The best yoga studios in Sydney

Urban Yoga is throwing out the rulebook when it comes to ashtanga yoga practice. There’s no chanting, no meditation and no Sanskrit (poses are referenced by their English names). Classes are set to music, and there’s a screen projecting videos of vivid landscapes, wild animals, sunsets and glittering beaches. It’s more like stepping into an aerobics class than an ashram, which is perhaps the appeal. Time Out road-tested the studio’s signature class Urban Yoga, which is designed for all levels of yogic ability. As we step into the light-filled reception area, we’re immediately impressed. It’s a chilled contrast to the busy streets outside and it smells of peppermint, thanks to bottles of complimentary herbal teas on offer. Our instructor has a Madonna mic, which she uses to guide us through the vinyassa flow. It’s fast and demands a fair bit of prior knowledge, so we’d suggest opting for the six-week Urban Base class if you’re new to yoga or it's been a while.

In the hustle and bustle of Kings Cross is a hideaway yoga studio that specialises in hot yoga and pilates with three heated studios. One studio is warmed to 21 degrees, one to 27 degrees, and the other to 37 degrees. Time Out tried the hot mat pilates class, which focuses on the core for 50 minutes. Our class was in the 27-degree room, which doesn’t sound warm but once we began 100 pulses in the box position we were sweating buckets. There are approximately 40 mats in each studio, and so there is lots of space to feel comfortable and have your own space to stretch. Our classroom is mirrored on one side, with clear views of the city out of an expansive window at the end of the room. Heating the rooms isn’t just a perk for winter, One Hot Yoga hold their classes at human body temperature to maximise use of muscles and to burn fat. Classes taken in their hottest room are at a much slower pace in order to get deep stretches in a vinyasa yoga session.

YogaBar is a new concept by the founder of Fitness First and Fit n Fast that brings together food, fashion and fitness in one location. Time Out tried the yoga barre class, which was chock-a-block on Friday lunchtime. We took our position at the ballet barre, picked up a set of hand weights as instructed and got straight into pulsing plié positions. The 45-minute class doesn’t waste time with stretching or introductions – everyone is here to sweat as efficiently as possible before 4pm drinks at the office. It’s not for yoga or ballet purists, as the class borrows from both disciplines but at hard-core speed and to a soundtrack that includes Justin Bieber and Calvin Harris. Using the pink hand weights and an inflatable ball, we adopted ballet’s first and second position to work through leg and arm repetitions – holding the barre for stability.

Hang upside down and let the blood rush to your head at AntiGravity yoga, also known as aerial yoga. Available at BodyMindLife Redfern (which used to be House of Yoga), the technique uses traditional yoga poses, pilates, dance and aerial arts practiced in a soft hammock. The idea is that gravity helps to decompress the spine and supports the body as you move through inversions and poses. It’s complementary to a vinyasa yoga practice or other strenuous exercise.