Yoga promotes a healthy mind and body, which has become widely recognised across the world in…read morerecent years. This has sparked a surge of yoga centres to pop up in all corners of Birmingham. The only one I know of that offers free yoga sessions is Birmingham Yoga Centre, colloquially known as Divya Centre. They offer classes three times a week. The centre is a part of the Patanjali Yog Peeth (UK) Trust, which is a charity aimed at promoting healthy wellbeing. Thus, the Centre is equipped with a shop that sells ayurvedic herbal medicines and treatments for numerous ailments. I have used the herbal toothpaste, which prevented my gums from bleeding and has generally helped in the look and feel of my pearly whites! The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable on remedies for specific conditions. The Centre has a car park, which can be accessed from Well Street.

As soon as you walk through the door of the institute, a sense of calm runs through you. For too…read morelong, if you wanted to practice yoga then it'd be in a dusty, drafty old school hall - hardly a relaxing environment. The Iyengar Yoga Institute of Birmingham has a purpose built studio, with white walls, great lighting and smooth floorboards. Don't let the ropes on the wall scare you - these are integral to the practice of Iyengar yoga and you'll be using them with confidence in no time. The teachers - Jayne, Andrew and and Steve - are passionate ambassadors of the benefits of yoga and encourage beginners and seasoned yoga practitioners alike.

I have only recently started going to the yoga classes here, but then it is very new. The Coffin…read moreWorks has only just been renovated and the studio that is used for yoga is one of the units that have now been let out for other uses. Because the unit was of course an old working building, the windows are very large in order to let in maximum light and I think the light are airy space in the room makes it a perfect place to practice yoga. I have been going to the Thursday lunchtimes classes, which are £5 for 50 minutes. The teacher is called Matty and he is a really positive guy. Whether you are a beginner or expert I can't think you would be disappointed with the classes:)

If you're looking to break out of the daily grind of life and refresh the mind, body and soul then…read moreYoga Sweat is most definitely the place to go! Yoga Sweat, a modern yoga studio, located right next to the Mailbox is a hidden gem in the city. With a variety of classes on offer, you can pick and mix what classes you want to go to dependent on what your body might need. There are hot yoga classes, ashtanga, jivamukti, rocket, hatha, relax and restore and even aerial yoga (check out the website for full descriptions) so lots of to choose from. Classes range from 60mins, 75 mins or 90 mins. My favourite classes are any of the heated ones (it gets so freaking HOT, it's pure bliss) and also jivamukti which is a very dynamic form of yoga and there's some awesome chanting involved! Intrigued? Check it out! The best thing about this yoga studio is the inviting and welcoming staff who create a relaxing and laid back environment where you feel at ease instantly when stepping in the door and greeted by a smile. All the yoga teachers are superb...and I know you're not supposed to have favourites BUT I love Raman and Zuzana's classes the best - they are just such lovely souls! And don't be worried if you think you're not flexible or whatever, each class is full of mixed abilities from newbies to experienced yogi's - it makes for an awesome environment of learning and teaching. With the challenging yoga posses, meditation and breathing work, every time I finish a class I feel like I've had a beautiful spiritual experience and ready to take on whatever is waiting for me on the other side of the studio. FYI this is one of my happy places! In terms of decor, the smell of scented candles and incense fills the places and creates a chilled out environment. The studio is has inspiration quotes and Buddhas dotted around, accompanied by bright orange and white walls and rustic wooden floorboards. Also in Studio 1 there is fairy lights - who doesn't love fairy lights?! Yoga mats and towels (if you're not a member it's just an extra £1) are available. There are also changing rooms which offer showering facilities - unfortunately in the morning you might have to wait a few minutes. My only negative (ekk!) would be that there aren't any power sockets in the actual changing rooms so if you want to use your hair dryer etc you have to do it in the studio...also there are no lockers, although I've never heard of any incidents and the studio is always closed during any classes. If you fancy checking out the studio, there is an introduction offer which is £20 for 20 days - so you can try as many classes as you want! If you find that you want to join afterwards (like me!!) then there are lots of different packages to suit your needs. If you have a fear of commitment you can also just pay as you go - £10 per class. Note to self - buy a yoga sweat hoody ASAP! *Namaste*

