Yoga is all about relaxation, but at Campus Recreation it comes at a cost.
Colorado State University students can attend a beginner yoga class at Campus Recreation free of charge, but anything more advanced than that requires a mind/body pass.
Mind and body classes are $4 each or $69 for the semester pass. Assistant Fitness Director for Campus Recreation Dianne Bornhoft said she wants students to know why these costs exist.
“Instructors go through very expensive and extensive training to become certified yoga instructors,” Bornhoft said in an email to the Collegian. “The cost of the pass helps to offset the cost of the instructors.”
The Rec Center offers 10 different yoga classes for students with the mind/body pass to take. These classes range in difficulty and therefore need educated instructors.
“In order to offer a quality yoga program only certified yoga instructors are hired,” Bornhoft said. “Fort Collins has a lot of yoga centers, which drives up the pay rate for yoga instructors.”
Around 400 CSU students purchase a mind/body pass each year, including Hillary Sass, a junior at CSU studying accounting.
“I wanted to learn yoga and I didn’t want to pay the big bucks for the yoga studios around town,” Sass said. “I go to classes about 3 or 4 times a week so I totally feel I am getting a good deal with the pass.”
Sass uses yoga classes at the Rec Center for fitness, but also to ease anxiety.
“Yoga has made a huge difference for me,” Sass said. “It is a very good stress relief from classes, work and everyday life.”
The $69 mind/body pass is not an option for every student, like Alex Flory, a freshman in the business program.
“It is a bummer that this is one of the things people like to do and yet it costs extra,” Flory said. “A lot of college kids, especially freshman, don’t have a job to be able to pay for things like that.”
Free beginner yoga classes are offered twice a week.
“Offering a few free classes allows participants to try yoga out before they buy the pass,” Bornhoft said.
Collegian Reporter Emery Love can be reached at news@collegian.com or on twitter @emerynlove.
