Meet the family-run yoga studio which is leading the stretch on the mind and body practice throughout Cumbria. 

The Yoga Studio, Carlisle, is the city's first and only dedicated and premier Yoga Studio and school, ran within a newly-renovated and well-loved 300 year old barn in Carlisle's Treasury Court. 

It's really went full-circle for the couple running the business considering they first met whilst Emma was taking one of Martin's classes at the same yoga studio many moons ago. 

"I went to the class to help with my anxiety, it was a total one-off and the first class I ever went to the instructor ended up becoming my husband," Emma said. 

After lockdown, the couple have been through an incredible adaptation not only in a business sense but in life, as Emma and Martin are now raising a little one in between their busy schedule of teaching 15 classes each a week. 

News and Star: STRETCH: Huge space within the 300 year old barn.STRETCH: Huge space within the 300 year old barn.

"The community saw us through the pandemic but it had a devastating effect that we're still recovering from now.  

"But what we've seen is such a massive rise in new students coming and those returning back after the pandemic though and when we have new people coming in every day, they always say how welcomed they feel after it. 

"The studio is more of a community, every one that comes is supported in that way it's not just about attending a class, we always have a great laugh and we're all such a friendly bunch," she said. 

The business prides itself on having one of the most versatile and busiest timetables on offer when it comes to yoga across the UK, offering aerial yoga, hot yoga as well as the only Ashtanga yoga within Cumbria. 

"We offer so much in the way of classes and our teachers are so highly trained and experienced. 

"We have such a diverse community of people that come to us and with other studios is usually much of the same person that goes, and with us we have everyone there, from ages, abilities and walks of life - everyone's welcome and I think that's quite rare to find," she said. 

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