Toronto Uncovered

A few months ago I wrote a post about the types and benefits of hot yoga and the different studios I have tried around Toronto.  As you might remember, I prefer Bikram’s style of hot yoga over Moksha because it pushes me to achieve higher levels of difficulty and fitness.  Since that post, one of my good friends has been urging me to try his hot yoga studio, iam yoga, which offers a number of different hot flow classes.  At first, I was reluctant because I thought, like Moksha,  it would be too light and fluffy for me.  Luckily, his persistence eventually paid off and I joined him for my first hot flow class on Saturday and my second last night.  These classes are 60 minutes, instead of the 90 minute Bikram, and are a mish mash of different yoga styles including: Hatha, traditional flow, Ashtanga, Bikram and some Pilates inspired movements as well (straight legged bicycles in a 100 degree heat is NOT easy). The main part of the flow class is that in between every major set of positions you come back to a flow, which is a transition from downward dog, into chaturanga followed by upward dog, ending back in downward dog.

I have to say that these classes to be a perfect middle ground between Bikram and traditional Moksha. They are definitely challenging and work towards improving your mental and physical strength, but they are not as intense as the Bikram and offer a variety of different movements each class.

The downtown location celebrates its 1 year anniversary in February and there is already such a huge sense of friendship and community among those who practice. The uptown location, Moksha Yoga Uptown, is more of a Moksha style, but also offers flow classes for anyone living further North.

I have to admit I’m a bit of a convert. Ill probably mix up practicing between Bikram and these flow classes depending on my mood and energy levels.

Where do you practice? Any other good hot yoga studios downtown?

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