Here you can find answers to frequently asked questions - find out what to do when you arrive, what to bring, where to park and more....
- We have various options to suit you depending on how often you’d like to come to class.
- Trying us out? Choose a drop in option and pay per class.
- Not sure how often you’ll come? Get a discount with a class pass, valid for 12 months.
- Coming twice per week or 8 times over a month? Save money with a twice a week membership and get 10% off workshops.
- More than 3 times a week? Our unlimited membership will suit you, with 20% off workshops.
- Only Ashtanga classes? Our Morning Ashtanga membership gives you 4 classes a week for a reduced price
- New to the studio? Get 21 days of unlimited yoga for £30 with our Newbie Pass.
Memberships are billed every 28 days – view full membership terms
Concessions are available for students, NHS workers, disabled, those on JSA or ESA and OAPs.
To receive a concession discount please bring proof of your eligibility into the studio so that we can set you up with a concession membership.
This concession membership will automatically give you access to a 20% concessionary discount on drop in classes and class passes, it will also allow you to purchase our concession rate memberships which also have a 20% discount.
This concession membership lasts for 6 months, you will be sent an automatic email 2 weeks before it ends to remind you to renew. To renew you will need to bring proof of concession eligibility into the studio. If you are no longer eligible for concession rates and have purchased a membership then we will need to change your membership to a full price option.
We use class levels to tailor our classes to your amount of yoga experience. We have classes where beginners can feel safe and more experienced students can take their practice deeper.
Only attend classes that are suitable for your level of experience, contact the studio if you are unsure about which level to attend.
You can find our class levels explained here.
All classes are available to drop in to, but we recommend booking in advance. Courses, workshops, events and retreats all require advanced booking.
If you are coming to class through Move GB – you must book in advance through the Move GB booking system.
You can view and edit your bookings in your BCY online account. When you attend anything at BCY an account is created for you where you can check and edit your bookings, edit your profile and purchase class passes or memberships.
If you have booked through BCY directly – classes can be cancelled up to 1 hour before the start time – simply select ‘early cancel’ next to the booking on your account and the class credit will be available for you to use at a later date. If you cancel less than 1 hour before the class start time then you will lose your class credit.
If you have booked through Move GB – you are subject to their cancellation policy which states that classes cannot be cancelled with less than 24hrs notice of the scheduled start time. Please cancel through Move GB directly, we cannot return your Move GB visits to your account.
You should arrive at least 10 minutes before the class start time shown on the timetable to give you time to sign in and get ready for class.
If you have booked a place but have not arrived 5 minutes before the start time, we reserve the right to give your place to someone else.
No students will be allowed to enter the class once it has started (excluding Mum Baby and Pregnancy Yoga). If you are going to be late please call and let us know.
For our Mum and Baby and Pregnancy Yoga classes we do allow students to arrive after the start time, we appreciate how hard it can be to move quickly in the pre and post-natal stages!
We accept cash, card, cheque or Bristol Pounds. You can use your debit/credit card when paying online.
All classes that are on our online timetable will be running, but please check our timetable regularly in case of changes or cancellations.
By subscribing to email reminders in your BCY online account you will receive notifications of changes to any classes you have previously attended.
We have yoga equipment here so you don’t need to bring anything. Wear comfortable clothes – leggings, shorts or jogging bottoms are all fine, and a comfortable top (preferably tight fitting, or something you can tuck into your trousers).
We have all the equipment you will need at the studio.
To help us to offer the equipment in a clean, fresh condition we ask that you cover the mats with a towel – or bring your own mat – in the more energetic Ashtanga and Broga classes. (Yoga Towels, or cotton Yoga mat covers are recommended).
Currently we do not have showers at the studio.
Yes, we have separate female and male changing and one private cubicle for you to use.
You must tell the teacher about any injuries/conditions that you have, or if you are pregnant.
It depends on the injury, but most yoga postures can be adapted to suit any injuries and conditions, or alternatives can be given which will have a similar or more therapeutic effect. We recommend Hatha, Restorative or Iyengar Yoga if you have an injury.
You are responsible for looking after yourself and your body in class, do not push yourself beyond your limits and always ask the teacher if you are unsure of what you are doing.
Please do not come to class if you have a cough or cold – resting is more beneficial and you don’t want to infect other students/teachers.
If you are unsure – give the studio a call on 0117 924 4414 and we will do our best to advise you.
We recommend you don’t eat 2 hours before coming to yoga. If that isn’t possible for you, then snacking on light food like fruit or oatcakes would be better than eating a heavy meal.
Usually it is not recommended to drink water during yoga, but if you feel like you would like to have water with you, you are welcome to bring it upstairs in a bottle. Please do not bring glasses up to the studio. We have a kitchen area where you can help yourself to water before and after class.
All belongings are left in the changing rooms at your own risk. However we are very security conscious and have strict security policies whilst classes are running.
If you would prefer to bring your valuables into the studio, then please place them out of the way and turn off your phone. Please do not bring your whole bag into the studio as space is limited.
Monday – Friday between 9am – 5pm – there is metered parking on Upper York Street and Wilder Street (view map) with a 2 hour maximum stay. Please do not park in the spaces along Backfields Lane as unauthorised vehicles are often fined.
Outside the hours of 9am – 5pm Monday – Friday you are free to park in St. Pauls permit holders parking without having to display a permit.
Alternatively the nearest car park to BCY that has no limit on the time you can stay is St James Barton, approximately 5 minutes walk from the studio.
You can find a map of our location and parking information here.
When you arrive at the studio you will be welcomed by a receptionist or teacher who will sign you into class. Once you have been signed up, you can usually go straight to the studio and grab yourself a mat, and find somewhere to sit or lie down to relax before class begins.
Each class is slightly different depending on the teacher, but most classes start with a few moments of ‘settling’, where you begin to focus on your body, mind and breath. The majority of the class is spent doing “asana”, which means posture work. This is where you hold difference shapes with your body, and try to keep your mind from wandering. The end of class is usually taken lying down on a mat. We have blankets and eye pillows to help you to fully relax. If it’s cold we suggesting wearing socks and a jumper when you first go up to the studio – you will take these off to practice, but you might like to wear them at the end of class to stay warm.
If you are pregnant, we recommend coming to one of our Pregnancy Yoga Classes, where our teachers are qualified specifically to teach pregnancy yoga.
We offer an Intro to Yoga course on Sunday evenings which is specially designed for people who have never done yoga before. The group is smaller than in our drop in classes, and all the students will be beginners.
We also offer courses for beginners on Sunday evenings. These are perfect for anyone looking to understand the principles behind yoga, and is a great follow on from the Intro to Yoga course.
We also offer one to one sessions for individuals or small groups which is a great way to build your confidence and learn the basics. Contact the studio to find out more.
Definitely! Yoga is for everyone, and although at the beginning some of the postures might seem hard, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you can feel the benefits. Come to a beginners level class and let the teacher know at the beginning of class that you are new to Yoga.
You might also want to consider coming along to our Intro to Yoga course.
All of our teachers have at least 3 years experience teaching yoga – many have much more. All of them are fully qualified to teach Yoga and have a dedication to both practicing yoga and teaching it. Find out more about our teachers.
Got a question we haven’t answered? Email us at [email protected] or phone 0117 924 4414.
Not found what you were looking for? Contact us