Chic London yoga studio Triyoga has expanded its Soho branch to include a naturopathic cafe, hot yoga and Pilates and upgraded treatments. To celebrate you can get free classes this week. Result.
It’s one of London’s most chi chi locations for yoga known as home to celebrity teachers and pupils alike. From Russell Brand to Gwyneth Paltrow, few capital dwelling, yoga-centric slebs haven’t been there.
Now, one of Triyoga’s premier locations – it’s Soho studio, in Kingly court just off Carnaby street – has expanded. There are all new treatment rooms featuring physiotherapy, acupuncture, Ayurveda and skin meditation facials (yes, that’s a thing). There’s also an all new Retreat Cafe, whose head chef, Kim Parsons is also a qualified naturopath and all dishes are wheat, gluten, sugar and dairy-free and there is all manner of green juice / smoothie available to your taste.
Added to the already impressive class repertoire are new hot yoga and Pilates classes that use a gentle infra red heat – rather than the nasty blow heaters that give you hot flushes in old school Bikram (just me?) – along with mindfulness meditation.
Great news is that all new classes hot yoga, warm Pilates, meditation and mindfulness are free this week until June 22nd. Check Triyoga’s schedule for details.
Now – before I sign off I must confess to being a bit of a Triyoga groupie myself. I’ve been going there since around 2005 and in 2010 qualified as a teacher through their intense teacher-training course.
Though there’s no doubt the classes are expensive – something that riles me to this day, we’re talking £10-20 a class – they’re always an experience and the light and earthy beauty of the studio is a drawcard where so many city studios are pokey and small. Given that the spaces in Soho, Primrose Hill and Chelsea are in the heart of London, finding a true solace in this bustling, brittle city of hours I guess is worth the few extra quid. I always get that at Triyoga. For that reason, I thought I would list my all-time favourite teachers just in case you’re intending to try it. I have tried and tested their classes and can highly recommend them from the bottom of my heart chakra.
1. Bridget Woods Kramer – Bridget teaches Anusara, a heart opening flow that focuses both on alignment and really feeling the posture (sounds woolly but it’s a compelling combination). Bridget is somehow the epitome of spiritual cool yet so much the real deal that once I found myself in tears in one of her classes (it was good tears). That had never happened to me outside India. She plays irresistible music that can feature anything from a rappy mash up of what sounds like Eminem and Ravi Shankar or Mozart.
2. Leela Miller – if yoga teaches were like lovers, Leela would be my first love. Her’s was the first class I ever did at Triyoga, a dynamic Astanga class and her dedication to gently pushing the students to their ‘edge’ inspired me. She won’t tell you this but she taught Madonna. Miller does regular retreats too.
3. Jeff Phenix – Jeff’s unique blend of fiery, challenging dynamic flow yoga focuses on both alignment and warming the body so the yoga always feels like a workout, yet you emerge feeling calmer and more centred. It also helps that he is a bit gorgeous.
4. Lisa Sanfilippo – if I had to think of one word to describe Lisa’s classes it would be uplifting. There’s something about the fact that she obviously absolutely digs what she does so much it makes you glad you made the effort to join her to share in some of that joy on the mat. I love the way she always emphasises the therapeutic side of yoga, whether it’s for detox or mood or sleep and uses the posture to make you feel better from wherever you are to begin with. She is a Healthista favourite and has done some great videos for us too.
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