Frequently asked questions (ie what people have asked us before their first yoga class!)

Are your classes suitable for beginners?

If you’re a beginner (or if you’d just like to revisit the fundamentals!) we have a short, on demand beginners course available here - it will set you up perfectly to join our other classes.

Our all levels classes (all of them except 7:45pm Tuesdays) are also open to beginners. But please be aware that they are not specific beginners only classes; instead they are open to everyone of every level of experience. So, for example, in a class of 16 people you might have a couple of people that were complete beginners, a couple of people that have been doing yoga for more than 10 years, and the rest would be a full range of everywhere in between. At some points you might feel a little lost or unsure but that is totally ok. And exactly how you'd expect to feel trying anything out for the first time!

In a 60 minute class with Olivia you'll spend about the first 15 minutes on the floor doing some slow stretches or learning a particular technique. Then you'll get moving and be going from one posture to another rhythmically for about 30 minutes. For the last 15 minutes you'll be back on the floor and will finish with a guided relaxation at the end. You can (and are encouraged to!) rest whenever you need to, and Olivia gives different options for lots of the postures so people can make them a little bit easier or harder depending on how much experience they've got. So as a beginner the most important thing is to not try to do everything that everyone else is doing - it's much better to get the fundamental postures done well before moving on.

Do I have to bring a mat to your classes?

The COVID regulations suggest minimising sharing equipment, so yes please bring your own mat to class if you have one. If you have them please also bring a yoga strap and block; if you don’t just bringing a dressing gown belt or clothing belt will work fine! If you’re stuck or forget yours we have ones you can borrow.

What should I do before my first class?

Try to arrive at least 10 minutes early so you can tell the teacher you’re new, and they can give you some tips on what to expect. Make sure you have comfortable clothes and perhaps a bottle of water with you. And if you’re coming to our classes on St John Street we only have one small changing space, so please arrive dressed for class if possible!

Do I have to be flexible to do yoga?

Not at all! A good, balanced flow yoga class will aim to increase your strength AND your flexibility. But you don’t need to have either of those to start with - that’s what you’re going to class for!

Can I come to class if I’m pregnant?

The standard advice from the NHS is to continue to current levels of exercise if you become pregnant. So if you haven’t done any flow yoga before, you might want to wait until after your pregnancy to try it out. If you already have a regular yoga practice let your teacher know if you become pregnant and they will tell you how to modify some of the postures as your pregnancy goes on - make sure you arrive early enough before class for a bit of a chat! There are also lots of great pregnancy yoga classes out there designed especially for you, whether you have done yoga before or not. If you’re at all unsure, please send us a message before you book.

Can I come to Olivia’s class with an injury?

This depends totally on what your injury is and what stage it’s at. If you’re at all unsure, send us a message before you book.

I want to book more than one person into one of your group classes. What should I do?

Each person in your party needs to book separately so our booking system reserves a place for each of them. Each person should click sign up next to the date you’d like to attend in the schedule towards the top of this page, and then follow the simple steps to create an account and book your place.

I’m on the waiting list for one of your group classes - how does that work?

Our classes often sell out in advance but we have 5 waitlist spaces available. If class is full when you book our online system will state that you are being added to the waiting list. If someone cancels their place in class (which often happens!) people on the waiting list will be added to our class list in chronological order according to the time they booked. If you are added to class you will receive an email telling you that you’re in, so keep an eye on your inbox! You can also check whether you are on the waiting list or on our actual class list by logging into your online account with us. If, while you’re on the waiting list, you decide that you don’t want to attend class you can remove yourself from the waiting list through your online account. And if you are on the waitlist but don’t get into class, your class credit will go back on to your account ready for you to use another time.

What should I wear to my first yoga class?

This will depend what type of class you’re going to. But as a general rule wear clothes that do not restrict your movement, with perhaps a couple of layers that you can take off as you warm up or put on at the end for your final relaxation.

What is yoga?

The modern, physical form of yoga focuses on strength, flexibility and breathing to improve both physical and mental wellbeing. It originated in India many hundreds of years ago, and has continually evolved towards the exercise form that is popular throughout the world today.

What do the different types of yoga mean?

There are many different schools of yoga. Each have different areas of emphasis, such as postural alignment or breathing techniques, and can be more or less physically strenuous. No style is necessarily better or more authentic than any other. Instead students should aim to choose a class appropriate to their fitness level and to what they want to get out of their practice. Each school of yoga uses the same basic postures, which in the original Sanskrit language are called asanas (pronounced AH-sa-nahs).

Our group classes are flow yoga, which means for more than half of the class you’ll be moving fairly constantly in time with your breathing. We also have classes on more specific topics (eg yoga for athletes or yoga for before bed) available for free online here. We don’t use Sanskrit - we only teach in English.

What sort of yoga is right for me?

If you are unsure which type of yoga would be best for you, speak to a qualified and experienced teacher about what you are hoping to get out of your classes and they will be able to advise you. Drop us a line with any queries!