FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you're anything like us when we first started practicing yoga you might be feeling a little anxious or nervous about coming in! If you haven't been to a yoga studio before (or you haven't practiced yoga at all) it can all seem pretty intimidating. We want you to feel as comfortable as possible here at Stretch - which is why we've taken the questions we hear most frequently and compiled them into this neat little list. We've also popped some links down the bottom of the page to some blog entries we've written (especially for those newer to the weird and wonderful world of yoga), and if you still have a question that we haven't answered, just give us a call or pop us an email in the contact form below.
1. How do I find Stretch Yoga?
CBD
If you've never been here before, we are located on Level 2, 129 Margaret St. We're just up from the Albert St corner (the block in between Albert St and George St) and on the side of the road closest to the Botanic Gardens. You'll find Double Maker Coffee directly across the road and Jess Burgers just downstairs. The building is the beautiful heritage listed Watson Brothers building - look for the gorgeous big red door!
Holland Park
Mid 2021, we moved our Holland Park studio to the character filled 50 Seville Rd. You'll find us on the corner of Seville Rd and Roscoe St - just look for the beautiful brick building with parallel parks, next door to Radiance Dance Academy. Plenty of street parking is available within walking distance.
2. What do I wear?
Something comfortable that you can move in. There's no need to go out and spend $120 on a brand new pair of designer yoga shorts or tights, just make sure you can move in all directions without the need to constant adjust or rearrange your clothes (or yourself!)
Yoga is traditionally practiced with bare feet so let those toes be free!
3. What do I need to bring?
Just your lovely self, a yoga mat (if you have one or you can hire for $2), a towel to put over bolsters (and any props that you like to bring if you would prefer to use your own) and an open mind! Most people bring a bottle of water too! It's air-conditioned/heated in the studios so you may want to bring socks and a jumper if you tend to get cold.
4. Does is matter if I can't touch my toes?
It's absolutely not necessary to be able to touch your toes and super important to remember that yoga isn't about that at all. We want you to be able to work with your body to find how the pose needs to look for you - we'll teach you lots about variations and how to modify poses so that they work to help you open up your body and mind. No matter how unfit or inflexible you are we would LOVE to have you in our class.
5. I'm pregnant/have an injury or limitation - is that ok?
Absolutely! Just come a little early so we can have a chat about it first. You only have to do a quick google to find stories about paraplegics still practicing yoga, quadraplegics teaching yoga and 93 yr old grandmas who do yoga every morning in their chair - yoga is for EVERY body, and is much more than the physical poses. We'll help you to learn how to make it work best for you.
If you are pregnant and have never practiced yoga before and weren't exercising pre-conception we recommend just checking in with your doctor before commencing. If you're in your first trimester you may want to get clearance from them first, but we can happily recommend some nice gentle class styles and of course there's always our Prenatal Yoga Course which runs twice weekly at our Holland Park studio.
6. Do I need to book for classes?
Our classes can be busy so booking means you won't miss out! You can either book via the website, or through the MindBody App. Alternatively, please feel free to give us a call on 07 3210 6886. The earlier you're here the better the chance of securing the best spot (especially if you like being up in the back corner!). Doors open 15 minutes before classes start and if it's your first time make sure you come at least 10 minutes early so we can show you where everything is!
7. Is there parking available for the CBD studio?
Your best bet for street parking is either on Margaret St or Ann St and you can pre-book online with one of the parking garages nearby. For your best deals, try after 4pm and on weekends at First Parking, Wilson, Secure Parking & The Myer Centre.
8. What if I'm running late?
We totally understand that life happens - that's why we do yoga right?! - however, for the safety of our students and respect for our fellow yogis who are settled in meditation, we lock our doors at the advertised start time, and are unable to let you in after this time. We aren't strict on much, but we are strict on this. There is nothing worse than being stuck in traffic, can't find a park and then being locked out of your yoga class, we get it, it sucks, so if you can aim to arrive at the studio 10-15 minutes before class to allow time for check in, setting up your mat, settling in before we start and any mishaps that may happen along the way. Occasionally, in the CBD, protests and Fun Runs can cause delays, usually our teachers allow a few extra minutes if they notice they have a few missing students.
9. Can I bring my kid?
Yes, no, maybe? If your child is a baby, under walking age, it might be appropriate to bring them to our Minis and Me yoga classes, held at Holland Park on Thursdays and Fridays at 10:45am. If they are older than this, there are a few things to consider - can they sit still for long periods of time and are they able to remain quiet without your constant supervision? Would they distract the teacher, and disturb the experience of other students? Are you bringing them because they would enjoy it, or are you bringing them because you couldn't get a sitter? While we love sharing our love of yoga with our youth, it may not always be appropriate. Our regularly timetabled classes are open to students 11 years of age and older, providing they are accompanied by a parent or guardian, with class payment required for each person. It is the parents/guardians responsibility to ensure their child is behaving in a respectful manner, which does not disturb or distract the teacher or the experience of other students. If children are disruptive during class, the teacher has the right to ask the parent and child to leave at any point. Children 16 years or older may attend without a chaperone, however their attendance remains at the discretion of the studio, and each individual teacher. Classes at Stretch Yoga are geared towards adult students, our teachers are not expected to accomodate or adjust their teaching for minors, and we do not require them to hold blue cards or additional children-specific Yoga training. If you are specifically interested in teachers with these additional qualifications, please get in touch and we can direct you to which of our teachers would be suitable, or we can direct you to other studios who offer great kids yoga classes. Attendance of minors is at discretion of Stretch Yoga, and each individual teacher; the studio and it's teachers retain the right to refuse attendance at any time, for any reason. We thank you for your understanding
New to yoga?
If you're brand new (or have only tried 1 or 2 classes at a gym or similar) then you might like to read up on some of these blog posts we've made just for you!
- What to expect in your very first yoga class
- Things no-one tells us about trying yoga for the first time
If you are looking for information on pricing check out the Stretch Yoga Brisbane Information and Pricing page, for class times see the Stretch Yoga Brisbane City Timetable and Stretch Yoga Holland Park Timetable, or for upcoming Course Dates try the Stretch Yoga Brisbane Course Calendar. We can't wait to meet you soon!
