Welcome to Victoria Mackie Yoga & Movement, where yoga meets brain based training.

Brain Based Yoga & Movement

About

I combine yoga with neuroscience-informed training. By recognising that movement quality is driven by the brain, sessions use targeted exercises to improve coordination, control and balance, supporting the activities you enjoy and the demands of everyday life.

The Experience

You’ll be guided to explore the level of challenge for your body while learning practical neuro tools that support more confident, comfortable movement. In classes and privates you can choose from flow style or training style sessions.

Learn More

In Person Classes & 1:1s

Book Now

Join me at Tarmachan Cafe, Crathie for two weekly classes.

Mon @ 6pm: Movement Lab

Wed @ 6.30pm: Flow

Online Courses

Explore

Move with me from the comfort of your own home, learning at your own pace and revisiting classes any time you like.

Private Groups & Events

Contact Me

Reach out with your details and let's chat.

private group | events | corporate | workshops | online

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Louise

"You are very encouraging and the confidence you project in us being capable really helps me to feel confident in trying new movements. You offer alternatives which keep me feeling involved. I really look forward to your class, your holistic approach really aligns with my outlook, thank you."

Harry

"I love how you combine your instructions while making us pay attention to our breathing. I also love that it's progressive and every session you invite me to try something harder and new."

Connor

"I consider myself a fit individual but what I've learned is that I was being very one-dimensional. Now that I am approaching my training with the tools I learnt through these classes I'm feeling stronger and healthier overall."

I’ve been slowing down before my movement sessions.

I do this in yoga but I’ve been expanding this into gym or climbing sessions too. Before I start I’m trying to take 10 to be quiet, turning off podcasts or music and drawing my awareness to my breath, letting it slow down.

We generally get better outputs (movement, precision, learning a new skill) when our brains aren’t overwhelmed to begin with.

I was noticing that a session straight from work into music, chatter and bright colours is not where I thrive in the first half hour so if you see me lingering in my car before bouldering this is what I’m doing 😂🧘🏻‍♀️

I was so stoked to be moving and feeling good I took some questionable videos 😂. I’ve had two weeks of fatigue and brain fog after really briefly being under the weather so this was so freaking delightful.

Also for me to feel safe and enjoy a session focussed on ‘backbends’ is something else. Not all pretty stuff here but what a difference.

We’re exploring lots of wonderful things along these lines in classes at the moment.

- shoulder flexion
- hip extension
- breathwork specifically for the above
- neuro drills
- back work 💪🏼🪱
- always variations for everyone 💜

Hope to see you in a class soon and for everyone who’s been keeping me right with my lefts and rights this week THANK YOU 🙏

Sounds basic but we breathe 24/7, so if we can do it optimally it’s going to have a positive impact on everything else.

Your diaphragm is the main breathing muscle and it affects more than just your lungs. People often focus on things like back massages (which are great) but if you’re still unintentionally holding tension through your core (your diaphragm is part of this) you can limit the movement of the diaphragm. Or is it just me who needs to unclench my jaw and stomach when I’m doing emails some days?

Don’t get me wrong, being able to create tension when the task demands it is key. But we also need to be able to let go and adjust in less demanding situations.

You can give this a go - I like to lie down, with my feet on the floor, knees bent and gently curl my fingers below the sternum under my ribs - inhale exhale, move downwards and repeat on the other side. If I notice any tender spots I spend a little extra time massaging these.

And if you got this far you legend I invite you to breathe through your nose and let yourself expand and contract
360° baby.

I hope you can move your body in a way that feels good for you today💜

now he just side eyes me from the sofa 😅

I recorded these after chatting about hip mobility at the climbing gym. If you’re looking to get a few inches closer to the wall (or whatever 👀) here’s a bunch of internal and external rotation moves you can try. Pick your poison. (Obviously this is just one element you can work on - but it’s a start 🙌🏼🕺🤸🏻‍♀️)

❤️‍🔥

Welcome s p r i n g

I’ve been lucky enough to lie on the grass, walk in the woods and feel the sun on my face these past two days.

I’ll be at @tarmachan_cafe on Monday for Movement Lab - everyone is welcome, it’s an hour of exploring, trying and sometimes laughing together. Then I’m off to see family. I’ll be back for Flow on Wednesday 1st April.

Hope you can go touch some grass this weekend too.

❤️‍🔥

Climbing + yoga inspired mat session this AM.

I filmed this before drinking any coffee and in hindsight it’s naffly done BUT the movement feels good so I’m sharing anyway and I recommend you save it and give it a go or send to a pal who complains about their hip mobility ❤️‍🔥

Maybe save for later if you’re coming on Monday night 😘

Mentally I’m here.

I tried harder & laughed more because of @n_po

Only thing I won’t miss is the microfibre towel.

What a start to the year. Cosy evening classes and 1:1s with familiar and new faces. I get to move with really great people 🥹.

I’m taking a short break to recharge now, hopefully coming back with some big d̶i̶c̶k̶ Spring energy 🙌🏼

See you on the 9th for some Movement Lab. Still debating March’s theme so if you’ve any requests you know to shout.

