5 Steps to Opening a Yoga Studio in Your Backyard

More and more people are starting home-based businesses, maybe due to redundancy caused by their employer going because of COVID 19, or just because they want to escape the 9-5 rat race and be their own boss. If you are interested in holistic health, particularly yoga, perhaps you could consider building a yoga studio in your backyard? Here are some tips on how to do just that.

Qualifications

To be a yoga teacher, you don’t have to have qualifications, and there are no laws regulating this. However, you obviously will want to be the best teacher you can be to attract clients and ensure that you are teaching them yoga in a professional and safe manner.

There are 11 types of yoga – Vinyasa, Hatha, Iyengar, Kundalini, Ashtanga, Bikram, Yin, Restorative, Prenatal, Anusara, and Jivamukti. Hatha is considered to be the most straightforward form of yoga, while ashtanga is the most difficult. So, suppose you are looking for a yoga qualification. In that case, you should definitely learn Hatha yoga so you can attract clients new to yoga and then supplement your education with a mix of the other forms of yoga. There are plenty of online training programs you can enroll in or look for yoga training courses in your local area.

The Building

While the building itself for the Yoga Studio can be a trial to work on, you can’t forget the crucial aspect of heating and air. This includes getting insulation installed on the roof, walls, and possibly even the floor so the building can remain at a comfortable temperature. 

Some windows should be included for those hot days, but also to make the studio feel more connected with nature (includes free lighting too).  Plus, you can’t forget your heating system, boilers from Bbright are affordable and installation is included. By all means, you cannot forget about having proper warming and cooling for this Yoga Studio. 

Yoga studio kits are available to buy online with a company such as Green Retreats. They are purpose-built structures that include foundations, lighting, heating, doors, and windows. You can choose from a range of styles, sizes, and finishes, and the best thing is, you don’t have to apply for planning permission.

If you already have a shed, garden building, or garage in your garden, you may want to convert it into a yoga studio. To prepare the building, you will need to install insulation and drywall to make the space warm and watertight. You may want to do this conversion yourself or get a professional to do it.

When it comes to installing electrics, you will definitely need to hire a qualified electrician who will make sure the wiring in your studio is safe, that zinsco breakers are installed to prevent a short circuit or damage caused by an electrical overload, and you have power sockets and light fittings appropriately installed.

Heating and air conditioning are other things you will need to think about – will you install underfloor heating, solar heating, or underfloor heating? Do you live in a hot climate? Will you need air con or will you just open the doors and windows on a hot day?

Walls and Floors

The flooring you choose to lay in your studio is of utmost importance as it needs to be kind to bare feet, easily cleaned, non-slip and durable. Popular choices for flooring include hardwood and bamboo. Many studio owners favor bamboo because it is more durable than hardwood, cheaper, and a good shock absorber. Cork is another great option as it has natural anti-microbial properties in the form of suberin, a macromolecule that helps fight viruses and bacteria spread by sweat on the soles of people’s feet.

A yoga studio should be a relaxed, calming place. Choosing the correct colors for your decor is very important as color has a direct impact on the mood of your clients. It is believed by many yoga gurus that our body has seven major chakras or energy centers, all of which correspond to a particular color. When the chakras are balanced, our body and soul are balanced.

A popular color to paint yoga studio walls in is purple. Purple is believed to restore unity between the emotional, creative, physical, intellectual, and inspirational realities. It overcomes feelings of anxiety and integrates mind, body, and spirit. Pale hues of pink are soothing, calming, and can banish sadness, whereas light green is thought to evoke peace and harmony and lessen anxiety. Intense colors such as bright red should be used sparingly in a yoga studio because they can cause people to become impulsive and irritable.

Decor

Once you have built your studio, you can really let your creativity run wild and start decorating your space.

Adorn the walls of the studio with beautiful pictures of Buddha, Indian gods, and inspirational quotes. Yoga can be pretty complex, so some inspirational quotes in picture frames or vinyl wall decals can help keep you and your clients motivated. Alternatively, you may want to hang paintings or prints of peaceful landscapes on the walls depicting tranquil beach seascapes or a beautiful, lush rainforest.

The lighting of your studio is super important. The studio lights need to be calming and soothing – not harsh fluorescent light. Install ceiling lights that can be dimmed at the turn of a switch and use soft hue light bulbs to give a warm glow to the room. During wind-down mediation time at the end of a yoga session, you can dim the lights right down or turn them off completely. Candles can provide wonderful light, but you will need to be very careful with them in case of fire. The best option is to allow as much natural light as possible into the studio, but install blinds, shutters, or curtains so you can block out the sunlight if it becomes too intense or hot.

Mirrors are necessary to enable you and your clients to analyze yoga positions and check that they are being performed correctly. Cover an entire wall in mirrors for maximum impact.

Personalize your studio with some ornaments of Buddha, salt lamps, figurines in yoga poses, macrame wall decorations in mandala patterns, and some wind chimes that will make magical tunes as they blow in the wind outside your studio. Enhance your client’s yoga experience by burning incense sticks or light scented candles infused with wonderful relaxing perfumes.

Equipment

Yoga doesn’t require a great deal of equipment, but you can provide clients with mats, blocks, blankets, and cushions. Clients will usually bring their own towels, but you could store some in case they forget.