Hot Pod Yoga, Derby Review
Exercise and dance classes are often based on performance, working ourselves harder, faster, stretching our bodies to their absolute limits. Whereas yoga, on the other hand adopts a kinder, more holistic view. It involves listening to yourself, being in tune with both body and mind. I feel like a star pupil when I am reassuringly told in a yoga class that I am doing a “great job”, whilst I sprawl myself ungracefully face down on a mat, simply breathing; oh, the simplicity.
Situated in an inflatable, cocoon-shaped pod, Hot Pod Yoga, Derby, launched in 2017, and runs a variety of yoga classes from beginner rookies, like myself, to more advanced hand-standing yoga experts. Blasting out a snug 37 degrees, the classes run Vinyasa flow classes which aim to improve strength, tone and balance, whilst incorporating deep breathing exercises. As a novice, who attends the ad-hoc novel yoga class, I was nervous about attending my first hot pod yoga class, yet I was surprised by the warm welcome I received from the Hot Pod Yoga team, who reassured me if the class ever became too challenging, to assume child’s-pose (basically lying flat on the floor). Class capacities are small, so yoga classes are often tailored to the members present, the instructor gives examples of easier poses or stretches, to more advanced and challenging ones, so members can take control and experiment with their limits. The dark ambiance of the pod helps quieten the mind, and focus on the task at hand. The soft purple lighting is genius, as you become less aware of the people around you, and self-conscious. The instructor guided me through the flow of the class. I ended up sweating in places I never knew were possible.
Hot Pod Yoga’s ethos is “working the body, calming the mind”, which it certainly achieved, I left refreshed and relaxed equally in mind and body. The heat definitely helps with flexibility, and by focussing simply on your breathing it can help concentrate the mind, as opposed to worrying about perfecting every pose.
Classes are pricey, but if you’re after a kinder work-out, it is truly worth every penny. They do a great intro offer incentive of 3 classes for £15 within the first two weeks of signing up.
So, what are you waiting for, give it a go!
