O U R S T U D E N T S
Their stories
SiggyWoolloff |
Why did you start 26+2 Hot Yoga?
I’ve always had a love for yoga but had never ventured into the heat. I have five children and when my last two little ones were settled in Kōhanga Reo I knew it was time to carve out some space for myself and start thinking about this ol’ body and start looking after her. Constantly inspired by my friend who’s son attends the same Kōhanga, I watched her training hard with gym and yoga, coming to drop offs in her gym gear ready to take on the world. Was so proud of her doing her intensive yoga teacher training! Wow. She was always actively asking me to come along but I felt I had to wait until I could commit to it. I started having some problems with my hip around the same time and found myself diagnosed with athritis and getting offered daily medication as an ongoing solution. This did not sit right with me. What could I do? I asked myself, knowing there has to be a better solution than beginning life long daily medication. The light bulb moment of realisation that the answer had been right in front of me for quite some time. Hot yoga. Of course! Everything aligned & I nervously told my friend the time is right I’m ready to give this a go. What have you gained since starting? I’m not sure I can find the words for this answer. What you gain through yoga is so layered and touches so many facets of your Self. Physically, I have noticed a positive difference with my problem hip, pain that would often be an 8or9 out of 10; stalling sleep and rest has settled right back to a 5or6, which is absolutely manageable. Medication is no longer a daily need. I still have flare ups of course but mentally feel so much more on top of it and among all the other changes I’ve implemented into life I know Hot Yoga is what has made the most improvement. An awareness of posture, of back, of spine is a gain. Such a huge difference in such a short time of practising. I love laying on my back and feeling my back flat, from tail bone to neck bone and shoulder blades. I don’t think this is something I’ve ever been aware of and I know the benefits of this will continue to unfold. Mentally/spiritually, just giving yourself that time to come to class, as a mama with young children is huge. 60minutes to be focused on you. It took me months to adjust to having that time and first my mind was a whirlwind through every practise of worry’s and concerns and lists and everything needing doing. It took months to learn to take the time to be present in the space, park all my worries outside and actually truly create the mental space for myself. The benefits of this flow out into everyday life - a settled sense of self, an ability to tap into that space anytime of the day or night and find some calm. What has been your greatest struggle and accomplishment in the room? Some poses have been my absolute nemesis! Some still are. Turning up and keeping on trying everyday makes all the difference. You never know what makes a good yoga day, you never know when you will suddenly make it into a position you have not reached before. Some days you have no balance. Some days you have no strength. Some days you have no focus. I haven’t found a connection to the why yet, but perhaps it’s another layer of yoga that helps keep you present and in the moment. No class is ever the same. I thought I would never make camel pose. I couldn’t even tilt my head back for months, I would see stars, feel like I would black out. Fall into child pose just to recover from trying! This was a slow, slow process for me. Slowly, eventually I could tilt back my head, breathe through the dizziness. I held this position only for a long time. One day I could do more. The next I could do less. This week I reached full expression! It felt like I’d conquered a mountain, something that had been insurmountable and forever out of my reach. The beauty of yoga is accepting that next week I could be back to only tilting back my head - and that’s okay. The self fulfilment of accomplishing that filled my cup for days and felt so healing and gives me hope that those on your belly lifting your legs stretches might slowly come in the future for me too! Advice for new students. Keep going! Push through those first few sessions even if, like I was, you are literally hating it! Before you know it, it’s a love hate relationship and then it’s just love. From running out of the studio the second the class is over..now I run into the studio the second I can. Use your mat. When your teacher tells you to make sure your heels are in line you have a perfect straight line right there to use to line those heels up against. There’s no bad day in yoga. The mental and physical benefits you leave class with are the same whether you have a great practise or one where you can barely balance or get through any position. Attend Posture Clinics!! These clinics are absolute game changers and will improve your practise endlessly. |
Christine
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This is my why. Just over a year ago, I stepped into Kapiti Hot Yoga for the first time, hoping that something in that heated room might help me find peace. I didn’t know what I was looking for. I only knew that I felt disconnected, overwhelmed, and in desperate need of something to help me breathe again.
