Carly Foxx: I started my practice about 5 years ago, and it’s now a top priority in my life. It keeps me in check physically, spiritually and emotionally and it helps me feel energised and really happy!

I have a really busy life, working crazy hours sometimes and at times it can be a bit overwhelming and really exhausting and yoga helps me balance all of this. It’s incredible for managing any stress and feeling grounded.

I tend to practise hot yoga 3 x per week at a hot yoga studio in Hackney where I live. If I don’t have time for a class between work, I’ll opt for a little home practice.

After a long DJ set standing up I tend to get bad lower back pain, and yoga is like a miracle drug for this. I particularly love a class before I go out and play. It helps to shake away any nerves I might have, gives me the energy boost I need that late in the evening, and prepares my body physically for the evening ahead. When practised consistently, it really is like magic!

When I’ve spoken to people who have never tried yoga before, I’ve found the most common barrier tends to be thinking they’re not flexible enough. Yoga is not at all about fancy poses or about being flexible. Sure if you practice regularly, your flexibility will certainly improve, but you do not need to be flexible at all to practise. Even if you just sat on your mat for an hour, the benefits of just taking that time our for yourself are great.

Western yoga often gears towards a female, white, skinny, middle class stereotype, which is annoying, but try to remember that yoga really is for everyone. Young, old, skinny, round, healthy, injured, rich, poor, there is something for everyone. There are so many great free YouTube tutorials available and there are often free or donation based classes in most cities.

Carly Fox’s tips for surviving yoga

Just turn up

To me yoga is about turning up; taking time out for yourself – away from phones, technology, work – and just being present on the mat. For me the asanas (the postures) are secondary and they come very naturally once you have turned up and arrived on your mat. The biggest challenge is turning up, so once you’ve done that it’s all gravy.

Give zero fucks

Yoga is about you and no one else. Give zero fucks about anyone else in the class, ignore what everyone else is doing and try not to compare yourself with them. We are all built very differently, and are at very different stages within our practice. Avoid competing with yourself also. It’s great to push yourself, at times, but I think it’s important to listen to your body, be kind to yoursel and know when to pull back. If you are practicing in a class remember that it’s one hundred percent ok to sit, lie down or take a child’s pose whenever you want. Have no shame in that and remember that it’s your practice, you’ve paid to be there so take as much time as you need.

Yoga is challenging, both physically and at times emotionally, and like anything that challenges you, it’s easy to get frustrated, so just remember to breathe.

Check out Carly’s Spotify playlist here and get yer chill on

London based DJ & producer Carly Foxx launches her new imprint Love Story Recordings this July with a groove-ridden house EP of her own, featuring a remix from New York’s MANIK. Out now on Beatport