Bikram Yoga Downtown LA

I have taken a class with each teacher at Bikram Dowtown La, I go to the 6am class and I must say, if Orlando was teaching that class I would be there every day. Please have Orlando take Dana’s old schedule!!!

I never do reviews but this has gotten out of hand.
First of all, why the need to know all of your student’s names and calling them out throughout class? Not a huge fan. I go to practice to be one with myself, not to be called out constantly. But then most teachers are actually pretty OK with it, so be it.
However, Francesca just takes it up 500 levels, every time. I gave her more than 1 chance, but last time was just wrong.
I am a yoga, Pilates, and Reiki teacher myself. I know we are all human and have bad days. But as a teacher you pull yourself together and hang your ego and all other baggage at the door. That’s your job, you get paid for it.
I am very aware Bikram created a strictly structured class, but neither Bikram nor Francesca know my body and injuries as I do. If I decide to take it easy in a pose, modify to my abilities, or heaven forbid sit one out that is MY choice. I know my injuries, my body, and what I can and should be doing way better.
Weirdly enough, I would like for my teacher to honor that. Or at least ignore me. But NOT go on a rant about my every move for 90 minutes. The poor newbies in this class must have left frightened.
Comments to me & my friend like: ‘if you can’t do this pose you might as well be dead’ are just beyond off. I have a hard time dragging my friend out to Bikram, but after this she just refused to renew.
Calling me out when sitting out a pose just lying on my back hugging my knees because my lower back hurts … and calling this distracting to the class was just rude. At that point it just seemed as if she must have had a seriously bad day and her ego was hurting badly. So she used her class to regain a balanced ego??? This is not how you create an open, welcoming, and especially a positive class experience for anyone.
And all that with her motto of: ONE LOVE. Where is the love for yourself, or the love to teach, or the love for Bikram? Maybe it’s time for her to sit one out, or two.
#namaste

I’m in love with the practice and the fact that my membership (courtesy of my boo) gives me access to the studios close to my home and work.
The DTLA studio is great because the people who practice there are truly there for the practice and their health — it shows! It gets jam packed (love that energy!) in the evenings, and it. gets. hot. Much hotter than the studio located in Hacienda Heights. It gets hard to focus on the poses because you have to try to focus on stay conscious without passing out. not a bad thing if continued practice can get you through the class without extra rest breaks (I struggled here, but not at the HH location).
The instructors, energy, studio get 5 stars, but one gets knocked down, only because the parking situation is a little weird. You have to park your car in the structure and sometimes leave your keys with the attendants. Don’t forget to get your parking ticket validated, or they’ll make you run back to the studio like I did. Just hating a bit w/​my rookie-​ness, I guess.

I have purchased a Groupon for unlimited 2 months of classes. I have had four classes so far. I have had the opportunity to be a student for three instructors so far and I am pleased with the teachings. Stephanie, really has a compassionate way to teach the class. I am enjoying my time so far.
The only downfall are the shower situation, could use a bit of a touch up. Also, I had a difficulty my first day of class on finding the appropriate parking structure for this place.
Overall great experience and I feel comfortable with myself if I can’t hit a pose because the instructors encourage the students to do their best.

One of the best decisions of my life was not walking into this establishment the first time but the second time. Bikram DTLA was my first hot yoga experience and by the end of my first class, I thought it was my last.
And then I got home and felt a relaxation, peace, and clarity that I have never experienced before. I knew intrinsically that this was a challenge worthy of my sweat.
10 years later, I’m invited to join advanced classes throughout my yoga world travels,
Countless 30day challenges, and a standing split like no otha.
I radiate a joy and sincere happiness that I graciously owe to this practice.
Every area of my life has flourished and most importantly I AM HEALTHY.
For anyone reading this, I truly wish the same for you.
Thank you Stephanie, Orlando, Francesca and all the fine teachers at this location for all that you have instilled in me.
Namaste!
Lorenzo

So far I’ve only been to three classes. The room is 110 degrees. Sometimes a 105 degree room isn’t really hot enough, depending on the exercise. You get two hours of validated parking.
I’ve been to about four different Bikram yoga studios. This one is becoming one of my favorites, because they keep that room extremely hot. I’m not a very sweaty person, so I need a super hot room to break a sweat.

