Bikram Yoga Kearny Mesa

Tonight was my first ever HOT yoga class, and I loved it. I had been trying different yoga studios around San Diego for 6 months, and thought I would finally try this one since it was close to my work. And I am glad I did!
Nervous about the heat (and the fact it had been 6+months since any type of exercise), I walked into Bikram hesitant but ready to give it a try. The staff was welcoming, and every student I saw said something nice to me. The woman offered me exactly what I needed and encouraged me to take it at my own pace since it was my first time, «focus on your breath.»
During the class I got light headed since I hadn’t eaten so I snuck out to grab a piece of candy in the waiting area. The same lady approached me and encouraged me to go back in, and lay down when i felt like that– but not to leave the room!
The instructor was encouraging too, pointing out how I was able to keep up, but look out for my body too.
Overall, I had a great first experience here and I think my search for a yoga studio is over! The prices are reasonable, and the experience unforgettable.

I have been practicing yoga for 15 years and started in a Bikram studio. I have been fortunate enough to learn from some incredibly remarkable teachers. I was excited to find this studio in my new neighborhood and I bought a 30 day pass to try it out. I only used it twice during that 30 days.
First of all, the studio itself is gorgeous. I was pleasantly surprised by this and the thought of not returning just for that reason alone breaks my heart a little. As with all things, however, it only takes one bad experience to make me never want to return.
My second class here I took a 6:30 am class with Kim Lams. I love starting my day with my practice and I was really looking forward to it. I am saddened to say this class was one I completely regret ever considering. Like I mentioned before, I have practiced for many years, in many styles, in many studios. I know that Bikram teachers tend to chatter a lot more than in other forms of yoga. I don’t know it they feel that they need to fill the empty space with sound but I’m not into it… especially at 6:30am. Kim was the worst teacher I have ever taken a class from for this reason among many others. Additionally, the one and only adjustment I allowed her to make for me was idiotic. Who adjusts the way a student peddles their legs BEFORE going into a forward fold!!! I wasn’t even in a posture yet! Everyone’s body is different and the way I was doing it felt good that morning. I didn’t need someone aggressively standing next to me to press down on my lower back while telling me to move my legs more. I told her to not touch me and she laughed. LAUGHED! I wanted to walk out right then. I should have because things went down hill from there. She made several VERY sexist comments to the group (she thought they were funny but they were very offensive), she continuously picked on a woman who was obviously a beginner, and her ego could have filled 5 of those studios simultaneously. When I left that class, I was even more tense and stressed than before. She didn’t even smile or say goodbye when I left.
I really despise complaining and its something I avoid doing in my day to day life but this experience effected me. The first time I took class here was with Toni. She was amazing. I loved her. However, Kim’s class made me want to write this review. Her class was not hard it was just awful. It made me never want to practice Bikram ever again… especially there. My only other note is that I wish there were more class times with OTHER TEACHERS. Specifically, one more class midday and one later in the evening.

Now that Jo Jo (Joann) is owner of the studio, the energy in at BYCIKM is 100% positive. She interacts positively with everyone and is always smiling and laughing. The studio is also cleaner, At one point I thought that the previous owner (Toni) had mental health issues because she tapped me on the shoulder one day as I was preparing for class and yelled at me about the «rules of the studio». I almost told her «Is fuck off too kind a reply?» She also NEVER smiled. It seemed as if she had her co director Ray by the balls also. Said hello to him one day and she threw visual daggers into my heart. Kinda disturbing. (help!)
The couple of things Jo Jo can continue to improve on is the smell of the carpet in the studio. It smells like dirty feet and tonight in class I realized it may be more than dirty feet as I noticed a man blowing his nose repeatedly into his yoga towel, and as he lifted it up off the floor there was no mat underneath. I almost threw up and definitely will be taking double airborne now that I realize the smell is more than just sweat and dirty feet but biological waste being emitted into the air by the heat of the room and students moving into various poses and walking around.
JoJo…you can do this… in one week you have already made major positive changes… keep it up!

If it weren’t for Ray’s bizarre spazzy teaching style I’d give it 5 stars. The other teachers are very good and the studio is nice other than the fact that it mildly smells like enchiladas when you first walk in to the yoga room. Hiroko is great and so is the studio.

Recently I got to experience a silent class (with music!) here, led by Ray, as part of their 13^th anniversary celebration. There was about 40 of us in the class, and a great positive energy and connection that I felt throughout the rest of the day. What a beautiful community and experience– I love the people here, teachers and students alike. Do yourself a huge favor and come experience a class for yourself, you won’t be disappointed!

