By: Katherine Wellman

I can honestly say that I don’t like exercise.
However, as I’m getting a bit older I can feel my metabolism slowing down and my energy decreasing. I don’t like going to the gym and I don’t like running. I find both to be pretty boring. I decided last September I would give yoga a try. I had gone to a couple of classes when I was in university, so I knew what I was getting myself into. I had enjoyed it then and thought it would be exercise without being too exercise-like.
I was right! I loved it. It improved my flexibility and decreased my stress. It also increased my strength, toned my body and improved my posture drastically (much to my mother’s approval). I did it for three months and I had never felt better.
There are many proven health benefits to yoga. According to WebMD, it not only improves the things I have already mentioned, but it also lowers blood pressure. slows the heart rate and can even relieve symptoms of asthma, back pain and arthritis. It can even improve concentration and mood which, as a student, was an added benefit.
The only problem with yoga is that it is expensive to do in a studio. I went to the Yoga Sanctuary at Broadview and Danforth (they also have a studio at Yonge and College) because it was very close to my apartment.
But for three months of unlimited classes for a student it set me back $300. That is about double what I was paying per month for my (unused) gym membership. For a student, that is a lot of money. If you aren’t a student it’s $375 dollars for three months. During these tough economic times, $375 is a lot to part with.
My time at the Yoga Sanctuary was amazing. And luckily enough it was a birthday present from my aunt that allowed me to go for those three months because on my own, I can’t afford it. I work full time for free on my internship and part-time in retail. Yoga doesn’t really fit into my budget.
Because I had been missing yoga for a few months, I decided to buy a yoga DVD. This seemed like a fantastic idea! Sure my apartment is small but I can find an hour or so a day to do some relaxing yoga a few times a week!
I got the DVD three weeks ago and finally opened it yesterday. It sat on my shelf mocking me until then.
After doing the DVD once, I appreciated the three months I had at the Yoga Sanctuary. There are some pointers that live teachers can give you specifically that the DVD can’t even compare to. Considering you can hurt yourself pretty badly if you don’t know what you are doing, the live teacher is a considerable plus.
If you can afford it – go to the studio. It is hard to compare the two. In the studio you have the calming voice of the instructor and you don’t have your cat running around your head trying to play with your pony tail.
My recommendation for people who are interested in yoga, have never done it before and can’t imagine shelling out the $300 is to do the one week for $20 that most yoga studios offer. Go every day for that week and absorb all that you can. Talk to the teachers and ask them what you, personally, should work on. Then buy an instructional DVD for beginners (ask your instructor for some suggestions). That way you have spent some time with a teacher and you have a better idea of what you should be doing. It will also help you figure out if yoga is for you. The biggest plus? It will also only set you back around $40 ($20 for the DVD and $20 for the classes) and you will still feel fantastic and get all of those benefits!

Related Links:

www.webmd.com/balance/the-health-benefits-of-yoga
http://www.theyogasanctuary.net

Editor’s Tip: There are many different types of yoga, be sure to do your research before joining a class to make sure you are prepared.