Membership fees and subscriptions can be very expensive, and the truth is that thousands of people waste money every single year on memberships and subscriptions of many kinds that they never use, or that they don't like.
It is always a good idea to take advantage of the trial offers that are available from the various yoga studios in your area.
Trials and tribulations
You will find many different trial types across different yoga studios, such as 3 classes for £X, 2 Weeks Unlimited for £X, 1 FREE class, etc., all with one goal in mind: to give you an opportunity to try out classes, teachers, the studio, its ethos, its props and complementary services.
Here are my tips for choosing a trial that suits you:
It's a good idea to choose the right trial, as you are only allowed to do one trial per studio, and if you do a 1 class trial, but really wanted to try a few classes...then you see where it can go wrong!
Think about what your ultimate goal is:
- Are you interested in seeing the studio and getting a feeling for a class?
- Do you know you want to start yoga longer term, but aren't sure which studio is right for you?
- Have you done yoga before, and can get an idea of whether you like a studio, or not very quickly?
- Is the best value for money your goal?
Here at Unwind, we offer 3 types of trials as we have found that one size does not fit all: we have a single trial class for £10, a 4 classes in 2 weeks trial for £19 and an unlimited classes for 2 weeks trial for £39. We really do not have one that is more popular than the other, every person comes with different goals and our students appreciate that they have a choice of trials for their needs.
What trial to go for at Unwind?
The £39 unlimited trial is the one for you if you know you want to seriously consider yoga as part of your life. You could take 26 classes with this trial if you wanted to (you'd be very tired at the end of the 2 weeks!). Take as many classes as you can, give all the teachers a go, try different days, times and styles. Make the very most out of this trial! The very least you should want to do is 3 classes per week to get the best value from this trial in monetary terms.
The £19 trial is great for most - 4 classes give you a pretty good idea of what we are about. You can take a faster paced class, and a slow one, you can even throw in a yin class, and a Pilates class. 4 different teachers, 4 different days maybe. Very good value for money and ideal if you want to see whether you can manage 2 classes per week going forward.
The £10 trial is for you if you are ready to start with Unwind and just want to make sure it's for you, and then move to a class pack or membership quickly to get cracking with your yoga journey.
It's also the trial for you if you just want to have a peek, a little nosey, check out the studio, one of the classes and teachers and not commit to anything. And that's fine, too, of course. Many do this, some stay on, and we welcome all of you with open arms, whatever your intention.
A few things to look out for with any trial, anywhere
Props (aka blocks, bricks, belts, blankets, cushions, bolsters, and such)
When you do your trial with any studio have a little look and feel of the props. Are they clean? Are they safe? Are they in good order? Is there a process in place for cleaning them afterwards, are there enough for all students. Things like that. It's a good way to check if a studio cares. You want a good selection of good quality, safe and clean props for you to use.
A variety of classes & teachers
Depending on why you are starting yoga, check whether the studio can cater for your needs. If you want to de-stress, are there slower, restorative and long-hold classes on offer, maybe a sound bath? If you want an all around make-me-feel-better-now experience, check that there are energising, calming and more restorative classes on offer that you can choose from. How many teachers lead classes at this studio? Are there teachers that maybe don't teach anywhere else? What are the teachers like in terms of personality and also in terms of age, experience and who
you feel comfortable with.
Clean facilities
Look at how clean the studio is, the shoe rack, the floor, the walls, the toilets, the hand washing facilities. Again, this shows if the studio cares about you and your health and wellbeing.
Friendly & helpful staff
The teachers lead the classes and carry the bulk of the experience, but what about everything around the classes? How friendly and helpful are the studio coordinators, managers and customer service staff? Does the studio have an open door policy? Are the staff knowledgeable about yoga, what yoga is good for you (I know that many say yoga is for every body...and yes that is true, but, not every yoga style is good for every body and it helps to be able to ask someone who knows what the h*** they are talking about when you do have questions). Do you get helpful advice, or are you just being sold to? Is the staff willing to offer tips when you are struggling? If a staff member doesn't know an answer, can they refer you to someone who does?
The little extras
At Unwind, building a community of like-minded people, a shop for props and wellbeing goodies, true care about you and your wellbeing, teachers chosen for their passion and advanced knowledge in anatomy and physiology and with a natural ability to teach a cracking yoga class...these are just a few things that Unwind offers to enrich your yoga experience.
As a studio owner, I myself have the unique combination of:
Having lived a life that is no stranger to trauma and certainly no stranger to how yoga helped through trauma
Having had a sparkling international corporate career, with knowledge of all the stress on body and mind that comes with it
Being a yoga teacher with advanced training in the anatomy and physiology of the human body, pre- and post-natal yoga, yin yoga and advanced stretching and mobility release, myofascial stretching and (big words coming up) proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation
Being a certified meditation and mindfulness teacher, as well as a certified positive psychology practitioner focusing on finding ways to flourish and meaning, even when life is tough
In short, I know how to run a yoga studio (well...ish..I am getting there), and I know how to teach a yoga class that's good for your unique body.
This is about YOU!
Enough of me...this is about you, and why a trial at your local studio is a good idea. In fact, before choosing to sign up longer term for any studio, try out several studios. If you find that some of the criteria important to you are not met, then you should test out other studios until you find one that you are happy with.
By doing this, you will save yourself a lot of money and a lot of unhappiness in the long run because you won’t make the mistake of joining a studio, and regretting the decision later on.
Try us out
To try a class, or several, with Unwind Yoga Studio, head over to our trial page and find out more:
About Us:
With multiple classes, many class styles, and several highly trained senior teachers teaching 7 days a week, we are Maidenhead' s Yoga studio with the best selection of yoga classes in one space. You only have to buy one class pack or membership and get access to all our classes and teachers. Join us for a trial to see how you can pamper your body, mind and soul right here at Unwind Yoga Studio.