Ritual Hot Yoga

Love this studio! I am not a yoga person, and generally dread the thought of going to a yoga class, but Ritual makes it such a great experience. The class is both fun and challenging. Can’t wait to go back!

I LOVE ritual hot yoga. it’s a LITTLE fast even for me, who is someone who actually really likes flow, but I just skip some of the poses if I miss them and it’s not a big deal. I love feeling like I got a really good workout in only 50 minutes and I sweat a TON. The facilities are super nice and I have never been to a studio that provides mats and towels for you, it makes going to yoga a breeze. I feel like these classes actually push me to improve my classes and I think I will get arm balances that I was never able to do before! The 10 day pass is an amazing offer — I only may not be joining because I will be living a little far away to make it over there as much as I would want. I think the monthly unlimited would be worth it because of how much I love it, even with the higher price tag.

The flow and high-​end gear is great but the sound level was piercingly blown out and I couldn’t hear the teacher. I sent an email asking about this last week and have yet to receive a response. I’m used to nightclub settings and love loud music, but my guess is they think this type of yoga just isn’t «right for me» — they couldn’t be more wrong. I left class angry and wish I could get my money back if they aren’t going to address this concern.

I never sustained any sports simply because they are always boring & the same. I didn’t run & ran a half marathon, I played tennis but stopped after months.
And then I discovered Ritual. Honestly; I hated yoga because of personal reasons. But I wanted to give it a chance. I used Classpass to come here for the first time. I had a blast the first time, even though I had no idea what I was doing.
After using my 3 classes in 2 weeks & I couldn’t use Classpass to train here again, I switched to a full membership. My god, have I been enjoying that. For these reasons;
— Great classes accessible for all levels.
— Never the same class. The classes are always different and I’m always surprised by the flows & poses.
— AWESOME teaches & assistants that help you through the class. They are SO friendly and nice.
— Great amenities; showers, towels, water.
— Massage & eucalyptus towel afterwards which makes the effort during class totally worth it
— 50 min classes instead of 1h (which is too long for me).
— Great class times; mornings, during lunch & at night. Even in the weekend.
I’m getting stronger mentally & physically while having a lot of fun.
I absolutely recommend this place!

Each yoga studio has their own niche with their special yogi instructors that will teach you something different during the yoga sessions.
Ritual yoga is heated with glowing candles lit in the room. Yogis move to the hip music that is playing and the instructors help with the pose flow and assisting with improving your poses for each step of the flow.
I was loving the lavender scented towels at the end. It was a soothing touch to end the session.
Namaste.

This is my first ever Unilocal review!
I’m obsessed. I used to force myself to practice yoga at a bunch of different studios before only because I knew scientifically it’s good for me but not because I enjoyed it. I’ve never really felt a mind body connection until I started practicing here!
There is a strong focus on meditation and every practice starts with it. The instructors are superb and don’t hesitate to offer extra guidance and make hands-​on adjustments during your practice, which I believe is key to proper form and injury prevention for anyone new to yoga. Ritual has helped me get to know my body better and connect with myself physically and emotionally.

I originally came to Ritual through a Unilocal event. I figured I would hate it, because hot yoga sounds so awful– right? Wrong. My Ritual addition grew exponentially, and I got a few friends addicted in the process. Brittany and Loren are both amazing teachers, and the individualized attention in the class is great. Of course, having a ice cold eucalyptus towel put on your face at the end doesn’t hurt– (I called this my «come to jesus moment» from my first Ritual class experience). I go to Ritual three times a month through Class Pass, which makes it affordable for me– and I’m so glad they participate in Class Pass!
Just try it, you won’t regret it.

This is a wonderful studio, staffed by great people!
The classes are very challenging, and follow a basic format though they vary week to week, and possibly day to day. The class is conducted basically in the dark, with very energetic music. Mats, props, towels and water are all provided, though you should come early to snap your towel to your mat.
I’ve taken classes with Travis, Brittany, and JohnBlaze – all great instructors, and they all assist in each other’s classes, correcting you and giving a quick massage at the beginning or end of class. I particularly like the emphasis on balance poses, and the fact that there are many levels of movement suggested for some of the poses.
There are showers for rinsing off all your sweat after class, and they and the restrooms are unisex. Try to get there on time, because once they start class, you won’t be able to enter until meditation is over with some instructors. They are all so friendly and fit, and seem approachable for questions!

Active Recovery.
Do it.
It’s a must.
Do it at Ritual Hot Yoga.
Stretch those muscles to music.
Work on your mobility with heat and sweat and rhythm.
Relax.
Breathe.
Focus.

