Tucson Yoga

Consistently excellent yoga classes. My favorite yoga studio in Tucson. They offer a good variety of classes to fit every need. I particularly like instructors Tiffany Georgia, Gabrielle Pietrangelo, and Lyndi Rivers. Good size yoga room and diverse group of students.

I didn't come here for yoga, but for the Sunday night Sanga group. I had heard about this group for quite some time, but found that I was not attracted to the meditation hour: the group meets beginning at 7 p.m. on a Sunday. Considering I work Mondays through Fridays and keep very busy weekday hours, I like to use my Sunday evenings for preparing for the week. But I opted to go, wanting to learn about the group's members and share in their ritual meditation. I must offer a disclaimer: In my meditation practice, I prefer non-guided meditations, or silent sits. It's just a personal preference. The meditation portion was not guided -- we received an introduction and sat silently for a half hour. I enjoyed that part. Then we did a walking meditation in which there also was no talking. I had not done a walking meditation before. I enjoyed it and loved how it brought my attention very purposefully back to my environment, to myself and to the person walking before me and the person walking behind me. That was quite lovely, and challenging at times. The group then moved into the reflection period, during which people were allowed to share thoughts, ideas, perspectives, experiences and resources or whatever else. There was no dialogue, just sharing. This seemed to take up a substantial part of the time. In all, I very much enjoyed the group. The space is nice. Very linear and, on this summer night, was very hot. The fans overhead were going at full speed, but it was still somewhat uncomfortable. Also about the space, I love the flooring. It's a beautiful design and has a yield that is ever so slight. It feels wonderful to the touch of the hands or the feet. And I appreciate that the studio offers blankets, mats and pillows.

I attended the newborn baby yoga class yesterday and it was awesome! It costs $6 cash or $7 card and I felt so comfortable with my little one. The instructor targets areas that become very tense for moms that are forced to use parts of their body they never did before (ie upper neck, shoulders, lower back) For new moms, taking your baby places can also be STRESSFUL, but the instructor makes everyone feels so welcome. There were about 7 moms present and nursing and diaper changing during the class is totally welcome. If you are looking to meet other moms, the instructor lets people hang out after the class to chat with one another. I am excited to go next week! Bottom line: Mommy me time disguised as baby time!

This studio is clean, and the class instruction was excellent. I went to a Sunday 8AM class and it wasn't too crowded. The space is a simple large room with a small WC. The temperature was comfortable and there were plenty of props. The community seems to be from the University, however, I felt welcome as a first time visitor from out of town. My only minor criticism would be that the new sign-in was a bit time consuming.

Ommmmmm.....Tucson Yoga was voted the best yoga place in Tucson for the year of 2005-2006.I will start off with that simple comment. I'm new to yoga and found this place roaming through the Internet trying find ways to make my stalky body leaner. My first priority was to find something CHEAP! And for only $5 a class, I think this place constitutes.Because I am not familiar with yoga, styles of yoga, yoga etiquette, I will simply give you a synopsis of my first visit:1) Its a downtown location that is hard to find if you use the directions given on their website. I drove around downtown, 4th avenue and through the UA campus about 2-3 times before I decided to use my inherent body compass to find it. Yes, it was a Monty Python/Benny Hill comedic event if anyone was there to witness.2) Please get there ahead of time as suggested. The classes fill up quickly (I think its about a max capacity of 40) . Because it took me forever to find the place, I stumbled in there late and as I reached into my purse to pull out my $5, all of my pennies fell onto the cement floor disturbing all of the peaceful yoga masters during their warm up.3) Mats and blankets are provided, which is a plus for those who are new to yoga and are not sure if they want to invest in their own mat.4) I found a place in the corner, next to a wall, so I would successfully bump my head into it every once in awhile during the learning of poses. (Don't get a spot next to the side wall across from the bathroom !).5) Wear clothes that are comfortable, but won't expose your cha cha's and mid-drift because you get to do some nifty little acrobat stunts at times.6) Expect to be in pain the next day, if you're doing everything right.At the end of the day I was really satisfied with my yoga experience. For a lab rat like myself, this was a good 2 hour work out which uses your own body as resistance in toning and using those unused muscles. Unlike many other workouts I've done, this was the most complete. I felt all of my muscles being used (feet, buttocks, hamstrings, arms, delts, pects, etc.). I couldn't move the next 3 days.The instructors are really friendly and passionate about their craft,. However, there's this one that isn't so friendly. Well, lets say she's friendly to everyone else, but not to me. She comes across frigid and lacking warmth BUT I enjoy her class the most. WARNING, this next comment is going to be a hippie/psychedelic moment.: she brings all of her internal beauty into her instruction, her chanting, and musical skills. The other instructors are also good as they have been on Oprah show or teach at Canyon Ranch, etc.Guys, if you attend any class you will find yourself with other men, but a majority of the class is composed of ladies who don't believe in shaving. There is always those 4 or 5 hot chicks in the class, but they will not date you. People of all sizes and abilities attend these classes and no one feels inferior, intimidated or uncomfortable. After one session my posture greatly improved and my back was elongated giving that catwalk stance. After a few sessions my boyfriend told me I looked like I was losing weight. (that's the power of secretly feeding your boyfriend barbiturates because yoga doesn't make you lose weight unless you combine it with something else, but it does improve your posture making the weight appear to be redistributed).What I rave about yoga is that after a session with the school marm instructor (she just comes across cold to me, but very attractive, and I think my aura sends her off or something because people always usually run to me, not away from me) is that you feel really at peace and at ease. I don't do drugs (never have, never will) but its a strange drug induced effect you experience. Your legs are wobbly, you're in another dimension of time and space, its like you're numb to everything that was bothering you before you came. If I can get that mood altering experience after every workout without having to run 5-10 miles, I think its worth it.

