YogaWorks Union Square

I’ve been meaning to pay a visit to Yogaworks since I’ve heard decent reviews about them. The opportunity came when I found a Groupon deal for $ 39 unlimited classes for one month. So now I’m hitting up this studio as my new happy place. I’ve done Bikram before so I would say I’m a pretty seasoned Yogi. However, once I take a hiatus, I need to relearn the basics again and Yogaworks offers Level 1 classes, which I really appreciate. My first class with them was actually a Level 2 Vinyasa, which I would say it’s ok for beginners but some moves are a bit advanced. I decided to challenge myself and the instructor I had was pretty good. She isn’t a typical yoga instructor with a monotone speaking voice. In fact, she was quite a comedian. I had a great time during this session. With some assistance, I was able to do a headstand against the wall for the first time. It is quite an exhilarating feeling when you realize your body can do all these crazy moves you think only gymnasts and acrobats can do. After the class was over, I just wanted more. But too bad she only teaches on a certain day and time.
My second class was a Level 1 class, which is very basic beginners. Even though when people think it’s a «101» class, it is actually quite challenging because the focus is more on getting the postures right rather than completing the sequences. You also learn to use the different muscles that are involved in each pose. I took a Sunday morning class and it was only 5 of us, which is a perfect size because it feels more like a private lesson.
Overall, I really like the studio here. It is very clean and spacious. There’s no locker room but they have coat hangers and cubbies to put your stuff in and an enclosed area for changing. They allow you to bring your bags into the studio. They also offer complimentary Yogi tea bags for you to drink. Depending on how the rest of the Groupon month goes, I’m even thinking about joining their membership if I want to keep up with my yoga practice.

Level 2? Nope. Near absolute beginner. 1 if that.
I hate giving yoga studios or teachers bad reviews but I really didn’t enjoy my class with Sasha Nelson. It was very very basic, on no world a level 2. Which is fine if you’re a beginner! But don’t advertise it as intermediate.
The first 15 minutes pretty much were dedicated to working on chaturanga, which I agree is important to get right, but in an hour long class? Too much. Then the whole rest of the class was standing sequences. (Apart from Sphinx pose briefly. No seated poses at all, which left me feeling incomplete and not ready for savasana — which I skipped. And I NEVER skip savasana! I just dealt like it hasn’t been ‘earned’ or set up.
Not satisfied at all. 4 stars because the beginners in the class (aka most of the class) probably got something out of it.
Also, the mats suck. Seriously slippery. And thin.

After being away for a year due to injury and funds, after joining classpass, yogaworks finally became a vendor, and I immediately took Yuval’s Saturday 1:45 class. It felt so good to be back. I am so blessed this is where my first yoga experience was and where I learned how to do asanas properly with good form.
I was expecting a hard fast flow, akin to Yuval’s normal style, but there were so many ‘funky chaturangas’, he stopped us and we did a little workshop to make sure we did them correctly. It bugged him to see them done wrong. We did the same with wheel to make sure our limbs were positioned correctly. This is a level 2 flow class, not beginner or a workshop– people in there had been practicing for years, but like I said, form and alignment are more important than doing a headstand. It also builds strength from the bottom up and he consistently reminds you of form as you move through postures.
I knew this had been lacking in all the other yoga studios I have been trying, though the students are advanced, there is no mention of form or attention to safety. The transitions in these other studios are dancey and unique, but not yoga-​esq.
I have not done so many chaturangas, planks, and downward dogs between flows in so long and Ioved it! He talked about breath! Imagine that– yoga is breath, breath is yoga.
Lastly, I was not in pain even with my injuries, at the end of the 75 minute class, though I have been in 2 minutes in others. I just think form, care and consciousness are so present in this studio, I am so turned off to the others.
I cannot wait to continue here. i am so glad they are on classpass! I highly recommend yoga flow with music– all the teacher are fantastic.

As it is with the many yoga studios that I’ve been to in my long practice, this one is definitely hit or miss when it comes to particular classes and teachers. For the most part, the three teachers that I’ve had classes with so far are very knowledgeable. After my long hiatus, I started with a level 1 class which dragged slightly, but my level ²⁄₃ class experience was quite the workout. Personally, I think it’s all about what you’re looking for in your practice, and Yogaworks certainly has enough variety between all of their classes to fit everyone’s needs.
Though I had pleasant customer service interactions over the phone and with certain people at the front desk, there are a couple folks who aren’t particularly friendly or interested in helping out. It sucks, because sometimes I’m just curious about how many classes are left in my pass, but a frowning face and a don’t-care attitude aren’t welcoming to both newbies and seasoned yogis.
This yoga studio chain has prices which are on the steep side, but occasionally they rope you into great sales that lower class prices down to the affordable level for us poor people.

