Guest Blog Post: Yoga in Singapore!
Just like any other countries in the world, Singapore offers various yoga classes across the island. Majority of these classes are in fact in groups and there is usually no fixed number of participants in a class.
Who conducts these classes? Singapore is pretty strict when it comes to the rules and regulations of coaching. Hence, anyone who wishes to teach yoga has to meet the necessary requirements. This includes having a basic yoga certificate.
Where are classes conducted? In Singapore, almost all yoga classes are conducted in a properly built studio or community centre. As Singapore is pretty much a city on its own, we don’t really have much breathtaking landscapes or beaches to conduct classes at. This is the reason why these modern and cosy studios were built.
When are classes conducted? The bigger schools tend to have lessons every hour daily. This is to cater to different groups of Singaporeans. However, smaller schools or community centres have fixed schedules for students to follow.
How do these classes work in Singapore? Firstly, there are normally 2 sorts of passes for group classes. There is a pass based on months or years and a pass based on a given number of classes. For the monthly or yearly pass, you pay a certain rate accordingly to your preferred period. For example, if you choose a 3-month pass, you are required to pay a specific price. However, you will be allowed to attend unlimited classes for those 3 months. The other pass is based on a block of lessons. This means that if you choose a 10-class package, you will have to make an advance payment and complete these 10 classes of your choice within a specific duration. This is also the reason why there are no fixed sizes for group classes. Secondly, the yoga instructors from bigger schools are mostly freelance. Hence, there isn’t a fixed day and time weekly for a class with the same instructor. The schedule varies every 2 weeks and members would be required to check it out online. Thirdly, group classes follow the pace of the instructor. This is because there are many students in the class that the instructor has to cater to. Therefore, instructors have to ensure that they complete typically an hour’s worth of techniques during that given duration.
In conclusion, for anyone who wishes to practice yoga in a group setting in Singapore, it is recommended that you already have some basic foundation and knowledge in yoga. As for total beginners, we would advise you to attend a free trial session first, which is available in most schools. This will help you to decide if you’re comfortable with the class and if you can keep up. Alternatively, you can choose to start with private yoga classes first to learn the basics.
The author, Ryan Tan, is the founder of OMG Yoga, an exclusive yoga school that provides private yoga classes in Singapore. For more information with regards to yoga classes, please visit http://www.yogasingapore.net/
