Category Archives: Health

Classes are still running online at Yogawest

Online classes

Our timetabled classes are running online until 17 June 2021. In-house classes restart on 18 June. STOP PRESS We hope to offer an online ‘extra’ class option over alongside our in-house classes: watch this space for details tbc.

Please book your online class as usual in your Yogawest account: you can use your existing packs or choose to pay the full or a reduced fee.

Thank you to the wonderful Yogawest teachers who have been looking after the Yogawest community online during the pandemic: we know how challenging it has been and are full of admiration of how you have all coped and adapted and blossomed in the virtual world. It is clear that we ALL want to get back to real life classes as soon as we can!

Cost of online classes

Many of our regulars have wanted to pay for their online classes at the full class fee during the pandemic which is very much appreciated, but we do recognise that not everyone can do that, so we offer an ‘Online Reduced Rate’ class pack giving (approximately) a third off most classes.

Online class reduced rate £10 Available for classes (up to 90mins) that are usually in the studio and are run online during lockdown.

Online 2-hr class reduced rate £15 Available for classes (up to 90mins) that are usually in the studio and are run online during lockdown.

Timetable and Booking

See the schedule of our classes here, click on a class to see full details and make a booking.

New to Yogawest?

Set up your Yogawest account here

FAQs (about online classes)

How do I book? Click on the class you want to attend on the Yogawest calendar, then follow the instructions.
How do I get into a Zoom class? You will receive a confirmation email when you book with a link to the class in your Yogawest account: click the orange ‘video stream button’ to access the class. (You can also just click on the class on the Yogawest calendar page and log into your account).
Do I need a Zoom account? No, if you don’t have one you can access the class  via your browser.
Cancellations If you cancel before 24 hours of the start of an online class, your account will be re-credited with one class for re-use within the validity of the pack purchased. No credit is given if cancelled within 24 hours of the start of class, but do please cancel your place in your Yogawest account so we know not to expect you. Changes to your booking must be made by you in your account, regrettably Yogawest cannot action these for you by phone or email.
Minimum Numbers If numbers are low, class may not be able to run, in which case you will receive an email to let you know and your account will be re-credited.
Cover The class teacher may change to another Iyengar-qualified teacher if cover is required.

Thank you to everyone for your continued support, we hope to see you back in the Yogawest building again before too long.

Coronavirus Update

Yogawest is re-opening on 27 July!

Response at Yogawest, updated 14/7/20

Due to the global coronavirus crisis, following UK Government instruction on Monday evening 23 March 2020, all operations at Yogawest were frozen and Yogawest is currently closed.

During this time we are monitoring emails and social media where possible, but may not be able to respond immediately until we are up and running again.

The good news

The Government has now given us permission to re-open Yogawest on 27 July. More details here

How it will work

We are making structural and procedural changes at Yogawest in order to comply with government guidelines and enable everyone to be safe within the building and in class. This means a lot of change and things won’t be quite the same as they used to be. We will need full support from the teachers, receptionists and students to follow the new rules when we re-open. We know from the amazing offers of help we’ve had that the Yogawest community is eager for us to re-open when possible.

Rest assured that all Yogacards will be extended, postponed events will be rescheduled in due course, and refunds granted if the revised dates are not suitable, but this process may take a few weeks.

Further details will be published here as we have them.

FAQs

When will Yogawest re-open?
We expect this to be Monday 27 July.

How do I get the Yogawest newsletter?
Sign up here and check that the newsletter isn’t being auto-diverted into your junk folder!

Are there any online classes running?
Yes! Online classes are listed here: book your class directly with the teacher.  Bobby Clennell is teaching another online workshop for the Yogawest community and friends on the afternoon of 5th September, booking opens shortly.

How do I extend my Yogacard?
If you have a (pre-Covid19) Yogacard, first register with our booking system here then email us with a photo of your Yogacard to request a credit transfer to your account. Please bear with us as we process these changes: it might take a little time to catch up. This scheme ended on 27th October 2020!

What about postponed workshops?
As we take the first few steps towards re-opening, our priority is to launch our new non-contact booking system (you can register here) so we can launch classes and events when possible, and apply credits for unused Yogacard classes.

We cannot process any refunds until we are re-open. Courses, workshops and events will be re-scheduled where possible and refunds made according to the event t&cs if the dates are unsuitable.

Continuing your yoga practice
Those with a regular yoga practice know how important it is for health and wellbeing. We are doing what we can to help you to keep practising:
Some Yogawest teachers are offering online classes
Have a look at our home practice ideas.

