Which yoga class should I go to?
Practicing yoga has so many benefits and there is a multitude of styles of yoga to choose from. The plentiful options for yoga practice can make it overwhelming to decide which class to attend. While you will reap multiple benefits from all of the classes on our schedule, certain classes are better for specific goals. One of the most common questions we receive is “which yoga class should I go to?” The answer depends heavily on your current activity level and your goals, and everyone from beginners to experienced yogis can be in ANY class. So, instead of choosing a class based on your experience level, choose a class based on what you want to get out of the practice. Keep reading to see which yoga classes will help you meet your goals!
If your goal is to reduce stress…
Slower, meditative practices that keep your heart rate lower and help activate the parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and digest” part of your nervous system) are best suited to reducing stress! Practices such as Restorative Yoga and Meditation are designed specifically to bring you into and keep you in a state that allows your body to regulate the nervous system and give it a chance to recover from all of the active things you do. If you workout, a practice like Restorative Yoga or Meditation is extremely beneficial in aiding in recovery. So while you won’t be pumping iron in classes like these, you will be aiding in your body’s capacity to build strength and stamina by giving yourself time and space to restore and rebuild. Classes like this also improve vagal tone, which helps your body recover from stress more quickly and efficiently, building your body’s resilience.
Yoga Class Options for Reducing Stress:
We have two weekly Restorative Yoga classes (Tuesday and Thursday 6:45-7:30pm), one weekly Meditation class (Saturday 8:15-8:45am), and many classes with restorative elements such as two weekly Core + Restore classes (Tuesday and Thursday 9:15-10:15am), three weekly Slow Flow + Restorative classes (Sunday 9am, Wednesday 12pm, Saturday 9-10am), one weekly Sunday Rest + Reset (Sunday 12-1pm), and two weekly Gentle Yoga + Restorative classes (Monday and Friday 9am).
If your goal is to improve your fitness level…
Faster, more vigorous movement-based classes will assist in improving your fitness level, but keep in mind that improving your fitness level is relative, based on your starting point. If your main goal is building strength and endurance, we have lots of options: flow classes that will address the body in a balanced way, classes that utilize props for resistance training, and yoga with high intensity interval training (HIIT). All Level Flow is a great place to build full body strength and depending on your pace and current fitness level could have an added aerobic benefit. Strong Spine & Core and Core Express are flow-based classes that emphasize strengthening the trunk of the body. Yoga with Resistance Bands is a class specifically about building strength, using resistance bands for an added challenge. Yoga HIIT is the most cardiovascularly challenging class on the schedule. It is meant to challenge you to the max for short bursts and is punctuated with recovery and stretch time, after which you do it all again. And if you want some strengthening flow, but also want to get much needed recovery at the end, Core + Restore will give you the best of both worlds.
Yoga Class Options for Improving Fitness:
We have many daily All Level Flow classes (see full schedule here), two weekly Strong Spine & Core classes (Monday 12-1pm, Wednesday 9-10am), one weekly Core Express class (Friday 8-8:45am), one weekly Yoga HIIT class (Sunday 10:30-11:30am), and one monthly Yoga with Resistance Bands class (last Saturday of every month 12-1pm).
If your goal is to create balance in your life…
If you lead a really active or stressful life, you can achieve balance by following our class recommendations for reducing stress. If you lead a more sedentary life, consider our class recommendations for improving fitness. However, you could also reduce stress and improve fitness every time you come in for practice! We have built our schedule to include classes that have invigorating and restorative elements, and have also positioned classes in such a way that you could easily do an active and restorative yoga class in one visit! Check out any of our classes with active and chill elements in the title such as Core + Restore, Slow Flow + Restorative, Gentle Yoga + Restorative, or Friday Flow & Focus, or join us on Tuesday or Thursday evenings for All Level Flow from 5:30-6:30pm and then stick around for the Restorative yoga class that follows from 6:45-7:30pm! We have tea (and sometimes even snacks!) available in between these classes to give you time to socialize and wind down before the relaxation part of the night!
Yoga Classes for Creating Balance:
The All Level Flow followed by Restorative yoga combo happens twice weekly (Tuesday and Thursday, All Level Flow 5:30-6:30 followed by 6:45-7:30pm Restorative), two weekly Core + Restore yoga classes (Tuesday and Thursday 9:15-10:15am), two Gentle Yoga + Restorative classes (Monday and Friday 9-10am), three weekly Slow Flow + Restorative (Sunday 9-10am, Wednesday 12-1pm, Saturday 9-10am), and one weekly Friday Flow & Focus (Friday 5:30-6:30pm).
