Students in tree pose during Charles MacInerney’s free yoga class (Credit: Charles MacInerney)
Austin is among the top cities in the country for yoga. The offerings continue to grow alongside other booming industries here, and rightfully so. The harder we work, the more we deserve opportunities to relax, breathe, and let go. Thankfully, many establishments are offering wallet-friendly yoga class options.
It’s not that I don’t think a good class or workshop isn’t worth upwards of $20. But it can be good to mix it up with free events here and there. I’ve compiled a list of several unique yoga offerings in Austin: from big studios, to coffeeshop yoga, to pop-up outdoor classes. Here’s where to find free yoga in Austin–or at least donation-based–on every day of the week.
Monday
This way to free yoga in Austin (Credit: Cherrywood Coffeehouse)
Kick off your week with free morning yoga at Cherrywood Coffeehouse…and come back the next day, and then the next! That’s right, Cherrywood holds free community yoga every week day from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. All levels are welcome and mats are provided.
And although yoga is its own reward, reward yourself twice by treating yourself to a fresh Cherrywood breakfast or specialty espresso drink afterwards. It’s the least you can do to say thank you to this local business, for providing such a relaxing start to every day.
1400 E. 38th 1/2 St. – Website
Tuesday
Students attend a pop-up class with Yoga For All (Credit: Yoga For All)
Come out and support Yoga For All, a donation-based pop-up yoga concept that splits a portion of proceeds with local charities. On Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., the organization holds an outdoor class at Mueller Lake Park. The suggested donation is $10-20.
Yoga For All is made up of a team of talented and passionate teachers from all over the country. Check the website calendar to see which other days classes are available, and which other surprising locations they pop up at!
4550 Mueller Blvd. – Website
Wednesday
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Prime of Life Yoga holds a free adult yoga class at Laura Bush Community Library on Wednesdays. All you have to bring is a mat, and to show up wearing something you can move in!
Prime of Life is a style of yoga that is gentle in nature. It aims to reduce common aches and pains, manage weight, posture, and gait, and encourage restful sleep. Luckily, yoga and knowledge go hand in hand. Peruse the library selection before or after your 6 p.m. class.
9411 Bee Cave Road – Website
➡️ Keep reading: Make a Special Connection Doing Yoga With Your Dog at Austin Doga
Thursday
Credit: Practice Yoga Austin
Dark Yoga is a community that meets Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 p.m. at Practice Yoga in east Austin. There is a suggested donation of $10, and mats are available to rent for $1. The late time slot makes it convenient for people who work late, or simply prefer activities a little on the nocturnal side.
Note that Dark Yoga classes are held later than Practice Yoga’s regular classes, so they don’t appear on the online schedule. For further information, check the community’s Facebook page.
More good news: if you’re more of an early bird, the rest of Practice Yoga’s classes are also donation-based.
1103 East 6th St. – Website
Friday
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Luckily for south Austin yogis, Sanctuary Yoga has transitioned into being an entirely donation-based studio! Sanctuary is a nonprofit that supports the Amala Foundation. The schedule is packed full of diverse classes every week day, with the first Friday class typically beginning at 7 a.m. and the last beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Weekends are typically reserved for workshops and Greenbelt yoga hikes.
1006 S. 8th St. (off Treadwell) – Website
➡️ Keep reading: Stretch Creates Accessible Approach to Yoga, Headphones Included
Saturday
The dance floor at Indra’s Awarehouse doubles as a yoga space on Saturday mornings (Credit: Indra’s Awarehouse)
Awaken Inner Fire is a nonprofit dedicated to spreading yogic knowledge in the Austin community. On Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., the organization hosts a free yoga class at Indra’s Awarehouse. Classes are taught in the traditional Hatha style, mixing in meditation and yoga nidra. The group recommends you bring a small cushion to sit on and a blanket to stay warm.
7904 FM 969 – Website
Sunday
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Most Austin yogis have visited or at least heard of Black Swan Yoga. It has three conveniently spaced locations in Austin (south, central, and north) and also has locations in San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas. Classes are donation-based, with a suggested donation between $10-20. All classes are heated, and there are a range of beginner and vinyasa flow classes to choose from.
The past couple of times I’ve been to Black Swan, the classes were totally packed. So it’s a good option if you enjoy hobnobbing with your neighbor. Sunday classes run all day, typically from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Multiple locations – Website
Bonus: Free Monthly Yoga Class in Austin
Students waiting for Full Moon Yoga to commence (Credit: Charles MacInerney)
An Austin tradition since 1992, Charles MacInerney leads a free outdoor yoga class every month on the evening of the full moon (or as close as possible to the full moon). MacInerney holds yoga, meditation, and writing retreats, and is a published author and gifted speaker. The full moon class is a wonderful gathering, and a service to a community MacInerney cares deeply for.
Dates and times vary from month to month, so check the website for updates.
@theAustinot wants to know:
Where is your favorite place for yoga in Austin?
