UNDERCOVER: Trying to stay away from the pub. Tri Yoga

You just walk in through the door and immediately feel a bit calmer. Triyoga has got that real yoga studio vibe; it smells fragrant, there’s a whiff of joss sticks, people talk quietly etc. The classes are all walk in so you have to get there a few minutes early to make sure you’re all paid up and ready. Although I have done yoga for years, it had been a very long and very bad week at the office, so I thought I’d do a level one class so that I could choose how hard I worked. These classes are open to everyone, but mainly targeted at beginners, or anyone seeking a more gentle practice.

After paying up, I soon realised that he changing rooms are tiny! They have two huge yoga studios, the number of people getting changed was a serious issue post-class when both sessions finished at the same time, and others were about to start. It was like Piccadilly Circus in there!

Having said that, the actual yoga studios are spacious and well-lit, and they have high quality mats and all the bells a whistles you might want to help with the workout (blocks, bands, even little lavender scented eye masks). They packed a lot of people in to the class, but there was still enough room to do all the moves without banging in to your neighbour.

The class was very relaxing and the instructor was so kind and friendly. She noticed that I could do a lot of the moves, yet I wasn’t pushing myself very hard, and she came over to encourage me! In the middle of the class, we did a lot of the same moves over and over, which did feel a little repetitive (I remember thinking ‘one more crescent moon and I’ll scream’) but I know there is repetition for a reason! A lot of the other moves were excellent, and there were always alternatives for people who felt uncomfortable doing shoulder stands or headstands.

The one issue with going in the early evening, in such a great location, was the noise that drifted in from the nearby pubs as the evening progressed. I think that’s my fault, not theirs though…who goes to the gym on a Friday night!?

Best bit – calming class & great instructor

Worst bit – packed changing rooms

Good for – relaxing and reviving
Score – 7/10