Yogani

Well, I see from the reviews that a few people are disappointed in the Bikram practice, I don’t know about that but the Ashtanga practice is perfect. I took a half primary series led by Brittany and it was flawless. The practice was wondering effect and she is a knowledgeable hands on leader.
Also the studio is awesome, they have plenty of space, great people, clean and ample bathrooms plus showers. I don’t live in Tampa but if I did I’d be hanging out here on a regular basis.

If you’re looking for a hidden yoga gem in the heart of Tampa, look no further! Annie Okerlin is the owner and one of the practitioners of this serene and mindful place. She welcomed myself and a guest with open arms to her iRest class.
The only way I can describe this particular class: it’s a mix of resting guided meditation with a yoga overtone. You sit/​rest on a mat with bolsters, blankets, and blocks, while Annie guides you through a mindful journey of yourself. You will either catch yourself drifting off, or falling asleep 5 minutes into the class. During and after, you feel like you’re floating on clouds, and any stressors you may have brought with you are long gone. Relaxed and rejuvenated, it’s a great way to start your weekend!
Also, another reason why this place is so amazing: they offer adaptive yoga for wounded veterans. I can’t think of a better and healthier way to heal, and I have personally witnessed the positive effects this has on veterans.
If you want to know the truth, I would give this place 10 stars!

i love annie, this lady is my hero!
Annie is amazing she helps out people without even asking for anything back in return I look up to her she’s my motivation

The sound healing journey workshop–
Location is tricky. The parking lot has one small entrance with terrible parking options.
A girlfriend of mine is a semi regular at Yogani, we use to practice together at another studio but since they closed down we have been trying out different studios around.
Last weekend we signed up for the sound healing journey and I have to say I was not impressed. The receptionist was very rude when signing in; she kept staring at me without a proper welcome so I had to ask her if she needed a first name or last name? She just says «whatever». I mean really this is suppose to be a place of respect and relaxation. I found it hilarious that they had so many signs posted about being respectful of others and practicing silence when the staff themselves were rude, unwelcoming, loud even. Above all we walk into the lobby area and it feels like its 90 degrees hot! The heat combined with different herbs and odors: no bueno. Come to find out their AC unit is broken and they were not even apologetic about it. Other than turning ceiling fans on to low, they didn’t even bother making other accommodations. The classroom was too hot and muggy, just uncomfortable!
The instructor was a little much (tone it down: we can see through it) and should have done a better job of explaining the process for the newbies because the obviously ‘I got dragged here because I like this girl’ guy next to us did not get the memo and was snoring extremely loudly the entire time (before the instructor even begun), ruining our meditation process.
I have experienced much better service, course and environment than this. There are plenty of better options in Tampa Bay Area than this.

I’m working in Tampa for a couple of months and need to find a yoga home while I’m here. I went to a different studio in South Tampa — didn’t like it. I was on the hunt for a studio that does hot and/​or warm yoga because I have stress pouring out of every pore of my body and came across Yogani.
What a beautiful studio! I appreciate the bamboo floors (no nasty bacteria or fungus that is usually associated with carpeted floors). The studio is beautiful, calm and very surreal.
I did the 90 minute Prana Yoga class. Admittedly, I was apprehensive about doing yoga for 90 minutes, but it absolutely flew by. The instructor was thorough with her direction and demo of the poses, the music was soothing (not annoying) and I really received a great workout.
I’m excited about going back to a Thai Massage tomorrow afternoon. Right now, I’m being totally gentle with myself and totally loving on myself. Yogani just may be my yoga home for the next couple of months!

I am sad to see all of these negative reviews! Most look like Bikram which I am personally not a fan of but I can say the other classes I have been to have always been excellent.
I have lost some classes on occasion because my pass expired but that’s my responsibility as a customer to follow the rules they set on a package.
The only major issue I had is when I went to one of the special workshops for arm balances, it was so packed that I couldn’t participate it in half of it because the woman next to me was stretching her leg all over my mat when it was time to practice with no concern that I was also a paying a customer. Not really the studios fault that I had unthoughtful rude lady next to me but there was really no room for all those mats in there for an arm balance workshop.

