Fall rec: Oxygen Yoga & Fitness Studio

Learn what’s offered, how, to whom, and more…

The cold weather is coming, which means that working out outside is not going to be as enjoyable anymore. So, let’s say you love to work out in 30 degree Celsius heat and you are not ready to let go of working out in that heat all year long – turns out you no longer have to. The Carillon did an interview with Rachel Suttill, the owner of Oxygen Yoga & Fitness Studio, who has kept it running for five years. Oxygen Yoga ran Karma Week last week, so this interview dives into both Karma Week and the studio itself.

What is the Oxygen Yoga Studio?

“Well, the Oxygen Yoga & Fitness is not your typical yoga studio. We are an infrared studio that offers a blend of yoga and fitness classes for everybody, and every body. No matter what you are in the mood for, a relaxing stretch or a leave-it-all-on-the-mat sweat session, we have the class for you.”

What is Karma week?

This is the opportunity the studio gives to the community for a week of free classes, where they encourage new and old visitors to come and enjoy a class. It also gives the opportunity to members to bring a friend along. Suttill’s highlight of this week is that “It is so fun to see people experience the studio for the first time. It is so much fun. Our entire staff gets so excited for this week every year!”

What is something everyone should know about having a membership at Oxygen?

“At Oxygen we are obsessed with the idea of our commUNITY. As soon as you walk through the doors, you feel welcomed and supported. It won’t take long until you feel all the reasons our members say, ‘I Love My Life!’ at the end of class.”

How do you guys get the infrared heat and what are some basic steps you take to run a class?

First off, the studios are heated to 38 degrees Celsius, and they do that by using a ceiling panel system. Keep in mind this is not humidity heat, it is a good heat. Now, when you first walk into the studio, you can feel the heat difference instantly. Although Suttill added that “Once you get moving, then you begin to feel the benefits that the infrared air provides.” Not only is it 38 degrees Celsius in the room, but because they use infrared heat it manages to increase your core temperature by one degree. A little goes a long way for a really good sweat! The heat also increases your metabolic rate, and can reduce chances of muscle soreness after a workout – an amazing feeling.

The heat is great, the health benefits are great, and the instructors have a signature method – the Oxygen Method – which is where you feel safe between transfers of movements, and they create a safe and effective class for you to participate in with any fitness background.

The studio is ready, the instructors are ready; what steps do members have to take before taking a class?

First, anyone interested should create an account through Mindbody or the Oxygen App and purchase the introduction offer, currently priced at $19 for three class during your first week. Before your first class, the studio will give you a call to make sure you bring the following supplies: a yoga mat, water bottle, towel, and comfortable clothing. They also like to make sure that you are trying a class you’re really interested in.

What are your top three classes that people should sign up for in their introduction week so that they can see what they are getting themselves into?

Suttill had a few things to say about her studio, broken down by the classes offered:

Deep Stretch & Relaxation – this class uses poses that help relieve the effects of chronic stress in several ways. This class is designed to release tension and teach the fundamentals of yoga. You will leave feeling refreshed and relaxed. (60 minutes)

Fast & Furious Fusion – get ready to sweat! This dynamic fitness fusion class combines a blend of exercises to sculpt the entire body using props like hand weights, yoga blocks and Pilates balls. This is one of our more challenging fitness classes, but we offer tonnes of modifications, so you leave feeling challenged but successful. (60 minutes)

Freedom Flow – This is our version of a vinyasa flow. Freedom Flow is a fun and dynamic class that gradually works its way into a flowing sequence, linking the breath and various yoga poses together. You will finish feeling energized, calm, and ready to face your world. This class is open to all, with flows that help you connect and tap into your inner strength. (60 minutes)

Now, as we all know, COVID-19 is active in Regina everyday. What do you guys do to keep your members and your instructors safe?

They say the safety of the “commUNITY” is top priority, and as someone who’s gone to their classes, it definitely feels that way. The Oxygen team works together by checking members temperature upon arrival, always social distancing in the entire building, the staff set-up, sanitizing and putting equipment away after class, following all public health orders, and they also will need proof of vaccination starting October 1.

What are some future events that you guys are going to be hosting?

There are a variety of workshops coming up this winter and fall to help create their community. Specifics to look forward to are Yoga Alignment Essentials and Yoga Nidra.

If someone wants to try out the studio after reading this article, what’s their next step?

Give the Oxygen Studio a call at (306)-522-9642, or email them at reginanorth@oxygenfitness.com. The team would be happy to help you and hear about your goals, interests, and hopefully find some classes that work for you.

Why should you join Oxygen Yoga & Fitness? By the sounds of it, the real question is why should you not? You have the heat to feel like summer never left, and we all know we need that living through winter in Saskatchewan. They have a strong “commUNITY,” multiple classes to choose from that are at all different levels, and best of all – it’s fun. I hope you go ahead and get a true feeling of working out at Oxygen Yoga & Fitness.