Ritual has given me a reason to seriously commit to my yoga practice. The instructors have been super helpful and welcoming (don’t be afraid to say hi and ask them questions!), and I love the space and convenience to my home. My favorite part of practice is flowing to the beat with the breath. It’s almost like yoga-​choreography, which appeals to my love of dance.
This part of the SOMA neighborhood has needed an influx of positive yoga energy! I’ve so far taken 8 classes in two weeks and signed up for membership. I already feel stronger and have way better balance than when I first started. Bonus: My skin is soft and has a glow from all the awesome sweating!
Like most things, one size doesn’t fit all. Ritual’s style may not be for everyone. It works for me however. I’ve been inconsistent in my practice for years, and Ritual’s approach has totally re-​ignited my passion.

If you ever want to feel like you’re joining a hip, elite cult, this is the place to come do yoga.
When I went, the mood lighting was set with fake candles, the overhead lights turned off. We then listened to really upbeat music as we went through our poses to the beat of the music. Honestly, if you’re unfamiliar with the poses it’s a little hard to be able to have your sequence correct if they say «do the pelican» and you have no idea what that is, since you only have four seconds to figure it out before you have to launch into the next one. At the same time, there were a lot of people helping me adjust my pose, and I loved the eucalyptus on my face as I cooled down.
In the bathroom, there’s a ton of amenities, even including dry shampoo. This place is fancy as fuq. If you want to steep into your bouge-​y chic, it’s the place to go.

Absolutely loved it here! I’m honestly not a huge yoga fan most days — I get bored easily. However, I read that Ritual Hot Yoga changes up the yoga game so I decided to give it a try and it was awesome! Definitely did not get bored.
Amenities: They have all you’d want — water, towels, hair ties, even toothbrushes and razors. There’s no set locker room though. It’s just a unisex area with 2 bathrooms and 2 shower rooms that are fairly out in the open. I came in the evening and didn’t use the showers, so I’m not sure about how long typical waits are in the mornings, but the showers themselves looked really nice. They don’t have lockers yet, but I believe they said they’re getting some. They also had nice mats and towels already set up for you in the room so you don’t have to lug yours around all day — that is probably the most convenient thing about this place.
Instructors: I have only taken one class but my teacher was awesome! I think everyone has their own style but I liked how her flow really fit with the music. It’s always frustrating when you have an instructor who can’t count. I also loved that the assistants come by and fix/​massage you, or even help you get to a pose. I think it challenges you to push yourself beyond what you’d normally do. I also really appreciated the fact that the instructors clearly knew what they were doing and had the right form themselves. I find it unmotivating when I have better form than the instructor because I’m not a big yogi or anything.
The class itself: Upbeat! This probably isn’t the place for you if you like calm, meditative yoga. So it’s perfect for me. :) It’s a workout with really loud and intense music. I saw that some people referenced it as the soul cycle of yoga… I kind of thought it was like the Barry’s Bootcamp of yoga because they offer the same purple ear plugs in case you think the music is too loud.
You go through each flow and have instructors to watch in case you need to follow along. I do think that this would be difficult if you’re an absolute beginner. You should probably have at least some basic knowledge of yoga only because the class was relatively fast paced. You definitely don’t have to be a pro though, the instructor gave plenty of different options/​modifications for different levels.
Ambience: I really liked that the room was dark. They have some fake candles so you can still see yourself in the mirror. I think it helps you really focus on yourself and you don’t have to feel self-​conscious if you can’t do something. And you don’t have a bright light in your eyes when you’re on the floor!
Clientele: There were some amazing yogis in there as well as some newbies. I like that the class can cater to different levels and it encouraged me to try different options. Everyone seemed friendly and it wasn’t the intimidating crowd you sometimes get at these fancy places.
Location: The location itself was okay, but my walk back to civic center muni was a bit unsettling, so I probably won’t come to their class after dark.
I wish they had a class at 8am!

Came here today for the first time and had a great workout!
The space is really nice and I’ve never been to an all inclusive yoga studio before. It was great not to have to worry about bringing a mat, towel, or even water (though I did bring my own bottle). They have a fully stocked bathroom and two showers. They have individual cubbies just outside the room as well.
The workout was HARD! I struggled to keep up at times because it’s pretty fast paced in some parts and you’re so hot and sweaty that you’re just trying to hang on and not fall over on your equally sweaty neighbor. I wish the poses were held a little longer so I could get by bearings and catch my balance before moving on. The music is upbeat and the instructor speaks with a cadence. They definitely have a «style» here. It may not be for everyone but I think it’s worth trying if you’re even a little curious.
Even though the room is heated, it doesn’t smell. It actually smells really fresh! The instructor moves around the room and adjusts you during class and at the end, places a cool scented towel on your face with a nice neck/​head massage.
There are dogs and I don’t like dogs but I can’t fault them for that. Just be aware that they are there (I was a little caught off guard and there are at least 2!).
You will SWEAT but after the class I felt like I had just had a spa treatment. My skin also looked amazing! Will definitely incorporate this yoga practice into my recovery days.

