Yoga St. Louis

When I moved to St. Louis in 2013, one of the first things I did was to seek out an Iyengar yoga studio. I started practicing Iyengar yoga in Milwaukee in 2005, but after a few years we moved to New England. There wasn’t an Iyengar studio nearby and I found I really missed it. So I was excited last year when we came to St. Louis and I could return to Iyengar yoga.
I have now been studying at Yoga St. Louis for more than a year. It’s a fantastic studio (great space, well-​appointed with all the usual Iyengar props and thensome) and Bruce and his staff are conscientious instructors of the Iyengar method. This approach to yoga is very much teaching-​focused, with each pose taught every time it is introduced in any given class. In addition, time is given to instructing students in the history of yoga. A class session might sometimes seem slow to a newcomer, as the instructors not only demonstrate each pose but also teach students how to utilize props (blankets, blocks, belts, etc.) to enable them to safely go into a given pose. Additionally, classes are structured such that more advanced poses are not taught until students are ready for them. (In other words, none of that yoga peer pressure to go into gyrations that your body may not be able to safely handle.) But though this approach might seem tedious to anyone who’s not practiced Iyengar before, the instruction pays out in the clarity that each student is able to safely and knowledgeably seek each time she goes into a pose.
I have found Bruce and his staff to be curious about each students’ physical issues, patient with devising approaches to make practice manageable to a student who has a physical limitation (even if it’s a non-​serious temporary condition — such as my nagging plantar fasciitis), and knowledgeable about these issues. The class size in the daytime sessions is small enough that there is time for this type of personal attention.
As another reviewer mentioned, if you are looking for a pop-​in-​when-​you-​like, flow-​type yoga class that starts and finishes at the appointed times with nonstop yoga poses from beginning to end (many of which some of the students in the class probably should not safely do), then Iyengar yoga is not for you. But if you want to explore the poses, if you want to learn correct alignment, if you want to learn more about what is this thing called yoga, if you want to learn more about your body, if you want to experience moments of mental stillness that you can’t explain, and if you like to learn, then Iyengar yoga is for you. And if you live in St. Louis, you should come here.
My biggest complaint with Yoga St. Louis? I wish there were more sessions offered on weekdays.

One of the first things I did when I moved to St. Louis in late 2010 was locate any place that taught Iyengar yoga, and I was thrilled to find Yoga St. Louis. I had been practicing Iyengar yoga with a studio in San Francisco for about 6 years prior to the move, and I have been very happy with Yoga St. Louis — the instruction here is as focused and precise as what I was used to, but this yoga studio really elevates yoga from just physical health workout, to what it really should be: an ongoing exercise n greater self-​awareness of body, mind, and breath. The style of instruction feels like applied philosophy, with detailed attention to each individual’s body, ability, health (concerns and needs), and goals. The instructors don’t just put you through the paces of some poses to work your muscles, they actually follow a curriculum designed to focus on the process of moving towards the perfect poses, knowing that you may to ever get there, and that’s just fine. So there is no shame or guilt or competition here: just support to achieve more than you think you can do in the present, to accomplish something greater in the future. Small class sizes, careful attention to each student, excellent use of props, thoughtfully designed space, easy parking — a really great part of living a healthy life in St. Louis!

I’ve been attending a weekly yoga class at Yoga St. Louis since I moved to St. Louis 5 years ago. Bruce and his team are friendly, welcoming, and incredibly knowledgeable. The studio is gorgeous, and easily accessible off I-​44. The classes are small, which means you get lots of personal attention from the instructors, and Bruce does an excellent job of maintaining a positive class atmosphere.
If you’re looking for a yoga studio where you can drop into a class every once in a while, look elsewhere But if you are serious about cultivating your yoga practice, then this is the place for you. The Iyengar approach can be challenging in its attention to detail, but that focus translates into a much deeper and richer understanding of the poses and their effects on the body and mind. The instructors will push you, but in a very supportive and positive way, so some come prepared to work hard and learn a lot.

I’ve only taken one introductory class. The teachers were personable, interesting, and informative. There were a number of times, though, when instructIons were missed, or maybe teaching priorities changes yet we were not informed. They have much to teach that is not covered by many other studios, so I still recommend you go to learn, if you are able.

Excellent yoga training in its true form. I really appreciate the instructors and their style and patience in providing individual attention even in group settings. I have gained so much from learning yoga from here.

Last night I attended a free beginner yoga session at St. Louis Yoga. The class was suited to all skill levels. I am somewhat familiar with yoga and had previously practiced using YouTube videos. What was so great about this class is that the focus was primarily on perfect pose, where each aspect of a pose is deliberate and done with consciousness. I never received this kind of instruction before and did not realize that when I do the poses the way they are intended to be done, there is an effortlessness and centered feeling that comes over me. In other words, or as Bruce said several times, when done correctly the poses are more efficacious. Bruce, the instructor, was highly knowledgeable and facilitated the classes’ understanding of the poses in a way that was accessible to most. He frequently called the class to the front of the room for up close demonstrations of techniques which was quite helpful when making note of the subtle difference between doing a pose correctly, or incorrectly. I plan to get a membership to this studio and would highly recommend it to anyone else looking for a new yoga studio.