5 Reasons To Try Yoga This Autumn

With summer drawing to an end, and the new school year underway, you might want to take some time this autumn to reset and reenergise by trying something new like yoga.

Feeling inspired to get back into shape after the holidays? No worries, you aren’t alone! Yoga is a fantastic complete mind-body workout which connects you to your community too. Read on to discover five reasons to roll out the yoga mat this autumn (and beyond!).

Flying in Warrior 3 at Community Day 2022 | image by Bevin Sutherland

1. Health & Wellness
Practicing yoga offers many benefits including physical, mental, emotional, and intellectual. From improving flexibility and muscle strength, to lowering stress and anxiety levels and helping with breath, yoga can improve your overall wellbeing and mitigate specific health challenges (physical and other). Nurturing concentration, confidence, discipline and finding a sense of community are just a few of the many benefits yoga offers.

The physical part is just one area of yoga, and long before people were practicing headstands, they were practicing breathing! In yoga you learn to quieten the mind (meditation) using tools including various breathing techniques. After all, a calm breath equals a calm mind!

So what to choose? Try a dynamic flow class, or simply slow down, take a break from routine and give yourself space to breathe.

2. Autumn Yoga Classes & Challenges
Heat up this autumn with a variety of yoga classes to try – some even for free! If you’re a beginner, don’t fear, simply look out for beginners’ yoga classes, or more gentle styles like Yin and Restorative.

Following our super successful Summer Youth Programme (packed with free yoga sessions!) in Croydon this August, we recommend you keep posted via our website for upcoming events hosted at the Croydon Boxing Club and other areas.

Check out our Urban Yogis UK Instagram, here, and Gloves Not Gunz Instagram, here, and stay up to date with upcoming programmes.

Celebrating Community Day 2022 in Croydon | image by Bevin Sutherland

3. Connect with Nature
Whether practicing in your garden or a local park, enjoy the beautiful shift in seasons as you roll out your mat and stretch into the morning or relax into the early evening this autumn. Another positive is that Yoga can be done anywhere, anytime. And if you forget to pack your mat, no worries! Nothing better than the feeling of soft leaf covered grass under your feet. Small tip: use a tree instead of a wall for some extra support!

Have a new favourite yoga pose? Grow the community and share your best summer snapshots with us on Instagram @urbanyogisuk

The whole crew at this year’s Community Day | image by Bevin Sutherland

4. Grow Community
Trying a yoga class or going along to a community session will enable you to meet people and make new friends with no judgements. The foundation of yoga is something called “Ahimsa”, which means non-harming and kindness. Yogis believe in living with authenticity, compassion, friendliness, and a positive attitude. You’ll feel lighter and brighter after just one yoga session.

Urban Yogis UK prides itself on its sense of community, and with our incredible teachers you’ll feel welcomed and supported at all our sessions.

Launching into Crow at Community Day 2022 | image by Bevin Sutherland

5. Make the Most of Your Autumn
Whilst it can be easy to binge Netflix or scroll TikTok, why not make the most of your time with a new activity? Let this autumn be your time to try something fresh, learn a new skill, improve your wellbeing, and step out of your comfort zone. You never know, a yoga-filled autumn may just change your life!

Remember, you don’t have to be ‘flexible’ or ‘spiritual’ to practice yoga. You simply just need yourself and a mat.

Gathering to Celebrate Community Day 2022 | image by Bevin Sutherland

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Big shout-out to Chanelle Sutherland for the amazing cakes on the day, and her husband Bevin Sutherland for the incredible images. Check out our yoga gallery below!