Gaby Soutar: Beginners Forest Yoga Drop-In

It seems that the regulars to Finlay Wilsons classes are smitten, if their intensely focused faces are anything to go by. Picture: Contributed

The treatment

An hour long Beginners Forrest Yoga Drop-In with Finlay Wilson (aka @scottishyogaboy) at Union Yoga (25 Rodney Street, Edinburgh, 0131-558 3334, www.unionyoga.co.uk), Saturdays at 11am, £12. Wilson also offers classes at his own practice, Heartspace Yoga and Bodyworks in Dundee (www.yoga.heartspacedundee.co.uk), and City Fusion Yoga in Glasgow (www.cityfusionyoga.com).

Why go?

According to the Union Yoga website, this style of yoga, which is named after its founder, Ana Forrest, “uses intelligent sequences to lengthen and strengthen the body to achieve effortless alignment and better posture. The poses develop strength, breath awareness, and integrity to cultivate a connection to spirit”.

Our spy says

It seems that the regulars to Finlay Wilson’s classes are smitten, if their intensely focused faces are anything to go by. I get it.

With loads of charisma, a hipster beard, US twang (but only when he’s teaching), brightly patterned leggings and an ability to wrap his legs around his head like a pretzel, he’s an inspirational guy. As well as being very entertaining, he’s also a bit strict, which helps with the motivation.

A late-comer tries to sneak in, but they get admonished. “I operate in German time”, he says. “If you’re 15 minutes early, you’re on time, if you’re bang on, you’re late”. I concur.

However, ultimately, this style of yoga seems to be kind, supportive and holistic. We do some quite simple moves and spinal twists, all of which are held for quite a long time. Whenever the head is tipped to the side, Wilson shows us how to use our hand to lift it back up, so as not to cause strain to the neck.

He also wanders round the class doing lots of tweaking and offering encouragement. As a usually totally anonymous member of a fits-all council gym, I really appreciate this.

We also practise alternate nostril breathing and learn how to lift our diaphragms on the out breath. Probably the most difficult pose is the inversion, which involves doing a downward dog then pressing our feet onto the wall behind us and lifting up our bodies like a wheelbarrow. I manage to hold it for for couple of minutes. Go me!

The results

I feel grounded, spinally lubricated and like a piece of washing that’s been through a mangle (in a good way).