❤️‍🔥

Go on, stand up and wiggle your body for two mins.

Pay attention to your spine, are there any sticky bits that want some extra time spent on them?

🐍

Posted this 5x, deleted all by mistake let’s hope this one works 😅

Strong & Stretchy Innies (thighs)

Quick circuit you can try out when you’re short on time or want to prep for a bigger session. No props needed.

I think we can sometimes be tempted to only stretch this area…so I’ve snuck in some strengthening badgers.

Let me know if you find the ‘ice skater’ hold (second exercise) humbling too ❤️‍🔥

Save & try these two breathing drills to improve shoulder flexion.

I love these because they carry over to weight training, climbing, arm balances, backbends, reaching the top shelf…the list goes on.

These breaths give your nervous system better overhead control not by stretching, but by changing muscle tone.

You can repeat the air hunger drill and you can do the blocked inhalation in steps (ex - block - ex block - ex block). Go easy be curious.

Test, retest, and keep what works for you.

❤️‍🔥

Dear algorithm, I’m looking for humans who enjoy moving, not just stretching.

If this resonates with you say hi. @flow.with.v

If you’ve ever felt disconnected from a movement practice, trying to fit your body into alignment standards that were designed for aesthetics not function you’re in the right place. Follow @flow.with.v for more yoga and movement that helps you feel good in real life. 🤎

These are some things I’ve learned along the way…

Yoga isn’t a full movement practice and neither is most of what we train.
That’s not a problem, it’s just some context.

Variety and openness to new ways of moving are what matter.

❤️‍🔥

4 moves to save and try for spinal mobility.

So often we think we’re moving our spine but we’re actually just frozen in the same position moving our limbs or just the neck (think slouched at a laptop and then that same chin and shoulders forward position when you stand up)

Have a play around and notice if there’s any sections feel like they could use some more movement.

Follow @flow.with.v for more

❤️‍🔥

When I started yoga, just doing wheel pose more did not give me a nicer shape or make it feel better in my body.
I did injure my back though.

What helped instead was broadening my awareness by paying attention to my pelvis, shoulders, and breath.

Thinking of backbends as lifts rather than bends also changed everything. It helped me visualise muscle activation instead of collapsing into my spine.

Here are some of the ways I’m prepping for wheel. You can save and explore them too.

Ps. If you are looking for more overhead shoulder mobility or leg extension, this one is for you too.

How do your backbends feel?

Here’s a lower body warmup for when the ground is wet, the gym floor is funky or you don’t have a lot of space.

I’m not saying you’re going to look cool but you’ll feel better for it ;)

❄️

You don’t know what you don’t know. Here are three things I would focus on if I was learning crow pose from scratch.

Follow @flow.with.v to skip learning lessons the hard way like I did. ❤️‍🔥

#Crowpose #yogastudent #neuroyoga #brainbased

Barefoot is better but some days you want to play in the snow and you’re not on Wim Hof’s level.

Living my introvert dream in the snow this week. I think I am recharged ❤️‍🔥

If Wild Thing feels restricted in the wrist, elbow or shoulder, it may not be your muscles, but neural tension. Our nerves are always sending and receiving messages and sometimes they can be blocked meaning they don’t do their job as well.

The median nerve runs through the palm, forearm and shoulder. Gentle nerve flossing can help improve how it glides, changing how you feel and move in this shape.

Move slowly and stay in a 2–3/10 sensation, no sudden lightening bolts or zingy feeling.

The other thing is that not every movement works for every body so it’s useful to test before and after so you can see how your nervous system responds. If it helps your wild thing awesome - if not that’s useful information too.

Not medical advice. Remember to always chat with your doctor if you’re experiencing pain/symptoms. 🤎

Off-the-mat wrist and grip strength to save and try later or send to your friend who’s always got niggly wrists.

Don’t be tempted to only stretch your wrists , let’s go 💪🏼

Dead hangs (2 arms → 1 arm optional)
You can start active and finish with a passive hang for decompression (two hands)

Farmer carries
Slow walks, heavy enough to challenge your grip or march on the spot if you don’t have the space.

Forearm rotation (supination / pronation)
These are underrated, start slow and light, you can add in holds for a few secs at end range.

all of these are meant to increase enjoyment and decrease discomfort in yoga. Get to your doc if your wrists bother you

❤️‍🔥

Snippets from one week of down time, practising when I wanted for as long as I wanted. It was very very sweet. The best I can describe how I feel when I have space to move on my mat is that I’m coming home to myself.

I hope you’ve had time to fill your cup over the past few days too ✨

insta/reality moment 🤣

My pincha (forearm stand) had been pretty solid through my practise today and I could have just shared that but I thought it was maybe more useful to post this as a reminder that most of us still bail out of poses in dramatic fashion from time to time.

Yoga - keeping us humble always.

#pinchamayurasana #yogafail #forearmstand #instareality

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Say Hi on Instagram

@flow.with.v