Did you know that Boise, Idaho is one of the top 10 cities for yoga in the United States? Neither did we! For a state as focused on conservation and preserving nature as Idaho, it should really come as no surprise that Idahoans love yoga.
To explore more about this "unknown" yoga city, and the wonderful and varied yoga studios people from Boise can choose from (or you can visit on your next trip), we reached out to some to find out what makes yoga studios in Boise special.
Check out their responses below!
1. Hollywood Market Yoga
What kind of yoga do you teach at the HMY studio?
Hollywood Market Yoga is a Hot yoga studio. We teach Hot flow, Vinyasa, and Yin classes, and we also have a 200 and 300 hour teacher training program.
What do you feel makes your studio special?
Our studio is located in the historic Boise Northend in the 114-year-old Hollywood Market, which was run by a woman named Margaret Lawrence for over forty years. It's one of the oldest buildings in the city and almost everyone who comes in has a story or memory of buying candy or beer from Margaret. The sign which hung outside the building, and is now inside our yoga room, was her mantra "happiness is spoken here".
I think the history of this space translates into the attitude of the teachers who teach here and the yoga practitioners who come. The people who come feel an open, clean, welcoming space for all bodies and abilities. All who enter here learn that joy starts within, and we encourage everyone to share that joy in the community.
2. Sage Yoga and Wellness
What kind of yoga do you teach at the Sage Yoga studio?
The styles we offer at Sage are: Vinyasa, Family Yoga, Self-Awakening Yoga, Hatha yoga, Nosara Vinyasa, Ashtanga…just to name a few!
What do you feel makes your studio special?
Sage Yoga and Wellness is in the heart of downtown Boise and pulses to the beat of a vibrant city. With geothermal water flowing throughout our space, clients breathe a sigh of relief every time they walk into our warm and welcoming lobby.
How do you think your students’ yoga practice is inspired by the space and/or the teachers?
Our studio intentionally does not have mirrors so as to make the students' yoga practice an internal experience. We don't want our students to think there is a "right" or "perfect" way to look in a pose. We want them to feel the pose from the inside, to learn to trust their body's innate wisdom, and to learn to source from themselves, not from external validation.
3. Boise Yoga Center
What kind of yoga do you teach at Boise Yoga Center?
At Boise Yoga Center, all of our teachers are Certified Iyengar, and we’ve been in Boise for 25 years, the first (and still standing!) yoga studio in the city.
What do you feel makes your studio special?
Our students tell us that they appreciate the Iyengar approach that we offer, because we teach them how to actually do the asanas and help them with the use of props and alignment to achieve a better and healthier result in their practice.
How do you think your students’ yoga practice is inspired by the space and/or the teachers?
Our certified teachers have years of practice and study behind them and a vast amount of personal experience that enables them to help students get the most out of their time on the mat.
No one is left behind because we can modify the asanas to better suit each person.
4. Yoga for Life
What kind of yoga do you teach at Yoga for Life?
We teach a Vinyasa Flow yoga at Yoga for Life.
What do you feel makes your studio special?
The studio is warm and inviting, with low lights, soothing music, and a very welcoming atmosphere.
How do you think your students’ yoga practice is inspired by the space and/or the teachers?
I think that our students feel safe to practice at their own pace with excellent instruction and without intimidation. We teach a lot of yoga history and how to live your yoga. When we understand why we practice the way that we do, then we come to realize our self worth and our responsibility to others and our environment.
5. Yoga for Wellness
What kind of yoga do you teach at the Yoga for Wellness studio?
Viniyoga, a breath centered asana practice that uses repetition of movements before staying in a pose. It is a very user friendly, accessible practice most everyone can do. We also offer Yin yoga and Restorative yoga at Yoga for Wellness.
What do you feel makes your studio special?
Every class is adapted to fit the needs of who shows up. People who may not be successful in an active Vinyasa class or yoga at the gym can easily move through the practices we offer and still experience all the benefits physically, mentally, and spiritually.
How do you think your students’ yoga practice is inspired by the space and/or the teachers?
All of our teachers have a personal practice and live their yoga off the mat as well as on the mat.
We all follow the same principles and philosophy, thus there is a feeling of calm and ease that people comment on when they arrive as they feel the peaceful presence of those who are carrying out their life's work here.
So the next time you're in Boise, check out these five studios! You're sure to have a wonderful experience at each of them.
What's your favorite yoga studio in Boise, Idaho? Share with us in the comments below!
Title Image Credit: Hollywood Market Yoga