15 Health Benefits of Yoga

Physical and mental health benefits of yoga:

  1. Yoga can help you maintain a healthy weight.

As with all exercise, the more you put in, the more you will get out.

  1. Regular yoga sessions will help you feel more energetic on a day-to-day basis.
  1. Ease back pain.

Many yogis believe that yoga can help ease the pain in your lower back.

Go Mammoth Yoga

  1. Get your blood flowing!

Blood circulation is essential for keeping your body in tip-top shape – improved circulation will also help you feel warmer in winter.

  1. Yoga will delight your digestive system

Your digestive system will thank you as performing yoga poses can help stimulate bowel movements.  That’s a relief right!?

  1. Go Mammoth says relax…

Lead a busy and stressful life? Go Mammoth yoga classes take place in a calming, relaxed environment – your stress levels will definitely be reduced after an hour a week practicing it.

  1. Feel good in body and in mind

Similarly regular yoga sessions will do wonders as a general mood lifter

  1. Struggle with your sleep?

After a few weeks of practicing yoga you will definitely be adept at catching more z’s!

  1. Your focus will improve

Struggling to concentrate on the most straightforward of tasks? Practicing yoga will focus your mind on dealing with the task at hand, especially when you’re trying to perform a complex pose!

  1. Define muscle tone

As your yoga ability improves, so too will your muscle tone. You’ll definitely notice the difference after a couple of months.

Go Mammoth Yoga

Yoga is great if you regularly work out or play another sport:

  1. Yoga is your flexible friend!

You will become more flexible practicing yoga. Fact!

  1. Reduce the chance of spors-related injuries

If you’re injury-prone, practicing yoga will gradually loosen the tightness in your muscles

  1. Improve balance and composure

If you play fast-paced physical sports, practicing yoga will help you stay on your feet, as it’s great for developing balance and composure.

  1. Make your core more competitive

If you play mainstream sports like football, netball, rugby or tennis, you’ll be relying on your core strength. Yoga classes are perfect for developing core strength – just ask the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team as many of that World Cup winning side regularly practice it. So if it’s good enough for the All Blacks, why not give it a go?

  1. Yoga dials up your dexterity

More complex poses yoga poses will help with your dexterity, which could make all that difference when you have to make that all-important catch, tackle or shot

Read more about the different yoga classes we offer at Go Mammoth

Ready to join a class?

Join a yoga class in Aldgate
Join a yoga class in Angel
Join a yoga class in Balham
Join a yoga class in Clapham
Join a yoga class in Clapham South
Join a yoga class in Kings Cross
Join a yoga class in Putney
Join a yoga class in Victoria

5 best yoga mats for beginners

Thing is, there’s a lot more than support and grip to consider before buying your first yoga mat: shape, size, thickness, thread count, cushioning and colour are just some of the factors that will influence your eventual decision. But as we want to take the pain out of your purchase, we thought we’d ask our expert Go Mammoth Yoga class team to share their best yoga mats for beginners:

Manuka Beginners Yoga Mat

Manuka Life Beginner’s Yoga Mat 

This affordable starter mat does two essential things to assist beginners; its slip-resistant composition ensures stability, while its spongy texture assists with comfort.

Although you may not get years of use from this mat – depending on how frequently you use it, its relative affordability makes it an attractive starter product. Plus, the Manuka Life Beginner’s understated floral motif gives the overall product a touch of elegance that belies its affordable price point.

Oh, and like the other mats this list, the Manuka Life Beginner is composed from environmentally-friendly materials, so when you do move onto your second mat, you can rest assured it won’t sit festering in a landfill somewhere for years to come.

Buy the Manuka Life Beginner’s Yoga Mat

Yoga Matters Classic Mat

Yoga Matters “Classic Mat”

Yet another affordable beginners mat with excellent grip to help with composure and at around 5mm thick, the Classic Mat helps with comfort when performing any poses on your knees or back.

Lightweight portability is also a plus for this pleasant purple product, as is its length if you’re a yogi that stands between the 5”10 and 6” mark. It is, however, a little narrow compared to others on this list, which may become an issue when performing certain poses.