I’m a newbie to Bikram. I signed up for the $ 49 unlimited new member month special. I have only attended two classes and so far I like it. The heat and humidity really got to me the second time because I sat further from the door. I try to do what I can and rest if I feel too hot. I have definitely learned my lesson when it come to being over prepared with ice water and extra towels. I had no idea I could sweat that much. The instructor I’ve had both times is really sweet. I love that parking is included given the area.

DO NOT BUY THE GROUPON
bikram yoga is the same everywhere so if you like the practice somewhere else, you’ll like it here, as well. This studio is just the basics, two kind of grungy showers, not much else.
I bought the $ 39 groupon for an unlimited month of yoga not knowing that you must pay $ 2.50 to park every class. If you purchase through them directly you pay $ 49 unlimited with parking included. I asked if I could just pay the $ 10 difference to not deal with laying IN CASH every time I came and they said no, I would have to pay $ 30 more to get that privilege. That would take me up to $ 69 to get the same thing I could pay for $ 49— a rip off! The employees thought it was fair to pay the $ 10 but The owner seemed interested in protecting his every cent and wasn’t willing to be flexible with me. I’m super annoyed and would have chosen a different deal had I done the research (that they make very difficult to find unless you ask directly in person at the desk with the owner present, who wasn’t there the first few times I came). Ugh! Talk about ruining my relaxation and work out for something that should have been made clear from the beginning. So… Here’s to being a good team player and letting all the other Unilocalers know! DONT BUY THE GROUPON

I’ve been practicing Bikram on and off for about 4 years now. I’ve spent most of my time down in Hermosa beach, but have been to this one and the one in Silverlake multiple times too.
I love bikram… but I only have a few pros for this studio.
1. I love the instructors here.
2. They have free parking
3. I like the layout of the studio. While many studios are shaped like a square, this one is long so its easy to see yourself in the mirror even when you are in the back row (Which is usually only 1 person back, in a full class maybe 2)
Cons
1. The locker rooms are small and there is only one bathroom for the ladies.
2. The showers are pretty yucky… They need a major facelift.
3. The carpet in the studio is pretty disgusting, it kind of grosses me out how nasty it can get after a class when you are walking out and I don’t know if they clean it between classes… I doubt it.
It’s pretty close to my work so I may be back but I will probably look for a differnt studio.

I’ve been doing Bikram Yoga here for 2 weeks now. I come to the 6am class during the week & really enjoy it. Parking is located in the back, it’s free until 8AM (class ends by 7:30AM) They have showers (2/​women, 2/​men) & lockers available. The women showers do get busy right after the 6AM class which kinda sucks because you need to be out of the parking garage by 8AM.
Other than that, classes here are great & if you check-​in you get a free water bottle (yay!).
Xo,
Naomi

My first time tonight at this location. I was very impressed everyone was very helpful and getting situated. Locker room is nice. Shower is nice. Room was nice. The teacher Francesca was very nice for my first time got me situated with another towel.
Problem only was traffic and parking– not in anyway the studio“s problem. But helpful hint parking under the studio.

My review is for the North Hollywood location. I got an awesome Groupon deal; 5 classes for $ 25, this is a steal seeing as to how most Bikram yoga classes run upwards of $ 30 per class. I have always wanted to try Bikram Yoga and as a beginner I walked in very nervous, but excited at the same time. I walked in and was greeted immediately, asked to sign in and walked into the class. The studio is well kept. Clean lockers, showers and the yoga room was clean as well (I thought it would smell but didn’t).
After a few minutes of just relaxation, Orlando, our instructor walked out and we began the class. Let me just tell you that it is not a walk in the park. The room is a scorching 104 degrees, high humidity and you can barely breath after a while, coupled with intense stretching moves, which pushes your heartbeat through the roof. It was a very INTENSE workout, it lasted almost 2 hours and 26 different moves. I wanted to give up several times, but pushed myself to stick it out.
Overall, I had a great experience here. Orlando was great as our instructor and was very gracious and helpful in getting us into our poses. I walked out drenched in sweat, but the feeling was amazing and I was very proud of myself. I am planning on coming back again soon. They have great deals running, so if you want to sign up and not pay full price for a class, now is the time!

