Get your flow on in the Big Apple
One thing New York isn’t short of is places to unroll your mat, yet with a yoga studio on the corner of every block it can be expensive working out which studio is best for you.
According to recent research, there’s thought to be 36 million people practising yoga in America. From yoga-dedicated venues to unconventional classes that allow well-practised yogis to mix things up, as the yoga lifestyle becomes more and more aspirational in New York, a number of unique studios have emerged.
Whether you’re a local looking for a new place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city or are hoping to work your downward dog into a short break to the city here’s a few of the best rated yoga studios in New York.
And why not check out our guide to the best yoga retreats in the world for your next trip.
Best for yoga on a budget
Yoga to the People
If you’re a yogi on a budget, Yoga to the People aims to recapture what it sees as the essence of yoga, by making it available to everyone. Its manifesto reads, “In a time where yoga as a business is getting a lot of attention, the fact that it is being priced out of many people’s reach is in direct conflict with what we consider to be the spirit of yoga itself.”
With five studios in Manhattan and a studio in Brooklyn there are three different classes on offer, power vinyasa flow, and at certain studios, traditional hot yoga and hot vinyasa. The studios themselves are pretty basic, some have showers and lockers, others don’t, but this no-frills approach has a real community feel and the classes are justifiably popular.
Price: Most classes are around $8 for a 60 or 90-minute flow. At some studios, the power vinyasa classes have a suggested donation of $10 a class, but as this is only a suggested donation, if you don’t have the funds, the studio asks you to put in what you can.
Location: Manhattan and Brooklyn
Best for hot yoga fans
Bode NYC
If you’re a Bikram fan, you’ll love Bode. Formerly named Bikram Yoga New York, Bode was one of the earliest studios to bring the sweaty form of yoga to the city back in 1999. Fast forward two decades and Bode has popped up in four different locations in Manhattan.
As well as traditional hot yoga, Bode has expanded to include a repertoire of high-intensity classes with an emphasis on strengthening and toning the body. This includes hot bode flow, designed to be vigorous and combining upper body strength and cardio with a vinyasa practice and hot HIIT, which combines high-intensity interval training and cardio in a heated room.
A well-rounded studio where you’re bound to see results, Bode’s ethos to have “something for everybody” shows in the studio timetable.
Price: Classes cost $32 each, but Bode has a number of different monthly memberships and class passes to make things more affordable.
Location: Manhattan
Best for untraditional yogis
Box + Flow
If you’re more of a cardio fan who likes to focus on yoga as a cool-down, this is your studio. As its name suggests, Box + Flow combines high-intensity boxing on the bag with a shoulder-opening flow in a 50-minute class. Leave your trainers at home, as you’ll fight and warrior barefoot to make the transition between bag and mat faster. Described as being for “those who aren’t afraid to get messy”, this definitely isn’t your typical yoga class.
Box + Flow has a strict no-entry policy for latecomers and phones are not allowed in the studio, so save your sweaty-selfie for the changing room (which has showers). Mats are provided, but you’ll need to rent speed wraps and gloves if you don’t have your own.
Price: A single drop-in class costs $33, but there are a number of different class packs on offer.
Location: NoHo
Best for yogis who need a good soundtrack
Y7
If practising yoga to the sound of rainfall fills you with dread, you need to try Y7 – think hot yoga in the candlelight with a killer hip-hop soundtrack. Y7 studios don’t have mirrors, so you won’t get distracted by your reflection, and are heated to 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit using infrared technology. Branded by some as a yoga studio for millennials, there’s even a selfie-booth to capture that post-yoga high.
Y7 have gone from a pop-up to a business with more than ten studios in just five years – and it’s not hard to see why (just try a Hip Hop Wednesdays class if you don’t believe us). Y7’s founder and CEO Sarah Larson Levey said in an interview with Yoga Journal, “Y7 was born from my dissatisfaction in the yoga offerings around me. I was always really intimidated and self-conscious when practising in a classroom filled with mirrors and bright light. I wanted somewhere I could sweat, have a consistent experience, and feel empowered to take my practice in the direction I wanted.”
Price: It starts at $25 for a class, but there’s a new starter deal where you get three classes for $45, including mat and yoga towel hire.
