Yogaworks Larchmont Center for Yoga

You might think I am being petty as you continue to read this post, but I tried to be as objective as I could with this place. I went here with a pass from a Classpass promotion, as I am always interested in new yoga studios. I am not a yogi, far from it, but I do have some expectations when attending yoga. I took the 8pm level 1 class, and it was just okay. Nothing terrible about it, but nothing great either. Nothing in the class was challenging, but the instructor was sweet. I was slightly grossed out that all the yoga blocks were sweaty and damp from the previous class, but whatever. My real issue has very little to do with the studio and is more about a man in my class, that I assume is a regular. Sorry Yogaworks, he is really bringing down your establishment, and you should probably talk to him if is a regular. My first impression of this lad was as I was walking down Larchmont towards the studio. I saw a barefoot Zach Galifianakis Doppelgänger. Before he entered the studio he was talking to a couple chicks passing by and all I heard is «I can’t, otherwise I’ll fart in yoga.» Great first impression, fingers crossed he’s not in my class. (I get the pettiness on my part) So this barefoot guy with great pick up lines waltzes into the yoga studio. I thought the whole point of taking your shoes off before you go into yoga is not to track in germs from the street, but olé Zach, just walked down the street and brought everything from Larchmont with him. Lucky me, he ends up in my class. Throughout the class he continues to whisper to the instructor, causing her to giggle nervously. She tried to stay focused, but he kept making comments about «kitties» not sure if that was sexual, but the instructor tried to be polite. Maybe I am totally off base, but this guys seemed like a nuisance at best and a creep at the worst. Maybe no one else in class was bothered by him, but I was. That with the general just «okayness» of the class is why I will probably never take another class here. I have a studio that I love, so I should just stick to that one.

This is a review for two of my favorite teachers in this location:
Andrea Marcum Pietrangelo. She is one of the best teacher I have ever encountered. She is calm and strong, just a killer combination I look for that reflects the practice she offers. Her queues and challenging flow make sense and the way she speaks in the class is like a poet and every class she teaches is never the same and there is always something to learn. It is almost like you are a part of very collaborated play in the theatre, the music, voice and movements; they all come to beautiful harmony. This does not come easy and I realize she works very very hard. The core works she throw in the mix is definitely worths going to her class for. HARD CORE WORK, yup enough to hate her little but feels so good afterward.
Joe Kara. He is totally inspiring and teaches almighty sweaty challenging class. He is very hands-​on in adjusting students and right on the spot if you want to deepen your practice. He has Yoga God voice. I do not know what this means myself but believe me, he does. People should not miss his class especially when joined with the live music. I notice he has keen eyes and observes the entire class. I see him always running to get a prop for students and looking out for the student who needs or can use some help. Feel really welcoming vibes and all around positive energy in his class.
Dear YW, please keep those teachers FOREVER. They are just precious and talented, natural born yoga teachers.

I have been a YW student for over ten years. I recently discovered Andrea Marcum. She is by far my favorite vinyasa flow teacher I’ve ever had. She’s SO nice. And I mean REAL nice. Not fake nice. Her class is the perfect kind of challenge. So hard, but intelligent. I am so happy that YW brought her on. The is a gift.

I use to go here when it was Center for Yoga. However ever since YW took it over a few years ago I’ve noticed some pretty sad things.
I wish I could give this location five stars. Hope they will read this.
1. The bathroom is fairly dirty. They also seem to be out of toilet paper often or it isn’t re-​stocked. The front desk girls seem completely uninterested
2. They always seem to be out of cups for tea.
Or they are out of tea in general. Again front desk doesn’t pay attention.
3. There are so many people on their cell phones at this location. It’s more like social hour then a yoga studio sometimes. Not a relaxing environment at all.
4. The front desk girls talk a lot when there are classes going on. Not professional at all.
5. The women’s changing room is adjacent to a cleaning area and it looks dirty.
6. Chanting happens during some classes. Most people have no idea what is being said, leaving them left out. Have heard people say this often. Would be nice if the teachers maybe offered some assistance on how to participate.

Terrible customer service.
Cat (or Kat) there should be dismissed from her position. She was a) completely unknowledgable, b) lied to me, c) tried to have me lose even more money!
I’ve also had some terrible customer service run-​ins with Yoga Works in the past. They are an extreme money pit.
The classes are alright, but honestly? There are smaller neighborhood studios with MUCH friendlier employees and classes that are sooo much more chill.

