Shakti Vinyasa Yoga East

I’m looking forward to attending more classes here to experience the diversity among instructors and give more than three stars.
I signed up for the All Levels Baptise class, thinking I’d do fine since I’ve attended many other baptise classes at other studios.
–Parking is terrible, so get there early.
–They don’t offer a water station inside, so fill up down the hall at the water fountain WITH your shoes on before going in.
–No lockers, only cubby holes.
–The women’s changing room is TINY.
This felt a lot hotter than the other classes I’ve been to, so I wouldn’t advise a beginner to start their practice here.
Although some of the other yogi’s in class mentioned how technically sound the new instructor was, I didn’t feel supported and a lot of poses felt rushed. She did disclaimer at the beginning that we should listen to our bodies and only do what feels right, but I still would’ve appreciated if the class was based on beginner poses, with modifications mentioned for advanced… rather than the opposite.

Love this place! The studio is very warm and inviting. Everyone has been super friendly and personable. They supply blocks and straps. The studio is spacious and bright with natural light coming in from the many windows. There are no mirrors so you can focus on your practice.
There is a women’s locker room (probably mens too?) with bathrooms, coat hooks, and cubbies to store your stuff.
No parking lot, but street parking isn’t too bad if you’re coming for a mid-​day class.

My favourite Yoga studio between BC and Washington State.
My friend introduced this studio to me, as an alternative to Hot Yoga Inc., a place that I have been frequenting quite often. I’m open minded so was looking forward to trying it out, and I’ve been there several times now.
The two teachers I have had are exceptional. While the studio is large, I feel the setting is much more intimate and don’t feel out of place, being a newbie there.
I don’t need parking to the studio, but think it would be tougher for a visitor to find parking. I walk from work so it’s no trouble at all. The street can be a little busy during peak times and rush hour, as there are a lot of great establishments in Old Bellevue.
Service is excellent, staff is friendly and they make me feel welcome. It’s clean inside, the Men’s locker room is perfect for what I want. A bench to sit and relax, a large shower to get cleaned up, cubicles for my stuff. It’s a great environment.
Newbies should not be afraid to give this place a try. You’ll be welcomed and get the attention you need. I am confident that, given the choices that are out there, this would be the best choice to make. Come in with an open frame of mind and you will be rewarded.
There are no mirrors on the wall, but I find it’s not necessary here. Other studios it’s almost a necessity since they’re large and you cannot get the instructor attention that you need to fix your poses.
One of the coolest classes they have is quite acrobatic — we’re doing tonnes of handstands and other poses I’d never done before at other studios. What a great challenge and so fun too. I also love how the instructor connects with me, and corrects and helps me improve — pushing me to a higher level. Little improvements here and there make me better at this… it’s that personal touch that I haven’t been getting elsewhere… the studio is large, but it doesn’t have that large, out-​of-​touch feeling.
How can they possibly improve? How about some midnight yoga?!? I kid partially, but that would be great. I love the fact that some classes are 1.5 hours (90 great minutes) long and you can feel so much better. If you have the time, how can that be a bad thing? Life is short. Do some yoga.
I give a 100% recommendation of Shakti Vinyasa Yoga East to all my friends. 5 Stars (and a half, if that exists).

I’ve been attending sessions at this location fairly regularly for about a year and a half. The first time I attended I felt it was too hot (they keep it in the 80’s), and almost didn’t return, but my husband encouraged me to give it at least one more shot. After the second class everything just clicked for me and I’ve been a devoted fan ever since. This wonderful yoga studio has become part of my comfort zone.
I’ve consistently been blown away by the incredible friendliness and enthusiasm of the entire staff. In particular, I greatly enjoy being greeted by Milly when I arrive, and interacting with Josh and Zack, the teachers whose classes I most regularly attend. Each of these people has become an important part of my week. Josh and Zack are compassionate, engaged teachers, whose enthusiasm for life and yoga is infectious. I’ve also enjoyed classes taught by Evi, Amy, Mariko, and Tina. Really, you just can’t go wrong with this yoga studio.

