Yoga in Hong Kong Special

Reading Time:2 minutes

Published: 4:00pm, 10 Oct 2013Updated: 3:54pm, 19 Oct 2016

Hot New Studio

Pure, Hong Kong’s high-end yoga juggernaut, invited the HK Magazine team down to its new location last week for a tour of the studio and a Wall Rope Yoga class. I have to say, the new studio is impressive. The 10,000-square-foot, two-story space feels like a spa, with its all-natural wood interiors, rain showers and high-tech lockers. It also has a unique lineup of classes, from Yoga for Athletes, which features poses that complement runners and other active folk; to the restorative Wall Rope Yoga class, which allows you to deepen stretches and experience inversions (upside-down poses, for all you non-yogis) without putting too much pressure on your wrists or feeling like you’re going to fall over. Also worth checking out is the Nood Food raw bar (www.allnood.com), which offers superfood-packed smoothies (think chia and hemp seeds, spirulina, alfalfa sprouts and other good-for-yous). Yes, they’re $65 a pop, but with my amazing powers of rationalization, you can simply forgo two trips to a coffee shop and justify one of these instead. Keep an eye out for raw meals and juice detox programs, which they’ll be rolling out in coming weeks and months. While you’re there, you can also check out Pure’s very own fitness and yoga apparel line, which was quietly launched a couple of months ago.

2/F, Asia Standard Tower, 59 Queen’s Rd. Central, 8187-0000, www.pure-yoga.com.

Family Friendly

Not a Central-prowling yoga babe? No problem. Gecko Yoga is a friendly, well-established yoga company that offers classes at The Sanctuary on Arbuthnot Road, Shakti Healing Circle on Glenealy and The Studio in Sai Kung. Although its focus is on yoga for children and families, there are also pre- and post-natal classes, as well as sessions tailored towards seniors and anyone looking for a de-stressing, restorative practice. Classes are $200 each, or you can buy a package of 10 for $1,800. If you want private classes or you can gather a group of friends or colleagues together, you can even set up your own class at a time that’s convenient to you. If you’re interested in making a career change, it also runs teacher training courses.

Find out more at www.geckoyoga.com.

Keeping it Simple

If you want to go back to basics, there’s also a great non-profit yoga studio in TST. The Life Management Yoga Centre offers various yoga packages, including an unlimited pass for $3,333 per year. If you prefer to test the waters, you can pay $100 for a 60-minute class, or $150 for an 80-minute class. It offers a decent range of classes, from beginner to advanced, as well as classes for kids or older women, and private classes for those with specific health concerns such as neck or back pain.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x