Good location in the heart of Larchmont and cute setup being 3 stories. I only give this place 2 stars because there were just wayyyy too many people. At some point, I feel like yoga classes should be cut off as too many people messes with the zen. We could hardly find room to put our mats down and when I peered into the other class session going on, it was the exact same so I have to assume this is normal for this studio.
Our instructor was great and provided hands-​on adjustments as needed, but the woman at the front checking people in was not as welcoming, especially for this being our first time attending this studio.

Awesome class! Challenging, but all levels welcomed and «embraced» !! Hand stand and a bit of crunches in the vinyasa class I took. Finished with just enough quiet time, to slow your heart down before shoving you back into the busy street outside. Parking could be a pain. I walked which I would definitely suggest. Or ride a bike.

I have taken 2 classes here and have only been in the small downstairs studio both time. I like this studio because it is close to my apartment (I could walk here if I wanted to), but I wish they didn’t book quite so many people in this tiny room. I feel like there is never enough room for the amount of people. The room stays aired out because of the big windows on the street side, but that’s not the issue. I couldn’t do some moves fully because I was going to be touching other people’s mat, or even the other people. I just wish there were even TWO less people in there. There ins’t even room for the instructor to show us moves! She just stands at the front or around the room and instructs us. I am still a relative beginner so I still need to look at what people are doing around me to make sure I’m doing it correctly.
Overall, I agree with the other reviewers about that room with the noise coming from the upstairs room. Sometimes it sounds like they are dropping bowling balls up there! I think this studio could be great if we just had more room to be more comfortable in class. I will continue coming here because it is so convenient for me, but I still still continue to wish that the classes were a little smaller.

Greatest place to do Yoga. Everything is great. It starts with a great set of stairs to warm you up and then the front staff is so kind, Tricia, Kate, Taylor, Brenden, Katie, and Cat. The Manager Dino is a sweetheart. Then they offer complimentary hot tea and water, it’s so great before and after Yoga. The studios are great. And the teachers are great. My favorite is Sara Feuher and Kim Fisch. Thank you YogaWorks Larchmont because of your love I will win a minimum of 5 Academy Awards. Love, Joey Herman

I was a regular at yogaworks for about a year and it was mostly great. There are some really great instructors and the students are cool. The place is clean and well-​equipped. It’s a good yoga studio for the most part.
The problems started a few months back when they brought in new management. This added element brought the combined charm of a used car salesman and a fitness club bro.
After that it was straight down the tubes. The whole operation fell to shit vibe-​wise and I eagerly canceled my membership.
Bottom line: some great people there but they’re not even trying to pretend it’s anything but a health club anymore. I don’t think it’s an environment conducive to a good practice.

Always clean and efficient the studio is quaint with a central location and it is accessible. There’s paid parking directly next door, which is free on Sundays. There is also plenty of steer parking nearby. I have taken morning and evening classes. The schedule offers something for everybody whether you are an early bird or a night owl like me. The instructors are awesome and course description true to execution. I told my first Iyungar and it happened to be convenient time but also level ²⁄₃. I was able to finish, but it was obviously beyond my level. The instructor helped me make my adjustments and reminded the class there is a level one for those who may want to do something a little slower pace. I was very appreciative of the information on level 1 and I plan to take the level 1 class for a while and work my way up! Love this studio no egos, just yoga!

I’m not going to write a long review on this location, but I’ve had bad experiences at all 4 YogaWorks locations I’ve recently been to. At this Larchmont one, I was 12 minutes late for class on a Sunday morning. I had some difficulty finding parking, as I’d never tried attending a class at this studio before. Instead of being met with compassion, I was turned away by the front desk because they were worried I was going to injure myself joining in on the class late. What a joke! I’ve been practicing for 15 years, gone through two 200 hour teacher trainings. I can ease my way into a practice with my eyes closed — and sometimes actually do ;)
At any rate, after walking back to my car I felt that enough was enough and actually went back to cancel my membership. I don’t think the corporate YogaWorks way is for me. They have some great teachers but I’ve also taken some downright bad classes (Brentwood), had teachers not show up at all (Westwood) and been mistreated by unfriendly front-​desk staff (Main Street). There are too many good yoga studios out there to accept paying the large monthly membership fee they charge for what isn’t a good student experience. At least not for me.
See you on the mat. In another studio! Namaste.

