De-stress at the newest location of HK chain Pure Yoga

Pure Yoga’s new Plaza 66 studio on Nanjing Xi Lu is nothing short of pure class. Offering three new practice rooms, the second branch of the Hong Kong yoga chain is kitted out – the changing rooms are clean and extremely well equipped, the central lounging area looks like a kind of healthy high-end bar offering free teas, and the huge range of classes on offer is a yogi’s dream.

The new studio, which opened in December, is also a little quieter than the iAPM studio (for now, at least). We decide to test out a Yoga Therapy class, a practice designed to tackle common aches and pains, which describes itself as a healing, rehabilitating practice. The teacher talks to each of us beforehand to address any complaints and cater to specific problems during the class – most are unsurprisingly back and shoulder and other computer-related aches.

We start with some straightforward stretches and breathing exercises, running through a vinyasa practice to warm up our muscles before moving into more specific exercises. The bilingual class is a mixture of genders, ages and nationalities, and the teacher throws into the mix a merry array of props: chairs, belts, bolsters, blocks, blankets. We also do some pair work, and while pressing a stranger against a wall feels a bit odd at first, it does help us wriggle into deep stretches we couldn’t achieve on our own.

Particularly challenging is a series of shoulder openers – reversing all those hours spent hunched over a computer – which we can feel in tender muscles for the next few days. And using a chair, we manage to manoeuvre into an inversion that brings the blood flowing to our head and feels surprisingly peaceful.

All in all the class is excellent, a real de-stresser and one to be recommended for tackling specific aches, or recovering from injuries. This is a gentle, healing session, which nonetheless makes us break a sweat and work plenty of neglected aching muscles.

Of course, this kind of quality is not cheap. Joining Pure starts from 1,500RMB for a one-month unlimited membership and hits up to 10,000RMB for a one-year unlimited membership. But if you’re serious about yoga, it’s an investment worth making.

Pure Yoga is at Third Floor, Plaza 66, 1266 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Shaanxi Bei Lu, Jingan district. Visit http pure-yoga.com.cn or call 6279 1119 for more information.

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