Bikram's Yoga College Of India

I strongly suggest you going to another studio. Some instructors are young and insensitive to the participants’ needs. I had the worst experience there after practicing Bikram Yoga for 10 years in different places in the U.S. A young female instructor did not even try to understand my back pain, and against my will and request, she touched and pushed me inappropriately while being verbally rude. By the end of the session, I was temporally disabled due to the pain. It was like a boot camp. On the other day, I saw a young male instructor having power struggle with one of the participants. I made me feel very insecure. Some instructors do not come on time. It may be far from where you are, but it is worth making trips to other studios (I love the Fullerton studio. They have more mature instructors.) Pros: Cannot think of any Cons: Inmature instructors more

I used to go to this studio back in 05 and 06 and was BIT by Ms. Pope's dog! She acted like it was nothing and did not even remove the dogs from the studio. Needless to say I never went back I ended up with a swollen leg and a bruise the size of a grapefruit. I continued to practice at Bikram headquarters. However it has been so HOT in the room I was looking to go to Hermosa, but since Manhattan has new owners I will definately try there again as it is a little closer to me. more

I attend other yoga as I prefer the dance, love & personal expression & music too... But once in a while I get to Bikram for a toxic cleanout & an honest do it this way thing. I enjoyed my yoga today. the studio has been redone & is nice..... & not carpeted but like rubberized carpet which makes sense. The teacher was very good & & instructive to all...... newbies & usuals & sometimers.... so I think if you went now it would be different. I have never had Bikram be ""Sweet or gentle"", it is staunch.......... so...... but the teacher was very instructive & did a good job of all the explanations. I enjoyed it & definitely was light headed & felt it, & I work out hard daily...... more

I have been a student at this studio for 9 years. It was recently purchased by new owners and totally redone. It is clean, relaxing and the certified Bikram teachers are WONDERFUL! I agree with many of the comments posted about the old studio. Smelly, dogs, dark and depressing. The NEW studio is wonderful to practice in. You can see palm trees and ocean from the studio. It has been completely renovated and is calming and serene. The YOGA FLOOR is like nothing I've ever experienced. I always worried about stepping on the smelly, sweating carpeting. The NEW yoga flooring is recycled and so cool. The staff is cheerful and bright. There are great yoga clothes, mats, mat cleaner, t-shirts and yogi-toes available to purchase. Every time I go in, I am buying something new. I also enjoy the variety of teachers there. Some classes you get the exact dialogue word for word which sends me into deep meditative practice, other classes go into greater depth of the postures. Sometimes crossing the boundary between yoga practice and every day life. Very poignant and enjoyable for a long time student of Bikram's yoga. I would highly recommend this studio to beginners and advanced students alike. The heat is nice. It is not boiling hot at each class. Rather it is mildly hot and humid, which I tend to prefer. The changing facilities are clean with showers in three bathroom areas. I highly recommend this studio. If you experienced the old studio, you simply must check out what has been done. IT IS AMAZINGLY DIFFERENT. Namaste Pros: 1 block to beach in Manhattan beach, beautiful, clean, tranquil, fabulous teachers, shopping... more

BY FAR the most horrid yoga experience I've ever had. I've been practicing Bikram now for 4 years, had a dozen teachers and practiced in California and Hawaii. The teacher here was disconnected, and frankly made me wonder if she is even a Bikram instructor. Every yoga class I have taken (I've been practicing for 10 years now) closes the class with ""Namaste""...there was no namaste. She instructs students to do the poses flat out WRONG. And, when students are doing something wrong, there was no attempt to correct them, and the class was not that large, about 15 people--maybe. Aside from the poor teaching, there is the substandard facility. First, the heating is done with poorly functioning space heaters, which is fine, I understand not everyone can do it differently than that, but the room was probably about 90 degrees MAX. I didn't even break a sweat. The room is painted lavender with purple carpet, not exactly warming. And I have to get back to the teacher-- awful. Simply awful. Unkind. She moved my water bottle and rings to a place SHE deemed...better, I guess? Where she put them got in my way as I was doing poses. She told me I was doing poses wrong, when my previous teachers have offered their full endorsement if I ever want to attend Bikram teacher training. She also wanted the class to be SILENT, this was made quite obvious during the very first breathing exercise, which should have an audible vibration against the back of the throat. I noticed I was the only one doing this. Also, during the sit-up, there should be a somewhat forceful, double-exhale. I did mine as I usually do, and was corrected with ""it's just a soft blowing, shouldn't be audible."" So, if you have been attending this studio, I feel for you, you will be quite surprised if you do Bikram at a different studio. If you are in the market for another studio close by, I highly recommend Bikram Yoga Redondo Beach. The facility is immaculate and the teachers are simply amazing and graceful. NAMASTE :) Pros: None come to mind... Cons: Let's say all of it. more

unfortunately i was afraid to take my shoes off for fear of catching something so I left. Are they violating health codes??? you expect some sweaty smell in the typical bikram studio but i agree this one is just ridiculous. sorely dissappointed considering its ""prime Manhattan beach"" location. they need to get new carpet KEEP THE AREA VENTILATED and keep those dogs out of there geez! i didn't know they had dogs in there! no wonder it smells so bad. i love dogs but NOT in the studio please! Pros: practice in general Cons: horrible smell, not able to relax more

I have to agree with the previous reviews. The classes are good but the smell is HIDEAOUS! The place needs to get new carpets or something. It's bad enough that it is really warm and when the sweat and dog smell gets combined it get pretty nasty. I wish they would do something about it and then I would really enjoy going there more often. Pros: good instructor, great and sweaty workout Cons: smell room, parking more

They need to pull up the carpet and scrub that place from top to bottom. The smell is HIDEOUS. It really angers me too because this is the closest Bikram studio to me 5-10 min. But I cannot concentrate with that horrendous smell. IT REALLY DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE. All the money they are getting and no one can clean that place up? the nerve. The Redondo beach location is too far to make the 5pm class on a consistent basis but it is nicer inside. There is more to say but I wont say it. My goodness. \r \r I thought the studio I practice at in the bay area was bad. This one takes the cake!! Clean it up guys and I will frequent your studio. Promise. more

I have been going to this studio on and off for a few years. The classes are great, and I haven't found the teachers to be bossy as the previous post mentions. They do ask that your water be on the upper left corner, but I don't see what the problem is; the classes tend to get packed so it seems they are simply trying to be organized. The one bad thing I have to say is the dogs that run around do not help the smell in the studio. Pros: Good Class Cons: Dogs more

Teachers are very abrupt and harsh and are not teaching students to do anything but rather demanding students be obedient. I have been doing bikram yoga now for years and have never had teachers so bossy before. They even told me i had to have my water bottle on the top left corner of my mat?!?! WHY?? There are many other wonderful bikram studios around with compassionate teachers so TRY THE OTHER ONES and dont let this studio scare you off from doing Bikram Yoga! more