3.5÷4.0 Stars
This is a difficult review to write– Shakti introduced me to yoga, and it has changed my life. I’ve lost weight, my concentration is better, I’m more flexible, etc.
I have met some lovely people through Shakti and they have some fabulous teachers! Accepting, supporting, helpful.
I began going to the Bellevue studio and took the intro series there multiple times, but really started going more after I attended the Redmond studio; Redmond is smaller, but more intimate, parking is better, location is more convenient, traffic is easier. One of the things I loathe about Bellevue is the parking! It’s right off Main, and the studio shares parking with several other businesses; if the weather was really bad it would factor into whether I went, because on several occasions I had to park blocks away and walk. (If you’re sweaty after yoga and go out and have to walk a bunch of blocks, you chill really fast in the cold air). Plus, it’s stressful to spend 10, 15 minutes circling a small garage, hoping a spot opens up. Yoga isn’t supposed to be stressful!
One of the things I love about Shakti is most of the teachers (esp. the experienced ones), have their own style — some follow Baptiste’s ‘Journey into Power’ very closely, others have a more loose style and focus on heart and chest openings more during one class, stretches the next week, etc. (I take 1.5 level classes). This means you gravitate towards teachers that tend towards the aspects you want to work on.
There are a few other frustrations, and perhaps it’s just because I am new to yoga, (a couple of years), but… I don’t understand going so fast that you can’t even fully get into the pose because you have to transition to another one. Most people, esp at lower levels, aren’t fit or experienced enough to just be able to quickly snap into the pose, and have it be ‘correct’ (I mean alignment, breath, etc). I understand working up some heat, etc., (it’s always in the mid 90’s), but at some point it’s diminishing returns if people don’t have the time to get into the pose completely. To me, yoga is pose, breath, awareness, movement to the next pose, and when you’re scrambling *to* make the next pose… teachers say, ‘go at your own pace’, but sometimes you end up skipping a pose or two then, you’re out of sync, etc. You cannot easily go at a slower pace if your teacher is fast without messing yourself up and trying to bridge gaps between poses. During the holidays they had slower paced classes which still worked up some heat, but allowed you to focus more closely on posture because you weren’t in this rush to immediately transition to the next pose; unfortunately the slower paced classes were just in December, so it’s back to regular now.
What really tips Shakti from 4 to 3 stars for me is the fact they are closing the Redmond studio. Bellevue classes that were already packed (esp. intro), are going to be worse now, and parking will likewise become more horrific. The studio is also going to focus more on advanced/​teacher classes, which I am not interested in right now or ready for. I don’t see how my beloved Redmond teachers are going to get shoe-​horned into Bellevue’s schedule, so I worry a lot of them are going to leave.
The studios are decorated with items reminiscent of yoga or Indian culture, and are well maintained. I like the colour scheme, but wish they would tone down the super-​white florescents, which are a little distracting and sharp, especially considering the warm tone of the walls and main studio entrance. I love the fact that they have an Intro series to introduce you to the basics — I think it could do with a little rework (class one could have a little more to it, it’s mostly down dog, sun A’s), but is great to learn not only the basic poses but get you acquainted with some early binds or variations that you can use to intensify or ease your practice. Likewise the Q & A’s during each class can be helpful, because the poses get broken down and explained.
I’ve probably taken classes from 9? 10? different teachers over the years and with the exception of one, (he was a little too chatty during practice for me), I loved them all.
Unfortunately, because of the Redmond studio closing, my experience with Shakti will probably come to an end for now, and I’ll be exploring other studios. Maybe I’ll eventually come back to Shakti, but regardless, I’m grateful for the experience I’ve had there, and the people I’ve met.

This studio is my all-​time favorite. I tried out this place more than a year ago after looking at various studio’s reviews because quite frankly I’m a little picky when it comes to anything related to Yoga. I came from Singapore where Yoga is a huge thing, so I’m used to nice studio with excellent instructors and great customer service. This place has everything I need, and now that I moved to the West side, I still don’t mind driving back to this place to take classes. I have no complaints whatsoever about this place, I even recommended friends to give this place a try and they all love it.
This place deserves more than a five-​star.

Shakti Yoga in Bellevue is one of those places that people love, including me, because the service is impeccable and the instruction is top notch. I always feel welcomed here.

