Every other week, this column will review a D.C. gym and one or more trial classes.
With the stress of midterms and finals soon approaching, getting off campus for a good workout may just be an added stressor. A great option for relaxing during this stressful time of year is some local yoga classes. Yoga has proven benefits like increased flexibility, strengthened muscles, improved posture, relaxed mind, relieved stress and lower risk of heart conditions.
Tenleytown’s Lil Omm Yoga is located at at 4708 Wisconsin Avenue, just a short walk from the Tenleytown-AU Metro station. Lil Omm Yoga focuses on building a community within its studio. Lil Omm originally started as a family yoga studio but expanded to offer a wide range of classes for all ages, including a variety of prenatal classes.
Pricing varies on how many classes you want to purchase. A drop-in class is $20, but if you’re looking for a more committed and cheaper option, the intro package offers $30 for three weeks of unlimited yoga. The studio also offers yoga scholarships for those who may find the classes to be too much of a financial burden.
In addition, the studio offers an exclusive AU discount for students and faculty to use which offers 5 classes for $50 (which is usually $90) by using promo code AU50 at the online checkout. The promo is only available online and expires Dec. 31.
How is the gym?
Lil Omm Yoga is a tiny studio with an extremely calm atmosphere. The office is stocked with hot tea and water for yogis and a mini store to purchase Lil Omm t-shirts or yoga “toys” such as mats and blocks.
The staff is exceptionally friendly and helpful. Most of the classes are small, so the intimacy allows for the teachers to know many of their students by name. Some of the adult classes include yoga flow, yoga stages one-two, sustainable ashtanga, yoga stages two-three, gentle yoga and curvy yoga. You can sign up for classes online or by using their mobile app for iPhones and androids.
Lil Omm has one main studio next to the small office where the studio holds the majority of its yoga for parents and their toddlers, as well as other larger classes. The studio also have a small nursery for child care services, which can be purchased for $5 a child.
When Lil Omm has two classes going on at once, a studio on the third floor is rented hourly from the Insight Meditation Community of Washington for use. Lil Omm tends to use this space for its adult classes, and it is noted on the class schedule if a class will take place there.
The studio also offers a variety of special workshops and events monthly. These events include bring a friend classes, yoga basics workshops, chocolate meditation and cancer survivor classes.
Try this class.
The Yoga flow class is a great opportunity to get a start in taking yoga classes. The instructor Dhyana was extremely helpful. Despite the five other participants in the class being regular attendees, she still catered to yoga newbies.
The atmosphere of the class was extremely relaxing, and I left the class feeling calm and focused. The poses themselves weren’t terribly difficult, and the instructor would always come over and move students to fix their poses, or offer variations. At points she brought over yoga blocks to those who needed them, and offered easier poses if some were more advanced.
During the class, there was calming music and a large amount of breathing exercises. Though many of the poses may be unfamiliar to a new yogi, the class itself was easy to follow and the instructor spent adequate time with those who needed pose assistance.
Tips to know before you go
Make sure you come a few minutes early to get settled. The studio sign is a little hidden, so it may be difficult to find. Lil Omm will have you fill out a waiver before your first class.
The studio offers complimentary yoga mats, blocks, and blankets to borrow. Feel free to bring your own, but there is no need to purchase a yoga mat if you are comfortable using the community ones.
There is no need to bring a lock. The downstairs studio has cubbies to place your things, which are in your line of sight. The upstairs studio has a shoe rack and you can place any more valuable belongings next to you. There are no locker rooms, but there is a bathroom you can change in if you need.
Address: 4708 Wisconsin Avenue NW