There’s nothing more to be said about this one really – it’s a fairly simple product –  but if we had to describe the Yoga Matters “Classic Mat” in six words we would go with: lovely looks, great grip, pleasantly purple.

Buy the Yoga Matters “Classic Mat”

Prana Eco Yoga Mat

PRANA – Eco Yoga Mat

Yep this one does escalate in price a little compared to the predecessors on this list, but its two-sided textured surface ensures this mat is as gripped to the floor, as it is to your body. It has an almost luxurious feel to it too, making the PRANA Eco a product that feels as premium as it looks.

We’re about to get technical for a moment so bear with us; PRANA claim that its mat’s “closed cell construction” prevents germs from absorbing in the mat. As we’re not scientists we can’t verify that claim, but what we can tell you is that this product doesn’t pong after repeated use, which is a plus right?

The downside to the Eco yoga mat? Well, although our yoga team hasn’t had any issues with it, this product may be suited for more gentler styles of yoga such as Hatha, as there are a couple of reviews across the web mentioning its durability may struggle against the rigour of regularly repeated Vinyasa Flow or Ashtanga yoga sessions.

For beginners just embarking on their yoga journey, we’d happily give this mat two thumbs up.

Buy the PRANA – Eco Yoga Mat

Jade Harmony mat

Jade – Yoga Harmony Mat

Take a little look for yoga-related pics on Instagram and there’s a good chance you’ll see an influential “celebrity” yogi using one of these – Jada Yoga mat has skyrocketed to rockstar status over the past six months, but you know what, this is a mat whose style has the substance to back it up.

Its grip? Great! The Harmony mat has to be utterly drenched in sweat before it gives up its grip – you’ll feel like Spider-Man when planted to this mat.

Its looks? Lovely! The Harmony mat comes in a wide range of attractive tones that really stand-out (our personal favourite is the almost hypnotic Sedona Red above.)

Its comfort levels? Comfy…so very comfy. There is a lot of bounce in this mat, which in the long term, will ward off sore joints.

Its downsides? Divisive depending on how portable you need this one to be, because at 4.5cm this is quite a thick mat, which means it’s not as portable as some of the others on this list. As long as you’re not planning to trek to your classes on public transport with this, this won’t prove to be a problem.

Buy the Jade – Yoga Harmony Mat

Manduka Prolite Mat

Manduka Prolite Mat

Last, but definitely not least on our mammoth list of mats is this great little mat from another big brand in yoga.

Now if you’re planning to travel with your yoga mat to either a far flung exotic retreat or on the tube to your local Go Mammoth class, this will be your perfect travel partner. It’s lightweight and portable, but crucially, it’s not flimsy, which means that if you’re practicing yoga in a location outdoors, you can rest assured you won’t have to weigh down your mat with stones or similar objects to keep it in place.

This is yet another mat with a “closed cell surface” which will ward away germs, but after repeated use, we did noticed it started to smell a bit. That reminds us…just a word of caution, when it comes to washing the Prolite mat (and the other mats on this list come to mention it!), do so by hand before hanging it to dry; the danger with washing it in a machine is that it could  its strong synthetic grip more quickly. Plus, sticking it in the washing machine also voids this mat’s lifetime guarantee from Manduka, so don’t do it.

The Prolite is a product that lives up to its name; excellent performance meets perfect portability. Yes, it’s a little bit more expensive than some of the other mats on this list, but you’ve always got the lifetime guarantee to fall back on…well as long as you don’t put it in the washing machine!

Buy the Manduka Prolite Mat

Ready to join a Go Mammoth yoga class?

Join a yoga class in Aldgate
Join a yoga class in Angel
Join a yoga class in Balham
Join a yoga class in Clapham
Join a yoga class in Clapham South
Join a yoga class in Kings Cross
Join a yoga class in Putney
Join a yoga class in Victoria

5 Things to Expect At Your First Yoga Class

A few things before starting in one of our Yoga London classes…

  1. We provide a yoga mat…

If you don’t have a yoga mat ahead of your first class, don’t worry, we’ve got that covered. However, you may want to invest in a beginner’s mat for your course beyond as it’s an essential accessory for anyone practicing yoga. If you’re unsure about which one to buy, check out our top 5 yoga mats for beginners.

