Meet Beverley, 34, from Wolverhampton – a new mum that Park Yoga has encouraged to get out of the house more.
“You don’t realise how good Park Yoga is for your wellbeing until you’ve done it. I never imagined myself to be someone who would enjoy connecting with nature and doing yoga in a park as it’s out of character for me, but it’s so grounding being outdoors and it gives me a sense of peace.
For me, as a new mum, Park Yoga’s really encouraged me to get up and get out of the house. When you’re a new mum, you can find your routine a bit off, but prioritising your own wellbeing as well as the baby’s, the rest of your family’s or the household is so important. So, Park Yoga’s encouraged me to do that every single week.
It’s also one of the very few physical activities that, dependent on their age, you can take your child along to, so you don’t have to worry about childcare. It’s very flexible, so if you needed to leave early to get back to your child that’d be okay, or if you needed to pause during the session because you needed to change your baby that would be okay as well.
Our instructor always offers simplified versions of the movements, and that’s not necessarily for postpartum mums, but if you had health conditions or for beginners too. So, if you’ve never done yoga before or not done it since pregnancy it’s easy to pick up. When I came to the first session, I didn’t feel like I couldn’t do anything or feel out of my depth.
It’s encouraging that there’s a lot of other people there, not necessarily mums, but other people who’ve never done yoga before. They’re trying it for the first time as well, so you don’t need to feel intimidated by the poses at all. Plus, the difference between Park Yoga and other yoga, is that the instructor doesn’t talk about the poses like you should know them, so you’re always put at ease as a beginner.
With the weather in the UK and worrying about the cleanliness and safety of being a woman in a park, you don’t have many opportunities to connect with nature. But Park Yoga gives you that in a safe, calming way.
I definitely ache less from doing Park Yoga. I’ve got reduced back ache because I’m doing all the stretches that I normally wouldn’t get in. But more importantly, I feel happier, I feel calmer, I feel more relaxed.”
Park Yoga is suitable for all physical levels and abilities, and no experience is necessary – last year 30% of our participants had never tried yoga before. There’s no need to book, just turn up with a mat (or towel or blanket) and enjoy the session. Visit our venue page to find your closest Park Yoga location.