My Monday Morning Slow Flow Yoga Class With Polly
It's Monday morning, it's 5.30am and I'm getting ready for a yoga class I'd been fairly anxiously looking forward to for a couple of weeks. I got in touch with Polly because she'd done a photoshoot with my very good friend and now forever photographer of choice @ruggedwisdom. I loved the look of the studio and I liked the idea of collaborating with someone local in Manchester.
The session is run out of Royal Exchange, it's pretty hidden away really in what looks like an entrance for offices, the space is now used by loads of cool little start ups and independents including Polly. You buzz in on the intercom, take the lift up and it's all fairly straight forward, I did like that element of it feeling like a secret club. Fortunately for me as I was still half asleep and staring blankly at the intercom, Polly was heading out with the A Board and let me in.
Now Polly was everything I'd imagined her to be, we'd been talking via emails so I knew she was nice but she is a genuinely wonderful human. Softly spoken, friendly and polite and I knew instantly I was going to enjoy myself at the class.
The space is beautiful, cosy with big windows lining the full length of the room. The mats were already out, enough space for 10 people, I was lucky enough to be in a small group for my session as a complete newbie to yoga. With the music playing, the soft lighting and Polly encouraging us just to lay back and get in tune with the weight of our own bodies - I knew almost instantly this is the kind of zen state I need in my life.
The session itself was all geared towards waking our bodies up gently and setting out our own goals and commitments to ourselves for the week ahead. I was also surprised at how quickly it went, I had major concerns that trying to be relaxed for that period of time could well send me completely the other way and have me overthinking and exhausted by the end. Polly included some progressions and regressions to the moves where needed, everything felt nice and straight forward with simple and clear explanations each time we moved in a different way.
There were two parts of this yoga class that I really enjoyed, the first being making a commitment to yourself for the week ahead. Mine was to be more kind to my body. By that I wanted to move it more and feed it well and pay a bit more attention to what it was telling me. The second was that during the session it went from night into day, those beautiful big windows let in all of the natural daylight and that really added to the sense of feeling like you'd started your day right.
Going to Polly's class also made me realise how important it is now I have two jobs and a whole load of other priorities to balance - to take some time for me. To focus on myself, my health and wellbeing. As a personal trainer, my job is to focus on my clients, in my full time job I focus on my accounts and my team. This class was the first time in months I'd done something that was just for me.
It felt epic, my mood was light all day long and for that above everything else I'll definitely be back.
Fancy giving it a go? Here's all the information you need...
When do they run?
Polly runs two classes, one at Y-Club in Castlefield on a Saturday afternoon and one at Charnock Farm Yoga and Therapy Rooms in St Ann's Square on a Monday morning. All the details are here.
How much?
Drop in cost for Castlefield is £5 and Charnock Farm is £6.
Can I just turn up on the day?
Yes you can, you can also book online through MagnaPass
Massage
Polly also offers massage treatments, bespoke to you and your needs. Her price list is here.
If you're a Personal Training client of mine and want to work with Polly, get in touch! we've agreed a deal for you guys!
For More Info: www.pollyyogaandmassage.space
To Book: info@pollyyogaandmassage.space
Instagram: @pollyyogaandmassage