Sky garden yoga is full of avocado-loving gap yah girls

These are not my people

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There is something jarring about going through airport-style security, and staring out over the metropolis 35 floors up, surrounded by a mass of indoor trees, in the name of namaste.

Sky high yoga at London’s Sky Garden is where clans of preened under-25 year olds kitted out in athleisure gather for early workouts. They arrive mainly in pairs, and lay out mats brought from home – a sharp indication this class isn’t for amateurs. A handful of boys spread themselves out among the 30-odd people there, sitting silently while the clusters of girls discussed top holiday destinations for 2016.

“We’ve already been to Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia,” one girl divulged while her friend got into child’s pose. “I’ve told him he’s spending too much time looking at where we should go on holiday – we just need to book it.” Well, quite.

This is not a resting position

I stared round the room at the brightly coloured, patterned leggings and decided that most of the people there found their yogic calling on deserted islands in Halong Bay as the sun rose. It seemed like the vibe. Nonetheless, half the room raised their hand when the instructor asked who was new to yoga – which was surely a lie, for a 6.30am class wasn’t phasing any of them and no one was sneaking looks at the instructor to confirm they were doing it “right”. In fact, everyone moved in synchronisation as the instructor paced up and down the room commanding “reverse warrior” to “goddess” to “downward dog”. For what seemed like ages.

What a view…

Just admiring the view

One of the selling points of sky high yoga is the view over London, though obviously this view is obscured when you are in an awkward downward dog (how is this a resting position?) or sitting “at peace” with your eyes closed. Also, by the time the class finished at 7.30am it was still quite foggy.

Not everyone in the room knew each other, but they definitely knew what the class was about. It was the prelude to a stroll into the office, yoga mat tucked under an arm, and a remark made to no one in particular. “I just feel so refreshed after my workout. I’m such a morning person, yoga is the perfect way to start the day. Did I not mention I do yoga in the Sky Garden each week?”

These were not my people. And I blew my own cover when the instructor said “please remind your neighbour to breathe”, and no one laughed but me.