I liked this yoga studio a lot and would definitely go back. They offer a free week for first-​time customers. My friend and I did the Monday 6:00 class. At first the teacher kinda drove me crazy, but eventually I came to really like her. I feel like she was adjusting me a lot (I’m a yoga n00b) but it was helpful overall. Loved the space and loved their little shop of yoga goodies. I’ll be back — at least once more this week!

Pros: reception is super friendly, location is great. Nicole Mitch is great.
Cons: the two absolute best teachers — David Silverberg and Maya Ray — are gone. They were outstanding. Not sure what the owners/​managers are doing wrong but they need to retain their best people! Also the ceilings leak water — eep.

I’ve only taken one class here which was good but I’m writing about how the sales «yoga» consultant was so forceful and abrasive I don’t think I’ll ever return. I was recommended this studio by my SA at Athleta and thought I would check it out. I had been considering Teacher Training for a long time and saw they had a fall schedule and so I went online to sign up for a 2 week for $ 30 pass.
Instead of the 2 week pass I was contacted by a Yoga Consultant asking me what my goals were etc and I explained I wanted to check out the studio because I was interested in Teacher Training. She invited me to take a class and so I did. I really enjoyed it and let her know. She was excited and then told me their annual membership fee for between $ 1450 to $ 1750 and told me she’d set that up for me right away. WHOA hold on. I just took one class and you want me to commit over $ 1500? I don’t think so. I told her I wasn’t sure if I wanted to commit to a year and wanted something shorter so she said she was allowed to offer me half a year for $ 550 for TODAY. Ok that’s not what I was thinking I was thinking drop in or week long passes (like what I fucking signed up for in the first place) I told her I needed some time to think about it and then she said «OK I will contact you tomorrow.»
I was a little ticked off at the pressure to sign up right away. She stood there and waited for me to give in. I mean. I took. One. Fucking. Class.
Then she said she didn’t have any teacher training flyers and they had already begun and that she would put me in touch with the people in charge which she didn’t even do. She proceeded to call me the next day while I was busy and asked me if I’d decided if I wanted to do the 5 month membership.
Hell no.
I’ll wait until next year to start Teacher Training at my other favorite studio and never deal with this again.

Ok class, not terrible but not interesting either. But email spam too much and couldn’t unsubscribe after responding with «unsubscribe», ugh.

Nice front desk, nice teachers. Classes early in the week after work are wayy too crowded though. Can do without the rap music at the Saturday morning pilates class. need tunes more relaxing please! Restorative rocks if you need to really stretch and relax! Love the tea when leaving! They offer a free trial — worth checking out. Probably perfect if you are able to attend the less crowded daytime classes.

I like this studio! I feel like hot yoga is all that people want to do these days and less studios are offering room-​temperature yoga. Well, sometimes, I don’t want to sweat a bucket during a yoga sesh and then walk out onto the street looking like a ripe tomato hours later. I tried this studio through Gilt City’s one-​month unlimited deal and they kept me coming back.
They have diverse class offerings (beginner’s, YogaWorks flow, Restorative Yoga, Vinyasa, and more) and I’ve been to a few different classes. The beginner’s class is a great introduction and the Restorative Yoga was way too relaxing for me. I went to YogaWorks Flow 2 and it was just challenging enough to keep me engaged and interested, and yet relaxing and doable enough even though I’m not an experienced yogi. I think every yogi and yogi-​to-​be will find something that they like here. The studio is very clean and it’s located just right off Fifth Avenue. The schedule is super flexible (there’s a class just about every hour, so you really don’t have an excuse!). The instructors have been very encouraging, attentive and friendly (and the hippie factor is not too high). The front desk staff are all smiles and efficient.
There is no waiting area, so the lobby is a bit cramped to say the least before each class. They have a place where you can hang your coat and put your shoes, but expect to take all other belongings with you into class. I didn’t see a shower, but I think there’s a small changing area. I never used it because there’s always a line, so I always came prepared in my yoga attire. Check out their website, there’s always a deal.

