Up Close is an interview series for Congleton Nub News, in which we talk to local people about their businesses, hobbies, or anything else they want to chat about!

In the latest instalment, we spoke to Emma Hall, the West Heath yoga instructor behind EMAYOGA about her experience with yoga and how she has worked to keep her students connected despite the coronavirus restrictions.

Emma also spoke to of the benefits yoga and mindfulness can have, particularly during these uncertain and stressful times for many in our community.

Read the interview below...

What made you decide to get into yoga at the age of 16?

I use to be a runner, and in my school year I did a lot of sport. I started working at 16, so the sport stopped That's when I got into yoga and 26 years later here I am, having been teaching it for five years now and built an amazing community of yogis.

One of my memories, when I was a little girl, was reading my mums "yoga book" and looking at all the poses and trying to copy them. I must have been about four years old.

What are the benefits of yoga and mindfulness for those practising it?

I've always been a very intuitive and spiritual person. My grandmother, who helped raise me, was born in Kanpur, India so I have Indian heritage in me. When I started to practice yoga daily, I soon realised the emotional and physical benefits it had on me.

I used to follow DVDs, and I never attended classes. I always felt too scared that the yoga teachers were going to be too strict if I didn't do that pose "just right"; I like to move my body the way that felt good to me.

I continued to practice throughout young adulthood and through the pregnancies of my four boys. It was after the birth of my last boy that I really wanted to share my love and passion for yoga with others, so I decided to embark on my teaching journey.

I now encourage, support and guide my students on their own practice. I feel very blessed that I can do that; it's an honour.

What are the benefits of yoga and mindfulness for those practising it?

Yoga is a very personal practice; there are so many benefits of yoga and mindfulness. The major ones being, it makes you more aware of your body and your emotions and makes you more in tune with yourself.

It helps promote calmness, reduces stress and anxiety, maintains a balanced metabolism and reduce weight. It improves your flexibility and increased muscle strength and tone.

I teach a good few sportspeople simply because it reduces injury. There are so many benefits to yoga; the list is endless.

What kinds of yoga do you teach at your classes?

I like my students to get a varied practice each time. The styles of yoga I teach are Mandala Vinyasa, Vinyasa Flow, Hatha and Yin Yoga.

I also teach mindfulness and meditation in my sessions to bring completeness to each practice.

With these styles, my students get a wide range of knowledge and experience to deepen their own practice further and continue to progress and grow in their own journey.

How have you adapted your classes during the coronavirus pandemic?

I was in the loop from early March about how the pandemic was going to progress, so before lockdown was even announced I took all my classes online to protect both my students, myself and our families.

I have students of all ages, and I had a moral responsibility to do what I felt was right and I knew this wasn't going to be over in a couple of weeks.

My main aim was to bring my communities from all my classes, spanning from North Staffordshire, Cheshire and through to Greater Manchester together, and to all get through this pandemic together. That is what I continue to do to this day.

Do you think yoga and mindfulness have become more popular during the lockdown? if so, why do you think that is?

I think the lockdown has definitely brought the attention of people's wellbeing to the forefront of people's minds and there has been an increase of people wanting to take self-care more seriously.

I have welcomed people who had never done yoga before onto my online sessions, so I definitely think the lockdown has made yoga and mindfulness more popular for sure.

How have people in Congleton responded to your classes?

I have had a lot of support from the Congleton community and my classes have been attended by my students from this local area.

What's been lovely is to see my Congleton yogis now speaking to my Manchester and Biddulph yogis on a daily basis, like they've been practising together forever.

We all like to have a chat before and after the sessions, and I feel that's been really important to some of my students, especially those who live on their own.

[I] If you would like to join Emma's classes, you can find out more on the EMAYOGA website.