Bikram Yoga Falls Church

Supportive instructors, friendly neighborhood feel, the students also feed off each other’s energy, classes usually have a wide variety of skill levels and ages, everyone seems to be made to feel welcome.

Bikram Yoga Falls Church (BYFC) is a wonderful studio with a warm, neighborhood feel. I love the energy of this welcoming place and look forward to every session. Scott, the owner, is an awesome teacher and business owner. He’s very kind and supportive of all the students. Scott also incorporates many interesting yoga workshops and is building a lovely community. I adore all the teachers at BYFC (Jaime is my favorite :)). They are all so experienced and inspiring. I just started my yoga practice here, but I plan to continue. I don’t agree with many of the comments on this page. The location is very easy to find with lots of free parking in the back of the building. The schedule is convenient and the rates are very fair. It’s easy to book online. There was a comment or two about carpeting in the studio. But the BYFC website («About» tab) clearly provides detailed information about the studio heating system, and that the flooring is NOT carpet, but rather a safe alternative: «Flotex is the same flooring used in many hospital emergency rooms. It is sterilized with a highly effective antimicrobial treatment to protect against bacteria, and, unlike carpet, it has a rubber base, so sweat can never seep all the way through it.» There was another comment about the unstructured environment with no floor markings for mat set up. Honestly, I feel everyone finds a place to set up and we always organize nicely. I chuckled at the comments about no lavender washcloth at the end of the session. This is quite unnecessary. Bikram is about connecting with yourself, focusing on your breathing, grounding, centering, calming the nervous system, detoxification, and many other healing benefits. I’m very grateful that this studio is here in my neighborhood and will continue to participate as much as I can.

i’ve been coming to this studio for about 3 yrs now. love all the instructors, love the 1hr express classes, just need to check schedule before going as schedule changes every so often. i love the fact the studio is not to bright, feel that yoga settings should be a bit dim not overly lit rooms… great atmosphere. dont forget to bring extra bags to put your wet clothes…
bikram is a great way to add to your gym routine, the first 50 mins is the toughest but once you hit the floor series, you are halfway there. the feeling of accomplishment after is amazing & so rewarding. push yourself, and try it once, you only learn that you are meant for bikram or maybe it isn’t for you but I see all ages, sizes and ppl in class, so universal & diverse, you wont feel left out :)

It’s difficult to get over the stench at BY Falls Church. When you reach the top of the stairs, your face gets punched with sour sweat. Doubtful I could ever get used to it, no matter how much I love hot yoga. I have been to this location about five times because its convenient from work. Jamie is the best instructor I’ve had — she’s motivating and incredibly kind. I’m not fond of the carpet and the bathrooms down the hall. I’ll likely visit a few other Bikram Yoga’s in the area to see how they manage to keep the stench down.

Oh BYFC, I came here for so long, to see it degrade so much is sad. Everything from the carpeted studio floor to the attitude of some (but definitely not all) of their teachers makes me upset that I came here for so long.
I decided to never come back here after a teacher yelled at me for not sitting correctly at the end of class to do the breathing exercise. After I explained that I have longstanding ankle issues she informed me that I was «too young to have ankle issues» and that I «needed to try», the yelling continued even though I refused to change position. After all that another, older, woman piped up saying that she had ankle issues and couldn’t sit as well, and the teacher replied with «that’s fine». I shouldn’t have had to justify my injuries at all. My ankle was very seriously injured in an accident and I have been in and out of surgery for the past six years. Yes I am young but it is not up to the teacher to decide if I should be injured or not.
Now just in case you might be wondering if I let one specific incident make my decision for me, I had encountered many teachers here who had given me the same type of trouble, albeit none who I felt were as horrible as this specific incident. The general trend towards a negative attitude towards their customers is what led me to never come back here again. Especially when I had been practicing at the studio long enough to know that it was not always this bad. I was a big fan of this place and have brought numerous friends and family here over the years.
There are some really great teachers here, their shower/​changing area is nice and clean. I will never understand why they chose to keep the carpeting when they redid the studio a few years ago, however it seems as clean and not smelly as a carpet in a hot yoga studio can be.
They do close the door into the studio when class starts, however a friend and I realized that if you really are running late you can call to give them a heads up and they will usually wait for you. The sign on the door that says something like «Be a yogi, be on time» is kind of silly because even us yogis are subject to DC traffic.

I really enjoy practicing at this location. I have been to several studios, and although the facility and parking are not the best in the world — the instructors and «regulars» make this studio special. I really enjoy practicing here — and after having done the 30 day challenge with them, feel like I know them all! Great experiences and great practice!