I’ve been to several SF area bikram places over 5 years, and decided to visit Kearny Mesa for 3 drop in classes while traveling on business. It was as good or better than I am used to! The owners, Toni and Ray, were a pleasure to meet. They keep the place incredibly clean and obviously put all their hearts into their yoga! The facilities are not overcrowded and students receive personal attention. I have injuries and issues and was not hassled for making necessary accomodation. I like a meditational style, and two of the classes I attended were great, the third, leading a 6am morning class, was not quite as meditational as I like, but still very good in its own way. I was thrilled overall to discover this place and hope time and travel permit me to come more.

Are you familiar with that nostalgic and almost giddy feeling returning home evokes? That’s how I feel when I walk through the door at Bikram Yoga Kearny Mesa!
I have come back after a nearly 15 month hiatus! I got caught up with family matters and an ongoing knee issue. Regardless, I dragged my now 20 lbs heavier self back to the only place I never feel insecure. My knee is still bothering me, causing awkward and triangle pose to be very challenging, yet, I feel my strength developing with each class as the heat nurtures my knee. In addition, 7 classes later and I’m already down 6lbs :)
I adore BYKM, all the teachers are welcoming and although they follow the Bikram script, they radiate their personal energy into those 90 mins, it’s hard to play favorites! Collectively, each instructor has been passionate enough to know the student’s names and will personally polish your pose when necessary.
Some of the reviews were very shocking! The heat and humidity feels even throughout the room and perfectly intimidating (and I’m from Guam). In regards to the «smell» it doesn’t smell dirty or alarming, you’ll get use to it. Parking is tight but I never had a problem finding a spot.
BYKM is CLEAN. FRIENDLY. SECURE. and my overall benefits (weight loss, sleep, strength, and focus) are worth the «parking» and «smell».

Ray is a good teacher. I haven’t gone in years and just listening to him really helped. Ive been to ones in Washington and Florida and this class was my favorite:) Thank you! I am sore now lol.

The instructors here are great, the class is plenty hot, but I wish the showering facilities were more spacious.

I started doing yoga here a little over a week ago and I have nothing but great things to say about this studio and the staff!
With really no experience in bikram, or yoga in general, I was a little nervous when I first started off (a lot of the people around me seemed like they really knew what they were doing). My nerves were put at ease quick as I realized everyone was focused on their own practice and the only one I had to think about was myself.
The class follows a routine of poses which has allowed me to see my progress on each one everyday. Each class goes for about an hour and a half and you get a full cardio workout along with lots of core strengthening and stretching at the same time. The teachers are all very friendly and will try to give you individualized tips while keeping the rest of the class on pace.
When you go be sure to bring plenty of water. You will also want to have a yoga mat and a towel (your towel will be soaked with sweat by the end of class) but if you don’t have either they have them there for just a few bucks. I always bring another towel too so I can shower after the class. You can leave all of your stuff in the locker rooms and everything seems secure.
If you have the opportunity to take a class here (or even start doing them daily) I think it is money well spent. The introductory $ 20/​unlimited first week makes it so you can try it out a few times before you commit too!
Enjoy :)

I was super into bikram a year ago when I was still living in Berkeley and funky door was the studio of my choice. I used to complain about the large sized classes there and the dark room, however, after coming here, I wish I was back in Berkeley.
I understand that a year ago, I was about 20lbs lighter and really healthy! I’ve gone down in my health and wanted to get back into a better lifestyle so I decided to try Bikram again. I bought the week long course, but only went to my first class.
Frankly, the lights were blaring and there were only about 6 people in the class so I was a bit shy and embarrassed. Halfway through, I felt extremely nauseas and had a headache so I sat down. Even when I went to try the moves, I was struggling so badly, it was my first time exercising since gaining so much weight and my body was just not cooperating. But I felt humiliated when the instructor came up to me and asked if I was okay. I understand her concern, but she just kept pushing at it and «checking up» on me and I was no longer comfortable.
I tried to stay to the end of the class, but I was feeling a bit stressed and wanted to leave immediately! I know it isn’t respectful to leave the class early but I just really wanted to get out of there. To make things worse, (which is not the studios fault at all) but there was only one person working so the instructor was still inside the yoga room and all the doors were locked, so I had to sit and wait for the class to be over in order to leave!
I dont mean to compare, but studios I have been to before did not scrutinize for falling behind. I understand it is the instructors job to push and encourage the members, but I just felt extremely uncomfortable.
All in all, Bikram is designed for beginners to pros, and I just felt like this studio was not as welcoming to the extreme beginner as I wish they could have been.

