lenachen:

It’s a well-publicized fact that I despise running and most forms of physical activity not involving penises. So with summer approaching, what’s an unathletic nympho to do? Yoga! Like sex, it involves a multitude of positions and morning-after soreness. (Unlike sex, your clothes usually stay on. This is key.) Additional reasons why I prefer yoga to other forms of exercise:

1. Yoga isn’t competitive like sports, so even if I knew I would theoretically place last in a human pretzel competition, I don’t actually “lose” if I can’t accomplish this.
2. Yoga can be done by anyone at any age or stage of fitness. The same can’t be said for other exercise. Can you imagine prenatal football or free weights for kids? Not so much.
3. Yoga, even when done as a group, can be adjusted to fit your level of expertise. Unlike running, I don’t feel like I’m slowing everyone else down if I have to pause and catch my breath on my mat.

All that being said, yoga classes can get incredibly expensive. I usually only attend when I’m home in Los Angeles with my friend Evelina, who always has good recs thanks to her job at Yogamates. There are centers in Boston, but I cringe at the thought of having to shell out $100+ per month. I can barely stomach the thought of paying for gym membership after graduation.

Luckily, bargains aren’t hard to find, especially in an economically bleak climate. Many studios offer discounted or free trial classes, and if you’re lucky, your city will sponsor free outdoor yoga at a public park this summer. Need to get toned before then? Here are a couple deals I found:

The yoga apparel and lifestyle store Lululemon Athletica (with outlets in Boston, New York, and other major cities) hosts tons of complimentary health and wellness events, including free hour-long yoga sessions every weekend. The Boston store, located at the Prudential Center, holds classes on Sundays from 9:30 to 10:30am. Check the website to find a store local to you.

In Boston, both Back Bay Yoga Studio and All One Yoga (in the North End) offer unlimited 2-week class passes for new members. The price? $25. If you attend a class everyday (and I assume you can attend more!), that’s less than $2 per session, a pretty unbeatable price for an introduction to yoga.

Lululemon Athletica
776 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 262-2030

Back Bay Yoga Studio
364 Boylston Street, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 375-9642

All One Yoga
1065 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02215
(617) 789-3733

also, Yoga to the People in NYC (and Berkeley) offers donation based classes (suggested $10 a class or whatever you can give). You know what’s harder than finding affordable yoga classes though?  Affordable pilates classes, even if they’re mat only and not equipment classes.

I have gained weight and gotten out of shape after my class at school ended in December, but can’t find any affordable studios. Doing it at home just isn’t very pleasant due to lack of space for side kicks and the like.  I should probably just switch to yoga since there seems to be more options for that.