I still remember that first class. I chose a mat in the back corner, convinced I did not want to and should not be seen. The anxiety was loud, I panicked before we even got through the first few poses and rushed out of the room. Anj came to check on me. She told me, “Even if you just lie there for the rest of the class, that’s okay.” That moment stayed with me. It was the first time in a long while that I felt permitted to simply be, without judgment or expectation. It opened the door to something I had not offered myself in a very long time: compassion. Showing up remained hard in those early months. Some days I’d complete the class, others I’d struggle just to stay in the room. And yet, each time I came back, I learned something. How to breathe through discomfort. How to be present. How to forgive myself when I couldn’t meet the intentions I’d set. Progress was never linear. Life got hectic. There were stretches when I couldn’t make it to class for weeks. And when I returned, the old fears often followed me in. But I learned how to gradually hold space for those feelings too. I didn’t need to fight them; I just needed to breathe through them. To our teachers - Anj, Min, Kat, Zara, Hemi, Niki, Carol, Keryn, Ngila, Cam, and Michelle -thank you. You’ve done more than lead classes. You’ve created a safe space. You’ve reminded us to breathe, to return, to begin again. I carry your guidance with me every time I step onto the mat. Yoga has become a quiet, constant companion. Some days are strong, others are soft. But every time I show up, I find myself a little more whole. This journey has taught me that healing can happen day by day. It lives in the breath, in the stillness, in the choice to return. And every time I do, I’m reminded: that is enough. |
Pam Fahey |
How and when did you discover 26+2 Hot Yoga? I love hot yoga — the classes are both fantastic and challenging. I first started going in 2022, after Mum passed away. For some reason, it felt like a space where I could be with myself… and with her. From that point on, I never looked back.
What have you gained since starting?
Like anything new, the first few classes were a bit of a struggle. But the beauty of it is that you can take your time and move at your own pace. With consistency, it gradually becomes second nature. Advice for new students
Take your time — it’s definitely a challenge at first, but incredibly rewarding. Trust the process and have faith in the instructors; they’re fantastic and always ready with guidance and encouragement. Just go at your own pace, and you'll be surprised how naturally it all begins to flow. |
Ray |
How and when did you discover 26+2 Hot Yoga?
I discovered hot yoga when we shifted to Waikanae. My wife was a hot yoga fan, I had never tried it so I thought I’d give it a go to stay active and supple. What have you gained since starting?
Since starting I have increased my flexibility, improved my balance and learnt to relax more and meet some great people. What has been your greatest struggle and accomplishment in the room?
Balance has been my biggest challenge, I didn’t realise beforehand but my balance when attempting a one foot pose was appalling. Hot yoga has improved my balance significantly, however balance is still work in progress. Advice for new students
My advice is give it a go, Anj is positive, supportive and a great motivator. The hot yoga experience is amazing, Anj will help you through and make it a fun experience. |
Clare Christian |
How and when did you discover 26+2 Hot Yoga?I discovered Hot Yoga while living abroad in Melbourne and London in my late 40s. It was a tough time—my marriage had just ended—and my son, who was attending classes, encouraged me to try it. He was right: the near-daily 90-minute sessions not only markedly improved my physical health, but also helped me to navigate that stressful period with resilience and grace. After returning to Kāpiti, I paused my practice for several years due to a lack of local studios. Finding Kāpiti Hot Yoga was an exciting day! I’ve been attending twice a week for over a year. Now 64, and admittedly not as bendy as I once was, I credit Hot Yoga for a good chunk of why I maintain reasonably good health and mobility.
What have you gained since starting?
Hot Yoga builds strong will. It’s not always easy to step into that hot room, but the rewards are immense. Advice for new students
For newcomers: push through the initial discomfort. At first, it can feel like some kind of self inflicted punishment!—but soon for me it became a strange compulsion. I came to love the cleansing effect of intense sweating and meeting the challenge of the mental grit needed to manage the heat and hold the poses. There will be times of frustration. I'm still regularly falling out of poses, but for the most part, have learned to keep my sense of humour close, and self judgement and frustration at the door! In short, Hot Yoga is tough, healing, energizing, and deeply satisfying. And the friendly, supportive community at Kāpiti Hot Yoga makes it all the more special. |
Renee Gerlich |
How and when did you discover 26+2 Hot Yoga?