My husband and I have been coming to Ritual for almost a month.
I love coming here, setting my intention, sweating and flowing with the music.
I show up empty handed — they provide everything I need, and I always leave feeling like a better person.
Every instructor here is fantastic… each taking turns teaching and assisting – sharing a part of their ritual with the students.
I absolutely love this studio and I am so grateful for what it brings to my neighborhood!

Ritual’s Hot Yoga is definitely a unique experience. Do not expect quiet yoga. Do not expect relaxing yoga (except for the beginning and the end). Basically its hot, sweaty exercise yoga. Prepare to work out. Prepare to break a sweat.
It’s almost misleading because you get into the yoga room and its only lit by candle light and you think «oh how nice. I’ll be doing some nice meditation». You start your practice by relaxing your mind and your body. Then you’re immediately brought out of that trance and the loud, bumping music starts playing. The idea behind it is you «flow the the beat». The class is very fast paced (it was hard to even stop for a sip of water) and hard to keep up with you if you don’t know all the poses. You kinda have to just look around at what everyone else in the class is doing and just go with it. There are teacher aides that go around the class and «correct» you be it necessary. Overall, I liked the workout that Ritual offered albeit a little unexpected.
The class concluded with shivasana. The staff go around and put cold towels on your face soaked in essential oils that is refreshing to inhale (It did start burning my skin though after a few minutes!) and you get little head massages. I thought it was a nice touch.
If you’re looking for a unique Bikram experience definitely check this place out!

This is definition of thinking outside the box.
Yes, people enjoy the whole meditation and deep breathing aspect of it, but at the same time, I applaud Ritual Hot Yoga for trying something new.
I have been to other hot yoga studios where I get my sweat on, meditate, and leave feeling great, but this studio had me on my toes (literally) and had me excited to move on to the next pose. It is super upbeat and fast, so maybe if this is your first yoga session ever, you might not enjoy it. For those who feel like yoga might be a little repatatitve in your routine, this place definitely spices things up.
In addition to that, they come around and help you with your posture, put some nice warm towels over your face, and give you a mini massage. I walked out feeling better than any yoga location I have been to.
*Also, good job on synching your music to set the tempo of the class, and also when you gave your relaxation speech at the end of class. I noticed that even the speech aligned with the music. 5 stars!

I really wanted to like this place, but as someone who views yoga as a form of meditation, I just couldn’t enjoy the pace, volume, and level of distraction that went on during the class. The facility itself is pretty hip, but I wasn’t a fan of the darkened yoga room where they were flowing through movements so quickly and you couldn’t tell if you were in correct form. To me, especially in a hot yoga setting where mats are slippery, that’s asking for an injury.
Yes, staff and instructors were friendly. But I wasn’t convinced that the instructors were highly trained either.
I felt like they were trying to make it into something like a Barry’s Bootcamp + CorePower Yoga combination sort of thing. I’m already not too fond of CPY’s «gimmicky» vibe, so it’s hard for me to like Ritual Hot Yoga for the same reason.

5 stars for:
Great Ambience
Great Spirits
Great Flow
Great Music
Great Sweat!!!
I had such a fun time at ritual and I hope to incorporate it into my activities regularly! I enjoy cross training and yoga helps me release all tension as well as helps clear my mind from the daily stresses.
I loved this style of yoga — hot, flowing, and TO THE BEAT as is their saying. The room T was set at the right heat – enough to give me a nice sweat and not be uncomfortable.
Also, they provide mats, towels, and an Ohmazing cool essential oil infused surprise at the the end of class.
If you’re new or experienced in yoga, you’ll be happy and very much catered to, they give guidance for about three different levels! Come all!
Namaste.

I’ve been a fan of Ritual from the beginning, when they were based in their pop-​up location at Empower at FiDi. They have great, friendly, and helpful instructors who are dedicated to making your experience as invigorating as possible. They even offer free mats, towels, and a lovely scented towel for the end of class, making it a truly spa-​like experience. I would even call it the Soul Cycle of yoga, with their candlelit studio and louder, soulful pop music.
Ritual is its own kind of yoga– their style is a mix of ashtanga and vinyasa, making it quite fast paced, and they sync your breath and pace to the beat of music. The classes are also quite warm, but not as hot as bikram, thank goodness; coupled with the faster pace, Ritual is quite a good workout! If you’re looking for a more relaxing experience, I would try a different yoga location.
The new location on 6^th has a lovely waiting area, 2 showers, separate bathrooms, and a few changing areas. They even offer some nice amenities like lotion, towels, and other basic toiletries. I went to their Unilocal event and the class was quite big, but I imagine that their regular classes are a more manageable size. What I really love is that they have several instructors who walk around during class to adjust your pose and give you tips; it makes for a great personalized experience.
Give this place a try if you’ve found yoga to be too slow and too time-​consuming in the past — you’ll leave their 50 minute classes feeling invigorated, limber, and energized!
Here is my previous review in detail for their class style:

This place was a mix between Core Power Yoga and a true «yogi» studio. For those who don’t know what Core Power Yoga is like the Soul Cycle for yoga. For those who don’t know what Soul Cycle is, just think «trendy» yoga– loud music, Lululemon, and lots of young 20 and 30 somethin’ women.
The studio has yoga mats and yoga towels that you can borrow. I got a little light headed in class so definitely prep by drinking a lot of water the day before/​day of and bring water with you. The rooms are pretty heated, but not as hot as bikram. The yoga studio itself is very nice with wooden floors and candlelight. They actually turn all the lights off during class so you do the entire thing by candlelight. It had a very nice effect. Brittany was my teacher, and I really enjoyed her class. She incorporated a lot of self-​reflection and meditation into the class while combining it with things like plank in addition to just shavasana. I enjoyed the minor corrections that the teacher gave during class as well– apparently they put lavender oil on their hands before touching each student which is very pleasant.
The BEST PART of the whole thing is at the very end the teacher comes around and puts a cool cloth over your eyes with eucalyptus scent. It was divine!
Very cute and pleasant inside with an open sink/​mirror area and 4 bathrooms, 2 of which had showers. You will definitely need the showers since the rooms are really heated. Trust me, you will sweat a ton!

I have to be incredibly honest — and a lot of yogis will likely flinch — but I’ve never really loved yoga. I’ve generally found it slow-​paced, a bit of a bore, not intense enough of a workout, and moreover, kind of gross to be shoved into a hot, smelly room with someone else’s foot in your face.
However, Ritual Hot Yoga completely changed my impression of yoga. I stumbled across Ritual using ClassPass and it really blew my mind away. First, the studio itself is beautiful and completely new. The owners put so much thought into the entire experience, from when you enter the studio until when you leave. There’s a cozy, large lounge area in the front and a large spacious bathroom area. There’s coffee, chocolates and free bottled water. The ambiance of studio itself is also on point and the studio is lit with incense and candles. The studio was warm but definitely not the hottest studio I’ve ever been to. You don’t have to bring anything with you — it’s a full package and they provide you with everything you need: mats, towels, and the works. For after class, there’s a shower with all the toiletries you need, and even hair dryers, straighteners and curlers.
The class was what surprised me the most and blew me away. The routines are choreographed to the beat of the music and alternates between a fast cardio workout and a slower cool down routine. I loved that they played modern remixes of popular music. It felt almost like a dance routine. The first class I went to was taught by John Blaze (who is also one of the co-​owners) and he was hands down the best yoga instructor I’ve ever had. The hour went by so quickly and I was so disappointed it was over. Just when I thought it couldn’t get better, the hour ended with a cooling eucalyptus towel over the eyes and a soothing shoulder and neck massage.
I can’t stop telling everyone I know about how much I love this studio! Since last week, I’ve already been back once. Will definitely come back again and again — it’s so exciting to have this amazing new yoga studio in soma!

I have mixed feelings about Ritual because to be honest, I like «hot yoga» (Bikram style) because it’s mostly leg work + it’s hot as hell. Upon my first class I thought Ritual’s «hot yoga» label is a bit misleading, but decided to give it a try anyway. The room is warm (not hot), scented with incense (not my favorite but better than feet :)) and lit with candles (LOVE THIS).
Although Ritual isn’t my cup of hot-​yoga-​tea, I can see this studio being a total hit and I think this chain is going to serve a big demographic of yogis. I love how they took everyone’s favorite aspects of yoga class (mini massages from teachers, tons of adjustments, cold wet towels and candles for ambience etc.) and turned them in to staples of their business practice.
If you love:
— inversions
— hands on adjustments
— not carrying around a yoga mat + towel
— yoga that isn’t too hot
— lots of arm work
— ambience during practice (candles + incense)
Then you will LOVE Ritual. It’s not going to be my regular class personally as I really hate arm work and have bad wrists, but my chaturanga is *pathetic* so I’ll probably still occasionally drop by. If you’re focusing hard on your form, deepening your practice and inversions then this place is your spot. I could see Ritual producing some killer (and ridiculously fit) yogis and I’m very excited for what the future will hold for them.
Also, Sam is the CUTTTEEESSTTT and peppiest teacher ever! Very recommended.
Pro Tip: For commuters, they do have two shower facilities. And you will love how they made a big effort to provide all the amenities the «big guys» have eg: shampoo + conditioner, feminine products, hair ties etc. They even have dry shampoo and products to protect your blowout! :)