Nick Higgins and Max Henderson, a former schoolteacher and a management consultant, founded Hotpod Yoga in 2013. They were not part of the 1% of ‘perfection chasers’ who regularly practised yoga; they were of the other 99% who simply needed to clear their over- stimulated minds, work off their hangovers and open up their bodies after a hard day at work.
Urban Massages’ Marietta tried out a Hotpod Yoga class and here’s what she’s got to say about her session.
What happened during the class?
The classes are given in an inflatable pod where the temperature is kept at around 37C. My instructor for the hour was Mandy who made me feel very comfortable and welcome. She explained to me how the class was going to happen and what to take with me. Once the room was full (one pod can host up to 20 people) the teacher closed the pod’s doors and the class began.
Does it help you to relax?
Once I got into the pod, I lay down on my mat and started relaxing immediately, just breathing deeply and waiting for the start to class. The ambiance in the pod is quite favourable to relaxation: it’s dark and gently warm.
It is okay for first-timers?
Since it was my first time doing hot yoga, Mandy advised me to keep my bottle of water close. She also told everyone to go at their own pace and to not do anything that we were not comfortable with, which I really appreciated as a beginner!
How did you feel during the class?
We started to warm-up and stretch. The temperature rose throughout the whole session. We did a variety of stretching always coming back to a downward facing dog. It was the first time that I did such a challenging yoga class, with some positions proving to be quite challenging and hard to reach. Mandy always offered alternative positions if you were struggling which I took advantage of! I ended up sweating like never before releasing all the stress from my body.
Would you recommend Hotpod Yoga?
I definitely would recommend this class for people who want to practice yoga, burn calories and get rid of all the pressure from city life.
Try Hotpod Yoga for FREE!
Use the code UMSWEATS and try am off-peak Hotpod Yoga class for free. Only redeemable for off-peak classes, in London (Notting Hill, Brixton and Hackney). Off-peak hours are weekdays between 8am-6:30pm and after 8pm and weekends in the afternoon.