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12 Yoga and Fitness Studios in Ottawa
Keeping fit is one of the most important things to do as a mother. No matter what stage of motherhood you find yourself in, here are 11 spots in Ottawa to get fit.
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Yoga & Tea Studio
We utterly love the tranquil setting of Yoga and Tea Studio; nestled on a quiet country street in a small standalone cottage. With trees all around, an outdoor garden for quiet socializing over tea and a warm fireplace inside, it's almost impossible not to take a deep breath and relax into a new, quieter pace. There are plenty of different yoga classes for all levels and interests, but our favourite is the Baby and Me class, which incorporates babies from six weeks through 10 months into yoga postures, massage, and cheery songs and dances. We love the bonding time with baby, but also the invitation to meet other new moms and socialize after.
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The Dailey Method
The Dailey Method studio in the Glebe is new to Ottawa and combines ballet barre work, core work and muscle strengthening to get your body strong, lean, and sculpted. Set to pump-you-up music, the Dailey Method uses moves from yoga, pilates and barre for a workout that will leave your muscles burning. Instructors focus on proper alignment and help with small adjustments during the class. With the mats, balls, straps and the barre, the combinations of exercises are endless and no two classes are the same. Even better? The Dailey Method offers on-site childcare and low-impact classes catered to pregnant women. There's merchandise for sale at the shop—we recommend The Dailey Method socks—an absolute must because of their excellent grip.
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Upward Dog Yoga Centre
If you live near the Byward Market, try the Upward Dog Yoga Centre. You'll find a wide variety of classes, including hatha, power, kundalini and yanumoga yoga, as well as prenatal and postnatal classes.
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Ottawa Pole Fitness
At the Ottawa Pole Fitness Studio on Somerset Street West, you'll find two spacious studios outfitted with 18 poles just waiting for you to wrap yourself around them. Classes are designed for women of all shapes and sizes, with the goal of improving muscle tone, flexibility, coordination, strength and endurance.
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Elation Centre
Try the Elation Centre in Westboro, where the focus is on women and the main activities include yoga, running and nutrition. Elation offers a variety of yoga classes, including Vinyasa, Family Yoga, Yoga with Baby, Runners' Yoga and—for the really busy or self-punishing among you—Powerful Woman Sunrise Yoga (5:45 am from Monday to Friday).
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Douvris Martial Arts
Consider kickboxing. With several locations around the city, Douvris offers a Fitness Kickbox Bootcamp that includes kickboxing, cardio bag and body shape. Between the three, you'll gain endurance, muscle tone, power, strength, coordination, balance and agility. Classes are accompanied by a soundtrack and taught by martial arts instructors. No previous experience is needed—though you will need boxing gloves and hand wraps.
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Orleans Yoga Shala
Orleans Yoga Shala offers ‘absolute beginners' classes as well as classes in hatha, yin, power, ashtanga, kundalini and prenatal yoga, plus a Baby & Mom class.
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FITMOM
Ruling out fitness classes because your baby or toddler is still too young to be left for more than a few minutes? Don't despair—there are brand new FITMOM Stroller classes going on now at three locations in Ottawa. Bring your baby in a carrier or stroller and get moving again.
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Santosha Yoga
Santosha Yoga, with one location on Elgin Street and another in Westboro, offers a great selection of yoga classes for adults of all levels—from hatha to kripalu, ashtanga, vinyasa and runners' yoga—plus Baby & Me and kids' yoga classes.
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Kangaroo Fitness
Kangaroo Fitness strives to eliminate sore necks and throbbing feet from the list of symptoms every expecting mother 'enjoys.' We love their flagship class, Prenatal Alignment, which teaches women in any stage of pregnancy how to keep their body in a safe, strong position. Post-birth, speed along your recovery—and get rid of that baby belly—with their Restorative Class for moms and their babies.
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Club Yoga
At Club Yoga in New Edinborough, whole-family classes on Sunday mornings include arts and crafts, warm-ups, posture flows, mantra and meditation, storytelling, singing and dancing. (And if yoga can prevent parent tantrums, just imagine what it might do for your kids.)
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Little Lotus Yoga
Little Lotus Yoga is a great place to find harmony (and exercise) for the whole family. Their Prenatal Yoga class is perfect for all stages of pregnancy and once baby arrives, start your recovery with a Mom and Baby class. Kids as young as 2 years old are welcome at child yoga classes. Looking for some quiet time sans enfants? Drop off the kids at the brand new PJ parties on Saturday nights, from 6 to 8 pm.