The yoga classes are pretty good — good workout and very zen instructors. The space is also beautiful.
With that being said, there are some drawbacks to this studio. If you take a class in the downstairs room, there are a LOT of distracting bangs and sounds from the people taking a class in the studio directly above you. It’s VERY loud and the classes are NOT led with music, despite what their descriptions say, so there’s nothing to muffle/​diffuse the noise. Also, the front desk employees always look harried and harassed and the place smells legitimately like feet. The entire giant space smells like a pair of just-​worn gym sneakers. Every time I take a deep breath in my classes, it felt like I was breathing into a giant sock. It was pretty gross. Also, you have to pay for parking but it tends to be under $ 3. If you don’t bring your own mat, mat rental is $ 2.
Lastly, I took a vinyasa ½ class and I was surprised to see that even at the ½ level, the instructor called all the poses by their names in the foreign language, so I had to keep looking around to see what that word meant, and she also did not do demonstrations of most poses, so it was a bit tricky. Notwithstanding, she was very accommodating and I enjoyed the rest of her instruction and the pacing of the class very much.
I’m pretty torn with this place because the classes are pretty good but there are some significant drawbacks. I’ll keep this place in my classpass rotation but if I had to commit to one yoga studio this would not be it.

A friend of mine showed me that a Koreatown location was opening, so I decided to take advantage of the free week (which is very cool btw — not a lot of fitness studios offer such a thing) at the Larchmont studio to see what’s up.
And here I feel conflicted. The level 1 class I took at first was fantastic. The instructor demonstrated every pose herself, was intuitive and soft with her corrections — oh, and she was instructing while pregnant! Which, I think, says a lot about her dedication. I remember looking at the decaying ceiling and liking it — finding some charm in the fact that not everything is completely upholstered.
Then the girls at the front desk kept telling me about all these different deals I should sign up for, and it made me feel like there is nothing truly free in the world, and whatever I thought I was getting away with by signing up for a free week, was clearly seeping through my fingers every second I stood in front of the desk with a blank stare, wishing I could «junk» the spammy information being forcefully copy and pasted into my brain. The next time I came, a girl at the front desk told me I «only had three days of membership left» which was equally annoying — I didn’t ask!
I think I walked into a level ½ class that time — there were no corrections, I got confused about the poses, and the instructor didn’t demonstrate them, so I got really confused and ended up crying — right before everyone shifted their bodies to look into the direction of my defeated, crumpled up body. The instructor asked me to get into child’s pose a few times (it took me a while until I felt comfortable enough to move — I’m one of those people who turns to stone when they panic) and then made sure I was breathing deeply, which made me feel a lot better. I wasn’t able to say «Namaste» though, and that’s what I’ll talk about next.
All I could feel anymore was white guilt. «Gypsy» shirts in the gift shop, suspicious looking advertisements for trips to India to find yourself. I’ve never practiced yoga in the U.S. before and seeing all these somewhat appropriative /​colonialist signifiers was odd to me, since I’ve only really gone to completely white barre classes and things like that. And I know that my white guilt is my own problem, but it’s a problem that did not aid relaxation. So I didn’t go back for more free classes, as much as I loved the perfectly folded blankets, the first class I took, and the beautifully decaying ceiling.

Parking here is easy peasy! Lots of lots and meters. Just remember to add more time for a good savasana ;)
The entrance is super cute and they have lots of cute yoga stuff so shop at your own risk.
I’m not a fan of bringing your bags into class but it’s not hot yoga so I guess it’s not a big deal. And no water but then again it’s not hot yoga. Guess I’m just a fan of hot yoga?
Level ²⁄₃ classes are no joke! You are doing arm balances and pretty challenging poses so be prepared to sweat!
Excited to find my fav teacher! So if you have one please sent me a note.
Thanks class pass! Namaste!

Urban Zen class for those with injuries is two steep flights upstairs, with no orthopedic shoes or even flipflops allowed on the stairs because the stairs, like the bathrooms, changing room & waiting areas are enforced by staff as «shoe-​free.» Yogaworks, why not put «not accessible» on the website?

