There’s a lot to love about the Malvern, PA community – great restaurants and bars, cool history, and easy access to (wait for it) the King of Prussia Mall. The good news for yoga-loving Chester County residents is that there’s a growing yoga community in the area, too! If you’re looking for great yoga classes in Malvern, there’s no shortage of them. Our newest bulldog yoga studio is even up and running in The Grove!

Whether bulldog is the right fit for you or not, we want to make sure you find the best yoga home for you. Here are some important things to consider when looking for yoga classes in Malvern…

1. Schedule

Realistically, a yoga studio is only as good as its schedule — or, more specifically, how well that schedule matches up with your schedule. You might find the best yoga classes in Malvern, like, ever, but if you can’t find time to get to them in the rush of your typical routine, it’s not going to help you take advantage of yoga’s many benefits!

(As a reminder, according to Medline, those benefits include everything from reduced stress and improved digestion to better sleep and lower blood pressure!)

Once you make consistent yoga a part of your routine, you’ll still need to make time to take a day off from working out here and there, but your ideal yoga studio will offer plenty of options in class times that fit easily with your commute, your work commitments, and the running around you have to do for your kids and family.

If yoga classes in Malvern at any given location aren’t available at times when you’d actually want to take them, then you might want to consider keeping your options open. Review schedules closely (you can find ours here!) before you commit to a studio so you can take full advantage of a local yoga community!

2. Location + Accessibility

Location, location, location — people say it because it’s really that important. Geography is a key element of finding the best yoga studio for you.

The obvious first step is to check out the locations of various yoga classes in Malvern on your handy map app (say that ten times fast). This will help you estimate travel time between each yoga studio and your frequently visited spots, including home, work, your kids’ school, Giant, etc.

Once you’ve done that, it’s time to get very honest with yourself. How far are you actually willing to travel for a workout session? A twenty-minute drive from the office to yoga might not seem like a big deal when you’re looking at it on Google Maps, but only you know if you’re really going to make that drive on a regular basis. If you’re not going to be motivated to make that trip, that’s totally fine — but you do need to find something that will feel a little more accessible so you get your butt on the matt!

Considering local geography along with the routes that you most often take and how much time you really want to spend commuting to class will help you determine yoga classes in Malvern that can fit into your life.

3. Variety

No one wants to feel bored in their workout regimen. In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, boredom is a common barrier to regular exercise for many people!

Fight that potential for tedium by looking for yoga studios that offer plenty of variety, especially in terms of class leaders. Studios that have a handful of awesome yogis around to bring you through a wide range of different movements and flows from class to class are bound to keep you more motivated and excited than those who only have one or two teachers.

With more leaders to choose from, you’ll find yourself engaging different parts of your body every time you hit the mat. Some leaders might mix up their classes even more by adding extras like resistance bands or themed classes.

They say variety is the spice of life. Why shouldn’t it be the spice of exercise, too?

4. Vibe

People talk a lot about vibes these days, but the whole thing about a vibe is that it’s hard to put your finger on. Only you know if a vibe feels right for you. The vibe of a yoga studio — or pretty much anything else — comes from things like people, atmosphere, and decor… even the smell of the candles burning in the space might change the way you feel about it!

No one — not your friends, not Yelp, not even us! — can tell you if the vibe of a yoga class is going to feel right for you, so we’d encourage you to take a field trip and see if you can take a trial class at any studio you’re considering. See if you can get a feel for the community, and make sure that you feel welcome and comfortable when you walk in the door.

You’ll know pretty quickly if the vibe of a yoga class in Malvern is right for you!

5. Budget

No one likes to talk about money, but let’s just get it out on the table — if you want to start going to yoga classes in Malvern, you need to be sure you can comfortably afford them!

All of the mental health benefits that come with yoga might just go out the window entirely if you’re breaking the bank to go to class. Before you get too attached to any particular studio, run the numbers. How many classes can you afford to take per week on your current budget? Does that jive with how often you want to do yoga? Will you have to make other adjustments to your spending in order to make a yoga routine work? If so, are you okay with that?

Don’t forget to pay attention to any fine print about short-term sign-up specials or flash sales. Be sure that any yoga classes in Malvern that you’re thinking of taking will work with your budget long-term — not just for the length of that discount.

6. Class Experience

Checking out a studio and taking a class IRL is about more than just getting a feel for the vibe — it’s about getting onto your mat and deciding if the studio does the kind of yoga that you enjoy. Take a few classes for a test drive!

Ask yourself a few questions while you take your first class at each studio: Am I having fun? Do I feel like I’m pushing myself? Will this help me reach my fitness goals? Will I be motivated and excited to show up again and again for classes here?

Evaluate your answers to those questions and make your decision from there.

7. That Extra Special Something…

A yoga studio is so much more than the sum of its location, class schedule, and class leaders (although all of those things are super important!). Each one brings its own special something to the table, whether it be awesome music or an online platform that allows you to bring your studio experience home. When seeking out yoga classes in Malvern, make sure you’re picking a studio with a special sauce that gets you really fired up.

Keep these things in mind in your search for the perfect local yoga studio…

1. Schedule: There’s really no point in committing to a yoga studio if you won’t be able to make it to regular classes. Find a studio with class options that are compatible with your schedule.

2. Location + Accessibility: Be realistic about how far you’re willing to travel for yoga class. Look for studios that fit into your existing travels around the Malvern area.

3. Variety: Set yourself up for success by finding a yoga home with multiple class leaders who can help you mix up your workouts and prevent boredom.

4. Vibe: Only you know if a yoga studio feels like a match for you. Get into the space and figure out your best match.

5. Budget: Exercise is important, but don’t risk breaking the bank! Get real about what you can really spend on yoga classes in Malvern.

6. Class Experience: Test drive a class to make sure you’ll be able to get what you need out of the yoga experience at each of the studios you’re considering.

7. That Extra Special Something: Find a studio that makes you feel really excited about yoga!

Does bulldog yoga fit the bill for you? Check out our Malvern studio schedule here!

***You can get the bulldog experience anywhere, anytime with our online classes or via our app (App store | Google Play)! Don’t forget to subscribe to the bulldog blog so you can get e-mail notifications about every new post.***

Driving image: Jan Baborák/Unsplash