The original version of this article was published Jan. 29, 2014.
This isn’t accurate at all. Why would you even mention Black Swan on this list? They are NOT free. It’s $7 minimum. Also, lululemon’s yoga class is on Sunday, not Monday.
Hey Haltx, you can see lululemon’s calendar here on their website: http://www.lululemon.com/austin/6thandlamar.
Yoga Vida at 3620 Bee Cave Road offers $5 heated power vinyasa classes at these times:
6:30 am Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
8pm on Monday and Wednesday
6:30 pm on friday
Wow, seems like you need to get into a yoga class quick, @Haltx. Chill out. You’re right about Black Swan. You’re not right about lululemon. It’s on Monday. NamastĂ©.
Yoga Con Amor off of Burnet has $10 drop-ins for all of their classes. Yogaconamor.com
Also check this great yoga routine http://www.99yogashape.com
Thank you for all the lovely Austin yogi shout outs! But please – Donation yoga is not Free yoga. If no one pays the donation studios will go out of business. Please yogis, it is not free, pay what you can afford!
This is not entirely true either. I was told I had to pay $10 at Practice Yoga, HAD TO, and I wasn’t working at the time. Honestly I just don’t get this city, at all.
What if you cant afford to pay? Isnt the point of making it donation based to allow the people who cant afford it to participate.
weviva offers yoga (and zumba) classes that are actually free, http://weviva.org/. no strings attached, no instructors asking what your donation is out loud in front of others (bsy, shame on you).
Thanks for the comment, @noodlequeen. The Austinot has written about WeViva before (http://austinot.wpengine.com/weviva-austin) and I was under the impression that the classes weren’t open to everyone?
Yoga Yoga doesn’t have donation-based anymore, so they don’t have an affordable option for yoga.
Thank you for the update, @austinativechica. Let us know if any of your favorite free/lowcost yoga options don’t appear on our list!
Right now whole foods downtown has free classes at 8pm every Wednesday upstairs on the patio. Seems like most of these are donation rather than free. There is also a free acro yoga event/class every week at Palmer events center on Fridays. I think it’s at 7pm.
OMG thank you! This post is exactly what I’ve been looking for. I knew Austin had a million studios but every time I googled “yoga in Austin” I would only see the same three companies. None of which I really wanted to do a full membership at nor can really afford to. I think I’m going to follow your week to a T! Thanks again. And donation yoga is fine for me! Great post.
Luke’s Locker has free yoga at 830 am and 10 am on Sundays. They are downtown near WHole Foods
Thanks for the info will be looking forward to it.
Also check out http://www.meetup.com. I host a free class on Mondays at 6:30pm. You can rsvp here http://meetu.ps/2zT5kv.
FREE PRIME OF LIFE YOGA CLASS
WEDNESDAY NIGHT NOVEMBE 12 TH 630 PM AT THE LAURA BUSH LIBRARY ON BEE CAVE AND CUERNAVACA COME AND ENJOY THIS GENTLE RELAXING CLASS WITH LISA GALIZIA!
some studios do work trade for class passes 🙂 I believe Yoga yoga is one but it never hurts to ask at your favorite yoga spot
FXfit is offering completely free (Non-Donation Based) Hatha Flow Yoga in the Heart of the Domain in North Austin. See Details Below.
Domain Astro Turf (10,000 Square Foot AstroTurf)
3225 Amy Donovan Plaza, Austin, TX 78758
Mondays & Wednesdays @ 7pm! Free for the entire Year!
1. Sign up online!
https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/ws?studioid=30229&stype=-7&sTG=22&sView=week&sLoc=1
2. Show up!
3. Sign In!
For Inclement weather, class is held Indoors
The Wellness Studio
3210 Esperanza Crossing Austin, TX 78758
(Follow us on Meetup @ Domain Fitness Group for Status Updates)
http://www.meetup.com/Fitness-at-The-Domain/
I’d like to find a minority friendly space, no offense but the yoga studios I’ve been to in Austin have all been lily white, white women with pinched frowny expressions in their size 0 Lululemon overpriced tights. Where can I find a yoga space that is inclusive of all shapes, sizes and ethincities? Not Austin clearly.
I cannot wait to leave this place.
I do not enjoy the yoga scene in ATX, at all. I practice my asanas at home.
1) Yoga Yoga is no longer located at 1700 S Lamar
2) Yoga Yoga no longer has any donation based classes. They do have free classes once a week for cancer survivors.
Please update this, or take it down. Thank you
Are any of the free yoga classes kid friendly? I’d like to introduce my 4 year old to yoga. Thanks!
I don’t know that they have any free classes, but The Little Yoga House is a really cool local business. They have Mommy & Me classes there. http://thelittleyogahouse.com/
I recently created a free yoga in Austin calendar on my website. I enjoy going to free yoga around Austin and I hope people can use this as a resource: https://theunconventionalvegan.com/freeyogainatx/