Its mission: to spread yoga and “share the practice”--coincidentally the title of PULSE YOGA Pasong Tamo’s opening salvo last weekend, an Ashtanga workshop with PURE YOGA’s Amy Cheung. The 2-day event was well-attended by Pulse members and non-members alike, including yoga butterfly Lyn, fellow yoga blogger Chona, POWER Up! climbers Allen and Joel, and even Sundar Bikram Yoga owner and instructor Aljarreau Galang who noticeably sweat buckets inside the non-heated room and slept in Shavasana for half an hour.
The paint at the 2-storey, 8 studio Pasong Tamo outlet hasn’t dried yet but one gets the distinct impression that PULSE is poised for rapid growth—driven not only by the yoga boom but also by a success strategy which the management has clearly “meditated” on.
With its finger truly on the pulse of yoga, PULSE offers multiple classes to cater to a broad base of practitioners. From Hatha to Led Ashtanga, and Hot Flow to Kids Yoga, classes run for a duration of 75 minutes and are taught by a formidable team of instructors led by Managing Instructor, Tesa Celdran, fresh from Mysore, India and new addition Pye Trinidad who is certified to teach Bikram Yoga offered as HOT YOGA in Pulse. While PULSE YOGA @ Mandarin has an Ashtanga Hour which is designed for business travelers and executives on the go and raises the studio's profile amongst the expatriate community. Teachers may also be available for personalised training for individuals or small groups. 
Pulse Managing Instructor Tesa Celdran in Parsvottanasana during the workshop
In the tradition of popular Asian yoga chains TRUE YOGA and PURE YOGA, which now operate international outlets in New York and Tokyo, PULSE YOGA has all the makings of a viable franchise: a signature look, a mix of Zen and industrial design also evident in the staff’s uniforms and the PULSE website; trademark services (serving hot tea and providing practitioners each with a mat and towels); expansive, immaculately clean and well-appointed shower and locker rooms; Lululemon Athletica apparel, Yogitoes and Aquazorb towels, Mandara yoga mats, SIGG water bottles and other yoga merchandise for sale; and of course flexible workout packages to suit any practitioner’s lifestyle and schedule. At P500 per class, yoga at PULSE is more expensive than anywhere else, but that price comes down if you avail of monthly or annual packages. All things considered, PULSE YOGA is a place that pampers you after a long, hard practice and keeps tabs on your practice through regular email and friendly text messages.
According to Tesa Celdran, whom I spoke to after the workshop and who promised to personally make me an authentic cup of chai now that she's back from India, PULSE plans to entice practitioners some more with refreshments mixed at a juice bar it will soon open inside the studio. When asked if one day bigger yoga establishments would offer to buy out PULSE, Tesa—who considers PULSE Greenhills her “baby”—says she would staunchly refuse and would rather secure and fortify PULSE's identity in the country. Good to know, Tesa!
With such critical success factors and sustained marketing activities, I won’t be surprised to find a PULSE YOGA branch in Cebu or perhaps Boracay one day. Maybe soon PULSE YOGA can also offer regular Iyengar and Anusara Yoga classes or introduce ACRO-YOGA which really looks like good fun. In today’s free market, PULSE YOGA may just emerge as the Philippines’ ubiquitous yoga brand.
My Om the Road Ranking, 4 and a half out of 5 Lotuses:
Many thanks to Erik Lacson for capturing images from the Mysore workshop. You can view his work at http://www.elacson.com/
