Diggin’ the Down-Dog but not the Dollar

Labor Day Weekend also coincided with the “Free Day of Yoga” where all yoga studios in Austin were running rampant with multi-colored mats, latex pants, and resonating Om’s.

With a Yoga Yoga studio literally less than a mile from home, I could give any excuse on why I would not partake in this relaxing, free exercise. The class was phenomenal and I am sitting here typing this with happy-sore thighs. What I found interesting was not the class content but the scattered experiences of my friends who shared one element of concern in their tales: cost.

When you think of taking part in any fitness regime, you always start with what you need to be successful. So what makes yoga “more” expensive than going to a regular gym? Yoga requires very little in terms of materials: a mat, a quiet space, and your physical self. In comparison, a gym is defined by the equipment it contains from the cardio machines to weights that allow users to control their workout. The striking differences fade as you trickle down to the idea of instruction. At one point or another, we have all entered a gym not knowing how to work the machines, either we learn from others or we hire a fitness trainer for enlightenment. The process of certifying personal trainers through heavy-set training regimes is identical in the practice of yoga. Costs are reflective of the detailed instruction that is the core of every fitness endeavor, so think of yoga instruction as a “cheaper” personal trainer experience.

The idea behind practicing yoga is to learn how to hold and flow through the poses correctly and how they affect your body. In the long run, yoga classes are meant to be a stepping-stone so that if you want to practice in your own home and in your own time, you can! There are ways to lower the costs with various discounts offered, free days of classes (like yesterday), and donation classes offered on a weekly basis. Don’t be dishearten if you really enjoyed your experience yesterday, there are always ways to add yoga to your lifestyle. And if you are really committed, a short-term investment of classes might lead you to instruct in the future or practice on your own terms on a Sunday morning before the sun rises. Namaste!

Curious on studios in the area, visit www.freedayofyoga.com for more information.