Very dissatisfied with the customer services and classes been awfully full which I was turned away because they couldn’t fill one more soul on that class room, but they 3 people at the front desk looking at their own faces. Looking for another studio if anyone has any recommendations.

Many years ago I practiced Vinyasa Yoga, but felt like an abandoned puppy when my instructor gave up teaching. It was a sad time. I tried a few years later in Manhattan, NYC and was introduced to the world of mass market yoga sweatshops, with instructors screaming at you instead of the air of calm that I became so accustomed to. This put the brakes of practice on hard. Fast forward a few years and now I am in LA. I decided to give it another chance and my thrifty self went searching for a deal. I was introduced to YOGAWORKS by an article in LAWeekly about the top 10 Yoga studios in LA. They were listed as the best but I was still skeptical. What sealed the deal was $ 30 for 2 weeks of unlimited yoga in any location. I gave the Larchmont studio a chance because of the proximity to my home.
I am in my second week and have tried three different classes so far. The space is clean and airy; shoes come off at the entrance. The two studios (small and very large) have very high ceilings which do not make it claustrophobic. And lastly, the staff is kind and helpful. Classes can get pretty tight but everyone is aware and respectful of each others space. You can bring your own mat or buy one at their shop. Blocks, ropes, blankets and pillows are also provided. There are some distractions from the streets below but nothing that you can’t meditate away. The class schedule is clear, levels are accurate and there is even a way to know if your teacher will be substituted. They even have an app. Suddenly I have come to accept the modernization of the practice because Yogaworks finds a balance and respects tradition as well. I even did a mat pilates class… wowzers.

I started going to the yoga works in Larchmont from the recommendation of a friend after moving to the city. This is where I confirmed how uncoordinated/​unflexible I am, but silver lining I saw Molly Shannon when walking back from class.
The studio itself was nice, with a friendly staff, knowledgeable instructors and plenty of class levels/​options. I was able to get the promo of $ 30 for an unlimited two weeks. See my review of yogaworks in Pasadena for additional comments.

…update! Just took a class with Vinny M what an awesome instructor did ask for my name and even though class been full actually improve my poses! Great class Vinny! Thank you
Have been going to Yogaworks for long time my rock stars are Whitney, Colleen had a day off today and thought about taking Colleens class was so excited but found out shortly upon arrival that she is not teaching a class today and got confused by a schedule where her name was under 6pm but little s (substitute instructor) indeed was there.
Between no yoga at all decided to give a chance with sub he is a great instructor better looking then Clooney but for each is own. Did stay to the end of the class I thought it would be rude to walk away. Did inform front desk (Tricia) that my experience wasn’t that I was expected. No actions were taken by her part instead did get upgraded from 22 $ for a single class to 30 $ unlimited what actually make sense but that’s not what I have came for ;(
Great instructors, great location, great oiled money making machine oops did I say that? ;) but please, please call to confirm that you instructor would be teaching a class.
To management: Some yoga studios that I have been going to would have instructors name crossed so people wouldn’t get confused if he is not or she is not teaching a class and not just a little «s» for substitute instructors
Thank you
Namaste
Devilish yogi

After coming here only 4 – 5 times over the past couple weeks, I am already noticing improvements in my patience and mood, which definitely carry over into my marriage and my job. It’s feels like a lightness of being. In my 15 years of yoga practice, these more noticeable changes usually happen (for me) after doing full 90 min sessions at least 2x per week, and I usually start feeling better after just 1 – 2 classes. I love the fact that the classes here are 90 min.
The unlimited membership allows me to go often to maintain my results. If it seems expensive, compare to the cost of therapy. The class schedule is full of great class options every day. This makes it possible to practice yoga with minimal planning (in the now!)

Jodi Blumstein! She’s the best!
Ashtanga Mysore in Larchmont at YogaWorks — Jodi is why I joined and brought a friend along, too.
I learned with Jodi in Chicago for awhile, knew nothing about yoga but connected right away with this (difficult) form and this great teacher — this was «it» for me.
…And then I moved to a different part of Chicago and wasn’t able to go to her studio anymore.
13 years later, I was sitting here in LA thinking of Jodi and yearning to go to her class… googled to see what she’s up to and she’s teaching right in my neighborhood! How cool is that???
Not that I wish for the class to be more crowded… I just had to share this out of gratitude:)
Thank you, Jodi!