You will fall in love with BYFC.
This review is long overdue. It only took me 2 ½ years of practicing here to finally give this studio the five stars that it deserves.
It’s small and quant, but that’s the charm. It’s not just a yoga studio, it’s a community. It has a group of regular practitioners of which became like a second family to me. (Honorable mention: Viet!)
Sadly, I recently moved and can no longer practice there, but hopefully through this review, someone else can find a second home in BYFC, just as I did.
P. S. Carol. I miss you! –For those who do not know her, she’s a teacher there. Take her class. Especially on a Wednesday, if you can. CamelHumpDayForever.
To conclude: If you live close by, take advantage and practice at this studio.
**Counting the days till I’m in town and can practice there again!

There might not be a sign to get you here but I found this extremely convenient being only a mile from the West Falls Church metro. The worst part of this for me was figuring out the bus schedule. I did walk back one day. I mean if you remember the suite # you are fine.
Someone at the front desk, honored my recently expired groupon that I actually bought from someone who couldn’t use it. I thought that was really kind.
There are punch cards for water/​coconut water/​mats/​towels. I don’t like that you are expected to buy $ 20 worth at a time. I feel like $ 10 is reasonable. It should maybe be between $ 10 & 50 if you think about it. But I do really like this punch card system.
There aren’t any marks for mats BUT I have rarely been to a class that is full. I’m sure it happens but this hasn’t been a huge deal for me so I don’t care.
It DOES suck that the bathroom is in the hallway, I will admit that. It seems like a really big decision sometimes thinking should I be late for class & pee or not then hold it in. Then the door is locked during class & sometimes there is no one at the front desk to open it so I don’t want to deal with that.
I also DON’T like how chatty sometimes it is inside the actual room BUT I think the owner is trying to get a hold of this.
Everything else with the bathroom is great. The showers get really hot, so it is convenient to change here after class.
One thing that kinda sucks is the instructors are don’t like it when you do modifications. I go to bikram everywhere I can. I have only been to maybe 4 or 5 other studios but I learn different things here. Sometimes if I slip up & do the wrong modification I’m told that we don’t do that here. It can be kinda like… being called out… but I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. But they mean well! & that is all that matters I find them extremely attentive. So it turns out to be a plus!

I just finished 20 class pack Groupon and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time here. The best thing about this place are the instructors. I’ve learned a lot to make good progress in my poses which I’m very happy about. Both Jamie and Spenser have helped me improve my practice.
I also found out from one of the instructors that the carpet is vacuumed and steamed every night and they also run an ozone machine to kill germs and deodorize so those uneasy about carpet flooring should not be grossed out anymore and can practice without worry about being in unsanitary conditions since there is none.
Happy practicing!

This isn’t the best studio in NoVA, but it surely isn’t the worst that I’ve been to. I’ve practiced bikram for 7 years now and I’ve been to 4 other studios in the area (in addition to studios in other cities). I purchased a Groupon deal (10 classes for $ 49) which was too good to pass up.
Pros:
+ Ice cold water dispenser
+ Clean, large, spacious changing room
+ Nice, patient instructors (my favorite is Jamie)
+ Plentiful parking in the back
+ You can sign-​up online for reservations
Cons:
— No signage, I followed others who had yoga mats (it’s the doorway that leads upstairs, next to the Orange Monkey frozen yogurt shop)
— The bathroom is shared with the other tenants on the floor and is outside of the studio
— There’s no apparent guidance to place your mats (no line stickers or marks) so everybody is uneven and can pretty go wherever they want to
Neutral:
+/​-​No cool lavender towel at the end… which I didn’t mind too much, but it’s always a nice reward after a grueling session
+/​-​The carpeted floor… there wasn’t any apparent smell or anything, which didn’t bother me to much
+/​-​The temperature in this studio isn’t as hot as other studios (and I’ve sat in several locations throughout the studio), which was nice, but sometimes I find the 106 degrees to be a fun challenge for me
+/​-​**If you’re a beginner, depending on your teacher, they don’t really give you any guidance on how to do the poses so you will have to watch others on how to do it

I’ve been to three different Bikram Yoga studios and have practiced for 2 years. This studio is okay.
Pros:
— Small, cozy.
— Huge waiting area and decent sized locker rooms.
-$ 20 for first drop in class and free for the entire week.
— Yoga specials
Cons:
— CARPETED Floor. I felt so gross when I had to touch the area outside of my mat.
— Toilets in the hallway. You have to exit the studio to get to it. Have to put shoes on.
— Location is not clear and had to look for the place using the suite number.
— Distracting window. The window overlooks the street and was distracting. Wish they had curtains or blinds.
Other observations: The instructor Lexie kept rolling her Rs like an insane person and it drove me nuts.

