Yoga Studio or Gym?

All this talk about yoga injuries got me thinking about how important it is to find really good yoga teachers right from the beginning of your practice. It's a tough thing to quantify, although years of experience and training are good places to start. You also want someone you connect with and can trust. So, where are you going to find this wonderful person who will change your life? I've hesitated to criticize gym yoga in the past, since so many good teachers I know do double duty teaching at yoga studios and gyms, but I do think that yoga in a gym setting has greater possibility of putting an inexperienced teacher in a setting that encourages maxing out your physical capacity. It's not a combination that allows for much individualized attention or fosters a real understanding of your body's capabilities and limitations. Now, let me make my massive disclaimer: There are definitely some gyms out there (usually of the high-end variety) that have gone out of their way to establish very credible yoga programs with deep rosters of talented, accomplished teachers. Likewise, your mileage may vary at the local yoga studio too. Want to know more? Read about the pros and cons and chime in with your experience of gym yoga vs studio yoga.