The Wednesday night mix level class is fantastic. Joanna is a wonder. She's really warm and really creative. Always comes up with different versions of poses to match everyone's experience level. The location may be a bit hard to find if you're not familiar with downtown, especially with the roadwork on Broadway, but it's worth the search. The only complaint I can think of is the front/paying/leaving bags/etc area is a little awkwardly laid out. Maybe it would be better if the paying/signing -in area and the bookcase were switched? I don't know, but I don't think it's a deterrent to attending classes.

My friend and I came here for a Saturday morning Beginners Yoga class. The first thing that surprised me about this place was that right when you walk in, you're in your studio! Right when we walked in, there were all these people lined up with their mats. Granted, we were also a bit late - but the guy there (sitting behind a folded table) was super friendly and accommodated us quickly. I also didn't bring a mat - and first mat rental was free! Score! (regular mat rental rates are $1) But more on the mat later.Since it was a beginners class, the practice was pretty low-key and relaxing. I felt like I was doing an extended stretch class....which can be nice! Since I usually do yoga that result in extreme sweating, it's nice to go to a place where you don't sweat. But I wouldn't really call the beginners class a real workout. Okay, so the mat. It smells :( I didn't really notice that there was a weird smelly odor until I was doing child's pose - where my head was down on the mat. I tried to push this out of my head and think that maybe I just got a bad mat. But after the class, when I asked where I should put my used mat, the guy just pointed to the pile I originally picked it up from. So...basically if you pick up a mat previously used by someone who might have taken a more sweaty yoga class, perhaps you will also bask in their sweat. PROS: cheap, provides blankets/blocks/straps, friendly staff, good community atmosphereCONS: mats are not cleaned after use

Tucson Yoga is the best yoga studio ever. I mean, can you beat a $6 one and a half hour yoga class taught by a thoughtful yogi? This is truly a yoga studio for the People. The studio has a communal feel--minimal business and maximum community. I've been attending classes here since I moved to Tucson a little over two years ago and I can't imagine relocating to another studio. Great workshops, great weekly classes. Leah and Joe offer invigorating and challenging practices on Monday and Tuesday nights (respectively), and Julie helps students link movement and meditation in her Sunday afternoon class. Be sure to attend beginner classes if you've never done yoga before. There's not a lot of remedial instruction in the vinyasa classes.

This review is for Kelly M's classes.Kelly is one of my favorite teachers in Tucson. She always mixes up the practice to keep it interesting. She has a great bubbly personality which makes class playful. She is now teaching a noon class on Friday's that is only $4!At Tucson yoga, you should bring your own mat, or they rent them for $1. They have drinking water and cubbies for personal items. They have 1 restroom and no extra changing rooms.

Great, down to earth studio. Went for the Friday 6am led Ashtanga primary series with Laurent and practiced alongside such amiable students--a rarity if you've practiced in studios around the U.S. and globally. The owner, Laurent, was gracious. A local's studio that stays close to the true yoga principles. Not a gym-type yoga and not too heavy on yogic doctrine. Just right.Bring a mat or $1 to rent one. First time students get a free mat. There's a kombucha tap if you love it fresh.