This March, I attended two classes at Y7 during my trip home for my sister’s birthday (the first at the Williamsburg location, the second in Tribeca). This studio is growing at rapid speed in NYC and I couldn’t wait to experience a class for myself!
Instructor: Tanya
Rating: 3.75/5
Newbie Friendly (2/5)
If you’re new to yoga I wouldn’t suggest making the Y7 studio your first choice. 1) The heat is pretty intense, even for me, who’s been practicing hot yoga for 2+ years. 2) The room is small and packed and the instructor didn’t demo any of the asanas (poses) in our flows and didn’t provided any hands-on adjustments. Your only option for figuring out what you should be doing is to take a look at those around you, but the room is so dark that it’s hard to notice the alignment and detailed movements of your neighbor.
Safety (3/5)
While the instructor circulated through the room throughout the class, I didn’t think there was enough of a focus on correct alignment and appropriate adjustments (which can be incredibly helpful in preventing strain and energy).
I also thought a few of the transitions we did were not safest on participant’s sensitive spots—for instance, a transition from half-moon to standing split left my knees and hips feeling vulnerable and a bit hyper extended.
Vibe & Environment (5/5)
The music was A1 *insert hand clap emoji*! This class actually featured hip hop/rap/r&b music that you can actually flow to without it seeming like the instructor was trying to hard!. I loved how the music was able to guide my practice, especially when it came to trying the sequences on my own.
And beyond the actual classroom, the Y7 studios are great! The studios I visited were impeccably clean and had coveted amenities, like showers, changing rooms, those custom-code lockers, and personal care items—think spray on deodorant and hair ties—that always come in handy.
Challenge (5/5)
The flows (sequences) at Y7 are anything but basic and I loved the feeling of pushing myself and making room for growth in my practice. The opportunities we had to try the three flows on our own proved to be more challenging—and fun—than I’d expected. I moved through the asanas I remembered and let my imagination take over when I could.
The most challenging aspect of the class, however, is the heat! As the class picked up and the flow intensified, so did the temperature in the room. If you’re thinking about taking a class at Y7 (or any yoga class for that matter) do not be too proud to rest and—most importantly—hydrate, hydrate, hydrate in advance.
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