The Fit Guide’s global review of over 400 fitness clubs revealed a trend that surprised some, but sounded about right to others: yoga ranked the lowest of all five modalities for service and experience.

Drawing from over 150,000 data points across six cities (New York, London, Sydney, Singapore, Los Angeles and Dubai), the numbers showed that whilst there are some quality brands offering a high-end service in the yoga space - see below for some featured brands - often basic service standards were not met, particularly in the pre- and post-class parts of the experience.

Interestingly, yoga has been the lowest-scoring category in every single city we’ve visited so far, indicating a strong global trend.

Yoga was evaluated alongside four other modalities: Pilates, Strength and Conditioning, Cycling and Barre. Across the board, service in yoga clubs underperformed in key client experience metrics. Here’s a sample of some of our evaluation standards that showed room for improvement.

• Only 27.3% of front desk teams used the client’s name at check-in
• Just 18.5% asked first-time visitors, post-class, if they enjoyed the session
• 38.2% of staff showed personal interest in clients before or after class
• Instructors followed up with first-timers after class only 26.5% of the time
• 54.3% performed any kind of injury check
• Encouragement during class was observed in 41.2% of visits

While the numbers vary by studio and city, the overall trend points to a missed opportunity to create stronger guest experiences in the yoga space.

And for yoga brands that are hitting these service standards consistently, this data offers a huge opportunity to stand out.

Simply put - hit the service basics and you’ll already be ahead of the pack. Go above and beyond, and you’ll be a category leader!

Despite the low global average, several studios delivered standout experiences. Here are some of our award-winning yoga brands and studios.

Yoga Movement in Singapore led the way in Asia, earning Awards of Excellence at both its Orchard and Tanjong Pagar locations.

In Los Angeles, Sweat Yoga in Santa Monica impressed with its thoughtful service, attention to detail and solid member journey.

BodyEthos in Sydney received the highest yoga score in the city. Their Balmain studio was recognised for its combination of quality instruction and attentive care, scoring our Award of Excellence along the way.

These brands show that great yoga experiences are possible and powerful when service is taken seriously.

Yoga is one of the most widely practiced fitness formats globally, yet it’s clear from the data that, in terms of service, it's been left behind by other modalities such as cycling and strength and conditioning. For operators, the data points to a clear opportunity: focus on the small but impactful moments that shape a member’s perception and build lasting connections.

This is especially true of first-time visitors, who are often feeling nervous and need some help and guidance.

A warm welcome, a quick post-class check-in on how they enjoyed the class, or a moment of personal attention somewhere in the experience can really elevate the journey and help clubs stand out in a crowded fitness market.

The Fit Guide will continue to follow how top clubs improve and innovate in the yoga space. For those who get it right, the opportunity to lead is wide open.

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