements, but also to a healthier sense of well-being in everyday life.
Get started now with “CANTIENICA® in Yoga”
Do you want to take your yoga practice to the next level while making lasting improvements to your posture and health? Our online course , “CANTIENICA® in Yoga,” offers you the perfect introduction to this powerful combination.
The course includes:
Step-by-step instructions for integrating the CANTIENICA® method into your yoga practice
Practical exercise videos for at home
Tips for Improving Your Posture in Everyday Life
Lifetime Access
Costs: 247.00 euros, including VAT
