Hotpod Yoga
Chesterfield

Colin Clarke

Colin is no stranger to the benefits of Hot Pod yoga both as a previous teacher and as a student, he is very much looking forward to being part of the team.
He is a senior British Wheel of Yoga teacher having completed his initial 4 year teacher training in 2014 and has worked with numerous leading Yoga figures since
He initially found yoga through attending a local class with his wife and soon noticed many positive benefits especially having a stressful and physical job. Colin wanted to teach so he could encourage other men of all ages and abilities that the magic of Yoga is for everyone & every ‘body’

Layla Abdallah

Hi, i’m Layla and I am very passionate about both practicing and teaching yoga! I am trained in a variety of styles and that is reflected within my teaching. I love different styles of yoga for different times in my life. I don’t believe any style of yoga is better than the other but rather each good for different reasons. Whatever style you are called to is probably what your body needs! I strive for balance in all of my classes and like you to leave feeling aligned in both body and mind, and connected back to your truest nature. I love a physically strong and challenging practice as much as a gentle and slow practice, i equally enjoy exploring breathwork techniques and complete stillness in meditation. I truly believe yoga is a powerful healing tool and i love to share this message through my work. I am excited to see you in the gorgeous purple pod

Helen Warriner

My yoga journey started about 10 years ago when I accidentally went to a yoga class in Spain. I didn’t understand what the teacher was saying but I fell in love with the way the asanas made me feel. My curiosity and love for yoga took me to India in 2017 where I did my initial teacher training in Hatha and Vinyasa and I spent a year exploring the country, myself and deepening my practice. I have since undertaken my advanced training and qualified in several other styles including Aerial, Rocket and Yin yoga.

Yoga has taken me on a journey of self-discovery and growth, supported me through difficult periods and opened up an incredible new way of thinking and perspective on life. I feel very lucky to live my passions of yoga and travel and share these with lots of people. I have trained people to become yoga teachers in India and Mallorca and I now run my own retreat company, offering incredible experiences around the world.

My true passions are Vinyasa and Aerial yoga as I appreciate the creativity and freedom of these styles. Coming from a dance background, I like to express myself through body movements. My classes foster a fun yet supportive space to allow people to truly let go, connect with themselves and feel good.

Gary Vaughan

Gary completed his Yoga Teacher Training at Hotpod Yoga Teacher Training Academy in Hackney, in 2022.

Gary came to explore his yoga practice from a personal journey of sustaining life changing injuries. His teaching style is one that allows space for curiosity and exploration of your unique body.
Gary holds and encourages a space of giving consent to yourself during your practice on the mat, and self-acceptance of your body and practice.

Melanie Grunshaw

My name is Melanie. My yoga journey started 22 years ago after I completed my nutrition degree. I decided to train as a power chi yoga instructor. In 2005 I completed an Ayurvedic yoga course in Thailand. After spending time overseas I developed a passion for travel which lead me onto the next step of my journey, teaching yoga on a cruise ship. I have taught outdoor yoga sessions all over the world. I will never forget teaching yoga in South America with the Andes mountains as my backdrop. I have also completed my 200hr Vinyasa flow teacher certificate. I have spent 19 years working in the fitness training industry, training personal trainers and fitness instructors to qualify. My current job is running my wellness and health coaching business, My Tribe Training. Outside of work I spend my time running around after my son and my dog and love walking in the peak district.

Hannah Speller

I started yoga to overcome health issues that prevented me doing other forms of exercise and fell in love with it straight away. I knew I wanted to share its power and I have been teaching now for 10 years!
Yoga for me is the balance of the body and mind. It allows me to strip away life distractions. It reminds me of my true self and inner power, and gives me strength to overcome life’s challenges. Through my practice, I am better able to go through life in the most aligned way I can.
I teach yoga because I love seeing students drop into the realisation that they can move their body in a way that feels amazing, while taking that calm and power they feel into everyday life. It helps them make healthier choices and overcome life’s challenges in a more empowered way.
My own practice involves daily Kundalini Kriyas and in my teaching I am passionate about the benefits of Hot Yoga. I like to invite students to go inwards to see what they need in each moment. Sometimes it can be good to gently guide the body to go deeper to see what it is capable of, but sometimes the magic happens by letting of expectations and finding stillness in wherever the body needs to be.

Corrine Simpson

I have enjoyed some form of yoga on and off for most of my adult life and I finally completed my 200-hour YTT a couple of years ago; this has changed my life! Yoga leaves me feeling good in so many ways: feeling strong, flexible physically, while calming my mind and helping keep me emotionally balanced. I also absolutely love the pod! I’ve been a Hotpod customer for several years and I love the heat, the sounds, the smells, the ambiance, the lovely community…

Graham Roberts

Graham discovered the benefits of yoga later in life and as an antidote to the physical and
mental stresses of working in high pressure leadership roles.  Having spent many years
working to build wellbeing into organisations he qualified as a yoga teacher in July 2023 and
now enjoys helping people enjoy a healthier and happier lifestyle.  Graham has always
enjoyed a good walk and recently backpacked the Camino de Santiago walking 600 miles
across Northern Spain crediting yoga with reducing aches and pains and avoiding
injury.   Graham is passionate about bringing the benefits of yoga to as many people as
possible and loves introducing yoga to beginners and those who are unsure.

Chloe Orwin

Chloe discovered Yoga through nurturing & strengthening her back after suffering with a slipped disc, finding it to be a great tool to incorporate into everyday life
Living in London for a few years and working in a highly stressful, & demanding environment, Yoga was always Chloe’s ‘go to’ to regain back clarity & self control. Chloe has practiced yoga on & off for 8 years, whether in classes or in amazing yoga retreats across the globe. Last year, having the opportunity to travel to India and deepen her practice and knowledge to gain the yoga teacher training certification. Chloe hasn’t looked back since, teaching as soon as she returned to the UK, being able to share all the wonderful tools yoga has to offer. “It is a true passion of mine & I feel everyone should think about incorporating yoga into their lives. It’s a beautiful practice which can benefit your everyday life significantly.
I can’t wait to share my yoga practice with you”.