  1. Do I need to bring anything else with me?

Wear clothes you’re comfortable in exercise in – you’ll be practicing poses and stretching for the best part of your hour class. Ensure they are loose fitting but not too baggy – certain yoga poses can be quite revealing!

Go Mammoth Yoga

  1.  No trainers required

We carry out our classes in barefoot. If you practice yoga wearing socks, you won’t achieve the same connection to the mat. Plus your instructor won’t be able to accurately see the positioning of your feet during poses if you’re wearing socks or trainers.

  1. Don’t worry about your lack of flexibility!

A common misconception about yoga is that everyone who practices it is super flexible – this couldn’t be further from the truth. Not all yogis are super supple; you’ll see many of them bending their knees to touch their toes during warm-ups. Your instructor will help you become more flexible and will guide you through a series of gentle warm-up stretches at the start of each class to help you prepare for poses. After a few weeks, we guarantee you’ll be more flexible than when you started.

  1. Try to arrive to your first class a little early

We’d advise arriving at least 10-15 minutes before your first class so you can meet your instructor. Before the class, it’s a good idea to tell the instructor about any recent or existing injuries you may have, as they will be able to advise as to whether you should modify or sit out certain poses.

Signed up for a Go Mammoth yoga class? Check out our top 5 yoga mats for beginners

Want to sign up for a yoga class with us? Select your region below:

Join a yoga class in Aldgate
Join a yoga class in Angel
Join a yoga class in Balham
Join a yoga class in Clapham
Join a yoga class in Clapham South
Join a yoga class in Kings Cross
Join a yoga class in Putney
Join a yoga class in Victoria

Go Mammoth’s Best 10 Dodgeball Team Names Ever

Once you come up with the perfect name, magic begins to happen: the banter between your members will increase, someone will volunteer to get bespoke team t-shirts designed and your communication between your whole team on court will skyrocket.

See we told you, it’s a massively important decision right? Well, to get your creative juices flowing, here are our top ten favourite Go Mammoth dodgeball team names of all time:

1) The Artful Dodgers

Quite a few teams in the past have called themselves The Artful Dodgers, either after the character from Oliver Twist or the 90’s 2-step garage band. If you’re thinking of naming your team ‘The Artful Dodgers, don’t bother, just ‘re-rewind, as you’re ‘movin’ too fast’.

2) Salad Dodgers

As Homer Simpson once said, ‘you don’t win friends with salad’ – this team lived and breathed by this motto. They were great at dodging salad, but even better at dodging balls.

3) Motherduckers

Yep, you can see what this team did here! Thing is, be careful about deliberately ducking if a ball is thrown at you. If you duck below shoulder height and the ball hits your head, you my friend could be eliminated!

4) Resevoir Dodge

These guys proudly wear the classic silhouette poster art from the classic Tarantino movie Resevoir Dogs on their team t-shirts. Always remember the 5 D’s if you come up against this legendary Go Mammoth dodgeball team:  dodge, dip, duck, dive and dodge!

5) Rocky Mountain Oysters

At first it’s quite difficult to spot the connection between this team name and dodgeball, but let us explain; Rocky Mountain Oysters aren’t a delicacy from the sea – in fact, they are seasoned, deep-fried bison and pig “balls” (geddit?), which can be enjoyed in restaurants within American mid-west. Nuts right?

6) Not In The Face

We can understand why team doesn’t want to take one in the mush: it hurts and is against the rules of dodgeball. This team will always remind their opposition – by their name alone – that no-one wants to take a ball to the face.

7) No Hit Sherlock!

Take a popular phrase, remove one of its letters to make it inoffensive and you are left with one incredible dodgeball name. There’s only one thing that could make this team name better – we wish we had a dodgeball referee called Sherlock…

8) Guns N’ Throwses

Bet you’ve always wondered what would happen if you fused an 80’s hard rock band with a dodgeball-based pub. Well now you know. You get the awesome dodgeball team name Guns N’ Throwses.

9) Jammy Dodgers

Biscuit-based brilliance!

