Beer yoga comes to London – and we’re not complaining!
A recent hit in the US, Australia and Germany, ‘beer yoga’ has finally made its way across the pond, setting up camp in trendy London Fields, Hackney. A collaboration between Good Yoga Life and London Fields Brewery, Yoga+Beer kicked off on 3 June and is set to continue every Saturday within the brewery’s Taproom bar.
Open to everyone
Yoga+Beer is open to yogis of all levels, whether you’re a beginner or a veteran. Offering a dynamic flow class with good music and friendly teachers, you can build strength and flexibility and calm the mind. The best bit? A lovely, chilled bottle of London Fields Brewery Easy IPA, a mellow pale ale, awaits you at the end for the perfect post-yoga cool down.
The twist
The difference with Yoga+Beer and its continental counterparts is that here, the beer comes /after/ the yoga. The original concepts in the US – and, indeed, some of the earlier emergences in the UK like those hosted by Funzing UK – saw yogis encouraged to swan-dive and sip at the same time, but Good Yoga Life have (sensibly?!) switched it up. Enjoying a beer post workout means not only will your practice remain clear-headed and focused, but the incentive will encourage you through the class.
The benefits
We all know that yoga boasts incredible benefits. Improved flexibility and core strength are a given, but it’s the benefits for the mind that are most impressive. Forcing you to slow down the pace, focus on your breathing and switch off your mind, it works wonders for relaxation and stress relief. No wonder, then, it marries so well with a good old beer. Of course, there are no real physical health benefits to drinking beer while perfecting your downward dog, but if it helps you relax, join together with friends and allow you to truly unwind, we’re all in.
Dab hands
This isn’t the first venture of its kind for Good Yoga Life. Taking the practice out of the studio and into the places where people live and work is their speciality, they host residencies and pop-up experiences in unique venues across London for the modern yogi. From retreats in Ibiza to pop-up events, their public, private and corporate classes always showcase a dynamic, strength-building vinyasa practice and cultivate an inner calm.
Beer yoga comes to London
Yoga+Beer is running every Saturday from 10-11am at London Fields Brewery, The Taproom. Tickets can be bought for £15 at billetto.co.uk.
Into Yoga? Why not go to the Yoga Connects Festival