I came here with a free class pass and was excited to try this place out. When I showed up, the lady and guy at the front continued to talk for about five or ten minutes to each other about business related things while I was awkwardly standing there the whole time. It was uncomfortable and rude. She eventually just handed me a new student sheet and didn’t explain anything about the studio or class. After filling it out I went to the changing rooms. They are big and accommodating, with showers and hair dryers. In the class itself, it was really slow paced and not much of a work out at all. It was really relaxing but almost boring. I wasn’t really impressed by the studio at all and didn’t feel welcomed. I won’t be back and wouldn’t recommend it.

As a beginner of Yogi, I have tried 6 different yoga studios in Eastside (Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Mercer Island), this is the top one I love.
The studio is clean and the air flows well, the temp setting is perfect, some other studios set very high temp and air doesn’t flow well, I can not even breath during practice, or I can smell stinky sweat when doing floor poses.
The instructors are all very experienced and correct my poses during the class, and their voice tone are soft, not too loud. The front desk girls are friendly and helpful.
Every time after practicing, I feel happy and peaceful. I recommend this studio to everyone!

These guys know what they’re doing. And they kick @$$ at it.
After doing yoga for a few months at Pro club, I enrolled at Shakti because I moved gyms and my new gym seems to treat yoga as another item on a list.
I decided to take the level 1 intro classes to learn yoga the right way. So far, I’ve taken 5 of the intro classes and another 5 or so of their level 1.5 classes, and I’m much better in 10 classes than all my 4 – 5 months of previous experience put together!
The instructors are patient, positive and accommodating while nudging you to try that little harder to jump over to the next level. The little adjustments they teach in the level 1 classes are just what you need to get rid of the little aches and knots yoga normally gives you when you’re not doing it right. Everyone at the studio is soft-​spoken and friendly, and keep the right amount of yogi-​ness in their attitude without overdoing it.
The locker rooms are tiny, but clean. I’ve never taken a shower there as I live a few blocks away. Carry your own towel and yoga mat as the rentals add up over time.

I’ve always liked yoga but was never serious about taking classes. I bought a coupon about a year ago and have loved doing yoga here ever since! It’s become a home away from home.
I’ve done yoga at a hot yoga studio nearby and was turned off because it was so hot that even the instructor needed to open the door to cool off. At this studio, the room is heated to about 90 degrees which is initially a bit warm if you are not use to it but it feels really nice after you do.
The teachers here are fantastic! You can tell that they are really knowledgeable, well-​trained, and very compassionate. They all kind of have their own unique styles and may seem to go at a different pace. I also like that there are no mirrors and they encourage you to focus on breath and make your practice your own (i.e., go at your own pace, go into child’s pose when you need).
The only thing I’d think to change would be a bigger changing room. I always feel like I am in someone’s way, or they are in my way when I’m trying to grab my stuff after class/​showering.

Been practicing yoga for 13 years and this is the best I’ve discovered yet! Lisa and Peter — owner and co owner– are so great and genuinely want to inspire all of their students. Every instructor I’ve had here had been very well trained and fantastic. They are great at instructing you how to modify your practice to your own level. A++

I’ve been a Yogi only for a couple of years and I haven’t tried many studios, however, I think this place is really first class. I attended intro series and instructors were really attentive and professional. After the series, I decided to purchase a pass and although I haven’t been going as often as I should, this is my favorite yoga studio. It’s really clean — they mop the floor after each class. Studio’s not crazy hot, like some other studios. Instructors are professional and not intimidating at all. I feel very relaxed attending classes there. I would give them 10 stars!

Love the studio, bright with big windows and clean! The instructors are fabulous and though I really hate exercising, I love coming here! They aren’t judgmental, or derogatory if you don’t know what you’re doing, the instructors are always smiling and helpful (hand on as well), and are willing to accommodate if you have physical limitations. Love it! Now they even have kids Yoga!

