January is notable for two reasons: the descent into the heart of winter and New Year’s resolutions.
While the cold weather can lead to being less active, health and fitness resolutions keep gyms and yoga studios full – at least for the month.
For local yoga studios such as Bikram Yoga Ottawa, January sees the highest number of new memberships and drop-in classes.
Claire Cameron, director of the Centretown Bikram studio, says this increase is visible in the packed classes.
“We get a lot of new students in January, brand new to yoga, brand new to bikram yoga, and, in fact, brand new to any form of exercise,” she says.
Like many studios in the city, Bikram offers an introductory deal for newcomers at a reduced price for a month of unlimited classes.
New Year’s resolutions may pack gyms, but Beejay Duff, GoodLife Fitness’ central Ottawa division manager, says their full rooms can be deceptive.
Duff oversees eight GoodLife Fitness centres in Ottawa and says while they do see an increase in memberships in January, New Year’s resolutions take a different form in gyms.
“Our existing members decide to get started back on their New Year’s resolutions and ramp up their workout routine,” Duff says. “So sometimes what we see in the beginning of January are people who are very motivated to achieve those fitness goals and they’re coming in five, six, seven times a week.”
This perceived spike in traffic tapers off quickly when members start to find more regular schedules of two to three times a week that better fit their lives, Duff says.
Amelia McLean lives and works in Centretown and recently tried her first yoga class. She resolved to make healthier choices in 2015 and says for her, a yoga studio trumps the gym for just that reason.
“I got the pass because it’s a new year and everybody is trying to go to the gym in the New Year so instead, I wanted to do yoga because it’s not only good for you physically, but also mentally,” she says.
Cameron says she isn’t worried about business dropping off too much.
While Cameron attributes much of the month’s increased business to New Year’s resolutions, she says the community atmosphere of the studio, combined with Ottawa’s harsh winters both keep people coming in.