I just got back from my first Bikram Yoga class ever. I've done Ashtanga yoga before, but never hot…read moreyoga. When you first walk into the room, it's of course hot (as it's supposed to be), but smells like a wet dog. The floor is carpeted, and people sweat all over the carpet, but it honestly smells like they don't ever clean the carpet. It's honestly disgusting.
On top of that, I went with a diabetic friend who also had never done hot yoga. The instructor, Barbara, recommended that we stay in the room, even if we can't do the moves, to receive the most benefit out of the class. She also told us it is normal to feel nauseous or light-headed during class. After about 15-20 minutes of class, my friend wanted to step out for a minute because she didn't feel well. Being diabetic, it is really easy to get dehydrated and she wanted a bit of fresh air so she could try to last through the whole 90-minute class.
Barbara asked her to stay, and she didn't because it's ultimately her choice as to whether or not she steps out for air. After a few minutes, Barbara had us take a brief water break and stepped out to talk to my friend. She came back in shortly thereafter and made a few comments about how wrong and inappropriate it is for people to leave class. I don't care who you are or what business you're in, but it is NEVER appropriate to talk badly about a customer in front of other customers. Ever. For any reason.
I asked my friend what happened after we left, and she told me that Barbara came out and just basically yelled at her for leaving class. She said she talked to her like a child, and told her she can't leave class and she can't be hanging around there because "she might steal something." She came out a while later and walked up front, diddled around at the front desk and kept an eye on my friend, making sure she didn't do anything wrong.
Barbara never bothered to ask if my friend was okay (and she knew my friend was diabetic), she never asked if she had any blood sugar problems, or even tried to encourage her to finish the class. She barked at her like she was a dog and then accused her of trying to steal.
In addition, after she came back in the class room at one point, she was going on and on about how different people have different thresholds and different capabilities and such. Yet, somehow, it wasn't okay for someone who didn't have a high threshold for heat to step out for a minute and catch their breath.
I can tell you one thing, I will never give them my business ever again. Even if we had enjoyed the class and wanted to come back, after being treated that way as a new customer, it makes me not want to come back. How can you honestly treat new customers that way? I don't understand how someone can be so rude. I've never in my life had a yoga instructor be anything less than encouraging and caring. But if one instructor there is like that, I can't imagine what the others are like.