08/07/09

Om Yoga - Effective, Lovely Ambience, Center of Learning

by ZahraJam

I have been frequenting Om on and off since 2003. I love this studio for its peaceful and simple layout. The ambience is sweet and simple. It reflects the very simple buddhist philosophy. Both Cindy and David have done an excellent job to keep the studio up and running. I have attended a few meditation classes run by Cindy and they were unique and profound. I have attended over a dozen studios all across the country and this is more like home to me. Kyle, Cindy and many others provide excellent instructions. There is a good selection of books and yoga gear to browse through. Each studio is given a unique name: Sun, Moon, Forest, and Earth. Om also offers personal yoga sessions. Having tried one over 4 years ago, I have been very fortunate to come across an excellent instructor who taught me some techniques that have been very helpful and stayed with me till now. At Om, it's not the price you pay for a class. I believe it's the donation you make to be introduced to a peaceful, serene and enlightening center of learning. I am a life time Om supporter and truly respect this institute. Highly recommended.

• Pros: Ambience, Instructors, Philosophy, Studios, Location

04/15/09

Terrible attitude and snobby classes

by tonycee

I have been to Om Yoga twice. I use a yoga pass book whic is meant for people who cannot afford the highly expensive classes throughout ny, but who would still like to exercise. Om yoga was both rude and snobby both times I used the pass. The second time I used it, they wouldn't even let me take the class because I had already been there. NO other yoga studio that I have used the pass at has ever said that to me. I find their snobbiness and lack of interest in allowing people to take a class at the expensive, market-place like yoga studio extremely disheartening and very un-yogi.

10/31/08

Friendly and Stress Free

by 629o

I've been practicing yoga in NYC for about 10 years now. I've tried bikram, jivamukti, crunch and others.

There's something very relaxing about coming to OM. The friendly community feel is genuine. People in the hallways smile at eachother. Teachers are relaxed and supportive. The yoga feels refreshing inside and out. Sometimes I don't sweat as much as when I visit other places but, the relaxed feel from getting off the elevator to getting back on when I leave is a true gift to myself.

• Pros: Friendly Atmosphere, Variety of Classes & Workshops
• Cons: Can get crowded in evenings

09/10/08

Relaxation

by NYCgirl1210

This studio is great for relaxation. It is so clean, lots of different rooms and space. Many classes to choose from and at different times so OM is east to fit into my hectic schedule. The teachers are friendly and very attentive. I will definitely continue to take classe here. I get everything i am looking for in one spot! Perfect :)

08/29/08

Om Lacks Atmos...

by yogalia

The studio itself is quite large, with lots of winding hallways and rooms with cutesy names (every yoga studio in the world is guilty of this...oh, that will be taking place in the sky room...you'll be having class in the love room...just leave your mind right outside the earth wind and fire room...) and the dressing rooms are practically palatial compared, which was actually really nice, as I'm so used to bumping elbows (and all kinds of other things) with my fellow dressers.

After getting dressed I lined up with my fellow classmates outside the earth room (sigh) where we would be taking class. Again with the silence! No talking, no laughing, no groovy chant-y music playing...we all just kind of jammed ourselves against the wall and pretended we were alone. Other signs of chilliness: a full-size model of a skeleton staring at me from down the hall. (I mean, I get why it's there, but really...necessary?), and a large-size note next to the perfectly organized rolled-up mats declaring over and over that if you are NOT a member or a teacher you are NOT to touch these mats. Mats for you (oh, non-member peon) are hanging up in the studios!

Finally, the doors opened and we were allowed in to the studio (also huge), and all beige, which I was not super fond of...though the light was nice and because of the monochramatic thing going on it felt kind of ethereal, which I like...and stocked to the brim with mats and props. I found what I thought would be a nice hidden spot, one row from the back, and set myself up....

For more, visit my yoga blog at shanti-town.blogspotdotcom

08/28/08

Not impressed

by eli41

I was not especially impressed with Om. The studio does not seem as clean as many others I have been to, and the classes are far too crowded. The classes themselves are decent, though I found the instructors tend to spend a LOT of class time talking.

• Pros: lots of classes on the schedule
• Cons: crowded classes, chatty instructors

08/09/07

Om sweet Om

by bendybroad

Beautiful, super-clean, and HUGE space with great rental mats and all sorts of props. Like another reviewer mentioned there is a lot of branding and Cyndi Lee is an amazing businesswoman. I had no idea what to expect from her as a teacher and as a human being (rather than the face on the books, DVDs, toothpaste, etc.) So I finally took an immersion with her and was so surprised. Her vibe is like she's your bestfriend's mom who's a Buddhist and way cooler and more fun than your own mom. She's incredibly warm and down-to-earth with a wealth of knowledge about asana and meditation. Putting aside my misgivings about overly commercializing those things, I really enjoyed practicing with her for a week. As for other teachers, check out Joe Miller, Frank Mauro, and Brian Liem.

• Pros: Best space in NYC
• Cons: Cyndi's in town infrequently.

07/26/07

Karma Mart

by atomicyente

Om has solid Vinyasa classes, with sweet teachers, set to music. But I never feel connected to this place. It's huge and the giftshop, with lots of branding, is a little off-putting. Gotta hand it to Cyndi Lee, though. She is an amazing businesswoman.

02/11/07

Uneven instruction, Many inexperienced teachers

by yogagirl76

I attended OM Yoga Center on and off since 2003. They used to consistently offer the best yoga classes in the city, and teachers like Brian, Margi, Sarah, and Christie still offer amazing instruction. These teachers are some of the most knowledgable in NYC, especially when it comes to alignment and adjustments. However, over the past 2 years, OM has added several sub-par, inexperienced teachers to their regular staff. A few of these uninspiring teachers are now teaching several classes a week! This has hurt the overall quality of instruction at OM. To make matters worse, OM does not disclose in advance when a class will be covered by a sub. This makes it impossible to avoid the worst teachers, who invariably end up subbing for their more talented and experienced co-workers. After several experiences paying $16 to take a class with one of my favorite teachers, only to be taught by someone who needs to spend a few more hours in teacher training (one of whom gave me a sloppy adjustment that had my back aching for a week), I'm saying goodbye to OM forever!

• Pros: Beautiful studio, some great teachers
• Cons: uneven instruction

12/20/06

For the HIGH price, Attitude, and INFLEXIBILITY, Om is not worth the try.

by pjc118

I've just moved downtown from midtown and was really excited for all the supposed great yoga studios in my new neighborhood. I decided to try OM yoga with my friend and we each bought "trial package" where you get 2 classes within 1 month for a slightly discounted price.

This is where the problems began: 1) We went to one class and the class was just ok. The teacher was super nice, but the poses were very mundane & repetitive as if filling up time. 2) The class was way too crowded where even placing us head-toe and side-ways, we would still bump into each other. 3) After doing more research, I found that Om's prices are 20% more than others for NO justifyable reason 4) Worst of all, my friend travels for work a lot, and found out that he can't make it to the 2nd class (that's within the package) within the month. The manager was only willing to extend 5 days, or give him a $7 credit for purchasing a 3-class+ package - meaning more money for Om! When we asked if he can transfer his 1 class to me, or even transfer his credit, the manager was absolutely inflexible. He had no problem saying "no" to us, essentially just taking our money.

By now, we are too upset about this, not because of the mere money, but the studio's attitude and inflexibility to their clients.

Don't they know they're dong business in NEW YORK CITY!?? Aren't we all busy? and Stressed enough already??

• Pros: friendly instructor and receptionists
• Cons: poor & inflexible management, high price, way too crowded