10) Game of Throws

A team name that both succinctly explains the game of dodgeball and is also pun on one of the biggest TV shows of all time. Genius.

Got your team name sorted? Ready to start dodging some balls? Yeah you are! Select your league below:

Play Dodgeball in Angel | Play Dodgeball In Barbican
Play Dodgeball in Clapham Common |
Play Dodgeball in Clapham High Street |
Play Dodgeball in Kings Cross |
Play Dodgeball in London Bridge |
Play Dodgeball in London Bridge: Marlborough Sports Garden |
Play Dodgeball In Marleybone | Play Dodgeball In Putney |

Go Mammoth’s Dodgeball Rules Guide

TEAM SIZE

In a standard dodgeball game, each team will line up on court with eight players a side. There must be no more than 16 players in total on the court at any one time. In a mixed dodgeball game, there must be a minimum of three women a side.

Teams can only make substitutions after a game has been completed. All substitutes must remain in a designated, out of bounds area.

If a team is short on players, they are permitted to play a mixed dodgeball game with 7-a-side (minimum of 2 women on each team), 6-a-side (minimum of 2 women on each team) or a minimum of 5-a-side (minimum of 1 woman on each team).

AIM OF GAME

At the start of the game, there will be six balls, three per team, placed at the middle of the court. The object is to eliminate all of the other team’s players to win the round.

GAME, SET AND MATCH STRUCTURE

The object of each game is to eliminate all of the other team’s players, Details about how players can be eliminated below. Once all opposing players are eliminated the game is won.

Each game last three minutes. If teams have an equal number of players at the end of the three minute round, the game will enter sudden death with the players that remain, and whichever team scores the next hit will win. If no players are eliminated during the sudden-death period, the team with the most players remaining will win the game.

Each match consists of three sets. Each set is decided in a series of “best of 5” series of games.

The team that wins 2 out of 3 sets wins the match.

Go Mammoth Dodgeball

BEGINNING OF THE GAME AND PLAY FORMAT

The game will begin with the referee placing six balls along the centre line of the court.

Teams will line up along the back wall and on the whistle rush into the middle to collect any ball they can (without crossing the centre line). Players must bring the ball back to behind the attack line before they can throw any balls.

Players must not cross the centre of the court for any reason including attacking or retrieving balls. Crossing the centre line results in immediate elimination.

The referee will keep track of the time and update teams as time is expiring. If both teams have the same number of players remaining at the end of the regulation, an additional one minute of sudden death overtime will be instituted. The first team to make any elimination during this period will win the game.

REFEREES

Each week there will be a referee on hand to get the games started and to referee the games. The referee will also rely on people using the honour system when they have been eliminated because with so many balls flying around it is difficult to see everything.

The referee’s decision is final; any player that argues with the referee or shows poor sportsmanship may be removed from the match, and in exceptional circumstances, removed from the league.

FORFEITS

A team needs a minimum of 5 regular players in order to avoid a forfeit.  If you know in advance that your team is going to forfeit a game, we encourage you to call our office so as to help us schedule your opponent a game.

Teams with fewer than the legal number of players may still play a “legal” game but only with the opposing team’s consent.

All teams consenting to play a legal game with less than the allowed minimum waive their right to a forfeit win. A team with 4 players or less can be forced to forfeit at the choice of their opposition. A team with 5 players is permitted to pick up additional players during group stages of the season in order to avoid a forfeit and play a competitive game.

Any questions regarding policies, rules, or eligibility must be addressed before the start of the match.

ELIMINATION OF PLAYERS

When a player is eliminated they must stand in the out-of-bands designated area, in the order that they were eliminated. They may throw out of bounds balls back to their teammates, but not at the opposing team. They must not re-enter the court for any reason, including attempting to interfere with balls on the court.

