Passport to Prana: Yoga Tree Thornhill

On such a beautiful weekend, it was time to pull out my Passport to Prana for a little Sunday afternoon yoga.

I decided to take a 90 minute Reduced Heat Level 2 class at Yoga Tree in Thornhill.

Yoga Tree has 4 locations in the GTA  I have heard many people sing its praises and decided it was high time I tried it out for myself.

Like many of the other studios I have seen, the decor is beige/wood, with yoga inspired accents.  The change rooms were a good size and the whole place was super clean (a big plus in my books).

I walked into the studio and was happy to hear music playing softly in the background.  ( I am a yoga + music kind of girl, as you know).  I grabbed a yoga block, strap and nabbed a spot near the front of class.

Source

The instructor, Kim, introduced herself and asked if there was anyone new to yoga.  All hands stayed down so she told us to remember to work at our own pace and make modifications as needed.

The class was a true vinyasa flow, with emphasis on strength and twists.  It finished with a stretch and guided relaxation.

Here are my thoughts:

What I Liked 

• Kim.  Her instruction was clear and encouraging.  She gave lots of modifications to each exercise and came over to correct posture.
• I loved, loved, loved the way this class flowed.  The movements, postures and breath blending beautifully.  This is the way I like to do yoga.
• The inclusion of twists and balancing poses.  They were very challenging, which I really liked.  It also reminded me that I need to incorporate them into my own classes when teaching.
• The stretch and guided relaxation was just lovely.

What I Would Have Liked

• The room to be a bit hotter.  This class was meant to be a bit cooler, but it made me realize that I like hotter better.
• More seated postures.  This is just a personal preference of mine.  I have actually noticed that many of the classes I have been to are lacking in this area.
• More follow up after class.  I was asked if I enjoyed the class, but no one offered to give me any information about their programs or invited me to come back again.

Overall, I really liked this class. I am definitely going to use my passport to check out a different class at one of their other locations.

What new classes/studios have you tried lately?  Anyone going to the Yoga Conference in Toronto this weekend?
This was the first new class I have tried in a while and am itching to do more.  I plan on heading to the conference this weekend, but just to the trade show.  If you are interested in meeting up, I would love to hear from you!

Stay Healthy,
Tracy

P.S. This was also my first class trying out my new yoga towel and I have to say I was pretty impressed.  I slip and slide everywhere in hot yoga and this towel really help me stay put.  I also noticed that the wetter the towel, the better the grip.