I’m no bikram yoga expert, but I have been to 3 different studios around VA and this is the worst one by far!
First off, it’s upstairs and there is no sign (it’s next to the Orange Monkey btw). You really have to just look for suite number, 1073. Many people have already mentioned the place is small. This is not a big problem for me, but it just makes things kind of inconvenient. You have to exit the studio to use the toilet. And the yoga room has carpet for flooring. Eww… think of all the sweat germs that have already been absorbed in there.
There was one first timer in my practice last night. I don’t think the instructor did a good job explaining the basics to them. There are a lot of first timer tips like try to stay the whole class, leave only between postures, sit down if you feel tired, etc. She kind of mentioned these things as the class went on though. If it was my first time, I know I would’ve been very confused. If you are experienced, then I thought the instructor did a good job. Her voice was very soothing.
But the thing that irked me the most was there was NO LAVENDER TOWEL at the end of the practice!!! WTH?! That is like the only thing I look forward to at the end; ridiculous. If it wasn’t for the Groupon I bought, I would not return here.

What better way to survive the winter and burn 800+ calories in one session than Bikram?
I’ve been practicing Bikram yoga for over 5 years now, and this location is by far my favorite. Although the studio is smaller than others in the area, you get more of a family vibe from the owner and instructors. Because of the smaller class sizes, the instructors can give more of a one-​on-​one session which helps improve your yoga techniques.
I would recommend this location if you want to get the knowledge to go deeper into your postures with the help of their amazing instructors!

Been practicing off and on for about 10 years now, and this studio gets it right!
Its very positive and supportive (I mean we are a little crazy to all sweat it out for 90 min in 110 degrees!) and the instructors are great.
The studio is very clean and the prices are reasonable (some of the packages can be shared within a household which is super helpful and not done by many other studios).
There’s a groupon going on right now, but if you are a first timer there’s a deal where you pay $ 20 and get unlimited yoga for the first week — that’s a steal! Recommend!

I love this place…
Bikram Yoga of Falls church is a small but very nice studio. I happened to come across this place on Groupon. When I walked in I was greeted Jackie. She was very warm and kind. She gave me some paper work to fill out, asked me if I had done Bikram (or Hot) Yoga before, which I had, and showed me where to put my things.
As this class was a range from experienced to beginner. Jackie encouraged us to push ourselves out of our comfort level, but to be careful when doing so. She corrected our different postures if we were doing them wrong, and kept the room filled with positivity. She didn’t make you feel inferior if you were doing something incorrectly or weren’t able to do the posture. I really appreciate that about her. I’m very new to Bikram Yoga, and I’ve gone to some places were I feel like an idiot if I can’t do something the rest of the class is doing.
I have 9 more classes with my groupon, and I’m looking forward to continuing my journey here.

This is my 1^st time hot yoga, me and my bf really like it here:) the instructor and front desk are really nice .the class doesn’t pack, bath room are clean. They have hair dryer, flat iron, lotion, bath soup in the bath room just bring yoga mat, big bottle of water and towel then enjoy and sweaty! :)

I’ve been practicing at this studio for about a month. Bikram yoga is one of the best things I’ve done for myself in a long time, and I highly recommend it.
The instructors are great. Unbelievably, 90 minutes usually flies by as they take you through the postures. The instructors all have a good balance of challenging you but not pushing too hard and making sure you are doing what’s best for your body. I almost always learn something new about the benefits of yoga or have a breakthrough in a posture — fall back, way back, more back :)
The facility is less than impressive, but the positive vibes inside from students and teachers alike make up for it. On the plus side, there is a Robek’s and brand new fro-​yo place in this strip. A note about the carpeting: I’ve seen this mentioned in several other reviews, but from the research I did before starting Bikram yoga, carpeting is the only approved flooring. Is it sort of gross and unsanitary? Yes– but take that up with Bikram himself, not the studio. Some days the sweat smell is worse than others, but I guess I’m not overly sensitive to smells or grossness as it hasn’t kept me away. One thing I wish they had was free towels in the changing room so I don’t have to do laundry every four days because of the amount of towels I go through for class and showers.
They also have an awesome monthly rate special for new students. Yoga’s not cheap, but BFC has been perfect for me and I will keep coming back. Friendly studio with a challenging but goal-​oriented workout that’s given me incredible mental clarity. Try it out!

My previous review was accurate but after frequenting this studio for the last 8 months, it has grown to be a much needed oasis from my daily life.
It’s the people that make this studio so amazing. I can’t even describe how much I love this place. It feels like a community.