Ive been stretching my limbs here for a little over a year now and I couldn’t be happier! The teachers are all great and they are all just a little different to make each teacher/​class a unique experience with the same basic guidelines!
Even on those days when i literally have to drag myself to class i leave feeling renewed and refreshed and sometimes a litlte sore but happy I came!
If you’re new to yoga or just want to brush up on the core principles again, their 8 class intro series is one not to be missed, It really helps explain the yoga poses and is a great class if you’ve ever wanted to start yoga but didn’t want to show up and have no clue what was going on.
I LOVE the staff here and the other yogis are super friendly here.
What are you waiting for? Grab your mat and get your sweat on here!
Namaste!

Generally I like this place and it is good for beginners. They have 8-​class beginner package and instructors are guiding you through the learning process slowly. They also offer first class free if you want to have a try.
The only thing I don’t like is class schedule, the beginner class ends around 9pm on weekdays. Considering that I shouldn’t eat before yoga class, I am starving after that…

Great Yoga studio. Clean, large room, full of light, warm but not too hot. They have a variety of levels. Nice consistency between classes but with even different teaching style for variety and taste. I especially enjoy the 1.5 hour classes.

Love Social Media offers. It really allows you to try out new studios without commitment and making it affordable for a girl on a budget. Tried out the Sunday class and I love the open bright space of the studio. The fact that it’s not scorching HOT is simply a godsend. Ravi was a total hands on instructor for this relatively newbie yogi and the Om chanting will take some time to get used to. But this girl was a sweaty mess 90 minutes later.

The great thing about yoga is that you get to take time for yourself in a positive relaxed environment for both refreshing introspection and invigorating physical challenge. However, one cannot make bread without an oven (or a bread maker. semantics). To really have a successful yoga session, you must first find that positive, relaxed environment, and Shakti Yoga is my oven…(literally, it’s hot yoga, that room is tooasstyy. In an awesome way, don’t be frightened).
I live near Shakti West in Ballard but ventured to Shakti East because my boyfriend lives there and wanted to come along for his first yoga experience. Both seasoned and budding yogi left our first session at Shakti East in sweaty, gleeful bliss. Not only was the front desk staff warm, welcoming, and excited to be sharing their love of yoga with us but our instructor, Ravi, was amazing. He took my boyfriend under his wing, quietly fixing his form, giving him tips, and retrieving him some sweat towels when it was clear the hand towel he brought would not suffice.
So yeah, take that little nugget home with you, bring a large towel for over your yoga mat as well as another towel for sweating. Shakti is a Baron Baptiste Power Yoga studio which means it is a powerful and invigorating flowing yoga done in a heated studio around 85 – 95 degrees. Not as hot as Bikram Yoga, however hot enough to gain the benefits of hot yoga while still having the option of thinking about something other than the will to not pass out and wishing your lungs were larger. Perfect temperature.
The room size is cozy and the yogis ample but Ravi managed to fit in everyone while still maintaining an adequate amount of space between mats.
Locker rooms were nice, tidy, and accommodating; a pleasant surprise as other yoga studios I’ve visited may have a bathroom and some cubbies in the hallway. Shakti had a quaint locker room complete with showers, cubbies, toilets, and coat racks.
Their front desk area had an appropriate amount of retail from mats and clothes, to headbands, dvds, and organic granola bars. It was both a calm and hospitable atmosphere while obliging to any of your yoga needs.
Being a favorite studio of many, the prices are tricky to keep up with if you’re a yogi on a budget but if you can swing it, Shakti is the best. They offer a free class pass to try it out if you’re new but rest assured you’ll be coming back for more. Get there at least 15 minutes early to get all settled in your spot. Try it out, not only will you not regret it but if you’re new to yoga, you just may make a terrific step in changing the rest of your life.
Namaste!

This studio is associated with Shakti West, which has several great reviews on Unilocal,but the East location doesn’t show up when you’re looking for some good yoga around Bellevue. SO — I am a huge fan of this studio! I took their 8 class intro series and loved it — it’s a great way to learn what you need to know. The instructors are so nice and helpful and never make you feel like a dummy, but do make sure you’re doing the poses correctly.
I continued at Shakti long after the intro classes wrapped up and always walk out of there feeling totally relaxed, but challenged. They have several different levels of classes, but you can feel free to take your practice at your own pace no matter what.
I love love love Shakti!