Unwind Yoga

06/05/2026

Yoga and Pilates are not formally regulated industries in the UK. There are respected training routes, experienced teachers, professional bodies and insurance requirements, yes, but there is no single statutory body preventing someone with minimal training from teaching.

And that is a concern for every person walking into a yoga or (Reformer) Pilates class.

Not every new teacher is unsafe, we all started somewhere. Experienced teachers should not feel threatened by newer people entering the industry.
But fact is that the public cannot tell the difference between someone with years of anatomy training, supervision, CPD and thousands of teaching hours and someone who has completed a fast-track online course or a short “reformer” crash course.

Human bodies are complex. We deal with injuries, pregnancy, hypermobility, post-surgery recovery, neurological conditions, menopause-related changes, osteoporosis, pain, trauma, fatigue...all of these change what is safe and appropriate for any given student.

I completely understand that studios, gyms and training providers are under commercial pressure. The economics of running a wellbeing business are brutal at the moment. Rent, wages, energy, insurance, software, marketing, complaints,competitors aren't an easy walk to take.

But I want to say that commercial survival cannot come before safety!

If a business is selling movement, touch, reformer classes, rehabilitation-adjacent sessions or anything that involves vulnerable bodies, then the burden of care has to be high.

As a participant in a yoga or Pilates class you deserve to know:
What training has this teacher actually done?
Was it in person, online, supervised, assessed?
How many hours of teaching experience do they have?
Are they insured?
Do they understand contraindications?
Do they know when to adapt, refer out or say no?
Because safety should not depend on whether a consumer knows the right questions to ask.

The industry needs honesty and transparency, especially if there is a proliferation of fast-tracking teachers.

As a student, you need to be able to make an informed choice.

As a studio or gym, you need to be transparent and honest.

Who agrees?

09/04/2026

I have been percolating this idea of creating a small, dedicated space locally for quiet “reset” sessions, this could be (very) slow movement, stretching, and proper nervous system wind downs (and not fitness-based).

It would be local to Exmouth, but what does everyone here think?

Images are AI created and concept ideas..but tbh..I personally want to immediately flop down in that room 😆

01/04/2026

Stop. Stop...

As you read these words, soften your belly. Soften your face. Breathe in, slowly. And out, longer.
Let your chest ease. Let your back widen. No pushing. No forcing. Rest in yourself. As you listen to your breaths, stay here, close your eyes. Pause.

30/03/2026

Looking successful and being well are not the same thing. You might think "if I slow down, I will fall behind", but I say that if you don't slow down, you are already burning out.

Pausing isn't just nice, it is the counterbalance to a broken pace of life.

I don't want to be successful if it also means being stiff, in pain and stressed. Then I'd much rather be known to be amazing at taking a pause 🙌

02/02/2026

My students will remember this: move your spine in its 6 degrees of freedom every day (fw bend, backbend, sidebends left and right, twists left and right).

You're only as old as your spine!

An estimated 80% of the population will suffer from lower back pain at some point. The good news is that preventing it is a lot easier than treating it

24/01/2026

Literally feels like walking into Unwind Yoga Studio, kids haven't come out yet 😅

23/01/2026

What gets you through winter?

Thank you for the cheerful post inspo 😍

20/01/2026

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

No waiting until you feel fitter, calmer, more flexible or more “ready.” You show up exactly as you are today, with the body and energy you have.

Some days that might be a lot, some days very little. Both count.

18/01/2026

Stretching isn’t why yoga works.

Your nervous system changes through breath, attention and how you meet discomfort.

Flexibility is a side effect.

16/01/2026

Not just saying, this is based on a 2019 systematic review of brain imaging studies on yoga (Gothe et al., Brain Plasticity).

The research shows that regular practice (2–3× weekly or more) is linked to changes in brain areas tied to memory, stress regulation and emotional control.
Infrequent practice mainly delivers short-term feel-good effects, just not lasting change.

In other words: yoga works, it works better when it’s consistent.

27/10/2025

Love our garden sauna. Relaxing here when it's dark adds a whole other level of sensory de-loading.

Little visual input = instant down-regulation for the brain; ➡️ fewer signals = slower thoughts, parasympathetic shift.

Gentle stimulation of the thermal sense, heat receptors are active, rhythmic and steady = grounding.

The wood, oils and steam engage scent memory and relaxation.

Muffled acoustics, quiet hissing of the water hitting the rocks heightens presence, not stress.

I think a sauna in the dark creates a deep sensory balance, I feel really well now after a day of running around doing school holiday stuff 🏃🏻‍♀️➡️💆🏻‍♀️

Just need to move it to Devon now as it's still up in Buckinghamshire 😅