Thank you!
We have done our best to respond to the challenges that coronavirus has presented. Many thanks to Nicola, Andy, Jon and Lou who implemented an outstanding cleaning routine while classes were still running in March, executed with rubber gloves and a smile. Thank you also to the teachers who continued to turn up to teach while class numbers were dwindling. Thank you to the students who told us that while we could keep classes running they would keep coming, to those who have offered practical help towards our re-opening and to all of you that have sent the many messages of support, love and goodwill.

We send our love to all Yogawest teachers, students and friends during this challenging time. We hope to see you all before too long.

Course Start Dates

Courses running at Yogawest Feb-April 2020

The following specialist classes run as courses and as numbers are limited, must be pre-booked to secure your place. Click on the links below to read more and to book your place, or call us on 0117 924 3330.

Drop-in may be possible for some courses once they are confirmed as running (check with us), but please note that Yogacards are not valid for courses, and a drop-in fee is charged.

Monday
Gentle 2pm; course 24/2 – 30/3
Beginners 11.15am course 24/2 – 30/3
Teenagers 4.15pm; course 24/2 – 30/3
Young Adults 5.10pm; course 24/2 – 30/3
Foundation 7.45pm; 5-week course 2/3 – 30/3

 

Tuesday
Early 7am; course 25/2 – 31/3
Gentle11.15am; course 25/2 – 31/3
Children’s yoga  4.15pm; course 25/2 – 31/3
Children’s yoga  5pm; course 25/2 – 31/3
Foundation 6pm; 5-week course 3/3 -31/3

 

Thursday
Teenagers 4.15pm; course 27/3 – 2/4
Teenagers 5.10pm; course 27/3 – 2/4
Foundation Plus 7.45pm 5-week course 27/3 – 26/3

Open Day 12 Oct 2019

Free Classes, Tea & Cakes and Meet the Teachers

As part of the Bristol Yoga Trail 2019, Yogawest are opening our doors and offering free classes all day long. We invite you to come along, take a tour of our beautiful building, chat to some teachers and try a taster class or two.

yogawest-BYT-169_LRCome at least 10 minutes before the start time so you can register with us and secure your place. Some classes may be busy, and some may fill up before the start time, so do arrive in good time!

 

Timetable of FREE classes at Yogawest

9.30–10.45 Beginners
11–12.30 General
12.45–1.45 Family (all ages welcome)
2–3 Total Beginners: a class for complete newbies
4–5.15 Beginners
5.30–6.45 Restorative: restful poses focusing on good breathing

Donations to OTR

Although all Open Day classes are free, we are collecting donations for OTR – Off The Record, a marvellous Bristol Charity offering mental health support to young people. A £10 donation pays for a free counselling session for a young person. Read more about OTR here.

Local TV coverage of the Trail

Bristol TV came to talk to us about the Bristol Yoga Trail, many thanks to Katy and the Tuesday morning class!

 

We look forward to seeing you then!

Full Timetable restarts 31 August

The Autumn timetable at Yogawest

The updated full timetable begins on Saturday 31 August, download your copy here or pick up a copy at reception from 15 August.

NOTE that some termtime and courses start later: check termtime classes dates and course dates.

There are some small changes this Autumn, with highlights as follows:

Naomi adds a class

Naomi Maggs now teaches two classes on Wednesday evenings: the Beginners class starts at 6pm and her new General class starts at 7.30pm.

Welcome to Sarah

Sarah Dietz joins the Yogawest team and is teaching the Beginners class on Tuesday evenings at starts at 7.15pm, two teenager classes on Thursday afternoons and some Foundation courses.

Welcome back to Cleo

Cleo Edwards is back on the timetable, teaching the Beginners class on Saturday afternoons at 4pm and some Foundation courses.

Low cost classes

Yogawest offers some classes to those with low wages (eg NHS, students) and operates on a fairplay basis to those who cannot afford to come to class otherwise. Classes currently listed include the 4.30 Friday class and the Saturday 4pm class and details are updated regularly here.

1:1 classes

Yogawest offers one-to-one classes for people who want a little more attention, perhaps because of a particular injury, or those who are unable to attend group classes. Classes are by arrangement, and are usually an hour long. More info here

Quieter classes

Autumn is a busy time at Yogawest and some classes can get quite full: this makes for a great atmosphere – seasoned yoga practitioners usually enjoy busy classes. However, some people prefer quieter classes and we regularly update our list of current quiet classes here

Yoga in Hospitals

Article from The GUARDIAN 17/3/19

Soaring stress levels have led to a workforce crisis and alarming numbers of doctors and nurses are quitting their jobs at the NHS.

But hospitals are trying to reverse the trend by giving staff yoga sessions, free massages, bacon rolls, and their birthday as an extra day off in an attempt to relieve the pressures of caring for patients.