It was my first time today and WOW! I have not felt this good after a workout. I left 20 minutes early but I know I’ll get better at it.
The place was easy to find. The staff was really helpful and friendly. Overall, it was a great experience and I can’t wait to go back. :)
Thank you for a wonderful ezperience!

finally, i have different bikram studios to make some comparisons (KM and La Jolla).
As far as I can tell… this is a studio to go to to get a truly authentic, by-​the-​books bikram experience. it was notably and consistently more challenging to me in terms of heat, humidity, and proper form (i learned switching off your mat and gripping onto carpet for 2^nd half of standing series is the proper way to do it… felt terrible on my feet, but i guess thats due to not having leg strength yet. ugh, ok!). this is a studio to get down to business.
there are things i liked here better than la jolla… but overall I like the la jolla studio for some of their unique features (perhaps its not traditional but IDC!)
Things I liked:
the staff /​instructors: i noticed immediately how personable and genuine everyone was there. i was greeted with smiles, enthusiasm that I was new to the studio, a thorough rundown of the studio, and most of the instructors quickly knew my name and encouraged me as I improved with poses — always a nice thing to keep you motivated. my favorite instructor is Ashley. it was always challenging but not torture, she got to know me best and gave encouragement. my love/​hate is with ray. definitely the most challenging classes i experienced with him. he has you hold the poses much longer than anyone else… it feels like a million years and I always wondered if it was longer than it is supposed to be. it felt like he had us hold till we were forced to give up before hed finally say «change.» but Ray, I love you, still. Hes such a nice guy and I enjoyed talking to him before and after class.
filtered water fountain (just before the locker rooms): the other studio does not have this. if i forget to fully fill my water bottle before class its no concern; i can fill it before walking into class. and given I typically always drink the entire bottle during the 90 minutes of torture, its really really awesome to be able to fill it back up before heading home. just ensures continuous proper hydration.
class sizes: I always went to the 4:30pm class so I can only speak of it, but from what I saw the amount of attendees is on the lower end here compared to what i experienced in la jolla (always a crap shoot… some empty, some completely packed). its always nice to have breathing room — PLUS less bodies in the room mean less added heat and humidity.
fans: it is always always great when a studio has ceiling fans to turn on after class. they will turn some on during the class (i assume for air circulating and ventilation) but (and some people in the studio might slap me) it makes the experience less heated and challenging. there was a day all the fans were on and it felt like bikram in normal conditions and I barely sweat.
the location: its RIGHT off the 163 ramp which makes it really convenient
—
things I dont like:
that stupid stupid parking lot. i know this is just how kearny mesa (and convey) lots are, but seriously? the spots are not big enough for even a compact car. its like a war zone and you will definitely have the potential for door dings. i quickly learned that there are normal size spots if you drive past the stripmall on the left and park behind the two buildings. there arent many spots and they definitely fill up fast, but 80% of the time I got one getting there around 4:20pm. parking spaces are also normal sized in the neighboring lot where the korean market is.
the carpet. i know its traditional blah blah blah. but carpet makes the room smell worse, is less sanitary and as mentioned above, i hated the rugburn feeling doing the standing series on the actual carpet. maybe my thighs are weak, but I sill prefer to be on my yoga mat the entire time.
no ice cold lavender towels — so this isnt to be expected, its just a comparison to the la jolla location. i brought it up to the staff and i was told that doing that would be «a complete waste of time.» ok… but how about its a nice incentive for your paying customers and something amazing to look forward to at the end of the tunnel. i know the vision of that amazing ice towel on my face kept me motivated many-​o-​classes.
so there you go. that is my observations. would i go back here? absolutely. i loved that I always felt really challenged and felt much more connected to the instructors. in a mere month, i was pretty much in the best shape of my life. thats bikram for you in general. i recommended everyone give it a try.

First time I went there I thought one of the owner (Toni) was intimidating and a little unwelcoming. It was tough to read her. I thought I was going to pass out in my first class. It is bc you don’t know all the poses and you are just wishing it would be done. The stretch was amazing though. I fell asleep like a baby.
I go to the gym about 5 times a week but there were times when my body couldn’t go any further. I knew I needed to incorporate stretching again so I did the one month unlimited. It is pricey bc I am not solely dedicated to yoga in my every day work outs.
Not only did it take my body to another level but it mentally challenged me. I did well in some classes and walked out in others. Every day was a challenge bc focus is a huge part of the practice. I was able to perform a lot better at the gym and outside… And I felt more flexible. This is not like Core Yoga. No downward dogs — these are deep long stretches.
I went to MM which is fine but now I know — this location/​area is the one to beat. I am waiting for a special to come out so I can come back.
P.S: The owner Toni is actually one of my favorite classes. She is knowledgable and will adjust you when necessary. I really liked that about her bc she wants you to get the most out of the class.
Sometimes the other instructors sound robotic bc they are saying the same thing like a script. Need to flare it up so we understand the benefits… Beyond the script

