Photo: Kaibara87 on Flickr

I LOVE Yogapod. I don’t get there often, but I love going. For those who don’t know, Yogapod is a local Yoga studio offering a range of classes including hot yoga, power flow (vinyasa), Anusara-inspired yoga, yin, meditation, prenatal, mom & baby and seasonal specialty yoga classes. The studio is beautiful and the instructors are super encouraging. The owners, Laurie Thibeault and Todd Inouye, have done a fantastic job since the beginning it would seem.

I have not tried anything other than the hot. Well, okay, that’s not entirely true. I tried a Power Flow class one time, but I was TERRIBLE at it. No upper body strength whatsoever and it just wasn’t my style. Having said that, the Hot Yoga is a summer staple for me. Because I have a 2 year old, I have to go after he’s gone to bed at night, so the 8pm time slot is what works. Monday night is the only 8pm Hot class (which, as I said, is my favourite) so I go on Mondays throughout the summer when I don’t have band rehearsals (my usual Monday night activity).

The hot class is a 90-minute series of postures and breathing exercises done in a hot room – like 100-105 degrees Farenheit. That’s hot. For real. The first time I did it, I thought I might die, but I set my intention to stay in the room… that’s all I wanted to accomplish. After having felt the amazing sweat and realizing that I can get a total body workout some way other than the traditional gym visit I was hooked. I bought their first week for $20 deal (totally worth it given your first single drop-in class is $10 and each subsequent single drop-in class is $20) and proceeded to complete 5 classes in one week. I could literally SEE a difference in my figure in the mirror! I am not joking.

Anyway, at that point I decided I loved it and have been an on-again, off-again student since. I find the 2-hour time it takes to get there, get in and do a 90 minute class and get out is a bit much for someone such as myself who works full time and is married with a toddler i.e. has other responsibilities (mind you, I also have other recreational pursuits to take into consideration) make adding yoga as a regular part of my routine a challenge, but it’s definitely worth trying.

Here are the important details you may not know about: They offer a Saturday evening 6pm Karma class for just $5. They also offer reduced rates for students and single parents who are primary caregivers. Now that’s love. You won’t know if this is THE thing for you until you try it. Go on… try it.

Yogapod is located at 101-260 West Esplanade, across the street from Waterfront Park.

If you’re a Yogapod regular and can tell us all something about the other classes Yogapod offers, please do so in the comments. We’d love to hear from you!