Fitness & Wellness, Lifestyle, Oakland Park

Mission Yoga: A Place for Everyone to Practice Yoga

Myth #1 - Yoga is only for people who are flexible or contortionists

Mission Yoga, the peaceful, welcoming new non-heated yoga center in the heart of downtown Oakland Park, is the perfect spot to dispel misconceptions about yoga practice. The studio has been open since October 2021 and it’s located at 3400 NE 12th Avenue, Unit 1.

Owner Shay Palmer is not only an experienced yoga instructor, but she is also a movement and mobility specialist. Palmer met with LivingInOaklandPark.com to tell us about her studio and to help clear up myths about this millennial long’s practice.

Palmer distinguishes herself as a yogi by emphasizing a true functional assessment approach. In other words, she may tailor a yoga class to a particular student’s physiology, injury or practical life needs or goal. Essentially , a student can transform their yoga experience to their everyday life/work/relationship experiences.

Palmer is a native of Hollywood Florida. She has been a yoga aficionado for 12 years and is the biggest proponent of her studio’s core values of community, impact, education and service. Her yoga credentials are vast including FRC (a mobility specialist), E-RYT 500 (expert registered yoga teacher), 200 hours of RYS (Yoga Alliance approved) and YACEP (yoga alliance certified educational provider).

Myth #2 - Yoga is too intimidating, I will be surrounded by flexible students and will feel silly

Upon entering this clean, peaceful, wood floored 1700 square foot studio, you can literally feel the welcoming, non judgmental vibe and energy.

Have you worried that a fast paced flow might make you feel uncoordinated and clumsy? You don’t have to worry about that at Mission Yoga.

Mission offers 5 eclectic styles of yoga class to their students:

Standard vinyasa – a fluid flow of one yoga pose into the next pose.
Restorative yoga – an asana or pose, held or maintained for longer period of time for relaxation and for connective tissue balancing.
Power yoga – a 50 minute yoga workout.
Mission mobility – this non flow, prop/foam roller/block emphasizing style assists with balance and coordination.
Slow flow – this style combines hatha and vinyasa at a slower pace.

With so many different styles you will find one that fits your pace and your ability.

Myth #3 - The teachers will be super hard and difficult to follow

Mission Yoga currently has 6, 200 hour teacher trained instructors, several with higher level (300 hour training) and several with an additional 20 hour anatomy background.

Three of the 6 are in-house certified and 3 are certified from other yoga teacher trainings.

Every student practices to her/his yoga style and beginner/intermediate/advanced level in a non judgmental, accepting environment making it easy for everyone to follow along.

Myth #4 - In person yoga can be potentially scary in our current, pandemic obsessed society

“Embarking on a new yoga studio venture during Covid-19 pandemic of the past 20 months has been rocky”, admits Palmer.

Her studio permits were a 7 month wait for completion from the City of Oakland Park, and construction materials were also stalled for 6 months due to the supply chain shortage. She laboriously and personally oversaw all of the construction herself.

Palmer meticulously professionally cleans AND sanitizes her studio daily. Her one room setup can house up to 40 students, but adequate spacing out of students is her top priority. She balances the core yoga value that merges asana/pose practice with human connection, but in a clean, organized, and thoughtful way.

Palmer offers individual classes, class packages and monthly yoga packages at reasonable prices. Pricing is readily available on missionyogafl.com

The #1 Truth About Mission Yoga

Yoga, especially in the eclectic, edgy and diverse environment at Mission Yoga, can appeal to all ages, physical conditions/fitness levels and health goals. So if yoga is something you have wanted to try out or get back into, you will certainly find a yoga class for you at Mission Yoga.

Check out the website missionyogafl.com, Mission Yoga on Instagram and Facebook, or stop by to see the fabulous studio in the heart of downtown Oakland Park!

Mission Yoga: 3400 NE 12th Avenue, Unit 1 | Oakland Park, FL

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About the Author

Beth Cooper

Beth Cooper is a Philadelphia Pennsylvania native. She has lived and practiced in Oakland Park for 21 years. Her practice, called Sunshine Chiropractic Center, focuses on family, pediatric, pregnant women, back pain, and auto accidents.

Fitness, running and yoga are her passions. Beth loves spending time with her 11 year old daughter and husband Rob of 20 years when not working.

She loves to support and utilize local mom and pop, entrepreneurial businesses whenever possible. She volunteers for Poverello Live Well Center weekly as the agency’s chiropractor and has done so for over 10 years.