Beer yoga, anyone?

SINGAPORE — One fitness studio is giving new meaning to the phrase “happy hour”.

Trium Fitness is capitalising on the fact that many yoga fans love coming in for a great stretch — and then hit the bar after.

An event, called Happy Hour Yoga, will take place tomorrow (Feb 24) at the studio, located at Aperia Mall. It will see participants holding beer bottles, and using them as props while attempting yoga poses. And yes, participants will be allowed to sip from their bottles during the class.

“Holding the beer bottle throughout the class makes the yoga poses more challenging and it is something that has yet to be done in Singapore,” founder and head teacher of Trium Fitness, Dawn Sim told TODAY in an email interview.

The idea of beer yoga isn’t new — Berlin-based BierYoga, set up by two certified yoga teachers and beer-lovers, was the first to hit headlines circa 2015. Last week, a pub in Sydney, Australia, went big on its publicity for its beer yoga events.

“BeerYoga is fun but it’s no joke,” BierYoga founder, who goes by the name of Jhula, wrote on the BierYoga website. “We take the philosophies of yoga and pair it with the pleasure of beer-drinking to reach your highest level of consciousness.” The instructor has said in previous reports that he first saw beer yoga being done at Burning Man, the American desert festival.

In Singapore, Sim, 37, said she wanted to simply try the idea out to make yoga accessible to the uninitiated.

“We encourage people to practice yoga to help de-stress. Beer does the same thing when consumed in moderation,” she said.

While the class may involve beer drinking, Sim does not encourage the act of drinking and practicing at the same time. The class, Sim adds is “is meant to infuse an element of fun” into what might be a daunting exercise for beginners.

The session will be conducted by Sim and will last for approximately 1½ hours.

When asked about how beer bottles will be used during the class, and Sim explained that almost any yoga pose could incorporate the bottle as a prop. For example, a move known as Eagle pose will see participants in a standing balancing pose that has them crossing their wrists and legs, and with their hands in a prayer position. They will hold the bottle between their hands and — if they are ambitious, they could try to take a sip (just one sip, mind you!) of the beer.

Chair pose, in which one sinks down into a half-squat, will see the participant holding the beer bottle behind his or her back, holding it there while trying not to spill the liquid cotents of the bottle.

One catch is that participants have to show up with their own bottle of beer. And, after the class, one’s beer might be warm — a big no-no for any beer drinker.

The studio will cover each participant’s next drink. Sim says that craft beers will be given out to those who attend the class.

The session was initially open to Trium Fitness members, but interested participants who do not have a membership can pay $35 for a drop-in class.

Trium Fitness is at 12 Kallang Ave, #01/02 Aperia Mall. To sign up for Happy Hour Yoga, email contact [at] trium.fitness. Bring a bottle of beer along with you for the class, which will be replaced by a craft beer after the session.