Students voted the on-campus gym Dixon Recreation Center and the Physical Activity Courses (PAC) as the best places to practice yoga in Corvallis.

Erika Hanselman Green, fitness coordinator for the department of recreational sports at Oregon State University, said that this is a result of the environment that Dixon has. She also said that one of the most important parts of having a good environment is having high-quality instructors.

“I try to hire instructors that I feel will really connect well with the population here,” Green said. “Instructors that really want to help others in their yoga practice.”

Green also pointed out that having a good space for yoga is crucial, and that Dixon’s dedicated space for yoga helps those who want to practice. In addition she said that the low price of coming to Dixon is a very significant factor in its popularity.

“I try to hire the best instructors but still keep our prices down,” Green said. “So we’ve taken away that barrier.”

Tsipora Claudia Berman, PAC instructor at OSU, is no stranger to taking away barriers with yoga as she has had a career in yoga that spans three decades. She said that there is a large gravitation towards yoga for a laundry list of reasons.

“They come because they have nowhere else during their time here that is pure relaxation and totally for themselves,” Berman said.

Berman said that a large number of students are athletes with injuries, who are trying to get their bodies back into workable shape. She also said that her classes are not limited to any one type of student. She said that students who are interested in practicing yoga should not be afraid of not having any experience.

“If they’re really shy and it’s just a very early beginning for them and they’ve heard about and they don’t know, then coming to a yoga one class is the best way to go,” Berman said.

Green said that meeting first-time students is extremely exciting, and suggested that interested students come by a class.

“Drop into a class and introduce yourself to the instructor,” Green said. “Their job as a yoga instructor is to make them feel welcome.”

Both Green and Berman are also constantly thinking about how to improve on their courses. Berman said that she constantly changes to fit the times, and that she is constantly learning. Green said that her focus is on the environment.

“I think really it would be facility-based,” Green said. “I would create a studio that is a little bit more welcoming, a little bit more inclusive.”