I travel to LA occasionally for work, and when I’m here, I always come to Bikram Yoga Downtown LA. Having done Bikram in many cities around the world, I love the fact that the energy in the room is really great here. everyone is here to work and get better, people are focused, and they’re having fun!
The staff here all know what they’re doing and are great teachers. You can expect to get a lot of individual attention, even if the class is fairly full. Because of this, I always make a lot of progress when I am in LA!
For anyone who doesn’t know what Bikram Yoga is, it is a 90 minute full body intense workout. You will work every muscle, joint, and ligament in your body as well as your mind. Unlike many other group fitness classes and workouts, yoga is not about whooping and hollering and going crazy. It’s about finding stillness. Even at the points where your body is at its maximum exertion and you’re sweating like crazy because it’s 105º in the room, the goal is to find mental stillness. You do not need to have any experience whatsoever to start Bikram Yoga. You will find completely non-​judgmental and encouraging staff and clients here!
If you’ve been scared away from yoga before because you think it can be a bit too frou-​frou, then you may like to give Bikram Yoga a try. It’s very straight-​forward and non-​judgemental.
Overall, I would rate the experience as a 5-​star experience, but the minus one star is for the locker rooms. While they are perfectly clean and safe, they could use a little aesthetic attention.
Oh– and bring lots of water!

I’ve been coming here for about 6 months and absolutely love it. All of the staff and teachers are great, but I especially love Byron, Dan and Francesca. They have amazing energy and really help you perfect each posture.
Bikram is moving meditation that will change your life by transforming you physically, mentally and spiritually, and this is the place to do it!
Namaste :)

I have been doing Bikram Yoga since the beginning of this year and it’s honestly the best and healthiest overall workout I have ever done. I’m 5′ 11″ and used to weigh 198 lbs, mostly tight muscles. Since starting Bikram I lost 20 lbs. Not only am I much stronger, yet leaner and more defined, but my lower back-​pain is completely gone. Bikram is exercise, meditation and healing. Expect to be challenged, to sweat buckets, and to be very exhausted in the end. But you will smile when finished — as long as you don’t forget your water.
I’m so pleased with how my physique has changed that I decided to let go of my gym membership and instead of schlepping myself to LA Fitness for two hours 5 times a week, these days I do three Bikram classes a week and go for a hike the weekends. At 49 I can honestly say I am the fittest I have ever been.
Plus I really like the crowd at the downtown studio. The staff is super friendly, there’s no Beverly Hills bullshit here. My favorite teacher is Stephanie, but you can’t really pick a bad one here.
Can’t wait for them to open their new studio in North Hollywood!

I just completed the 5 class Groupon and mostly enjoyed it. This was my first time doing Bikram and it’s certainly not for the faint of heart, though no particular experience level is required to get the most out of your practice– just the willingness to push yourself a little harder.
PROS: No pretentious attitudes amongst the the clientele. 90 minutes in 105 – 110 temps is grueling enough so everyone is there to focus solely on their own practice. I am most certainly not a skilled yogi and I have zero flexibility so this is big for me. Also, they’ve recently introduced an air dehumidifier which bumps them up a star. The first few classes were pretty uncomfortable which makes it difficult to be at your best.
CONS: The staff can be a bit distasteful at times. The first class I had was with Orlando who I found to be rude and shameful of people drinking water at the «wrong» times or leaving the class early. I think Loren is pretty cool but he also has his bold-​faced moments. In one class, a girl was acting a bit disoriented probably because of the heat and he asked her in front of everyone if she was on drugs! Francesca is my favorite. Very encouraging and she took the time before class to learn everyone’s name so she could call you out when she thought you were doing a good job in the middle of class.
You’ll hate yourself and love yourself for coming but if you are anything like me and get bored with routine workouts, Bikram is definitely something I would recommend trying if just to say you did, so keep an eye out on Groupon!