I've been attending classes here for a good month now and would definitely recommend it…read more Perched on the edge of a busy crossing in what is a fairly anonymous building Barefoot doesn't really look like much from the outside. Once you get past the front door its a miniature haven. I've been to a mixture of classes with several teachers and have enjoyed every one. They offer classes in the ever popular hot yoga, however these are usually quite late in the evening so not always ideal. Warm yoga (less hot than hot yoga), of which I am a particular fan, as well as other classes for all levels and pilates (I haven't tried these though). I've been practising yoga for a few months now and I felt pretty comfortable in the 'level 1' and 'level 2' classes they offer. The level 2/3 was certainly a challenge as my arm balances need some serious work, however practice makes perfect and I never felt uncomfortable when there was something I couldn't do. In general an alternative pose is also offered, this is great not only for when you're not so confident, but also for when you want to have fun and push it further. I've learnt about 6 new poses in only a three weeks of classes and they all make for excellent party tricks as well as nurturing my LOVE of yoga. Facility wise there are changing rooms on the ground floor, the ladies is pretty compact and not really big enough for the number of people in a full class. But its clean, there are showers and the vast majority of people come dressed and leave to shower and change at home so it isn't a real issue. There is also a nice waiting area where you can chill out and get a cup of tea before a class. The studio itself is on the first floor, its a fairly nondescript space but the front is mirrored ballet studio-style which I really like. Mats are provided and laid out already, this is a nice touch as they are strategically placed to avoid bashing arms and legs in the usual poses. Although after my first hot class I started taking my own mat, I have never sweated so much in my life, wipes are provided to clean the mats after use but I'm still not so sure about sharing! All the staff have been great. Teachers (as far as I can comment) seem really good, I have definitely progressed, helped along by hands on correction and genuine enthusiasm. I joined with an introductory offer for 30 days of unlimited yoga for £30. Definitely worth being brave, giving a few classes a go and jumping in. My offer just expired and I will definitely be signing up for more classes. They offer a few 'unlimited' packages where you pay monthly, yearly, etc., or pay per class options and whilst initially it seems a little expensive as far as I can gather the prices are in line with other studios in the city centre and in my opinion, worth it.

I love coming to Barefoot for yoga and pilates. There is a comprehensive timetable with classes at…read moredifferent times of day which makes it easy to fit yoga into my life. Classes have a range of different difficulty levels but the instructors will always show you the easy option and let you have a go at trying something more difficult only if you want to, there is never any pressure. One of the things I love about yoga at Barefoot is that it is a non-competitive atmosphere and there is never any pressure. All the instructors knowledgeable and make the classes enjoyable and fun; the studio is always clean and is light and airy with a full air con system; the changing rooms are clean and fairly roomy and include showers and a hairdryer. Love yoga, love Barefoot.

I can't recommend this studio and it's teachers highly enough, and feel super healthy and relaxed…read moreafter completing a hot yoga session. Yes the heat can be challenging at first, (the room is set at 40 degrees) but you soon get used to it after going to a few sessions on a regular basis. The classes can get very busy at peak times, but I always arrive in plenty of time so I can bag a suitable space to set up my yoga mat. The teachers are super friendly and really encourage everyone throughout the yoga practice. They offer an introductory price on your first yoga class with a total of 10 classes included in your offer, as well as 15% off class cards before your introductory offer expires. A 90min class costs £12, with a 60min class costing £11. There are a variety of pricing options for unlimited yoga classes for a month, off peak and peak classes. There are seperate changing rooms available for men and women, a small shower room and a kitchen. They sell coconut water here as a natural energy drink, and yoga clothing. You can also go on a yoga retreat with other yoga practitioners which are organised by Yogahaven. Check out their website here: www.yogahaven.co.uk/birmingham Note if you do decide to go ensure you take two towels with you, one to cover your yoga mat (they have yoga mats here) and another to mop your brow because you sweat A LOT! A bottle of water is advised too :)

First thing, Yogahaven is not a yoga studio as such, it offers Bikram style yoga. To purists or…read morethose that have experienced disciplines of yoga such as Hatha, Ashtanga etc may be disappointed. It took me a while to put my finger on to what the classes were as they have no type attached to the class names, until I was told "based on Bikram". This is an objective as well as a subjective review, for some people Bikram is great, for me it is not. That out of the way. The venue is lovely - the staff are friendly, it is clean, good quality fixtures and fittings. The classes are extremely expensive, by far double the price of their competition. I did however do their £20 for 20 day offer, this gives you unlimited access to classes. Even as a purist, I took up this offer just for the experience. Jivamukti yoga is on the schedule for a couple of classes a week. It is a shame they do not offer other types of yoga such a Hatha, Ashtanga, Yin, Vinyasa, or Kundalini. If they did they may be able to have an offering to a wider customer base. So, this gets a three star "a-ok" rating.

I have eagerly been waiting for the yogahaven guys to complete the last lick of paint on the place…read moreso I could get in and get all zen like again. This is the latest branch of yogahaven to open (they have a couple in London, Birmingham) and now Solihull. The hot yoga studio is based on a industrial park, and on the first night of going I managed to drive past the place as I was looking out for a lit sign in the dark. The reception staff are friendly and the reception area is welcoming. There are a few items to buy - rehydrating coconut milk, juice and mats. The changing rooms are lovely and clean and there are showers to boot too. The hot studio itself has mirrored walls at the front and yoga mats for use or you can bring your own. The instructors are top notch. There is a reduced class schedule while they assess demand, but I'm sure they will be open 7 days a week real soon. If you haven't sweated it out in a yoga room before I recommend going.

I am a practitioner and I will be working with The Soul Angels on a ad hoc bases. I feel great…read moreenergy from the shop. The other practitioners also very nice and courteous as per the Shop owner Nichola. Kind Regards