Yoga domes could be the new social-distancing fitness craze


The coronavirus pandemic has made this the age of the pods.

From private dining pods to solo party pods, the best way to isolate among others is in one’s own personal bubble. Now, there’s a way to practice your downward dog in one, too.

In Toronto, a new pop-up event lets sick-of-Zoom yoga enthusiasts take in-person — and totally socially distanced — classes, thanks to individual geodesic domes.

Spaced evenly apart on the grounds of Lake Ontario-front Hotel X, these 50 clear bubbles measure more than 7 feet tall and 12 feet wide — and include built-in heating systems to mimic the warmth of a hot-yoga studio. And after each class, the domes get sanitized by certified cleaners.

“The domes are our design. We actually fabricate them in Canada here,” Steve Georgiev — the organizer of the event, which ends July 31 — tells Reuters, adding that they were repurposed from another one of his businesses. He says it takes about 146 pieces, and nearly eight hours, to put together. And the result is a nice bit of space. “About 110 square feet, approximately, of private space.”

People participate in an outdoor yoga class by LMNTS Outdoor Studio.
People participate in an outdoor yoga class by LMNTS Outdoor Studio.REUTERS

This pop-up, which began on Sunday, is hosted by Lmnts Outdoor Studio in partnership with six other Toronto studios — and is meant to ease the lockdown stress.

“Everybody’s been really cooped up for the last few months and haven’t been able to go out,” says Georgiev. “[This] allows us to do this in a safe and responsible way, where people get to enjoy … a group fitness activity in a private environment.”

In the province of Ontario, where Toronto is located, there’s a total of 33,476 cases of COVID-19. There have been 2,606 deaths, with 28,719 cases resolved.

No, it isn’t the same as a regular hot-yoga class in a studio, but instructor Kay Ghajar tells Reuters this setup is a nice change of pace from the Zoom-based classes that have taken place the last few months.

“The domes were pretty cool because I was able to get a bird’s eye view of all the students,” she says — and even though she couldn’t physically come close to the students and adjust their positions, “it was really easy to point people out and … connect with them … in their domes.”

Of course, the students also benefit.

“This was particularly great because I’ve missed that connection piece being in quarantine, and it was so nice and aesthetically really beautiful,” says participant Holland Philpott. “And I really enjoyed, like, actually sweating and getting all the toxins and negativity out of my body a bit.”

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