My 4^th time doing yoga. Wish the Owner would have approach a person better way than what i had experience it… all of us has problem in life, even we do Yoga everyday you can not say that you do not ran into any problem out there… I am only human… and your the owner you should really set a good example as a owner of Bikram’s Yoga with a positive feeling toward other people… just saying Ma’am…

Yes, I love doing yoga, especially HOT yoga. When searching for a studio, I tried out the Old Town Bikrams studio on Hancock street. They had a beautiful studio, but the owner/​manager cheated me out of a trial session. He also seemed cold and egotistical.
So I tried the Kearny Mesa studio. It’s not as fancy, but it’s super clean and convenient to 163 and 805. The owners, Toni and Ray, along with their instructors, are knowledgeable and helpful. I would recommend trying this studio before signing up with another studio, especially Old Town. Another thing I like about KM studio, is everyone there, students, owners, and instructors, are good, down to earth people.

I have been to my fair share of the Bikram studios here in North County, and been practicing nearly every day for the last year. So far, this studio has really surpassed my expectations of what a studio should be like. Super clean and modern facilities, from the new CLEAN smelling carpet, to the classy bathroom with two new showers. To top it off, they offer free water! That’s what I am talking about.
Not only that they have some of the most friendly, knowledgeable, and genuine teachers I have ever come across. They always remember my name, and are very real and down to earth. I just moved to this area and ws so happy to find that my new home would entail an awesome second home called Bikram Kearny Mesa.
Definitely check them out! A good fit for newbies as well as seasoned yogis.

I have been to a few Bikram studios previous to this one. This studio is definitely one of my favorites. It reminds me of the Bikram Seacliff studio in SF with it’s carpeted floors and big room. That being said, I am used to the carpet and the smell. I really don’t think it’s that bad– you get used to it! Really clean studio, and the instructors are all very nice!
The only con is the lack of classes. I wish there were some late evening classes. The last class is 6:30, which means I won’t be able to attend any due to my work schedule (8−5÷6), which is why I didn’t purchase a membership after I completed my week of yoga for $ 20.
Also, I wish the Bikram studios here in San Diego offered Groupon/​Living Social deals! San Francisco studios always have 20 classes/​unlimited month deals for $ 25 – 30. Definitely made it more affordable for younger people like me to practice Bikram.

I’ve been to many different Bikram studios, each with their own pros and cons.
This studio is by far my favorite.
Pros
Location is easy to get to right off the highway, has accessible parking, its ridiculously clean, has comparably the least offensive smell than any other studio, the staff is personable and welcoming, not overcrowded, and is not unbearably hot/​they turn on ceiling fans if it gets too stuffy.
Cons
No late morning/​early afternoon class times, pricing slightly high, only two showers in the womens locker room
Definitely recommend you check it out for yourself! Your first week is only $ 20 :)

When I went into the yoga room at Bikram Kearny Mesa for the first time I was thought I was a pretty good athlete. I’ve always been strong, I have good stamina and I’m flexible. Then when I couldn’t pull my leg behind my back and hold it in the air for 60 seconds I realized everything I thought was wrong. It turns out that being strong in the weight room has almost nothing to do with being good at Bikram yoga. I took it as a challenge and decided to work hard at this, every day if necessary, until I got good. 6 months has passed since I began and I’m still not good! But I am practicing at least five days-​a-​week and I am doing better than I ever expected. I’ve come to realize that the practice hasn’t gotten easier… I’ve gotten better.
The great part about this yoga is the feedback you get from your own body. You can feel changes happening almost instantaneously. The instructor yells at you to, «stretch and stretch and stretch!», and you feel your muscles getting stronger as you compress and stretch farther and deeper. Besides the visual changes (the mirror test), my body has changed in some incredible ways. My muscles never feel sore. My posture is great. I don’t catch colds anymore, and I sleep like a baby. It’s great!
I don’t understand how anyone can complain about the instructors at Bikram Kearny Mesa? I’m pretty sure these instructors didn’t dedicate 9 weeks of their lives in teacher training to become rich. They do it because they are truly passionate about helping to change people’s lives. Every one of them is great and they are absolute professionals. And each one is different and unique in his/​her own way. It’s kind of like how all Major League pitchers can throw a 90 MPH fastball, but each one has a different delivery. The instructors at Bikram Kearny Mesa all have their own style and delivery but they all get the job done… they all throw strikes!
If you don’t want to have someone push you to do your best, then don’t come here. If you want to change your life in a very positive way, then you have to come here.