Yoga is the ancient practice of connecting mind, body, and spirit to bring about a state of harmony. It typically combines movement, physical poses, breathing techniques, and meditation and aims to promote mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. The first known mention of yoga is in the Rigveda, a collection of ancient Indian religious texts, with the term ‘yoga’ thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word, ‘yuj’ – meaning to join – or ‘yoke’ – meaning union.
Yoga began its journey into Western culture in the late 19th century when Indian monks began to spread their knowledge of the practice on their travels. Yet, only in the past 50 years or so has it become widely popular as a form of exercise and healing. With an array of wide-ranging benefits associated with the practice, it’s unsurprising that it’s practised by more than 300 million people across the world.
Today there are many different types of yoga, each with different characteristics and focuses and suitable for different fitness levels and abilities. London alone is home to over 130 yoga studios, offering a wide range of different types and some of the world’s best instructors. In this blog, we explore some of the best on offer across the capital.
Triyoga
Founded in 2000 in Primrose Hill, Triyoga was established to help Londoners lead a healthier lifestyle and to provide a sanctuary away from the demands of the busy, fast-paced city. The studio has gone from strength to strength since its inception and today offers over 30 different styles of yoga in four locations across the city – Camden, Chelsea, Ealing, and Shoreditch. With the stipulation that all yoga teachers must have a minimum of five years’ experience before teaching at the studio, you can be sure you’re in good hands, whether you’re a beginner looking to give it a go for the first time or a seasoned yogi looking to perfect more advanced poses. If you’re looking for a challenging workout, Triyoga’s warm and hot yoga classes in studios heated by therapeutic far infrared panels are sure to put you through your paces. In addition to its impressive yoga timetable, Triyoga also offers matt, reformer, and Gyrotonic Pilates; barre and meditation classes; a beautiful cafe serving healthy foods and juices; and a suite of health and wellbeing treatments. Everything you need for your holistic health under one roof.
Bhuti
Richmond-based yoga and wellness centre, Bhuti, was created as an antidote to the stresses of modern-day life, with a key focus on yoga, meditation, and breathwork to improve spiritual wellness. The beautiful studio is not only home to calming classrooms, but also a tranquil treatment centre, where clients can enjoy a range of muscle-melting massages and revitalising facials. Bhuti hosts a range of different yoga styles, including Iyengar, vinyasa, nidra, dynamic hatha, lin and anusara, so you can try something new and find the sessions that work best for you and your fitness goals. The studio also offers a range of workshops and events, from learn-to-meditate programmes to ‘journey to joy’ intimate group retreats.
A Fine Balance
A Fine Balance was founded in 2017 by husband-and-wife team, Hannah and Alex Horne after Hannah suffered work-related burnout from her corporate job and realised the pivotal role yoga played in her recovery. The business was born out of a desire to help others support their mental and physical wellbeing through yoga and achieve a better work-life balance. A Fine Balance also works with businesses to tackle the other side of the equation, providing classes and practical support to help promote employee wellbeing. With a studio in Upminster and, more recently, one in Dunmow, the business caters to a broad audience, with dedicated sessions for children and teenagers, lessons tailored for beginners, and pregnancy classes, alongside a whole host of classes of varying styles and different abilities. Whether you fancy challenging yourself with a dynamic yoga flow workout or taking it a bit easier with a gentle slow flow session, you can be sure you’ll leave feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to tackle whatever the day throws at you.
The Hot Spot Yoga
The go-to destination for Bikram yoga, The Hot Spot Yoga provides a warm and friendly welcome to yogis new and experienced. The studio, in the heart of picturesque Parsons Green, specialises in ‘the original hot yoga’ and promotes Bikram classes for their healing abilities as well as their wide-ranging health benefits. The classes, taught in 40C heat, flow through 26 postures and two breathing exercises, and are credited with improving blood flow and respiration, boosting mindfulness, balancing appetite, and increasing strength and flexibility. If you’re ready to apply the benefits of heat to other activities, be sure to give The Hot Spot’s inferno HiiT Pilates a try too.
Frame
With a mission to get more people moving in a way that’s fun for them and feels good, Frame is a firm believer in the power of exercise and movement on the mind and body. With studios in Kings Cross, Shoreditch, Angel, Victoria, and Hammersmith, as well as classes available online, members can fit sessions into their busy schedules in a way that best suits them. It offers a wide range of activities, from 80s aerobics to box-fit, but its yoga selection is also one of the best in London. Frame’s yoga classes are closely tailored to tackle specific areas of the body and everyday niggles. Hip opening yoga, as its name might suggest, focuses on mobilising and releasing tension in the hips, while back, neck, and shoulder release yoga targets the upper body, improving posture and easing the build-up of tension office workers accumulate from hunching over their laptops.
It’s no surprise that London has been coined the yoga capital of the UK, and with so many different studios and styles to try across the city, you’ll be sure to find something that works for you. But don’t be fooled – the gentle movements and calmness of the practice can be deceiving and may leave you feeling it more the next day than you might have anticipated.
