Yoga On A Budget

Monumental Yoga Indianapolis

Yoga classes, just as any fitness class, can be expensive. REALLY expensive. There are too many physical, emotional, and mental health benefits of yoga for anyone to feel alienated by some of the outrageous expenses that can come along with trying to learn yoga. Unfortunately that is what many yoga instructors are doing.

There is a certain yoga studio in the Indy area that has recently started a crowd funding project to expand and improve their studio despite their outrageously, ridiculously expensive class fees. I get it. It takes a certain amount of money to offer a certain caliber of studio, accessories, and instructors. And plenty of people can afford and do support that type of studio.

But that doesn’t mean that learning yoga has to be expensive. For those of us that either cannot afford or do not support such businesses, there are plenty of other options out there for us. There are also places like Fitness in Motion, another fitness studio in the Indy area that only charges $5 per class, and it is a completely debt-free, woman-owned company.

If you have been wanting to try your hand at yoga or are looking for less expensive options, here are a few things that I have found useful.

Equipment

You can find all the supplies you need for starting your yoga practice at most supermarkets or online for über cheap, or maybe even around your house.

Yoga Mat

Even if you have carpeting in your home, a yoga mat can make your practice more comfortable. It can save you from rug burns and make hard floors more comfortable. You can find one for less than $10.

But, a yoga mat is not necessary. More and more people are practicing yoga in airports during layovers with no mat or props, so it is possible to learn and practice yoga without a mat at all.

Yoga Blocks

Especially if you are just starting out, yoga blocks come in very handy for certain poses such as Revolved Triangle Pose and Half Moon Pose. But, you don’t need anything special. You can find simple foam blocks for less than $10. You can also use various objects from around your house such as a sturdy storage box.

Clothing

You can find yoga pants pretty much anywhere these days, but all you really need is comfortable clothing. Tighter fitting clothing is typically worn to classes so that instructors can evaluate your form and help you improve and grow as much as possible.

Learning Resources

As expensive as some yoga classes can be, they certainly do have their benefits. Not only can you practice with others in a group class, but you can also get instruction from a professional to improve your posture so that you can get more out of your practice.

Depending on your learning style, group classes might be just what you need to get you started and keep you interested for long enough until you build a large enough knowledge base to practice on your own. It might also be helpful to you to take a group class once every few months after you have been practicing on your own for a while.

Groupons

For the aforementioned yoga classes, definitely keep an eye out for any Groupons or other group coupon deals and sales that yoga studios might be having. These can be a great way to get your feet wet or switch up your routine every once in a while, and also to gain different perspectives from various instructors and studios.

There are also plenty of other resources available to help get you started and keep you going in your practice.

Yoga Journal

The one resource that has greatly increased my knowledge of yoga in general is my subscription to Yoga Journal. Their website has tons of resources, too. They also sometimes offer 21-Day Yoga Challenges for free, both at Beginner and Intermediate levels.

Videos

As with any fitness sensation, there are endless amounts of yoga videos available for cheap and for any type of practice you are looking to try.

Community Classes

Even some of the expensive yoga studios offer Community Classes for less than their typical classes. Most of these classes are great for beginners, and there typically is no need for any contract. This is a great way to try out different studios in your area without too great of an investment, meet new people, and get professional instruction from time to time without any commitment to one particular studio.

What other resources have you found to improve your practice without breaking your bank?

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