Oxygen Yoga & Fitness North Vancouver

I have been going to Oxygen on and off for awhile now (mainly because of work /​school schedules getting in the way of going regularly), and I can honestly say it is an amazing place to be. There is a great variety of classes to choose from and you leave there feeling amazing. The only reason I’m giving this place a 4 instead of a 5 is because of one of the instructors, Kasia, who I do not feel is a positive at this studio. Her yoga classes do not flow at all and just feel a bit messy and unorganized, and her abs and butt class makes me leave feeling like I didn’t even get a work out. This is a huge disappointment to me, since she is the regular Tuesday instructor, and Tuesdays are always a day I know I’m able to go. But I just won’t go to her classes anymore, that’s how much I do not enjoy them. I have spoken to a few other people at the studio and they also feel the same way. Everything and everyone else are awesome, so I definitely would recommend Oxygen to anyone I spoke to… just not on Tuesday nights.

I bought a groupOn for an unlimited one month pass.
I have attended two Fast and Furious classes so far with Amy. The workout is great and you sweat tons and feel wonderful afterwards.
I do however have some issues with this studio:
1. The door does not open until 10 min before class. Everyone has to wait outside in the cold. I always get there 5 min before to avoid this.
2. The waiting area is very small. I leave my shoes there and I always feel rushed to put them on after class.
3. The studio does not provide towels and mats and it should.
They also don’t provide towels to clean the mats even though the spray is provided. I understand they are environment friendly. However, a rag or two would do the job.
4. The bathroom is located at the back of the studio in a place that is not very convenient.
5. When I bought the groupOn, it didn’t say there was additional tax. They should have stated that!
6. The online class registration system doesn’t show the classes you have signed up for on the weekly class timetable. It’s cumbersome to go back and forth when booking a class and looking at one’s schedule. The timetable should show the classes signed up for to avoid this. I have used the same system for other studios and theirs show the classes one signs up for.
I go there for the workout. However, I don’t find the overall experience relaxing. There is no soothing music or fountain. If you’re looking for a nice relaxing studio to do Yoga and meditation, this is not it! Come here if you want to sweat and workout hard!

I thought I had to give up on hot yoga after struggling to comfortably get through the Bikram classes I’ve been attending all over the Lower Mainland… and then I found Oxygen Yoga in North Vancouver. This studio offers a wide range of yoga styles as well as dance (Bollywood, Zumba) and more traditional fitness classes. Yes, the heat (infa-​red) was turned up but to a comfortable, relaxing temperature, especially after coming in from the damp chilly Vancouver winter. Because of scheduling, I attended more of the Yin classes and found them both restorative and as challenging as I wanted. Unlike Bikram, it was refreshing to be encouraged to modify poses to suit my body; for me an oppressively rigid yoga teaching style defeats the idea of yoga as flow, as meditation, as acceptance. Each class is backgrounded with elegant music, and the floor is covered with soft, comfy matting. The only draw back was the lack of easy parking as well as having to wait shivering outside on the sidewalk, as the front door is kept locked before class. The lobby is too small to function as a waiting room. Judging by the popularity of this studio, I’m guessing they’ll be finding a larger space with perhaps some dedicated parking. I would have bought a monthly pass to this studio but found it too stressful to circle blocks finding parking on the very busy mid Lonsdale streets. As an upcoming franchise, there are Oxygen studios opening everywhere; maybe I’ll find one close to work I can join.