about the studio
We’re Europe’s largest yoga business. Since 2013, over 100,000 people have immersed themselves in a Hotpod class at one of our 50+ locations around the world. You’ll stretch further, breathe deeper, sweat harder and melt fully into the Hotpod experience – a balanced flow of active and passive postures, working the body and calming the mind in equal measure. For class times and more, take a look at the schedule above, then book your spot.
studio facilities
- Showers
- Mats
- Changing
- Parking
the hotpod experience
step into our immersive pod
hot yoga in 37 degree heat
move to relaxing beats
filled with calming scents
suitable for all levels
find us
Silksworth Community Pool, Tennis and Wellness Centre, Silksworth Lane, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR3 1PD, GB
Find Us
Louise Edwards
Louise is a passionate and energetic Vinyasa Flow Teacher with a love of creating flows, teaching, and sharing her love for yoga. She also absolutely loves practicing and teaching in the heat of the pod.
“Yoga 100% changed my life for the better and since I completed my 200 hour Teacher Training in 2017 I haven’t looked back.”
Amy Lutton
I started practising yoga in 2012 when living in Canada, and instantly fell in love with it and have been practising ever since. However, it took me until 2019, when I moved to Newcastle, to undergo my 200 hour teacher training.
My classes are accessible, yet challenging, with just a sprinkle of silliness. I want everyone to feel at home and comfortable in my classes. I love using props to assist in poses, it can help with alignment, build strength and also change the challenge of the posture.
Sarah Taylor
Sarah started to practice yoga for exercise and flexibility, but what happened as a result truly changed her life.
“As a busy mother of two with a full-time job, life could feel a little overwhelming. After a short time, I realised I was becoming calmer, less reactive and a better person to be around. The circumstances in my life weren’t changing, but my reactions to those circumstances were. Yoga has given me space in my mind to live my life to the fullest and feel like I can handle what life throws at me. I think everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from yoga, and I want to share that experience with as many people as possible through teaching yoga.”
Georgia Roberts
With a background in dance, Georgia found herself naturally drawn towards yoga. She started attending classes at Hotpod in 2021 and soon fell in love with the practice, completing her Yoga Teacher Training in 2023.
‘I love the similarity between dance and the style of vinyasa flow we practice in the pod, allowing us to connect with the breath and silence the mind. For me, the pod is a magical place where you can switch off the outside noise and turn inward, not only feeling the benefits of yoga within the class but also within your everyday life.’
James Powles
Rachel Garnham
Rachel’s background is in Contemporary Dance and in 2013, she completed her 200 hour Yoga teacher training and later in 2015, her 500-hour Advanced Yoga Teacher training from the Himalayan Yoga Institute. Rachel is also certified in pregnancy, post-natal, baby yoga, and massage.
After 8 years spent in London studying and working as a fitness professional, Rachel returned to the Northeast to become a very lucky Mama to her beautiful daughter, Luna in June 2018
Rachel Greener
Rachel is trained in vinyasa flow and loves to help people find calm through yoga. She’s also a registered nurse so has a particular interest in promoting health and wellbeing. “I love creating classes to release stress and tension to calm the mind and to build strength to connect with the body.”
Nicola Lynch
Having little prior yoga experience, Nicola attended her first Hotpod class in 2015 not quite knowing what to expect. She quickly began to develop a love of fluid movement in addition to the physical challenge of practicing in the heat.
Completing her teacher training in 2022, Nicola is keen to share the positive mental and physical benefits that she believes yoga can offer for anyone open to spending time on the mat.
“My approach is inclusive and light-hearted, encouraging an element of physical challenge and exploration to support students in building strength, developing flexibility and creating a balance of body and mind”
Lauren Turnbull
Lauren was introduced to yoga in 2019 as a form of restorative training, and shortly after discovered Hotpod Yoga and was hooked, drawn to the uniquely immersive experience of the pod.
After continuing with her practice at home throughout the pandemic to release stress, it was then Lauren discovered a deeper side to her practice, delving deeper into the spiritual and creative elements of her practice.
“I completed my 200hr YTT in 2022 and I want to encourage others to experience the benefits of yoga both mentally and physically, by adapting the Vinyasa flow style to make yoga as inclusive and accessible as possible, I believe there is something in yoga for everyone.”
Rachael Robson-Jones
Having practiced yoga across the world for over 10 years, Rachael qualified as a yoga teacher in 2020, excited to share all the beautiful benefits she gets from yoga.
The environment and heat of hotpod yoga is a unique experience that feeds into Rachaels goals as a teacher- from encouraging everyone to take step away from the outside world, to work on their body and mind, and observe the wonders it can do for the spirit.
Grace Johnson
Grace first began practicing Yoga in 2013, as a way to ease injuries & stress she was beginning to struggle with. Whilst originally the practice started out as a physical challenge, it wasn’t long before the overall benefits of the practice began to impact not only her physical wellbeing, but also her mental health for the better, and is something that she really believes can benefit everyone, in some way.
After completing her first 200Hr teacher training in 2017, and 300Hr in 2019, Grace now teaches full time, favouring an upbeat vinyasa style, creating a playful, flowing sequence for her classes, connecting strength and softness, which simultaneously leave you feeling soothed and empowered.
Natalie Lyon
Natalie’s background is based in fitness and dance, loving physicality and movement as a way to express and release.
“Yoga gives so many physical, mental and spiritual benefits, it balances both mind and body. After completing my 200 hr YTT in India, I’m excited to share my love of yoga at Hotpod Yoga Sunderland!”
Kim Wells
Kim has been involved in the fitness industry for over 30 years, both as an instructor and as a lecturer for fitness qualifications. She has a passion for teaching Yoga and and believes everyone can benefit from time spent on the mat
Shelley Butters
Shelley discovered yoga many years ago and felt amazing after every session and she believes that yoga has the ability to change your life! Shelley’s classes involve moving with the breath, working every muscle and helping to calm the mind. “Yoga is everything you need, you will leave feel strong physically and mentally, stretched and super sweaty. So excited to share the Hotpod Yoga love “
the founder
Elaine Smith
Elaine grew up in Sunderland and has lived in the area for most of her life. Discovering Hotpod Yoga in Newcastle back in 2017, she really felt as if she had found her yoga home, loving the combination of the heat, accessible classes and a friendly vibe. This resulted in her training as a yoga teacher with Hotpod Yoga, in London back in 2018, and inspired her to open her own pod in her home city. Elaine has been teaching at Hotpod Yoga Newcastle for the past year and has seen first hand the massive difference it makes to people lives, and wants to extend this around the North East of England to everyone that comes to the Hotpod Yoga Sunderland studio.