Monday, April 1, 2013

Five Ways to Practice Yoga for Free (or Almost Free) in South Florida

I’ve been practicing yoga for about 12 years now.  I dearly love feeling center, challenging myself with side plank, and performing upward dogs.


But the price of yoga is ridiculous.  I remember when I took my first class out of college (where I had been practicing for free), it was $6 a class.  At a studio I went to a few months ago, I paid $17!  I joined the gym for a few years, but found the people there weren’t serious.  So, I started searching for ways to practice and not break the bank.  Here are five ways to get grounded without going broke.

1. Yoga at the West Palm Beach Library
Free

When I first went to the library to practice yoga, I expected the same crowd as the gym – a bunch of people who didn’t have their whole heart in their yoga practice.  I. Was. So. Wrong.  The instructor was amazing and the people in the class were serious business.  The West Palm Beach Library now offers four classes a week: on Tuesday at 5:45pm and 7:00pm and on Saturday at 9:45am and 11:00am. 

Click here for more information about yoga at the West Palm Beach Library.

2. Yoga Day in West Palm Beach
Free

 
This is by far the most awesome yoga event I’ve ever been to.  Thousands of yogis, dozens of vendors, and several amazing instructors get together to put this event on every year at the Meyer Amphitheater in downtown West Palm Beach.  You’ll find several different yoga sessions going on at once, from classes for kids to partner yoga.  On the main lawn, there’s always a huge class, led by very talented professionals.

 
Did I mention this is free?!  I usually attend two classes (which would normally run about $34 at a studio), but you could stay all day and attend five classes if you want and save $85 in yoga fees!  Yoga Day has much more than yoga too, they also featured aerial yoga (which I hope to do soon), hula hooping and balancing.


You’ll also find food trucks specializing in healthy food!

 
Yoga Day this year has passed (it was February 24), but it will be back.  Maybe even Frank will join again.

 
Click here for more information about Yoga Day.

3. Yoga at Community School
Less than $4 per class

If you live in Palm Beach County and haven’t taken a class at a community school, you are missing the deal of a lifetime.  Not only have I taken several (cake decorating, salsa dancing, French, and Italian), it is dirt cheap.

You probably get the flyer in the mail every semester, but if you don’t, you can check it out online.  More than 18 yoga classes are being offered for the spring semester (which officially begins April 15), one as low as $26 for 8 weeks – that comes out to $3.25 a class!  While that particular class is at Seminole Ridge Community High School, which isn't close to most people, there is almost guaranteed to be a class at a school year you!

Click here for more information about yoga at community school.
 
4. Yoga Fest 2013
As little as $5 for a class

Yoga Fest takes place in Fort Lauderdale and is in its third year.  I’ve never been before (and won’t be able to go this year because of prior obligations), but my studio puts it on, so I know it will be great!

I’ve already seen discount tickets available on Living Social - only one day left!), but if you pay full price, you’ll shell out only $20 for a whole day of yoga.  If you arrive after 3:30pm, you’ll pay only $5!  That late in the day, there is one class left, yoga with Keith Fox, who runs Yoga Fox, where I practice!

Click here for more information about Yoga Fest.

5. Connected Warriors
Free yoga for veterans and their families

This is something I learned about at Yoga Day this year.  The group, Connected Warriors, works to secure free yoga classes for veterans at studios all across the nation.

 
Though I’ve seen better organized websites, you can search by state to see which studios offer free yoga in your area.  I found a class on Fridays at 2pm at Yoga South in Boca Raton, which is a truly wonderful studio (it’s also where I found the classes for $17!).

Click here for more information about yoga through Connected Warriors.


Hopefully this list helps you explore this wonderful, and sometimes pricey, practice a little more economically… Namaste! 

2 comments:

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  2. We also offer Connected Warriors yoga classes in Delray Beach! Our website has our full schedule for signing up for your free class.
    Thanks for the great article :)

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