I joined The Shala a couple of weeks ago with their 45 pound intro month deal. I've been quite a…read morefew times since then, to both yoga and Pilates classes. This weekend they're having a free shiatsu massage workshop that I am dragging my husband to. The studio itself it beautiful. It has three different spaces, nice hardwood floors, and showers. It's well-lit and has a nice "energy." You can say that sort of thing in a yoga review. I really like Claire, who teaches pilates. She's super friendly and helps students individually. She works with students at their own level, which I appreciate. The general vibe of the studio seems a little serious, but people are also pretty friendly. I've met a couple of nice women, and people are welcoming for sure. My main feedback is they don't do a lot of adjustments in class, which is something I really liked from Satori Yoga in SF. I think adjustments are really helpful both for safety and learning. They let you use their mats if you have a towel to put on top. I really do need to buy my own mat, since communal yoga mats tend to a smell a little funky. I really like that this place is walking distance from my house and an actual studio/community, not just a single teacher renting a space. It's near West Norwood/Tulse Hill train stations, and really not a far walk from Streatham.

Set in the heart of Norwood, this yoga studio is easy to get to with excellent rail and bus links,…read morewith the nearest station being a five minute walk away and bus stops opposite the studio. Once inside, the studios are on the third floor, before entering the yoga/Pilates studios there is a beautiful open and modern reception area with comfy seating and the temptation of a post class or treatment coffee or tea. There are changing rooms for both female and male students with showering facilities and clean modern toilets. The studios are all light and airy and retain some of their original features from the buildings previous incarnation. A special feature for winter and cold evenings is the under floor heating, perfect for a 6:30am Mysore class on a chilly January morning. All the teachers I have met so far are warm friendly and so unpretentious, their knowledge of all the disciplines on offer is not only extensive but trust-worthy. I've been attending the studio for over a year now and so happy that South London is supplied with yoga studios that are not only clean, modern and large, but warm,friendly and welcoming in every sense.

This studio is absolutely fantastic ! They offer a wide range of services, including Personal…read moreTraining, where they specificallly tailor your workout plan, they give total support, encouragement and motivation. My trainer is Labonita, and she is the best in the business!. She is highly motivated and focussed, really supportive, encouraging, fun and has a genuine passion to ensure her clients achieve and surpass their goals. The Studio have many highly qualified instructors offering an array of classes too - for all abilities, such as differrent styles of yoga, barre, self-defence, salsa & samba, dance classes, boxing classes, meditation and so much more. The environment is fantastically equipped with state of the art equipment, its very clean, and warm and so welcoming and its my haven !!! CHECK IT OUT !!!!

From the owner: Pilates - Yoga - Personal Training - Fitness - Strength Training - Dance Classes - Womens Self…read moreDefence If you're looking for somewhere to train, or perhaps your training has hit a plateau and you need to be re-motivated, maybe you are new to the area or want to try something different then contact our studio today. We always have great introductory offers for new members and free classes so you can try them for yourself with no pressure or long term commitment. Based in Penge, South-East London, Temple of Strength is easily accessible via public transport and is a minute's walk from the beautiful green space of Crystal Palace Park. Click on our free class offer on Yelp - We look forward to seeing you !

A great respite from the London heat. I visited on a weekend and easily found parking on the street…read moreright by the lido. There was no queue and it was relatively painless to get through to the pool. I wasn't able to use a locker however as I only had a £2 coin and reception had no change to provide me with pound coins for the lockers. Luckily I hadn't brought much of value with me so I hopped in and kept an eye on my belongings. It was quite busy with it being a blazing hot day, people had obviously been there sunbathing on the concrete all day! The lanes didn't feel too busy though when I was in the pool swimming. The pool is not heated so it can be a bit chilly when you first get in until you've got used to it. It was a delightful swim, to be swimming outside in England felt very novelty! It was generally clean, but a few things did float by on my swim. The changing facilities aren't the best, with only one small communal female changing area, with just one cubicle for privacy. It would be nice if they had some cubicles by the side of the pool like the Charlton lido, but maybe they didn't feel they had the room. There is a cafe on site, which by the look of it you had to access from outside, but there is a window that serves snacks and drinks. The only seating option when you are pool side is the bare flat concrete, so make sure you have a couple of towels with you so that you can lie out, I also took some flip flops for when I was walking about as opposed to going barefoot. I would definitely recommend this lido and I'm sure I will visit again, although I have now discovered Charlton lido, which is a lot closer to my home. The Art Deco style at Brockwell is much more aesthetically pleasing though!

For someone who's lived down the road from Brockwell lido for 5 years it is a disgrace I've not…read morevisited sooner. During the glimpse of our heat wave I came here with a friend on a Friday. Surprisingly we got a space in the car park (we know this was pure luck!). The parking is (I think) 2 hours free but it's not very clear whether you have to make a note of that when paying, so we just paid everything... hope they are enjoying getting all that free money Mr Parking God. When we got there the queue was way out the door at about 30 people deep we didn't have to wait too long to get in though. Once in we headed for the lockers which are few(!) And are located outside. There's about 40 lockers for the 100 people there. We walked into the changing room...and quickly walked back out it's very open and smelly. Standard. The pool itself is wonderful and fresh and you don't feel like you're swimming on top of people which is nice (especially as half the pool was closed when we visited). There's a cafe/bar (which is slow serving but worth the wait). The flooring isn't great, you're laying on concrete, bring a squishy towel. Apart from that it's a decent day out for some sun and a swim. Be warned sitting near the deep in. The kids jumping in and dive bombing constantly becomes tiresome. The poor lifeguards, is all I felt for the next few days! They deserve a medal.

"Yoga with props" is the way I have heard the Iyengar style of Yoga described so with curiosity, a…read morestiff back and fear of it being a bit "hippy dippy" (yoghurt-y as my friend calls it) I headed to the old Church hall where it was being taught. Any fears of it being taught by someone with their head in the clouds was quickly dismissed when I met the teacher. Rose who teaches the class is a great teacher and the style of Iyengar is ideal for an "impatient beginner" like myself. The problem with yoga normally is you don't really start seeing benefits till you can get into the positions and you can't get into the positions till you've been doing it a while. Well, with Iyengar they neatly side-step this problem by using props such as foam blocks to get you immediately into the positions, further more if you needed a little help to get in position the teacher will notice and gently help you into the correct position. I left feeling bendy and that I will go back again!

I'm not a big fan of the gym. I normally end up paying a stupid amount per month and not using it…read morebecause "it's raining, I'll go tomorrow" or "it's just a bit far", but the National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace has changed all that. For starters, it's recently been refurbished with new machines, weights and kettle bells, a dedicated spin studio and some other machines that I'm still trying to work out what to do with. It's nice and close to my house, and being able to walk there and back is great. The staff in the gym are friendly and helpful, and they set monthly challenges for members to compete against each other. The pool by all accounts is nice, although I'm yet to use it. The only downside is the heat from the pool fills the reception area and basketball court so it always feels like walking into one of those tropical butterfly houses! It's cheaper than some more glamorous 'brand name' gyms, and it's not full of Roid 'eads. The classes are all included too!

Only recommendable for people interested in pure 50s/60s concrete architecture - an overkill in…read moregrey walls, cold/drab changing rooms and prison style showers...... One of the few 50m pools in London and thus for real enthusiasts. Endless journey from the city center.....