This has been my yoga home for going on four years now. I go at least three (usually four) times every week. And I love it.
I’ve have had at least a dozen teachers and all of them are great. My favorites are Mollie, Michelle and Fred. I love this place.

The studio is just lovely — the entrance is small but several stories (I think 3) so very spacious.
I took the Iyengar class with Marta who has a very stereotypically Iyengar mentality with OCD tendencies and everything I learned to love :) the class was amazing, challenging and she really knew what she was doing.
I also went to the YogaBasics class with Mary which was also great and held in a huge room with a big buddha statue. Mary was very perceptive and helpful, also very knowledgable and gave a very good class that would be enjoyable for all types of yogis.
I started with the free first week, but they have a monthly plan for about $ 100 with unlimited classes, which is not too bad considering the good quality, clean and spacious studio rooms and the great teachers. Also they have classes at varied hours in the morning and evening to accomodate almost any work schedule.
They also have a little store full with everything you could want for yoga, though most of the items are expensive.
The one drawback is there is a problem with parking, which is why I almost didn’t gove it 5 stars. There is only parking with meters in the area (for 2 hours at least), but all streets in the few blocks around are for residential parking. The studio recommends parking there but this could lead to a ticket. Also there is nowhere to park there on Sundays as there is a farmers market on the other side of the street, but great to visit.
Btw the area is really nice– lots of little shops, bagel place, coffee shop, and japanese restaurant to visit after or before yoga :)

Paul Cabanis, Koren Paalman, Anne Van Valkenburg, and on occasion, Jenny Aurthur! Nancy Sandercock used to be another of my mainstays here but she’s out of town presently. I hope she will be back. I originally came to this Yogaworks studio because of the Anusara teachers who taught here. I was so sad to see them go. But the caliber of Iyengar trained (both Iyengar certified and not) teachers here is amazing!
More more more!!! More Jenny! More Anne! More Paul, More Koren! And bring back Nancy when she’s in town! I’ve taken a few of the other teachers’ classes and enjoyed them as well.
I will be moving to Oakland for school in the late summer and I’m already despairing of finding a studio with such a rockstar teaching staff.

YogaWorks has a great community. Everyone is really nice and the instructors are very professional and make class a great time.
For all those pregnant women, although you may not see prenatal classes on the schedule, Patti Lewi, and Nona Chiang, Mollie Johnson are qualified prenatal instructors and they are the BEST. They have made me love yoga. They are very good about communicating modification for certain poses. At 7 months pregnancy, I’m feeling strong, flexible and pain-​free. Thanks ladies!

Great for people that are new to yoga (like me!) I’ve been doing yoga at my gym and yes it is a great work out but the difference I find from gym yoga (24 hour fitness) and yoga works is the heavy focus on breathing techniques and meditation. The yoga at my gym is great but what i really needed was the breathing/​meditation. It’s only been 4 days but honestly I feel fantastic. Not only physically (don’t get me wrong they not only focus on meditation but all the other good yoga poses etc too!) but mentally my mind feels calm and extremely clear.
I definitely would recommend yoga works to anyone that wants a great work out & get in tune with their mind (if that makes sense, heh)
*HATHA 1*
–Great class for beginners! Loved how intimate the class was. The instructor was amazing. She walked around correcting people’s forms and one of the students was suffering from an injury (?) and she was able to adjust the class to suit her needs.
*YOGA 1*
–Such a great workout. Who knew that posing and breathing would make you sweat! My legs were shaking by the end of the class. The class is not hard but not too easy which I like. The instructor for this class also constantly walked around and helped everyone with their poses.
–Offers one week free trial! So far I went 4 consecutive days but needed to rest today because I was pretty sore! Free mat rentals during your trial week also
–CLEAN! Before & after every class a staff member cleans the floors. Building itself is old and so is the bathroom but they managed to keep everything immaculate :0)
–Definitely recommend the afternoon classes. Not a lot of people and plenty of open space to get your stretch on.
–Parking is meter but the neighborhood streets (behind both banks) offer 2 hour free parking
–Oh & they offer complimentary tea! Awesome :0)