I had the same experiences as Janet and Larissa… Their reviews said it all.

I love this yoga studio! When I moved to Tampa about a year ago I jumped right in and for the most part I have enjoyed every class I have taken here. My favorite instructors are Ashley McDuffie and Anette Scott but I have taken plenty of other classes and I am always satisfied. I love that they have 3 rooms (AND SHOWERS!) and I have never been to a class that I felt was uncomfortably crowded. Will continue to come back again and again :)

This review is strictly for the Bikram class.
I took a couple «Bikram» classes here and this place has NO right to call itself a Bikram studio. There are a lot of imitation Bikram studios but they usually name the classes hot yoga or hot 90. Since this place dares to call its classes Bikram, I will review it as such.
Bikram is a set 26 poses, the same EVERY time, with all but one done twice. At the beginning of class, the teacher (Thom) stated that we would probably do most poses twice, but we might have to do some once towards the end of class if we were running out of time. We ended up doing them all twice. Another teacher (Courtney) made no such proclamation but did do 3 poses once. So it seems the instructors choose at random which poses to do once.
Bikram dialogue is pretty set, with very little room for teacher individualization; it is done this way so that students get the maximum instruction to do the poses correctly; even if you’ve never done it before, you should be able to listen and figure out exactly how to do a pose. Both instructors spewed so much fluff about finding your balance with the earth and your centering your mind (language which is very important, just not in Bikram) that they did not have time to INSTRUCT. During standing head to leg I was waiting for instruction to go to from bent knee to straight knee and he never even got there because he was talking about getting to know yourself, and then he just ended the pose. I saw so many people doing poses incorrectly throughout the class because there was not enough instruction.
The timing also should be consistent every time you do a pose; here, some poses were held waaaaay too long and some barely enough time to get into the pose. A couple times the instructor started the pose, then went to ONE student and spent so long correcting that student that the rest of the class was left in one stage of the pose without instruction. This is also against Bikram philosophy, which states that the instructor stays up front and does not interact with students.
With the lack of an official Bikram yoga studio in Tampa, I worry that students who go here think this is as good as it can get; it’s not! You can go so much further in your practice with good instruction.
I would go back here to try the other classes, but I have found better «imitation Bikram» classes in Tampa.

My friend encouraged me to buy the $ 130 package for 10 or so classes and I haven’t been back since she moved away… it is not really because I have expendable income.
It made me get a bit of a bad taste in my mouth when I paid for the initial class and was forced to get a second. The taste got worse when I went to buy the package after two classes and they told me that I went over used one class and they were going to charge it to my package. I told her I only went to the initial two. She noted the same in the file and said she would charge it until she talked to her manager to correct it. Hell of customer service there.
AS far as the Bikram class goes and everyone complaining of it not being «real Bikram” — no, its not on carpet. Bikram classes with carpet smell bad. I am glad they have wood floors. The place is very clean.
The classes themselves were just so «ehhh.» The male instructor would probably have a great career as an auctioneer. The female instructor was a bit more relaxed.
I thought about going back. I did pay for it after all. After 3 months however, they ask for an additional $ 20 to re-​establish the classes you originally paid for already. What a rip off. Horrible way to bring people back — it doesn’t work and I am proof.