The front desk staff are excellent. They are the first faces you see when you enter the building, and they are ON IT.
The studio is much smaller than the Soho location, but still clean and has ample space. Come early to use the restroom, otherwise there will be a long line after class (there are 2 restrooms, and people use them also for changing, which makes the wait time longer). For some reason, they blast the AC in the lobby area, so be sure to bring a cover-​up.
They have plenty of props, and they are well-​equipped for having large class sizes, which seems to be consistent — yay — so if you like the energy of being in a class with lots of people, come here. I recommend the YogaWorks ½ classes. I’ve been practicing yoga steadily for 2 years now, and the pace of that class is just right. I always leave feeling so full — physically, mentally and emotionally.
Thank you for the consistent high-​quality programs, YogaWorks!

The space is nice enough — 4^th floor of an old building, 2 larger practice rooms, cubbies for shoes. No locker rooms or showers; instead you have curtained changing stalls and 2 small bathrooms. Bring your bags in to class. There’s no waiting area, and classes are scheduled nearly back to back, so getting there early doesn’t help in getting your preferred spot in the room. Yogaworks’ Soho location feels more professional, but this smaller Union Square location looks more like other studios.
The front desk is also nice enough — gave me a runthrough of the basics and rented me a clean new mat (for $ 2 though. I thought you got a free mat rental your first time at the studio?).
The crowd is a bit less homogenous (in age and body shape, if not race and gender) than at the Soho location.
The crappy part was that the class I took sucked. It was supposed to be «Yogaworks Flow» Level 2, but the instructor (one of their primary ones, it seems) instead spent the whole time talking about armpits and sharing such unique wisdoms as: «Sometimes … our lives are so hectic … that we forget to just stop and breathe.» Well, I’ve never heard that one before!
I don’t mean to sound snippy, and I’ve been fine in classes elsewhere where instructors do some philosophizing. But it was so disappointing that we barely did any movement. There was lots of talking, some disjointed sequences, more random anecdotes, some carelessly explained poses, and then the dreaded moment when everyone was asked to pull their mat to the wall and kill any unity of presence already barely existing in the room.
It felt like the longest yoga class I’ve ever taken. I’ve been to and loved Yogaworks Soho — gorgeous facility, great instructors — so what the heck happened here?

I had a Groupon for unlimited classes for a month, but stopped after 3 weeks. The Cons outweighed the Pros, especially as the regular class prices are high.
Cons — small changing/​waiting area, desk people usually not friendly, teacher that taught Level ½ taught at Level 2 and I hurt my leg, Level 1 classes (2 of the 3 that I took) concentrated on one part of the body which made me feel unbalanced, teachers are a real mixed bag so you have to hunt to find a few that are your style, too expensive for me to join (you cannot just buy one class.)
Pros — most of the teachers had a good vibe, especially the restorative class on Friday afternoon, you don’t need a reservation, there was enough space in the rooms.

What a horrible first experience with YogaWorks!
The customer service by the greeters behind the desk is extremely poor. The classes are fine and some of the *teachers are wonderful*. Apparently, I’m not the only person with a bad experience with the staff, as I see many poor reviews just because the STAFF was disinterested and rude. I think the business would be much better for the community if they were to hire happier and more helpful people to work behind the desk.
Day one:
I signed up for the two-​week deal for $ 30, paid in cash and got a piece of plastic with a barcode. I was told this keytag will sign me in to any of the NYC regional studios for the next two weeks, and my name is in the computer just in case it gets lost. The guy at the front desk seemed aloof and dispassionate about specifying the policies of the studio. The studio wasn’t busy at the time, but I felt like I was a bother for just being there.
The class was wonderful! The teacher was sweet and knowledgable. She made me feel welcome and happy that I was there. It erased all the ill feelings I had experienced from the front desk.
Day two:
I handed the girl behind the desk my plastic keytag and she attempted to sign me in. My profile in the computer showed that I had no classes left. I told her I had just signed up. My 2-​week package wasn’t logged into the computer, so she asked if I had a receipt (perfectly normal request). I thought the keytag was a receipt, but it WAS NOT! Apparently, the guy who «signed me up» was more aloof than I had even realized. Was it too much of a bother to give me a receipt? He didn’t even enter my purchase in the computer?!? So he gave me a barcode to access a void?!? The most infuriating moment was that THIS RESULTED IN ME GETTING ACCUSED for not demanding a receipt. (How am I to know that the keytag isn’t a receipt?) In this electronic-​heavy world we live in, it’s often customary to receive electronic receipts… like a barcode on a keytag. Eventually, after senseless jumping through hoops to prove my purchase, I received an email. After contacting the guy who had signed me up, the girl from the desk confirmed my purchase and she was able to update my information into the computer. What an emotional stress I didn’t need for my day.
The class was fine, but not enough to brighten me back up.
Day three:
I will be going to a different studio from now on.

