Pavel Angelov is a movement and mindset coach seamlessly incorporating his expertise in the field of sports and athletic performance with the ancient knowledge of the human mind and body that yoga provides. With a diverse professional background and a deep personal story, Pavel carries and shares the energy of positive transformation. In 2020 he founded HighOnYoga9 to fulfill a niche that was revealed by the Covid-19 pandemic—the need for a more holistic approach to personal training and coaching. Pavel’s methods have been found to be of great help by people from all walks of life on their journey to improved athletic performance and self-realization.
Over the last 9 years, Pavel has been part of yoga and healing communities around the world. He has been able to integrate his experiences from diverse cultures and philosophies with the expertise acquired during his career as a sports journalist, sports trader and senior manager in the sports betting industry. Pavel is the unique intersection of two intrinsically different worlds and his balanced approach is a reflection of that.
Born and raised in the 90s in Sofia, Bulgaria, Pavel was a part of the late “jilted generation”, burdened with the reality of navigating the socio-economic crisis in the region. This period contributed to shaping Pavel’s resilience, independent thinking, and resourcefulness. His wisdom-seeking nature allowed him to develop awareness of the social impact of education, community, and sports. At age 18, following his passions, Pavel began his career as a sports journalist. He received an international accreditation, which allowed him to fulfill his dream of attending Brazil to cover the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. However, big dreams coming true can open up space for uncertainty and doubt. At that time, Pavel went through deeply challenging personal and professional experiences. They guided him to transition to a trading career in the sports betting industry and a move to Malta. It was on this tiny Mediterranean island where Pavel discovered the endless and fruitful path of yoga in 2015.
Seeking career growth, Pavel embarked on the journey of US sports trading. It led him to attain intricate knowledge regarding the approach and mindset of the most skilled and well-developed professional athletes on the planet — at a high price, though. Working with the US sports schedule in Europe meant that Pavel had to adapt to the gloomy world of night shifts. Trying to maintain his active lifestyle, despite doing the graveyard shifts (from 9 pm till 7 am) and playing football (soccer) in the lower Maltese divisions, Pavel pushed his body beyond its limits. Largely due to his nocturnal lifestyle, injuries started to occur. Unfortunately, during this same time period, Pavel faced traumatic experiences while helping his loved ones navigate major depressive disorders. He had to find the strength and resilience to balance helping and supporting others going through their darkest years, while finding the resources to heal his own body and mind. This was when Pavel’s empathetic and compassionate approach to guiding and assisting others was formed.
During his lowest lows, Pavel came to a realization: we are the only writers of our own stories. He knew he had to go back to pure basics and apply all he had absorbed from the world of sports and yoga in practice. He set out to combine this with the pattern recognition skills developed in working with pro sports and betting data. During the long nights, beyond the ocean of numbers, deeper understanding grew within Pavel; he grasped the interplay between mental resilience and physical performance. This interplay allowed Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Novak Djokovic to cement their legacy in sports history. Pavel understood that what separates the best from the rest is having a holistic approach! One that handles the body and mind as a whole, not separately.
The fresh new perspective paid off as Pavel took ownership of healing his complex long-term injuries. He was supported by top professionals, as well as the insight obtained from spending thousands of hours reviewing physiotherapy and anatomy resources. By 2019, when Pavel needed ankle surgery, he had a solid understanding of the human body and mind. This was further developed in 2020 when he completed his yoga teacher training. Then Pavel was fully equipped with the knowledge and tools required to achieve optimal physical and mental health. The key to achieving this lies in changing the mindset from short term to long term, as well as investing in creating a strong foundation.
When the Covid-19 pandemic started, Pavel realized he had to utilize his skills and experience to help others. Close people encouraged him to provide support and mentorship to those struggling to keep in shape mentally and physically during the restrictions of one of the most challenging 18 months in the history of humanity. This is how HighOnYoga9 was born, out of a need and through bringing positive change. During the pandemic, it became apparent that many people around the world wanted to invest in achieving better physical and mental health, but lacked the resources—or the knowledge of how to use them. This became HighOnYoga9’s niche, as Pavel’s experiences had prepared him to mentor individuals seeking positive development.
After the pandemic, Pavel’s dedication to assisting others in creating strong foundations for themselves and their families grew. He applies three essential principles: safety, simplicity, and efficiency. He shares these with clients, empowering them to achieve success by themselves. Pavel’s offerings include personal training, yoga, and coaching. With his humble guidance and commitment to their success, Pavel empowers individuals to make the most of life, through optimized movement and mindset.
The training programs Pavel has offered since 2020 are a unique blend, bringing together the benefits of yoga, physiotherapy, and strength training as designed by the best coaches in the world. Today, Pavel’s lifestyle entails splitting his time between the Americas and Europe while sharing his work to guide people in connecting better with their bodies and minds on their journeys to healthier, flourishing lives.