If your goal is to learn more about alignment…
While most of our classes are offered both in-person and virtually, there is a notable exception in our Yoga Foundations class. This class is offered in-person only due to the hands on and individualized nature of the class. It provides the perfect opportunity for learning how to practice postures in a way that is truly beneficial to you and to get direct assistance from the teacher in refining your alignment. While we offer alignment advice in all of our classes, we really go all out for this class.
Yoga Class for Learning about Alignment:
We offer Yoga Foundations once weekly, Tuesdays 10:30-11:30am.
If your goal is to develop a yoga practice after a setback or injury…
The type and severity of the setback or injury will play a role in your final decision, but our Gentle Yoga + Restorative classes are a great way to introduce movement in an extremely accessible way, while also giving you the added benefit of recovery and nervous system regulation through restorative yoga. If it’s still pretty hard to move, start with Restorative Yoga, and then try the gentle classes when you’re feeling up for it. Gentle yoga provides an excellent opportunity to explore and develop your mobility and flexibility in a non-judgmental and no-pressure setting. Unlike the “no pain, no gain” attitude you might find in another movement practices, this yoga practice is meant to be pain free and to leave you feeling good immediately after. You may experience discomfort in the sense that you feel new sensations and feel challenged by the movements and positions in yoga, but the practice should not cause you pain. Your teacher can help you understand the difference between discomfort and pain. As you feel better and decide what your ultimate goals are, you might decide to move into Slow Flow + Restorative, All Level Flow, or any of the other strengthening options we offer.
Yoga Classes for Coming back from Setback and Injury:
We offer Gentle Yoga + Restorative classes twice weekly (Monday and Friday 9-10am) and Restorative Yoga classes twice weekly (Tuesday and Thursday 6:45-7:30pm).
If you goal is to prepare for birth…
If you’re expecting, our Prenatal Yoga classes are exactly what you need. These practices are safe and effective for all stages of pregnancy and teach great movements and breathing techniques to make you strong and more comfortable during pregnancy. Since these classes are meant specifically for pregnancy, they are our top recommendation, but if you tell your teacher that you’re expecting, Slow Flow + Restorative, and Gentle Yoga + Restorative are great options. And if you had an established yoga practice before pregnancy, All Level Flow is great as well!
Yoga Classes for Preparing for Birth:
We offer Prenatal Yoga twice weekly (Saturday 10:15-11:15am, Sunday 12-1pm).
If your goal is to manage to do yoga despite being incredibly busy…
We suggest that you sit down with your schedule and enter your yoga practice in your calendar as you would any other obligatory meeting. We have classes that fit before and after the traditional work day, as well as short Lunch Break Yoga classes that you could log onto virtually from wherever you’re working. Let go of any ideals about how long you want to practice or how often and remember that any practice is better than no practice. We have many options for 45-minute long practices, early morning classes, evening classes, and weekend classes to help you carve out space and time in your life to take care of yourself.
Yoga Classes for Busy People:
We offer early morning classes (Wednesday 8-8:45am All Level Flow, Thursday 7-8am Sunrise Flow, Friday 8-8:45am Core Express), weekday evening classes (Monday 6-7:15pm All Level Flow, Monday 7:30-8:30pm Candlelight Flow, Tuesday and Thursday 5:30-6:30pm All Level Flow and 6:45-7:30pm Restorative, Wednesday 5:30-6:30pm All Level Flow, Friday 5:30-6:30pm Friday Flow & Focus), weekend classes (see our full weekend schedule here), and short classes (Tuesday and Thursday 12-12:45pm Lunch Break Yoga and 6:45-7:30pm Restorative, Wednesday 8-8:45am All Level Flow, Friday 8-8:45am Core Express) that work well in busy peoples’ lives!
Aspects of any yoga class will help you meet all of the aforementioned goals, but some classes will address more specifically what you’re seeking than others. All styles of yoga have value and the way you choose to practice should make sense to your lifestyle and individual needs and goals. Come back to this guide any time you want to get more specific with your practice!
If our suggested classes for your goal don’t work with your schedule, take any class and remember that all yoga classes are beneficial and will help you towards your goals! We record most of our classes and upload them to our Online Studio. All members have access to the Online Studio anytime, anywhere. Check out membership options, such as our 3-Week Unlimited Membership and our Membership Starter Pack, in our Online Store or reach out to us with questions.
For our full list of detailed class descriptions, check out this page.
If you need more guidance, send us an email and we’ll help you find the perfect class for you!