Hip-Hop Yoga Is the Workout EVERYONE Needs to Try

Yoga has always been my go-to workout of choice since I gave up sports years ago.

It's a simple way to relax your body and soul, while simultaneously giving me a boost of energy to make it through the day.

I wouldn't call myself a "yogi" by any means. When I say I do yoga, I mean I attempt to follow along to some YouTube workout video, but get bored and give up at roughly the three minute mark. Yeah, my attention span isn't so great.

But I've always loved the everything about this meditative exercise. So when I came across hip-hop yoga, I was positive this was the perfect type of yoga for me.

And just like that, I was off to Y7 Studio on Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles, California to see what hip-hop yoga is all about. And after just one class, it has become my new favorite workout.

When I first walked into the studio, I could feel plenty of positive vibes radiating through the walls, and it wasn't just because of the uplifting quotes lining the white wall to the classroom. There was this sort of nurturing feeling going on that I just can't quite explain.

The classroom itself was a total sanctuary. There weren't any mirrors and the lights were off, so the room was lined with light candles. At the front of the room, there was a wall that had the words "A Tribe Called Sweat" (a play on hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest's name) painted across it.

I felt safe and welcomed being in that space, which is definitely strange to say. Normally, every time I step foot into an exercise studio, I feel uneasy. I'm nervous that I won't be able to keep up with the rest of the class. I'm worried about what others will think of me. I panic about the workout clothes I wear. A million unsettling thoughts race through my mind, but that didn't happen at Y7. For the first time in awhile, I felt confident about my abilities to own this workout.

Once the actual yoga session began, I was surprised at how easily I was able to follow along with the instructor, Erin. I have a very basic knowledge of yoga poses, so thank goodness things didn't get too intricate. It helped that Erin encouraged me during the entire class. I'm used to dealing with very pushy instructors during workouts—something I don't particularly enjoy.

Now, yoga isn't generally an exercise one would call "vigorous," so I was shocked when I started sweating like a pig in a sauna just 15 minutes into the class. While I definitely didn't look cute while this was happening, it was nice to know that all of those negative toxins were flowing out of my body.

The upbeat hip-hop tunes that served as background music for the evening also made the class that much more enjoyable. While listening to soothing meditation music works for some, it's not my jam. Listening to Drake while transitioning through my Chaturangas, however, is something I'm all about. It definitely helped me stay attentive to what I was doing.

The 60-minute class went by way too fast, and before I knew it, we were done. Usually I feel like death after any workout, but I felt ready to take on the evening after this class. My energy levels were at an alltime high, which made it difficult to fall asleep, but I'm not complaining.

My experience with hip-hop yoga was definitely an eye-opener. I left not only feeling energized, but better about myself both physically and mentally. It was as though I'd been reborn, and every negative thought I had harbored inside of me was left on my yoga mat. It was easily one of the best workouts I've ever had.

Without a doubt, if you love yoga or just want to feel good, you need to try a hip-hop yoga class at Y7 Studio. As dramatic as this sounds, it's a pretty life-changing experience.


Yoga is obviously a great way to boost your positivity for the new year, but it's not the only thing you can do. Check out THESE other ways you can get rid of negative energy in 2017.