Another one debating yoga for the 1st time after lockdown finishes? North London

[Eesha]

Hi all,

Ive decided i want to try yoga out once lockdown ends in April but just looking for advice on choosing places etc. Fierce Grace seems to be on all the search engines near me. I want to try out different types including hot yoga at least once. Any thoughts? I feel extremely uncool so im just not sure ill fit in.

I loved hot yoga. The place where I did it (Hotpod yoga) had no mirrors, dimmed lighting, nice scents and it was a lovely environment. There is sometimes a tendency for supercool gym bunnies to attend. Sometimes that varies depending on time of day, they seemed not to come on weekdays 9-5. If other people intimidate you (as they did me), I actually really recommend closing your eyes for most of the session. Sounds weird but it made me really focus just on myself.

@NutellaEllaElla i think i would find those pods claustrophobic! I would be doing yoga during the day, post school drop off. Im a size 14/16, very busty. What would i be able to wear? Im a bit scared of collapsing in the heat!

Tbh if you don't like the heat then try a different Yoga! You can get super hot when you're exerting yourself. You can wear whatever you feel comfortable in but I find baggy tops get in my face during downward dog!

Hi there

Try out Reyna Cohen on YouTube for accessible yoga for all body types x

FG is really hot. Like drowned rat, wring out your clothes and your hair hot. Great if that’s what you’re looking for but intense if you’re not prepared for it.

Lots of places do intro offers (or did and I’m sure they will again) so I’d try a few out before committing. The vibe varies wildly.

I don’t know where in North London you are, but One Yoga London is really good.

@NigellasMicrowave im hampstead/golders green

@FrankGrillosFloof i would like to try hot yoga at least once

I'm really not a hot yoga fan at all. I break a sweat in a vinyasa class, I don't need it to be boiling and need to wash my hair.

Is muswell hill too far for you? Yoga Loom is lovely. Or if you don't mind travelling Triyoga has a huge range. I'd be shocked if there aren't some lovely studios in Hampstead. Have you got local fb groups you can ask on?

Yeah I really think hot yoga is love or hate! And if you are always cold like me, winter is the biggest incentiviser ever!

Got my hopes up for a minute there thinking hotpod meant you got your own pod!

@doadeer ideally i wanted somewhere reasonably close to the school drop off which is near Golders Green so its either Fierce Grace Finchley or Fierce Grace Camden or somewhere else. I would like somewhere which offers hot yoga too so i could try it at least once. I wish i had a friend for moral support plus im almost blind without my glasses and can't fathom how i would follow a class without them!

@doadeer just noticed triyoga is in camden so that would work!

Have you done yoga before? I'd do a triyoga beginner course.
What makes you want to try hot yoga?

There will be lots of studios locally I promise their websites just won't be as good as fierce grace so they don't rank. There is tons of yoga in muswell hill and crouch end and we are a similar type place

Triyoga has an enormous selection of classes. If you haven't done yoga before hot yoga would be a very intense introduction. Personally I would try a gentle hatha yoga class as an introduction. Triyoga will be able to give you some advice if you contact them.

@doadeer i always thought i would enjoy yoga so wanted to try it out. My ex partner would do hot yoga 5 times a week and we had planned to do it together though it never materialised. He raved about it though. Im also quite claustrophobic and he said you arent allowed to leave and that made me feel even more anxious. But i wouldnt mind trying stuff out. I will give Triyoga a go!

I mean each to their own but 100% I would recommend doing beginners courses. A hot yoga class if you've never done yoga is a recipe for an injury and I say this as someone with a family yoga studio 🙏 it's best to learn confidence with the primary poses

@doadeer definitely ill do something basic first of all. Any recs are always welcome.

Well Triyoga is one of the biggest studio chains in London so you can't go wrong with starting there but it would be nice to find a non chain yoga studio that's local. Can you ask on local Facebook groups?

@doadeer thank you, ill look around. I just figured there might be a one size fits all place so eventually one day i could do hot yoga there too. Ill have a nosey

Me again, a year later from this thread post a breakup, I tried my first hot yoga class at Fierce Grace. It was hellish but the people were so lovely and I managed the 75min session. I felt brilliant after I left and actually all my usual aches and pains that I have when I wake up, have gone. Plus I felt healthy so didn't binge afterwards. I'm really hoping it translates to weight loss. Some of the people doing it looked amazing. I'm a size 16 and was the biggest by far. Body goals indeed.

Have you kept up your yoga @Eesha v

@doadeer I have limited time so it's only every month or so if my ex has the children. I'm planning to go again in a few weeks 😃

Ahh, hope you enjoy it!!

@Eesha so glad you went to FG!! It’s been my saviour since my divorce 4 years ago. The FG crowd and teachers are incredible - non-judgmental, all ages, sizes, and abilities. I have a couple of passes available each month for guests; happy for you to have them. DM me.