Growing numbers of trusts are laying on mindfulness classes, physiotherapy to relieve pains, and advice on good sleeping habits as ways of improving their personnel’s wellbeing.

Kingston hospital in London has hired a physiotherapist specifically to treat staff suffering from sore necks, backs and shoulders from the rigours of handling patients. A “mind/body practitioner” also teaches them yoga to improve their mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing.

Every week scores of staff attend yoga sessions, pilates class or mind/body relaxation groups. Additionally, a “staff support chaplain”, who is a trained therapist, provides free pastoral care and counselling to those suffering with stress, anxiety or depression, whether caused by work or their personal or family life.

Kelvin Cheatle, the trust’s director of workforce, said it enlisted the trio’s help after its staff survey in 2015 showed that they “consistently felt stressed and under pressure and that the organisation wasn’t doing enough to help them. We implemented a health and wellbeing strategy to support staff through every type of their wellbeing – physical, mental, financial and family health.”

read full article here

International Day of Yoga June 21st

international-yoga-day-logo-210x236Celebrate the 2nd International Day of Yoga and the Summer Solstice all on the same day!

June 21st is of course the summer solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. In India, the first full moon after the Summer Solstice is known as Guru Purnima where the Guru or teacher is honored. According to yoga legend, the first transmission of yoga by Shiva (the first Guru) is said to have begun on this day.

The United Nations General Assembly declared June 21st as the International Day of Yoga. The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the United Nations: “Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature.”

International Day of Yoga is celebrated all over the world.

New bike stands fitted

new bike standsSome extra bike stands have been added this week at Yogawest.

These offer some cover when the weather is wet and extends the number of bikes we can handle.

International Day of Yoga June 21

international-yoga-day-logo-210x236June 21st is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. In India, the first full moon after the Summer Solstice is known as Guru Purnima where the Guru or teacher is honored. According to yoga legend, the first transmission of yoga by Shiva (the first Guru) is said to have begun on this day.

The United Nations has declared June 21st as International Day of Yoga, following a proposal by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who said “Yoga embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and with nature.

Yogawest is open as usual on Sunday (and as it’s also Fathers Day, we are expecting a bumper crowd of Dads coming to classes during the day!). Sam is teaching her 10am general class and her 11.45am intermediate class; Diana is teaching the Sunday evening general class at 6pm.

It’ll be worth making it to class on Sunday if you can: the knowledge that many thousands of yogis around the world will be practising at the same time will lend a special something to the energy of the classes.
IYNAUS1034_YopaDay_poster_F.inddIf you can’t make it, then you may be interested to see the sequence that Geeta Iyengar has suggested… you could choose elements (or all!) of this and practice at home instead. Sunday coincides with the Iyengar convention in Exeter this weekend, and many of our teachers and students will be there following this sequence led by Birjoo Mehta from Mumbai.

Download poster from IYNAUS (US Iyengar Association) showing poses in silhouette: IYNAUS-Intl-Yoga-Day-2015

Download list of  Geeta Iyengar’s suggested sequence

 

Yoga may guard against heart disease

article from BBC online

Yoga may guard against heart disease, study finds

Doing yoga may be a good way to protect against heart disease, particularly if you cannot do more vigorous exercise, research suggests.

A review in the Netherlands of 37 studies involving nearly 3,000 people found yoga was independently linked to a lowering of heart risk factors such as high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Yoga does not count towards the recommended physical activity that we should all do each week.

Experts say it may still be beneficial.

Yoga is an ancient form of exercise that focuses on strength, flexibility and breathing to boost physical and mental wellbeing.

There are lots of different types of yoga – tantric, Hatha and Ashtanga to name a few – but most are not strenuous enough to count towards the 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity the government says we should get each week to give our heart and lungs a workout.

Yoga does count as a muscle strengthening exercise – something the same guidelines say we should do on two or more days a week, every week.

Calming

Prof Myriam Hunink, from Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, set out to investigate what effect, if any, yoga might have on heart health.

Compared with no exercise, yoga had significant benefits – it was linked to a lower risk of obesity, high blood pressure and raised cholesterol, the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology reports.

When pitched against other types of exercise, such as brisk walking or jogging, yoga was no better or worse based on the same measures of heart risk.

Prof Hunink said: “These results indicate that yoga is potentially very useful and in my view worth pursuing as a risk improvement practice.”

It is not clear why yoga might be beneficial, but experts say it could be down to its calming effect. Stress has been linked to heart disease and high blood pressure.

Maureen Talbot, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “The benefits could be due to working the muscles and breathing, which can bring more oxygen into the body, leading to lower blood pressure.

“A larger study is recommended though to assess the effects of yoga more fully.”

She said the benefits of yoga on emotional health were well-established.

Full article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-30475999