Polmont yoga company's expansion not too big a stretch

Zen 2 Yoga, based in Greenpark Drive, has managed to teach fitness and yoga classes throughout the coronavirus crisis thanks to the commitment of its teachers, the loyalty of its customers and the wizardry of online technology.

Now the business is physically expanding by moving into the former Vape shop next door and converting it into a fitness studio.

Director Chris Dickson, who runs Zen 2 Yoga with Nabila Muzaffar, said: “We made the conscious decision to keep going the day that we got the announcement in March sports and leisure facilities were to close.

“So we went live on Zoom with our yoga classes. The first one was a bit rough to be honest because we had never done it before, but we made the decision to keep the business going.

“We couldn’t afford to shut down completely so we decided to keep all our classes running online, lending out equipment we had here. Our next online class was quite bad as well – the sound quality was really poor.

“We then worked out what we had to do to improve things and bought new equipment.”

The move worked and Chris and the team, which now includes his daughter Hannah, a personal trainer, adjusted the timetable to suit people’s needs and work around their lives.

“It’s been amazing to see the number of people taking part,” said Chris. “We have families with children doing classes. The classes just got busier and busier.”

People from as far away as Aberdeen and Manchester and across the world – Australia, France, and US cities Los Angeles and Washington DC – have even been logging onto classes.

Chris said: “All the other gyms and businesses in the fitness market are closed and not doing anything, where we have remained open delivering classes every single day, seven days a week throughout the whole lockdown.

“These classes are so good for people’s mental health and by giving people times the live classes are on it can give them a purpose and structure to their day.”

Zen 2 Yoga aims to bring more fitness equipment – including spin bikes – into people’s homes to allow them to take part in even more fitness classes.

“For as long as this lockdown lasts there is an opportunity to do even more,” said Chris, who plans to continue the online classes when the lockdown finally ends.

“I don’t like the term social distancing,” said Chris. “We are physically distant but socially connected.”

Visit www.zen2yoga.co.uk for more information.