I am opening a yoga center in Land O’Lakes and have worked at a studio for in Lutz for 5 months. Many of my students raved about Yogani, so when I left Namaste, I ventured to take a class at Yogani. My students were right! I loved the space from the many clean showers to the spacious studio spaces. The teacher was excellent as it was the best Hot Flow Class I have taken in the Tampa Area. I liked that the classes were all levels so that beginners can be as messy as they like while more experienced people can go to whatever edge they are working on. I also like the fact that my mat was a few inches from another mat. Most of the studios here, being a Cleveland girl, like to have people so far away from each other. There is nothing and I mean nothing better than be close to someone else while you both hear each other’s breath to support you through the practice and make you part of a large yoga community. At Cleveland Yoga, one of the best Yoga studios in the USA, there are 92 people in a room and there is one inch between each mat and it’s nirvana! So thumbs up to Yogani!

My husband and I decided to take yoga classes at Yogani after he hurt his back. His doctor suggested that yoga would help his back pain and I am always looking to change up my workout routine so I decided to give Yogani a try.
The studio at Yogani is very clean and modern with bamboo floors, two massage therapy rooms, and a restroom/​shower area. The variety of classes and available times are better than any other yoga studio in South Tampa. (I did my homework prior to our visit.)
I was very pleased with the Beginner Yoga 101 classes at Yogani. I had never taken yoga classes prior to my visit at Yogani so I was unfamiliar with most of the yoga poses. The instructor was really great about walking around the class and adjusting the student’s positions. Even though the class was Beginners 101 it was apparent that many of the students in the class were at the advanced level. The advanced students were skipping ahead so it did make it hard to follow when the instructor was not at the front of the class. I am not sure if there is a limit of students per class, but the first class I attended was so packed that I kept bumping into the girl next to me. The instructor informed me the Wednesday 7:30pm class is one of their most popular classes so I will try to avoid taking a class during this time slot again.
I paid $ 16 for my first class, but the second class was free. (This is Yogani’s method to convincing you to give the studio a second chance.) I’m so glad I returned for the free class because the class was a lot less crowded than my first class so I got a lot more one on one attention from the instructor. I also found that this instructor was easier to follow. I will definitely be back for another class!
The price for an individual class is pretty hefty so I would recommend purchasing a package (5,10, or 20 classes) if you know you want to take multiple classes. Obviously, the more classes you purchase the cheaper the package is. There is also the option to purchase unlimited months.
**Tip: Yogani charges $ 1 for yoga mats and $ 1 for towels after your first class so be sure to bring your own mat and towel if you want to avoid paying $ 2.

Took a Bikram class today and i found myself writing this review in my head 20 minutes into the class. I was SO annoyed with the class. I’ve taken Bikram from studios in Atlanta that were sooo much better.
I agree with other posts, it wasn’t as shockingly hot as i remember my previous experiences were.
But my next two points are the reasons i was considering walking out mid– class this morning.
1. The teacher rambled on and on and tried to be a cross between a Pentecostal priest, an Auctioneer, and an As Seen On TV salesperson. He attempted to be funny and his shtick was just down right un-​peacefull. The teacher was so busy rambling through his script or whatever that was, that the real instructions of when to go to the next position or pose was difficult to determine. My previous experiences were calming and nurturing, easy to concentrate on the correct position of your pose.
This leads me to my most important reason for hating today’s class and what turned me from annoyed to MAD!
2. The teacher DID NOT PROVIDE SUGGESTIONS for MODIFICATIONS! Hardly any tips on form either. I watched as a bigger gentlemen STRUGGLED to do a pose each and every time and the teacher remained on the other side of the classroom. He never offered a strap (maybe they don’t have those at this studio) for people with less flexibility to be able to hold a pose. So i saw this man doing strange, maybe even harmful, self appointed modifications because the teacher never suggested anything otherwise.
Modifications to yoga poses is what i love about yoga and how it isn’t JUST for those who are seasoned veterans– i know i am not.
This studio should really rethink their Bikram classes. They’re a terrible terrible joke and i feel sorry for anyone who hasn’t experienced anything but their classes.

Today was my second Yoga 101 class. Many places offer their first class free; however, Yogani wants you to return so your second class is free.
Loraine teaches the Yoga 101 class with her assistants Jasmine and Debbie. Loraine is so helpful in verbally guiding you into each position and they all go around and adjust your form if needed. They are gentle and encouraging. I’ve really enjoyed my first experience with yoga and will be making this class a weekly thing.