I went to my first 26+2 hot yoga classes around 2010, while living in Wellington – a colleague took me to the Friday night koha classes on Taranaki Street. I remember one teacher at the time was very militant, and would say: “If it doesn’t hurt, you’re not doing it right!” I felt like I just bumbled my way through, daunted and uncomfortable. I never committed to going regularly. I thought it was for hardcore people and not for me. Then in January this year (2025) I was visiting a friend, and she asked if I wanted to join her and go to a yoga class. She didn't mention it was a hot yoga class, but I realised it as we started approaching the same studio on Taranaki Street! I was unprepared, overdressed, and told her not to worry about me if I escaped the class early – I’d just wait for her outside. But to my surprise, I loved it. I went home and immediately searched for a studio close by, found Kapiti Hot Yoga, signed up and was hooked. What have you gained since starting?
Since committing to a regular hot yoga practice (and I've been super regular since January), my body feels like I receive a regular full body massage. A lot of the pockets of tension, stiffness or niggles that used to be there are gone. I've also noticed that my gym practice is smoother – I feel more fluid doing things like deep squats or walking lunges. Less creaky. I also find that hot yoga requires awareness throughout the day of what you eat and staying hydrated. My practice is best on an empty stomach, which means not eating for several hours beforehand. Having a regular practice means having to consider things like that – you can’t just have fish ’n chips for dinner then head off to hot yoga! So, that also has positive effects. Lastly, I want to say something about what I think is one of the best kept secrets in Kapiti! That’s the Thursday and Sunday night double sessions, where there is a 90-minute hot yoga class, followed by a half hour break and then an hour of yin yoga. I do the 3-hour session religiously, and find that people assume it must be so demanding. But they don’t understand! It’s not demanding. It feels like being pampered, like going to a day spa. After the 90 minute hot yoga class, my body is thoroughly worked out and tired. Lying in savasana, I'm able to relax very deeply and enter a state I’d normally associate with yoga nidra – where you're almost asleep, but still conscious. Once I'm there, I try to maintain that state throughout the yin class. I've recently started wearing an eye mask to help with that. I stay awake enough to follow instructions, but I am super relaxed. I think this is magic. It’s definitely so good for me. Just as the physical practice of yoga extends our anatomical range of motion, I use these double sessions to increase the depth of relaxation I can enter while staying awake. To top it off – Michelle and Carol often make a pot of peppermint or chamomile tea before their yin classes. Sipping that tea while feeling completely warm, supple and chilled out is a highlight of my week. I feel like if people knew what was really available in those double sessions, they’d be banging the door down! What has been your greatest struggle and accomplishment in the room?
My greatest struggle has actually been discerning how to navigate falling sick as a committed practitioner. This year I had common cold symptoms for over a month, it was the longest I’ve been sick before. Trying to gauge when to go to class and when not to was difficult. It feels rude to come to class when you’re sniffly and snotty, but equally it doesn't feel right to stop a practice that supports your wellbeing just because of some mild symptoms. I haven’t figured out how to navigate that. Accomplishments – I found that I made the most progress in the first month or two of regular practice. Unlocking toe stand was very satisfying! But I think the biggest accomplishment has really just been staying consistent, and that is thanks to the studio and how welcoming the teachers are and the friendliness and camaraderie among students. Kapiti Hot Yoga is a special studio, with a vibe that’s a perfect balance of focus and friendliness. Advice for new students
I do have advice for new students, considering my own first experiences of hot yoga. I feel like I started for the first time twice! Once around 2010 when I had little previous yoga experience, and then again in 2025, as a dedicated yoga practitioner with teacher training under my belt. The first time I went, I really didn't think hot yoga was for “people like me.” In hindsight, it wasn't really fair for me to expect myself to “perform” like the other students in the class when I had no idea what was going on! Unlike other forms of yoga, hot yoga teachers don't really have leeway to give individualised feedback. So students have to be proactive about giving themselves an opportunity to really try the practice properly. Kapiti Hot Yoga offers consultations along with memberships, and also posture clinics. I would strongly advise anyone new to hot yoga – and certainly if you’re new to yoga in general – to take up those opportunities. I really don’t think you can know whether hot yoga is for you unless you’ve given yourself a proper chance to get a handle on it, with at least an introductory session or two. |
L O V E N O T E S
From students
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