Kerry McDermott

Kerry came to regular yoga practice as a result of being diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2010, which causes long term chronic pain and fatigue. The heat and atmosphere of the pod meant she was soon coming 3 times a week to the lunchtime classes which fitted in perfectly with her corporate job in Nottingham city centre. Now working at home Kerry missed her regular practice, and started exploring yin yoga. In February 2023 she completed 50 hours Yin training with Canadian Yinster Bernie Clarke. She enjoyed this so much she decided to undertake her 200h YTT, and the only place for this was hotpod HQ in London! Kerry graduated as a Vinyasa flow teacher in December 2023, and things have now come full circle. Kerry currently works in Nottingham Hotpod, and being local to Chesterfield Kerry is looking forward to helping new students deepen their practice.

Jo Stone

Yoga found Jo in her late forties and to say she is passionate about it is an understatement. Previously a keen runner, injury meant that Jo had to find another way of coping with the stresses that life can sometimes throw your way. Yoga enabled her to connect back with her experiencing the transformational power of yoga for herself. Finding a sense of peace and calm on the mat and applying what she was learning on the mat in her life away from the studio. Her love of yoga grew and she wanted to know more about the postures and yoga philosophy. She completed her teacher training in 2022 based on a fusion of Hatha & Vinyasa. Jo has gone on to complete further yoga training in Yin yoga, Chair yoga and becoming a trauma informed practitioner.

Jo firmly believes that yoga is for every body regardless of age, ability and size. Yoga isn’t just for young bendy people, yoga is for everyone. She is keen for people who are curious to come and try our yoga classes in a safe environment. You will always get a very warm welcome from Jo and her classes are inclusive and accessible to all.

Jo is a registered nurse in adult and children’s nursing and until recently worked in higher education for over 18 years. When she’s not on the mat you’ll find Jo spending time in nature, with her family and creating lots of beautiful candles.

Gemma Skilton

Gemma’s love of yoga started many moons ago after experiencing her very first class whilst travelling. Gemma always wanted to be the yogi that could do all the glamourous moves, but it wasn’t until she started seeing the physical and mental benefits of yoga that she really fell in love with the practice. Gemma soon realised that there is so much more to yoga than the aesthetics. “The way it provides an escape from the busy lives we all lead, the space it provides in my body and mind and the positive impact it has on my overall life and wellbeing…”

Alongside yoga classes Gemma hosts retreats, holds women’s and men’s circles, cacao ceremonies and has a reiki treatment room continuing to help people to find balance in the energy body. “The yoga world has so much to offer and I cannot wait to share it with you”

Karen Hallows

Karen’s journey into yoga started when she met a teacher on her travels in Australia
many years ago. This led to years of home practice, but it wasn’t until Karen discovered Ashtanga in 2017 that
she started to develop a love for yoga and was finally able to connect to her own breath and body.
Karen qualified as a teacher in 2020, and her focus is always to encourage people to explore what you need while
on the mat, emphasising the breath and its deep-rooted connection to the body and nervous system.
“I am honoured to be here to guide you on your own journey and to help you have some fun on the way!”

Alice Brashaw

Alice first discovered yoga when at university in London and started doing daily hot classes, soon becoming hooked on the benefits not only for her body, but also the mind.
“I struggle with anxiety and yoga has become my medicine. Throughout my adult life yoga has been a constant source of calm in turbulent times for me, allowing me to draw myself inwards and focus on the movement of my breath and body whilst quieting the mind”. Fast forward a few years, post-Covid and Alice went back to a local studio and took up daily classes again. Eventually one of the teachers asked why she had never considered doing yoga teacher training…and so off Alice went to Bali.

Alice has a love for Ashtanga yoga, which definitely comes across in her teaching of strong flows and focus on alignment.
Alice went back to Bali and did advanced teacher training, helping her to deepen practice and the ability to help you deepen yours.
“I look forward to continuing to grow as a yogi and a teacher in the pod with you all”

Sam Bateman

When Sam was 29 years old she hit burnout, was highly stressed and anxiety sky high. Then she fractured her spine which spiralled her further into a deep depression. After trying medical intervention it only made things feel worse – It was at this point that Sam walked into her first yoga class. “It is no exaggeration when I say yoga saved me”

Sam continued to practiced through both of her pregnancies, until life got very busy and yoga took a side line to family life. Around 7 years ago she started to practice again, slowly building her interest and love of yoga. In 2019 Sam took foundations of yoga and signed up to a 200hr teacher training with Dylan Ayaloo. Due to covid the training took nearly 18 months to complete but she came out the other side confident and excited to teach others what she had experienced many years before. Since then Sam has completed certifications in Embodied Yin with Janine leagh, Menopause Yoga with Perta Coveney, Gravity Yoga with Lucas Rockwood, Assisting and Adjustments with Taran Boynton, Functional Anatomy with Dr Yogi, Asana deconstruction and skilful teaching with Adam Hustler. Sam has practiced with Ana Forrest in Oslo and sung kirtan with Krishna Das in London. Sam is a student oriented instructor and is passionate about bringing yoga to my community and beyond.

Chris Wilkinson

Chris found yoga many years ago as a way of balancing a busy life style – With a background in nursing he wanted to take well-being in a different direction so completed his Yoga Teacher Training. Chris enjoys helping people get back to their natural state using the breath and the body.