You are eliminated when…

  • A ball hits you on any part of the body or clothing before it has touched the ground, wall, ceiling or another ball.
  • An opposing player catches a ball you have thrown. When this occurs, the opposing team can also bring in one of their eliminated players back to the game.
  • You go to block a ball with a ball you are holding and drop your ball.
  • You fumble a catch.
  • You deliberately step over the centre line.
  • You hit someone in the head with the ball, unless their head is below shoulder height.
  • You kick or attempt to kick a ball towards the opposing team.
  • You consistently hold the ball for longer than 10 seconds.
  • You consistently throw or dodge from an out-of-bounds position.
  • One or more of your eliminated teammates consistently re-enter the court to interfere with the balls.
  • You show unsportsmanlike behaviour towards the opposing team or the referee. The referee’s decision is final. Once the decision has been made, it cannot be rescinded.

The ball is dead as soon as it hits the floor, walls, ceiling, another ball, or the referee. If a ball deflects off a player and hits a second player the ball immediately becomes dead and the first player hit is out. It doesn’t matter if the second player catches the ball – the first player will still be eliminated.

Teams are not allowed to stall with the ball. All balls need to be thrown within 10 seconds. If a team consistently ignores this rule, the player that is stalling will be removed.

If a player catches a ball, one eliminated team-mate can re-enter the game. Players must follow a “first off, first on” logic. This means that the first player to be eliminated should be the first player to re-enter the game if a ball is caught. Players that consistently ignore this rule will be eliminated.

If a player crosses the centre line whilst throwing, or throws or catches a ball from an out-of-bounds position, no player on the other team can be eliminated as a result. However, an out-of-bounds player can still be eliminated by a catch or by getting hit by an opposing player.

If a player is hit in the head, and their head is below shoulder height (e.g. they are attempting to duck or dodge away from the ball), they are eliminated. If a player is hit in the head, and their head is not below shoulder height, the player that threw the ball is deemed to have thrown it unacceptably high, and is eliminated. If a player intentionally moves their head towards the ball, they are eliminated. The referee’s decision is final.

Go Mammoth Dodgeball

PLAYOFFS

Playoffs (including finals) will begin immediately following the end of the regular season and will typically last between 1-2 weeks. Teams will be seeded according to their records. It is the responsibility of all players to check the playoff brackets at the venue or online at gomammoth.co.uk to find when they are playing. In playoffs it is not uncommon (and in some cases will be necessary) for teams to have more than one match in a given night.

10 reasons to play dodgeball with Go Mammoth!

  1. Meet new people and have a good time!

    Playing in one of our mixed dodgeball leagues is a great way to meet new people in London and have fun doing so at the same time.

  2.  No experience necessary!

    Beginners are always welcome. We don’t expect you to have played before, just have a read up on our Dodgeball rules and our venue reps and referees will help you with the rest.

  3. We run the biggest and the best leagues in London

    Whether you’re looking to test yourself against London’s champion dodgeballers or just looking to have some fun and meet some like-minded people, Go Mammoth has a league that’s perfect for you.

  4. Conveniently accessed courts across London

    Our dodgeball venues across all four corners of the capital are easily-accessible – you won’t have to travel far to get to your dodgeball game. Check out our dodgeball list below:

    Play Dodgeball in Angel | Play Dodgeball In Barbican
    Play Dodgeball in Clapham Common |
    Play Dodgeball in Clapham High Street |
    Play Dodgeball in Kings Cross |
    Play Dodgeball in London Bridge |
    Play Dodgeball in London Bridge: Marlborough Sports Garden |
    Play Dodgeball In Marleybone | Play Dodgeball In Putney

  5. Keep fit and have fun doing it too

    Playing dodgeball in a Go Mammoth league after work is an enjoyable way to break up your repetitive weekly cardio sessions at the gym.

  6. No equipment needed

    We provide the balls! Just turn up, warm-up and be prepared to dodge them!

  7. Don’t have a team? Don’t worry! All individuals are welcome.

    Simply sign up as an individual to the venue and night of your choice and we’ll find you a team!

  8. Fancy dress nights!

    To add to the light-hearted nature of our dodgeball leagues, we encourage all league teams to come to the middle game of the season wearing fancy dress.

  9. Prizes up for grabs

    If your team wins one of the league, you’ll win an awesome prize! Another reason to challenge for that top spot.

  10.  Our dodgeball leagues take socials to a new level!

    Our teams play hard on the court and when they hit our Go Mammoth partner bar after each game, they play even harder. Our sponsor bars all offer special deals on certain drinks, which is perfect when you want to celebrate that win or discuss the highlights from the match with your team.

