A space to move and slow down in Torquay

AFTER six years of building a down-to-earth and inclusive yoga community in central Geelong, Good Folk Yoga has recently opened the doors to its second studio in Torquay, just behind another Surf Coast icon:

Strapper Surf.

Founded with the intention of creating a space where people can move, rest and connect without feeling pressured to perform or to look a certain way, Good Folk has quietly grown into one of the region’s most loved yoga studios.

Studio owner Jess Roe said the decision to expand to the Surf Coast felt like a natural next step.

“We’ve had people travelling from Torquay, Armstrong Creek and the Surf Coast to practice with us in Geelong for a while, and when this space became available in central Torquay it ticked all of our boxes so we jumped at it,” she said.

“It’s also really exciting to be able to offer more teaching opportunities to our team, and we’re just really stoked to share our inclusive and accessible style of yoga with more people down here.”

Unlike many modern yoga studios that focus heavily on advanced poses with strict alignment, Good Folk takes a deliberately different approach.

“All of our classes are choice-based and we prefer to take a more person-centred approach,” Jess said. “That means we offer options throughout the class so you can decide what works for your body on any given day, and there’s no pressure to push or strive or to look a certain way.”

“For us, yoga is less about perfecting a pose and more about learning to listen to your body, which we believe allows people to have a more embodied experience. And this can be really powerful – to step away from the perfecting and the goal-orientated approach because life pushes us in that direction enough as it is.

“We are also very fortunate to have an incredible team of teachers who share this philosophy and are helping to evolve yoga away from those more dogmatic ways of teaching.”

 

The new Torquay studio offers a range of classes each week, from slower style practices like Yin and Mellow, which are a great place for beginners to start, through to more dynamic Flow classes.

Monthly workshops and events are also available, which offer things like meditation, breath work, yoga foundations and sound baths.

Jess said the aim is to create a schedule that allows people to meet themselves wherever they are, while also catering to people from all walks of life.

“Some days people want to move and build energy, and other days they need to slow down and rest,” she said. “We try to offer a well-rounded schedule so the practice can support people through whatever life is bringing up for them.

“We have such a varied mix of people coming through the doors, and by offering classes like Mellow and Slow Flow, we can support both those who are new to the practice and those who simply need to move more gently.”

Beyond the physical practice, community remains at the heart of what Good Folk does. Since opening the doors in Torquay, the team has been blown away by the response from the local community.

“We’ve felt incredibly welcomed,” Jess said. “The support and enthusiasm from people here has been amazing. It’s such a great bunch of people, and we’re really excited to see the community continue to grow and flourish.”

For those curious about trying a class, Good Folk Yoga is offering every reader a free trial class. Head to goodfolkyoga.com.au/timetable and use the code “GOODTIMES” at the checkout.

Good Folk Yoga is at 106B Surf Coast Highway, Torquay. Entry is via Puebla Street.

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