I always get bikram groupons and even though I always hate hot yoga, I do it anyway. This studio is probably the smallest I’ve ever been to. In the evenings, this place can get very crowded… sending the temperature to a blazing 114 degrees sometimes! Come during the day while everyone’s (supposed to be) at work and there’s not too many people.
The most interesting part to me is their carpet in the studio… there’s a small bit on their website about the flooring: eco-​friendly, anti-​microbial, anti-​bacterial, water-​proof and odor-​proof (debatable).
I’m still looking for the instructor I **really like. Some are in a little more shape than others, but all have been cool so far. Very friendly and very helpful.
We walk since it’s close enough, but parking is available in that plaza… for a price. Even with validation it’s still something like $ 2. BOO.
Good luck! Enjoy your time here: breathe, drink water, and don’t die.
Namaste.

I’m at my happiest when I’m practicing Bikram Yoga and I’m quite pleased with my practice at Bikram Yoga DTLA. The staff are friendly and welcoming. The parking is free with validation.
I’m lucky enough to practice with the one and only Loren. He’s quite simply amazing! He knows how the body works and has never once judged my body. I’m a larger gal and not your typical Bikram student so it means everything to me that I’m not judged.
I’ve been practicing here since August and plan to keep coming back! As long as Loren teaches here that is!

Honestly, I was very hesitant to try bikram yoga. The massive sweat, the scheduled water/​towel breaks and the smell turned me off from trying bikram yoga. However, I got a week pass for this studio and decided to try this studio out with a open mind.
The yoga studio is located in a plaza in Downtown LA. Parking is located in a safe parking structure and the studio offers free validation. Yay! The studio itself is small, a little dated looking and is somewhat clean. In true bikram fashion, the yoga studio is carpeted with mirror lined walls.
I took a class with Nancy and she is great! Especially for newbies like me, she explained the reasoning behind the strict rules of the water breaks, toweling off and how you shouldn’t leave the room before class ends. Also, throughout the class, she calls people out on a first name basis for added guidance. I really liked that. Surprisingly, I stayed for the whole 90 minutes in the 105 degrees room. As for the smell? My allergies were really working in my favor, because it masked the smell of the sweat in the room. However, towards the end of the class, I did start to notice that the room started to smell. I also tried to strategically position myself away from men.
I can see how people love or hate bikram yoga. It is very detoxifying and at the the end of the class, I really did feel more relaxed. In fact, the following evening following classes, I slept like a baby!
If your are new, bring 2 towels (1 for the mat and 1 for sweat), and a LARGE water bottle. Since you will be sweating lots, the less clothes, the better. Don’t worry, no one judges.

I am so glad I picked it back up. Even though I’ve been doing bikram yoga on and off since this place opened in 2009, I only recently truly felt a connection between my mind and my body; only recently did I truly understand the concept of each pose. It takes years and years to perfect each move, each pose, and each moment of healing, thus I recommend the importance of staying in touch with this life-​changing discipline.
Recently, I have also realized certain instructors give me a different feel of bikram experience. For me, I prefer a more calming yet inspiring instructor. I think my favorite instructor has definitely got to be Nancy. Jill comes close to it, too! I feel a connection with the way Nancy and Jill instruct their students through the 1.5 hours of class. The way they cue each and every tiny little movement of each step of each pose is on point for me — the pace, the tone, the way they motivate students with their words is spectacular. I personally feel uneasy and out of control if the instructor talks too fast with a forceful tone, even though I know part of the bikram teaching is like that. I am just glad I found my favorite instructors at this location that is convenient for me. And I will devote my schedule to keep coming for as long as I can!