Best Yoga Studio in Tampa!

I must say, it makes me sad to see this studio with such a low star average. If you take the time to read all the reviews, you quickly realize that the low reviews mostly come from strict Bikram yogis who were unhappy with the lack of structure.
I am not one of those people. I’ve done all forms of Yoga all across the country, and Yogani is a beautiful, clean, well run studio. Being that my favorite types of Yoga are NOT Bikram, I’ve stuck to the «Power» and «Hot Flow» classes there, which have been amazing! The teachers are great! The classes are always challenging and different. And the «Hour Lunch» class I took that did include Bikram was a fun and different variation… mixing some Bikram poses with a nice Vinyasa flow.
The rooms are big and well heated, the staff is so friendly and I have been going 6 days a week since I found it!
Bottom Line: If you are a strict Bikram guy or gal, you might be disappointed, but if you practice Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Anusara or Hatha, I think you’ll love Yogani

I have been practicing at Yogani for some time now– and I must say that I love it there! I’ve taken a number of classes from Bikram, to Flow and more recently Ashtanga. I’ve also received massage services and regular private personal training sessions with Annette. (who is amazing!)
There is a lot of positive energy shared amongst the teachers and students alike. There is a great sense of shared community there.
As a military spouse, I have traveled a bit. I can honestly say that my time in Tampa has been wholely enriched thanks to Yogani Studios!

Note: This rating/​review is for their Bikram class. I didn’t attend any other classes, so maybe they are good at teaching other kinds of yoga.
I was in town for the weekend and went to the Friday noon «Bikram» class. This isn’t a real licensed Bikram studio, and they don’t follow a lot of Bikram’s rules (e.g.: Bikram doesn’t allow wood floors because they’re too slippery/​dangerous, but this place has them).
My biggest problem was that the room was not NEARLY hot enough. It could not have been hotter than 90, when a real Bikram class should be at least 105. Also, the instructor deviated a lot from the standard Bikram instructions, so instead of giving lots of details about what you should be doing in each pose, he talked about things like finding your inner peace. That’s nice and all, but I noticed a lot of people in the class doing the poses completely wrong because the instructor wasn’t being fully informative.
I guess this class is fine if you’re into «gentle» yoga, but I’m pretty hardcore about Bikram and this was a disappointment for me. I come to Bikram classes to get an intense workout and to be pushed to the limits of what my body can do – NOT to be told I can just take it easy and meditate on my goals in life. That’s what therapy is for.

This place gets two stars for the skinny teacher on Wednesday evening who was wearing glasses and who was the only teacher they had who did a true bikram class. I was in Tampa for a trade show and was staying close to the convention center. As part of my routine I usually look for Bikram yoga studios when I travel. This studio came up on google and they had bikram classes on their online schedule but they were not listed on Bikram’s website, but they were one mile from the convention center so I decided to try them.
There is no other Bikram studios in Tampa but there was one in St. Petersburg, FL which was 20 minutes from downtown but I decided not to cross the bridge since I did not have much time to spare.
I took four classes there. There was only one teacher who did a true bikram class. The rest were modifying the routine at times or starting on the left foot instead of the right, etc. They skipped the second sets of many of the postures and I thought the teacher forgot so I pointed it out to her. She said that most of the students don’t like «the rabbit» so she does one set only!!! Hello, this is Bikram!
Their Hot Lunch (bikram) had some bikram poses but generally not at all bikram. The male teacher kept telling people not to try hard and not to go too deep!!! Overall, they were not good, and did not challenge the students as birkam yoga is supposed to. The heat was not good at all and the students were on a race to jump ahead to show off.
Not a good atmosphere in general but… it is close to the convention center which was a plus. I think someone could make good money by setting up a real bikram studio here.