Pure Yoga

«Yogash chitta virtti nirodah» (Patanjali Yoga Sutra). We become whole by stopping how the mind turns. I feel very grateful to my Oslo yoga community at Eighttreasures Yoga and our kind and wise teacher John Bentham, who provided us with the tools to learn and teach avoiding hurt and injury. Pure yoga´s teachers are pros, they are athletic and they give concise cues. The classes fill up quickly and can be booked up to two days in advance through their online booking system. The studios are beautiful, especially studio 3 got a breathtaking view of the Hongkong skyline. Pure provides you with towels, water and even shampoo and shower gel. Of course, you can buy pretty clothes and healthy nood food there. Great marketing. Some of the teachers seem open and they give a lot of variations of the poses, others seem more rigid and they will spot it if you e.g. attempt to microbend your knees in Uttanasana. Surely that depends on their yoga philosophy. Please, take on responsibility for your own health, watch your neck and always feel into your body. Be careful and kind to you and your body. Pure Yoga offers a large variety of classes like Yin Yang, Hatha, Hot Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Mysore, Pranayama/​Meditation, Restorative Yoga, Pre-​Natal, Wall Rope Yoga or Yoga, Teacher Training, Basics… If you want to take it easy or are recovering from injury, yin and restorative classes might be a good idea. In most of the classes you will sweat and do lots of inversions (Adho Mukha Vrksasana, Salamba Sirsasana,…). Certainly a great place if you (don´t) want to challenge yourself or need to get pushed out of your comfort zone, like me. It´s about finding the right teachers and classes for you and checking in with yourself and your body constantly if the given pose is working for you, and making amendments (go deeper into the pose or back out). Even if the teacher tells you «I know you will hate this», focus, remind yourself that you´re free and training with joyous effort, keep your core engaged, do the two minute handstand if you feel like it and smile because that relaxes the face, and let your breathe flow wherever you are!

Fantastic place for those visiting from out of town. Everything in English. Expensive, $ 300 HK/​class, yet worth it.

Once you cross over to PURE, you’re pretty much ruined for all the other gyms. LOL. What I mean is that the facilities. The place smells good, is so nice and clean that when you go to another gym, you can automatically compare the place to PURE — eventually coming the conclusion that PURE is much better.
Having said that, you do pay an expensive rate for such facilities. I was able to use my husband’s corporate discount which brings the price from 1200HKD per month to 890HKD (115 USD). Still steep compared to what I’m used to in USA. You can join Pure Yoga and Pure Fitness at the same time but it will cost much more.
The classes hold about 25 — 50 maximum (estimate). I’ve been to some classes with only 10 people. It all depends on who signs up for the class.
[Speaking of signing up, they have a very strict class reservation policy. So make sure you get to class!!!]
Instructors wise — my favorites are Ya-​Ya and Lizzy. They are a «No BS» kind of instructors and will push you to push yourself. Sometimes I feel like giving up, but they just won’t let you. Actually all the instructors are good and have their own style. You should find which instructors fit you best!
Most people would think YOGA is super easy. But, if you’re doing it correctly, you actually start to sweat up a storm and your body will thank you.
I’m still a yoga newbie (I only started when I moved here 5 months ago) but anyway, I like it wayyy better than running around town or on a treadmill.

Strictly writing this review based on my love for yoga and bikram yoga at that. I understand the practise of yoga is very subjective and the experience you get out of it is mostly rewarding but different for everyone depending on the kind of yoga you like. With a practise background of bikram yoga, I personally enjoy more of a vigorous workout in a heated room. Pure is everywhere in Hong Kong. I think there’s more than 6 locations currently on this small island and currently more are being built. There is a reason for this. Pure has extremely good teachers. The pure Yoga studio I go to is conveniently close to my house, that was not based on coincidence. For the monthly price I am paying, I expect to take my lazy bum as often as possible and obviously the closer the distance to my humble abode, the frequency of me showing up is directly higher. The studio I go to offers around 10 classes only oriented around yoga. If you didn’t know there are different types, being a member at pure will teach you. Different type of yoga helps different people, they even have pre-​natal yoga. Each type definitely has its health benefits. In the beginning I often sit on my yoga mat in class amazed at how full the classes are. I’ve realised that Hong Kong people are often so caught up in their chaotic, fast paced lives that they absolutely need to find time to distress and calm down. The teachers at Pure are strict. You will often hear: «No phones, focus on your position, hold it, hold it, DO not give up, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, ok now you can relax.» It’s always a very intense and rewarding experience. Every time I finish with a class, I feel like I have thoroughly worked out my entire body and I feel cleansed. It’s refreshing and this is why I keep coming back.