Go Mammoth Netball Wall of Fame

Below are photos netball league winners from August 2016. If we aren’t proudly displaying and your team has won a netball league this month drop us a comment on our Facebook page.

Clapham League – Bikini Bodies

clapham-bikinibodies

Battersea Park – Battersea Babes

Battersea Babes

Clapham League – Quality Feet

Clapham - Quality Feet

Victoria – Big Ballzer

Go Mammoth Netball

Ready to play netball or sign up with another season with Go Mammoth?

Play Netball In London
North EastPlay Netball In Leeds | Play Netball In Sheffield
North WestNetball In Liverpool | Netball In Manchester
ScotlandNetball In Edinburgh | Netball In Glasgow
SouthPlay Netball In Oxford | Play Netball In Portsmouth | Play Netball In Reading | Play Netball In Southampton
South EastPlay Netball In Brighton
South WestPlay Netball In Bath | Play Netball In Bristol
WalesPlay Netball In Cardiff

Uniquely European – GO Mammoth, GO Anywhere.

In our incredibly large small world, traveling is one of the best things you can do for
yourself. You’ll meet new people, see places your wildest dreams couldn’t even imagine,
interact with locals whose culture and language differ from your own, and learn a whole
lot more about yourself and the world we live in than you would spending another
weekend at home.

To bring a little personal background into my opinion on travel in Europe, to start with,
I’m an American. Insert all your American stereotypes here [          ] (but not really
because stereotypes aren’t iron clad). As an American, I am incredibly jealous of your
European-ness for many reasons, one of which is your vicinity to everything European
and all the different countries, languages, and cultures that it embodies. While the United
States is a large and diverse country, it comes nowhere close to the amount of history,
culture, and diversity you find in Europe. Nor is it as affordable to travel short or long
distances like it is in Europe. If I want to take an hour-long flight over to the next state at
home, I could spend a couple hundred dollars, whereas flights from London to many
major European cities can be found for less than £100 return! It’s incredible. You’ve got
affordable airlines that make travel affordable for anyone.

With all the resources available to you in Europe, why not take advantage of them? Get
out of the country and gain some perspective – and have fun! GO Mammoth has already
established itself as a successful sports, fitness, and events company that specializes in
group activities for young professional Brits, and now it’s expanding its services to
provide group travel opportunities that go beyond the usual sight seeing tours. What GO
Mammoth offers are hosted getaways that give you a chance to be bold and have some
unique adventures that fit your budget!

I get that work, friends, and whatever obligations you may have can make your schedule
seem too overwhelming to leave and travel, but those obligations will still be there next
week, so why not get away from them (far away) for a week or even just a weekend and
collect some new experiences. You can even bring your friends along with you because
GO Mammoth is all about enhancing friendships, both old and new. So take advantage of
your enviable European-ness and explore this great continent!

See GO Mammoth’s upcoming UK & European group trips

Bethnal Green Basketball League | East London Basketball

Need a great place to play basketball in London after work? GO Mammoth has now launched in an awesome East London location.

Raine’s Foundation School is on Approach Street, located less than a 6 minute walk from Bethnal Green station. The school has changing facilities, toilets and nearby street parking.

The sports hall is also well equipped with a wall-mounted electronic scoreboard and fully sprung rims.

League details:

Tuesday | Intermediate | Mens – 5s | 8pm – 10pm
Thursday | Recreational | Mens – 5s | 8pm – 10pm

More info: Bethnal Green Basketball League

 

BethnalGreen.jpg BethnalGreen2.jpg
Does your office currently have a basketball team and fancy trying a new basketball league? Do you enjoy a game after work with your colleagues to socialise?

If this sounds like you, come and check out our newest basketball league in Bethnal Green. Liven up your office with some game day banter! If you still crave that after work pint (post-match of course), all of our sports leagues have a designated sponsor bar offering discounted food and/or drinks.

Give us a call on 0207 381 6034, or feel free to drop our basketball manager an e-mail at josh@gomammoth.co.uk if you have any questions.