Let me preface this by saying that I have done bikram in 10+ studios over the course of my practice through traveling and moves. I have been to all the local studios in the area.
May 2010 I move to Vienna and decide to make falls church my bikram home. I had a nice instructor the first time. Though she didn’t offer any adjustments, or real welcome to the class beyond «whose first time is it?» I decide to buy a 10 pack.
I go back the next time, and halfway through I’m feeling a little hot. I lie down, properly, and the instructor, Graham, tells me to get up, that being hot is part of the process, and so I oblige. One move later, I start to feel faint. Graham looks at me and says, «Don’t ever come to my class again without being properly hydrated» in a very stern, uncaring tone. I was mortified. I sent an e-​mail to let the studio know that I would not be returning, and why. No response. This is my least favorite with environment, instructors, and «zen-​level». It’s also dirty with the least clean shower/​changing room.
Then I received an e-​mail letting me know my pack was about to expire (which I don’t agree on this concept for working professionals with limited time schedules).
To sum it up — I would not let any friend of mine to go this studio, and have advised everyone about the many perks of the other surrounding studios that are all at least 10x — see below.
—–
Alas, there are much better options (really, anything is better than Falls Church. When there are others close by, trust me on this).
Bikram Tysons: Best studio, hottest rooms. Nicest bathroom, and nicest entry-​way. The packs don’t expire for 6 months or more. This place is best suited for those very serious with their practice. Can’t leave the room for bathroom breaks. Instructors don’t give adjustments. More advanced. For a beginner it’s more like throwing a baby into a pool to teach them to swim. But, still great. Cool towel at the end. Ahhh, yes.
Bikram Arlington: I do like this studio because the instructors are light-​hearted. The carpets get cleaned frequently too which is a plus. The room also doesn’t get quite as overbearing like Tysons. However, I bought a 10 pack that expired in 1 month under the promise that when I went to Africa for 9 days it would be «frozen» during that time frame. When I returned, they wouldn’t honor the classes that I had already paid for. I had lost my zen. The class wasn’t full and it wouldn’t have cost them any money to stick me in there. I was very taken aback at that strategy. I bought a water too, and was almost expecting them to be like, «well, the water is on us for that inconvenience» but they didnt do that either. So the vibe was kind of ruined there for me. Not a community feel.
Bikram Alexandria: My favorite so far. The instructors don’t just stand there, they all walk around the room and really observe you/​give you adjustments. What I like the most is that they
–Offer you drinks throughout the practice
–They monitor you to make sure you are doing things right/​feeling ok
–Laughing is OK
–If you have to go to the bathroom, no one will roll your eyes
–You get popsicles at the end
–THE PASSES DON’T EXPIRE
–It doesn’t get TOO hot
I do bikram to get into my zone, and even though my practice improves each time, I am not going to be serious, I am going to let loose, meditate, and feel good about myself. Bikram Alexandria facilitates this.
All in all — Anything over Falls Church.

After some nudging from friends, I decided to try this «hot yoga» thing.
I pre-​registered online for a single class ($ 16) and headed to the studio. There I met Swyann, my instructor for the next 90 minutes who told me my goal for my first visit was to «just stay in the room». No problem right?
I drop my stuff off in a cubby in the tiny changing room (2 showers, bathrooms are down the hall outside the studio) and head to the classroom. As I step into the room Swyann’s word echo in my ears «just stay in the room.» I grab a spot next to my friend who gave me what I interpreted as a slightly evil grin.
I’ve been in the room for five minutes. I’m not doing anything. I’m just waiting for the class to start. I’m laying on my mat. Sweating as much as I would after an hour of cardio. Turns out 110 degrees is quite hot. A couple positives: I did not notice the ‘odor’ that I hear goes hand in hand with Bikram rooms but apparently the carpet has just been replaced. I also found the people here very into their own little yoga worlds — you don’t feel like the dude behind you is checking out your «Rabbit».
Class beings with a breathing exercise and then gets into the standing postures. About 15 – 20 minutes into this I REALLY wanted to leave. There is no talking in the yoga room so I was reduced to mouthing the occasional expletive in the general direction of my ‘friend’. This probably did not help my chi or his but it did momentarily distract me from the fact that I felt like passing out. I eventually caved and sat down for a bit, I still felt dizzy so I laid down for a few. The instructor encourages you to listen to your «inner instructor» (unless it says leave the room).
In summary, this was an intense experience that fills you with a feeling of great accomplishment (or relief) when it’s over. Will I go again? Yes. Will it be at Falls Church Bikram? Yes. The only reason I don’t give this studio 5 stars is that the changing rooms were not what I would call adequate to deal with the mass of sweaty bodies that emerge from a single class.