Yes, everyone should sign up for their free one week deal! It works for any location, too.
I thought the hallway here was way too packed-it’s narrow and there’s too many people here. Definitely come already dressed and ready to go, and ready to just have your boots littered along the floor with everyone else’s belongings, too. You can bring your bag into the room though, to be perched on their window sill.
I came for the basic yoga class and liked it a lot! They also give you some yoga blocks and blankets. If you rent a mat, it’s $ 2 but free for the first time you use it with their free week pass. I thought the pace was perfect but I’ve also taken an advanced class in the UES which was pretty hardcore but still doable. Just try the various levels and see what works for you!

Tried Yogaworks on Sunday with the FREE Fundamentals of Yoga Class with instructor Cathy Lilly. It was my first class so I don’t have anything to compare it too. I like that she was very hands on and personal. She told stories about herself, and how yoga helped her injuries. She demonstrated sequences before having us do them, and she corrected posture if it was being done incorrectly.
I can tell you that I enjoyed myself and learned a lot. I wasn’t breathing correctly when I was doing yoga at home and I used to think corpse pose was a waste of time, but I learned how relaxing and centering it could be. I learned how to use yoga blocks. yay me!
I didn’t like that people can come in late, its distracting and can interrupt your flow.
I think the prices are a bit steep so I won’t be signing up with them, but over all it was a good first experience. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful.
They have to 2 bathrooms, 2 curtained changing booths and cubbies for your things.

Tried out Yogaworks using their free week of yoga, which is a great offer and I wish more studios would do this. This studio is in Flatiron which is great for convenience, bad for trying to maintain that lovely yoga high (two steps out and you’re pummeled by the hordes of people on 5^th ave — sigh).
I like the space. It’s large and has two big studios with nice décor. I’m somewhere between beginner and intermediate and I found the classes to be sufficient to my needs, though somewhat less challenging. The level ½ classes here are easier than the level 1 classes in my other yoga studio, but it depends on the instructor. I really liked Sarah Bell’s class, because she does adjustments and gives good tips.
The only thing I dislike is that the people in these classes seem to be a combination of anxious newbies who monopolize the instructor’s attention and experienced regulars who are snarky about where you place your mat on «their» space. However, that’s not really the studio’s fault.
This is a great studio with a nice variety of classes and very accomodating schedule. I’ll probably sign up for a membership once I finish out my class card at my other studio.

I love Yogaworks as a company. I visit all the locations regularly.
Overall I enjoy classes at the SOHO location the most, I think they have some of the best instructors. I walked away with a shoulder/​neck injury at Flatiron this week because of a substitute that had us doing way too many shoulder straining asanas in a single class. I regularly attend level ²⁄₃ classes, so I feel like I have a good frame of reference on the matter.
I generally feel that the level 2 classes at this location are far easier than the vinyasa flow lasses at SOHO. Also, most classes here don’t have music — bummer.
I love Yogaworks and I hope they make a few improvements to this location. They should repaint to match the SOHO location, do a little cleaning etc. The convenience factor is what keeps me visiting this studio.
All this rambling aside, I will be avoiding classes with that particular sub from now on. OUCH. Also, the front desk people are all kind of rude here. Booo.

I enjoyed my Basic Yoga class since I got to learn the fundamentals the right way. I didn’t break a sweat so I will have to take a more challenging class next time.
The Studio is small but it has everything you need. The staff are really accommodating and pleasant. Although I took advantage of the week pass I had and enjoyed it, I am not a huge Yoga lover to join Yoga works in addition to my local gym.

What I loved about this studio:
— In general, I loved that there were a few YWs to choose from while I’m in NYC on business. This studio was a little less than a mile from my hotel, so within perfect distance.
— That I found a lovely wrap scarf in the retail area to go with my new cream brim hat.
— The room that I went into (on the right when you exit the elevator) was nice and large. I LOVED the daïs at the front of the room. I think all studios should do something like this, if they can, so that you have a vantage point of the instructor no matter where you are in the room.
— My instructor (a sub for the regular — wish I could remember her name) gave personal instruction. I really appreciated her subtlely changing my form and giving me encouragement.
What I didn’t like:
— Not too much, actually. Thanks, YW Union Square, for being around for this San-​Francisco-​to-​New-​York regular traveler.