What's happening with our yoga studios in Brisbane?
Is Covid killing Brisbane’s yoga scene?
If you are an avid yogi and practice hot yoga and/or power yoga in or around the East or South of Brisbane, you may have noticed that four major hot yoga studios have closed down within the last 12 months due to Covid:
Fusion Hot Yoga in Kangaroo Point
Peak Physique in Woolloongabba
Soul SuperClinics in Capalaba
And most recently, Zama Yoga & Pilates in Toowong
Still standing
Being one of the longest standing studios in Brisbane, Flex Hot Yoga is here and not going anywhere, but we acknowledge how tough it’s been for all studios due to repeated lockdowns. It’s been sad to see so many talented yoga studios and teachers have to give up, and we acknowledge their contribution to making yoga more and more accessible in Brisbane over the last decade. Bringing yoga from a niche position to the broad public has been something we’ve all done together, so we want to give our heartfelt tribute to those yogapreneurs who haven’t been able to sustain their studios over this challenging period. We salute you!!
Lessons learnt
In observing the ups and downs of lockdown within our own studio’s community, we have learnt a few things that have helped us come out stronger on the other side:
Keeping it up - one day at a time. Whilst initially hesitant about how zoom would work out regarding class dynamic and sense of togetherness, we have found it has allowed us to stay in touch and give our community a sense of continuity and stability in uncertain times. Hence, we are keeping up online accessibility now even when all is back to normal. Because why not?!
Staying calm and focused. Managing one’s own mind during lockdown is the biggest challenge yet the biggest necessity of all. Leaders first, and from there, the whole team.
Generosity comes back to you. When a few long-standing members were suddenly in financial trouble, we allowed them to keep participating, knowing that we could count on their integrity. From that, we feel like the studio has a stronger sense of loyalty and community than ever, and we are all still here, together. It was everybody’s steady support during lockdown that allowed us to do this!
After hardship, it’s time to thrive. Just because things in 2020 and 2021 didn’t quite play out the way we expected, it doesn’t mean all is doom and gloom. Turns out we were much stronger than we thought and even more resourceful than we expected. And whilst we don’t know what is yet to come, we have a whole bunch of exciting ideas in our minds.
So much gratitude. We are grateful to be where we are. There is only so much you can do and control as a human, and then there is what you may call ‘grace’ or ‘fate’. Whatever it is, we acknowledge that we are, ultimately, not the ‘doer’ but servants… and we are glad we get to continue to be.
No rest for the wicked
So there you go, a few thoughts on what’s going with yoga in Brisbane. We trust that new studios will emerge and with mental health challenges on the rise, yoga is more needed than ever before. We salute our fellow teachers and studio owners and hope we’ll see you thrive again. Yoga studios in Brisbane are needed and if you yogis keep showing up and continue to choose supporting your local studios, we will be able to serve you today and in the long run.
If you have feedback, questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact us and make your thoughts known. Feedback is breakfast for champions!
