Hiking Yoga

Hiking yoga was wonderful!
Eric Kipp was our guide and I really appreciated his tour of the Crestwood, UMKC, Rockhurst, Troostwood neighborhoods. I am a midtown/​downtown native and he was still able to introduce me to new (and lovely!) spots in the area! The idea of the urban hike was interesting, and hills and stairs helped us get our cardio. We stopped here and there to get in some yoga, partner yoga and even a walking meditation?! Pretty great morning all around. I will certainly be a frequent hiking-​yogi!

This is a fun way to start your Saturday. Hiking Yoga combines hiking (with a little hill running), yoga and scenery. I would recommend going with a friend you want to catch up with, because it’s a great opportunity to talk as you walk. By the end of the 90 minutes, I feel wonderfully refreshed, and the next day I am just the right amount of sore. Give this a try!

I bought a Living Social deal for 2 yoga hikes, and having never done this or heard of it was not sure what to expect. I was thoroughly impressed to say the least.
We met up with Eric Kipp, the founder of Hiking Yoga, and a group of about 20 or so others at Liberty Memorial on a beautiful Sunday morning. Just the vibe from the very beginning was very upbeat and motivating. Eric explained to us that we would be hiking around various architectural/​tourist-​y attractions in downtown KC and stopping every so often to bust out some yoga. He set a very fast pace so although the hike wasn’t exactly rough terrain, it was a great workout. You could set your own pace though and regroup every 15 minutes or so at the next yoga spot. Having lived in Kansas City for 3 years I was introduced to some great things I never even knew existed in downtown KC and was very impressed with Eric’s knowledge of the area and passion. We even stopped and did a flash mob style «warm» yoga in the middle of union station.
Then we stopped outside Crown Center and did various yoga poses with a partner that was new to me and really fun. We ended back at Liberty Memorial where Eric gave an optional «cardio blast» of running up the steps of the memorial twice and back down while his wife lead more yoga at the bottom of the memorial for those opting out of the cardio portion. Mats were provided for us and all you really need is a water bottle. Overall, Hiking Yoga was a great experience for meeting new people, exploring Kansas City, and getting a great, fun workout outside. I would highly recommend this to anyone new to yoga like myself or experienced. Definitely plan to try the other routes available in KC!

I’ve lived in Kansas City for 15 years and have been wanting to explore new areas of the city. This Yoga Hike gave me the perfect opportunity to do so! I had never been to Loose Park so I signed up for a hike there, but there are hikes offered in multiple other areas as well. My hike was with Eric, who was extremely friendly. He offered different options for people with different fitness levels. I work out regularly so when we got to a hill, Eric challenged me to run it instead of walk it. Over the hour and a half we stopped 3 times to do 5 – 10 minutes of yoga in various areas of the park, finishing with some ground work on some mats. But no need to bring your own — Eric carried all of our mats for us, which was awesome. It was a good workout and it also allowed me to spend time outside and see new areas of the city. I loved the passion that Eric has for his job. It’s very inspiring and makes me want to go on another Yoga Hike with him!

This was really fun! I don’t work out very often, so this was a nice way to see the city and get a work out at the same time. I would definitely do this again, I was sore, but a GOOD sore! I will go on another hike in the future.

This was a fun way to accomplish the day’s workout and kick off the weekend full of positive energy. I did a 10am hike in Mission Hills guided by the founder himself. Eric was extremely outgoing, funny, knowledgeable, and motivational. The hike around Mission Hills was beautiful and provided ample opportunities for some cardio intervals. The yoga stations were equally scenic, and Eric’s yoga instruction was appropriate for all levels and perfectly complemented the cardio portion (hamstring stretches, hip openers, spinal lengthening, focus on breathing, and a little balance work at the end).
As the business description indicates, this isn’t an advanced yoga class or an intense cardio session, but you can get out of it whatever you put into it, make it a decent workout, and still have great energy for an active weekend. And most of all it’s really FUN. I would recommend signing up with a friend.
Finally, for those visiting KC as tourists, this is a fantastic way to experience the city!

What a great way to start your weekend! Purchased 2 hikes on Groupon and had low expectations for my Loose Park outing. Immediately upon meeting the group at the tennis courts, my attitude changed. It starts at 8:00 a.m. on a Saturday when the weather is nice (in November, hikes will move to late morning/​afternoon). If you get a chance to do this, sign up with Sharon. Sometimes yoga instructors discourage any other form of exercise, but Sharon teaches CrossFit and yoga, and encourages all types of movement.
The 90 minute hike is mostly a brisk walk up various hills around the fancy houses near the Plaza, with 3 yoga stops. The rose garden is beautiful and a perfect stop for a morning sun salutation.
After about 70 minutes of «hiking», you get a mat that the instructor has been carrying and do 20 minutes of yoga postures. Yoga hikes started in San Francisco as a way for people to see the highlights of the city… Sharon is a friend of this guy, thus there are hikes all along the west coast… and KC.
I already signed up for the hike next weekend. Anything that gets me up and moving before 10:00 a.m. on a Saturday has got to be good.