If you are based near Bristol, love Heavy Metal and were curious about the health benefits of yoga, then Slow Metal Flow should be the beginner’s class for you. Yoga is good for your body, mind and soul, and rocking out to Metal can help to process emotions in a positive way.
“Lyrics can be uplifting and assist us in finding strength and stability,” Slow Metal Flow host Anna Fenton told MetalTalk. “To my mind, this is very similar to yoga. Yoga brings together our body, mind and behaviours, and Metal music can therefore support our yoga practices.”
Yoga is for all bodies, and Anna hosts Slow Metal Flow as a beginner’s class with no flexibility required. “My classes provide a safe and welcoming environment for people who love Metal and may not be typical yogis. We are inclusive of all bodies, abilities, genders and neurodiversities.
“My people are those who may feel they can’t step into a yoga studio without being judged or feeling self-conscious for multiple reasons.”
Classes are £6 for one hour, held on Wednesdays between 7 pm and 8 pm. Anna keeps classes at an affordable tariff as accessibility for all is important to her.
“My class teaching is trauma informed”, she says. “I do not offer hands-on assists, just verbal, where necessary to prevent injury. We don’t need to look like the yogis on Instagram. We are aiming to understand and love our own bodies and to give our busy and sometimes chaotic minds some meditative and introspective time out. My class know they are welcome to take just lie on their mats at any point and just watch the swirly lights on the ceiling if they aren’t feeling it that day.”
The class is held in respect of the ancient wisdoms of yoga, acknowledging its lineage, history, and culture. “I use Sanskrit to describe the asanas [postures], and we also look beyond these into some yogic philosophy. This is to support and encourage my participants to understand their unique strengths and fragilities both on and beyond the mat.”
Each session takes a fairly typical vinyasa style class with lights dimmed to discourage self-consciousness. “I carefully curate a playlist with a mix of classic rock, Doom Metal, Black Metal and Thrash with the musical cadences following the flow of the class. The music, as expected, screeches and soars, is aggressive, provocative, wild and powerful. It is also gentle, calming, beautiful and ethereal. It is carefully chosen and woven into the flow. The music distracts and enhances the experience.”
A session will begin with yogic breathing techniques known as Pranayama, which Anna’s students find of great practical value. “It’s great to have tools at hand for dealing with anxiety and stress, or to energise when we’re feeling low. We take sun salutations, with variations depending on the theme for the class.
“For the main body of the class, we will perhaps focus on a particular asana, yogic philosophy, a body area or joint. We always end with a long stretch and relaxation. I also draw on my experiences with different styles of yoga, such as ashtanga, hatha, kundalini or yin. I want my classes to be the start of a yoga journey and hope my students will be able to explore different styles and philosophies for themselves.”
For those outside of Bristol, Anna is working with another fabulous Metal Yoga teacher, Helen Manente, to launch a series of day retreats across the UK. “Our first day will be in March at Scruffy Murphy’s in Birmingham,” Anna says, “and will include two movement classes with carefully curated soundtracks, a deep relaxation/meditation session and a sound bath. We’re currently negotiating with venues in London and other cities to bring our unique classes to you.”
Having practised yoga for over 20 years and qualifying as a teacher in 2022, Anna Fenton has also been listening to Metal for over 30 years. Bristol classes are held on Wednesdays at Barton Manor in Bristol. You can find out more on Instagram and Facebook. Bookings can be made here.
