Yoga In A Health Club Or In A Yoga Studio - Compare

Thinking about taking classes locally? You might find a class given in a healthclub, gym, at the YMCA, at an adult school or in a Yoga studio. Search your yellow pages under 'Yoga' for studios. If you belong to a healthclub, gym or YMCA, check with them about yoga classes.

Local Health Club, Gym or YMCA:

They will more likely be Hatha Yoga based, rather than specialized in a particular style (that is a good thing!).

Minuses: It all depends on the situation, but sometimes the instructor may not be certified as a Registered Yoga Teacher or in any particular style of yoga. In addition, the space may be noisy and less optimally set up for yoga than in a studio. And the classes in the gym might be more of an 'open variety' with a mix of levels, rather than a class for your particular level. There might not be assistants. There might be less serious practitioners along side you.

Plusses: Yoga in this setting might be convenient, you can combine it with workouts in the gym, and for those reasons alone, could work very well for you. So your gym or YMCA membership costs you $40 - $75 a month and you get the gym plus the yoga thrown in. Compare that to a single yoga class in a studio that costs $12 - $17. Perhaps you could supplement your yoga in a gym, with instructional DVD's or books.

Yoga in a Studio: More likely to be specialized in particular styles of yoga.

Minuses: Might be more expensive than in a gym.

Plusses: Increased chance of finding classes at just your level, and maybe just the style that interests you. Or maybe they offer a mix of styles of interest. Most studios have introductory specials to entice newcomers. Once you know this is the studio for you, sign up for occasional specials or multiple class packs to reduce the per class price. More advantages to studio based yoga are that the instructors are more likely to be certified and experienced. You have a greater chance of getting to know your instructor and they you. In addition, you have a greater likelihood of finding a yoga 'community'.

There are many types of studios. Let's take my (large) town in NJ as an example. Some studios offer only one kind of Yoga such as Kundalini or Anusara. These studios offer beginner to advanced classes in just their style. Interestingly, some other studios promote multiple styles by employing several instructors, each trained and teaching in whatever various styles in which they are certified.

Expanded information is available about selecting a taketimeyoga.com/YogaInAStudio.htm local gym or health club or a Yoga Studio and what to expect in your first class.

Devidas Varga is a yoga enthusiast and publisher of TakeTimeYoga.com, which is all about how to begin yoga. He has maintained a practice of yoga and meditation for 30 years, living in Ashrams in India and the United States for a decade. He has immersed himself in many styles and promotes the life affirming effects yoga offers.