Akram Yoga Studio
established 2013

We first opened our doors in Woking in early 2013. Our mission was to provide a yoga studio where you, the student, would leave a class, talking about yoga first and the heat second.

In 2019 we took over the old Barclays Bank building on Addlestone High Street and have made this our new sanctuary.

To see a list of our services, from warm yoga to boxing, hover over the 'our services' tab at the top of the page. To meet our team, scroll down.

"the teacher should be like the conductor of an orchestra"

meet the team

Zahir Akram

Zahir won an award for the best Yoga teacher in Surrey 2019! Link and is also the author of 'Yoga - Madness or Meditation', which is available on Amazon.

Zahir was featured in OMYoga Magazine as 1 of the '10 Male Yoga Teachers You Need To Know About' .

And featured again a few months later - OMYOGA

Zahir specializes in guiding individuals through physical yoga poses, focusing on helping each person unlock their maximum potential in every pose. With Zahir, every class is a chance for exploration and personal growth. The emphasis is not on measuring proficiency but on our aspiration to improve.

The key requirement is a sense of humour. Zahir's mantra is "Try not to take yourself or yoga too seriously."

Zahir is also available for private tuition and personal training as well as private boxing.

Favourite Book - 'The Soul of a Butterfly', Muhammed Ali.

Laura Akram

As featured in OM YOGA magazine.

Yoga, a practice suitable for everyone, embraces individuals at all levels of experience, from novices to seasoned practitioners. Advanced Yoga Teacher Laura offers challenging classes tailored to accommodate participants' varying abilities, modifying postures based on their strength, flexibility, and prior knowledge. By mastering proper techniques and embracing regular yoga sessions, one can unlock the remarkable benefits of this ancient practice, such as heightened strength, increased flexibility, inner tranquillity, improved mental clarity, and enhanced focus.

Laura frequently encounters inquiries about the specific style of yoga she teaches. While she does incorporate Ashtanga elements into her classes, she firmly believes that despite the diverse range of types, styles, names, and trends, yoga is fundamentally yoga. Her teachings encompass physical postures (asana), breathing techniques (pranayama), and philosophical wisdom.

Not only an Advanced Yoga Teacher, Laura is also a qualified Yoga Therapist.

Favourite Book - My husband's book 'Madness or Meditation', of course!

Emma Talbot

Trained at Akram Yoga and currently completing her Advanced teacher training, Emma teaches a vinyasa class comprising – standing, seated and finishing poses. The sequencing will incorporate asanas that will enable the student to develop a balance between strength and flexibility.

The class will include some dynamic movement and precise postures that will be adapted to suit all students. Focussing on synchronizing breath and movement will provide the student the opportunity to turn inward and focus on how their body feels during the practice. Emma believes that this awareness will help develop healthy movement patterns that can be taken from the practice room into everyday life.

Favourite Book - The English Patient

Lindsey Brown

Lindsey’s teaching has elements of Ashtanga yoga to it often with creative sequencing to keep the class light-hearted yet challenging, with modifications offered throughout. Every class follows a set sequence with sun salutations to start, a standing section, followed by seated (which varies week to week) and finishes with inversions.

Lindsey believes that ending with inversions (any asana where the head is below the heart) is a great way to continue your day as they have numerous benefits, such as improving mental function, re-energising the mind and body and producing feelings of balance and calm – to mention a few!

Favourite Movie - True Romance

Lyn Brooks

Lyn's completed her teacher

training with Akram Yoga in 2016 and loves to share her passion and enthusiasm for yoga with her students, deepening their practice by giving them the confidence to explore poses.

She is aware that sometimes the biggest challenge is being able to show up on your mat to generate a positive, serene environment.

She does this through Hatha-based sequences with some longer holds, always starting with the foundation, gently encouraging students to ‘feel’ correct alignment, inviting, even experienced practitioners, to revisit the basic poses.

By giving options in different asanas, all abilities and levels will find her classes accessible.

Her main focus is the art of ‘letting go’, using the breath as a fundamental and integral tool, bringing together the physical and calming benefits of yoga.

Alli Lewis

Alli also did her teacher training at Akram Yoga under the tutelage of the late Christine Felix and Zahir Akram.

Alli was a professional dancer and choreographer, her dance career took her all over the world establishing herself as one of London's most sought-after dancers and choreographers, and progressed to working with some of the world's most prominent artists as a movement coach.

Alli has been practising yoga for 20 years and finally decided to turn this love of yoga into a career.

Ali’s teaching style combines her love of movement, breathing, and fun.

“I want to inspire others to discover yoga's benefits and make people move, think and feel better”.

Lauren
Cable

Info to follow

Carly Allen

Info to follow

Laura Gibson

Trained at Akram Yoga, Laura is a true advocate for self-discovery through movement and breath. In her teaching, she holds a dedicated space for you to connect with your body and explore its endless capabilities. Laura passionately believes that yoga is inclusive, and there's no such thing as "being good at it."

With over two decades of experience in fitness, she seamlessly combines her love for aerial acrobatics with her yoga teaching. Her journey is inspiring, as she herself overcame a serious injury through the healing power of yoga. Laura's story is a testament to the incredible potential of the human body and the transformative effects of yoga.

Laura believes yoga can benefit everyone.