Location: Multiple studios across New York
Best for a total detox
Sky Ting Yoga
With three different studios across New York (all of which feel completely different), if you’re looking to step back from your busy life and spend some time on the mat, Sky Ting yoga is a good escape. Sky Ting has blended different forms of yoga for a completely unique practice, which is nowhere near as chaotic as it sounds. The primary tradition the practice borrows from is Katonah Yoga, which is a form of Hatha.
The Instagrammable studios are beautiful – there’s lots of natural light to help you feel zen as soon as you step through the doors and they’ve been designed with community in mind, and owners Chloe Kernaghan and Krissy Jones wanted yogis to have a space to chill and chat after their savasana, and it shows.
All of the studios provide mats and offer beginner classes for those who are new to yoga. There are no showers at any of the Sky Ting studios, so be aware of this before booking an early morning class.
Price: A drop-in class costs $25, however there are a number of different class packages for newbies and returners alike.
Location: Tribeca, Chinatown and Williamsburg
Best for yogis who want to try something new
Om Factory
Probably the studio on the list that offers the most variety, at the Om Factory you can expect to hang upside down, fly through the air on a bungee, or just retreat to the mat if you’d rather. Specialising in ariel, acro and circus yoga, this really is yoga like you’ve never seen it before.
With classes for newbies and those who have been practising circus yoga for years, everyone is welcome here, but if you’re nervous about taking things off the mat, be sure to sign up to a beginners class. Expect to be challenged in ways you might not have been before (and witness some seriously cool Cirque du Soleil-style skills on your way out).
Price: Drop-in classes start at $15 for an acro yoga class, or there’s a full one-month membership for $108, which is pretty great compared to other studios in the city.
Location: Union Square
Best for yoga that’ll give you abs
Corepower yoga
Sure, you want to relax and find your inner zen, but you’re also keen to sculpt and tone killer abs. Who says you can’t do both? Corepower yoga has designed a workout that holds onto the traditions of yoga but ups the intensity, challenging your body in heated studios and set to incredible music.
With multiple locations across the city, the workouts vary in intensity. For beginners, the power yoga classes are a fast vinyasa flow, set to inspiring tunes and aimed at building the practice. For those who are used to being on the mat, the yoga sculpt classes mix in strength-training moves like squats, lunges and bicep curls for a more intense practice.
Finally, the hot power fusion classes are not to be missed, mixing the meditative qualities of hot yoga with the intensity of power yoga to strengthen your core and upper body.
Expect to get sweaty and definitely bring some water with you if it’s your first time. All of the New York studios have showers and are modern and spacious in design.
Price: Newbies get a week free, then after that, you can become a member, or buy a block of classes. An individual class costs $32 with a set of 20 coming in at $294.
Location: Manhattan
Best for beginners
Yoga Vida
They say there’s something for everyone at Yoga Vida and they’re not wrong. With multiple locations across the city, there’s plenty of classes on offer for beginners, as well as prenatal and postnatal sessions.
Founded by Wall Street broker turned yogi Mike Patton and former professional dancer and yoga teacher Hilaria Baldwin, the duo strive to bring quality yoga to everyone at an affordable price. As well as the beautiful studios, keep an eye out for Yoga Vida’s pop up sessions in the summer as part of the Summer in the Square fitness series in Union Square.
Yoga mats and towels are available to rent, but you can also bring your own. Some of the studios don’t have showers, so it’s a good idea to check this beforehand if you’re planning on heading straight to work.
Price: Yogis who are new to the studio can pay $30 for two weeks’ unlimited classes, mat and towel hire, after that it’s $22 for a drop-in class, but there are plenty of packs available.
Location: Union Square, NoHo, Tribeca and Dumbo
Best yoga instructor to look out for
Kevin Lamb
Ask any yogi in the city which instructor they follow around the different studios and it’s Kevin Lamb. With a focus on alignment and flow, Lamb’s classes are yoga like you’ve never tried before. He’ll make you laugh, but also focus harder than you ever have before.
Passionate about what he does, Lamb has been studying yoga since 2000 and teaching since 2005. His enthusiasm for yoga is infectious, as he encourages his students to go beyond their preconceived notions of what they can do on the mat.
You’ll find Lamb at Crunch, Equinox, HealHaus, Abhaya Yoga and YogaWorks. To see his schedule, book a private yoga session or take a look at Lamb’s upcoming retreats, head to his website.
Main image credit: Om Factory
