Many people long to exercise in a warm, sunny environment.
Now Leasiders – and others – can enjoy that experience year-round in the latest addition to local fitness studios. Oxygen Yoga & Fitness, part of a growing Canadian-owned chain which started in British Columbia in 2011, is attracting many members to its new FAR Infrared Heated Studio at 202 Laird Dr.
According to their website, “While regular hot yoga studios use conventional heaters to blast hot air at you, often making it difficult to breathe, Oxygen Yoga & Fitness instead offers state of the art FAR Infrared technology that heats you up from the inside out allowing the air in the room to remain warm but comfortable.”
It consists of panels that emit invisible infrared light waves which are directly absorbed by the body and generate heat. Leaside franchise holder Sandie Douville explains that this technology helps to burn fat, increase flexibility, boost circulation, encourage detoxification, improve digestion and help with stress and anxiety.
She purchased the franchise for the Leaside location in 2024 and opened the studio this past May after having a very successful experience at the location near her residence. She is a lawyer by training and a busy mother of two. After gaining weight during the pandemic, she searched for a yoga studio nearby, discovered an Oxygen Yoga & Fitness in midtown Toronto and never looked back.
She says the instructors were “amazing,” and she enjoyed being able to take classes at convenient times. Before long she became “addicted” to the community. She felt that its values aligned with her own and appreciated the constant improvements and “sense of engagement,” so much so that she decided to purchase and set up her own franchise here in Leaside.
She reports that the studio will have at least 55 traditional yoga and fitness classes per week in the fall, all of them in hot or reduced heat to ensure infrared heat benefits. There is a wide variety of classes available, such as Sculpt It, using heavier weights, Tone and Body Sculpt with light weights, and Yin Yang Yoga, which combines strengthening and stretching. One favourite is, understandably, Candlelight Deep Stretch and Relaxation. Sandie adds that the team is “very community-based,” acts as “fitness cheerleaders,” and holds events in conjunction with local businesses related to health and wellness.
All the instructors have professional training or yoga teacher certification. They then train with the franchise to learn the safety methods and teaching techniques specific to Oxygen Yoga & Fitness to ensure they deliver consistency in their “easy-to-follow, safe and fun classes.” The company also offers a 200-hour certification training program in yoga.
Sandie says the team loves the welcoming and encouraging Leaside community and is very happy to be here. Their plan is to increase the number of classes to 80 a week so they are open whenever members want to work out.
She adds, “Our members are amazing at supporting us and are referring lots of family and friends.” Many comment that the studio is like a second home where they feel comfortable. Sandie is confident they will reach their 80-class goal in the next year or two. In the meantime, they continue to follow the company motto: “I love my life.”
