I have been to 7 classes here, attempting to experience a variety of classes and instructors. Unfortunately, I am unable to give more than 2 stars for the simple reason that the quality and amount of instruction is not on par with the cost. There are few total poses, the poses have very slow transitions, there are no intermediate difficulty poses. There are poems, candles, singing, twinkly lights, however, all without the core content of quality yoga instruction. Eugene Yoga is selling the spirituality without the substance and charging a steep price. Additionally, classes start late and transitions between poses are excruciatingly slow. There are no classes offered that are beyond a beginner level. I am an intermediate level student, recently relocated from Portland, in my 30's. Overall, yoga tends to be much slower in Eugene. The Downtown Athletic Club and Everyday People Yoga both offer reasonable, quality instruction for the cost, Everyday People being donation only. Hardcore Yoga is another alternative, and while costly, does offer intermediate and advanced quality instruction. Unfortunately, with Eugene Yoga, despite the clean and lovely studio, and the chicanery of poetry and candles, is not living up to it's prices with the amount of dead air in classes and lack of focus and substance. Classes are a 17$ drop in fee, no first class free, mats are 1$. My 75 min Restorative Yoga class offered a total of 6 poses and had Shavasana in the middle, for about 30 min total of Shavasana. One of the poses was just lifting and lowering both knees at once, feet then pushing into the floor, that is it. Great as part of restorative yoga class, but not 15 min without any additional instruction or modification.The students did not appear engaged. I believe this was an attempt at Yoga Nidra or Yin, but was neither (as both have a purpose) and was not advertised as either. This was a number of purposeless, unbalanced movements and positions, awkwardly constructed in such as way that did not engage the mind or body. I am being charitable when I say this may be appropriate for a new student beginning in the 50's or 60's age range and with severe back pain. Otherwise, no muscles were engaged at all, a first for me in 6 years of yoga classes. Tonight's class was number 7 and finally compelled me to write the review. It was the least impressive, but the prior ones were not significantly better. I will use up the Groupon but will not continue with the studio past this point. In sum, the product is not worth the money. It is time to stop focusing on making a buck with unnecessary bells and whistles and start focusing on yoga instruction. Eugene Yoga, once you nail this, you can then consider serenading students with your singing and poetry. Basics before profit. read more
