Funky Buddha Yoga Hothouse — Attraction in Grand Rapids

I'm studio shopping, and this is my review of Funky as it compares to some other places:

If you're looking for balance of mind body and spirit, if you're wanting to use your body to look within, to find connection, peace, spirituality, learn about the tradition of yoga... this is not the yoga studio for you.

IF however, you are looking for an excellent workout with upbeat, funky, and energized instructors... this is definitely the place for you. Funky buddha will help you lose weight, gain strength and endurance, and maybe even laugh a little bit as you try new poses and fall over with everyone else in the class. It's young, it's trendy, hip and funky. It makes yoga "cool". And kudos, because I think that they're introducing yoga to a lot of people that wouldn't normally take part. ...but this is a western yoga, it's not traditional yoga. And it is definitely not accessible to all body types. I saw many people struggling in the "intro" class, and I can't even imagine how they would ever be able to do even a "slow flow" class at Funky.

It's a great way to let off some steam (literally? figuratively?). These classes are very westernized, they don't encourage us to dig deep or think big. They DO give you a sexy body and they definitely make me feel empowered as I continue to grow strength and flexibility. It's a workout, not much more. With a one-month unlimited package I have lost 10 lbs and gained a lot more muscle definition (what? I have muscle under my belly skin? who knew!). Funky buddha's classes focus on the BODY above all else. Yoga as a way to get fit.

I will say that the instructors and atmosphere at the Holland location are a bit more of the yoga that I am looking for. It's more balancing, I still work my body hard but am encouraged to see how my body is often a reflection of what's happening inside. Noticing connections, finding balance, yadda yadda. I like that spirit medicine. Funky isn't really the place for...

I agree with the other reviews that the instructors tend to just bark out the poses rather than explain how to get into the poses. Offered about zero cues or directions how to safely get into and out of poses or how to safely and properly transition from pose to pose. She even said during the class it was less important to do the pose right than it was to stay in the pose longer. This blew my mind, if you're in a pose with poor alignment it can cause serious damage to your spine, shoulders, etc.. She had us get into three poses during the class (bridge/wheel/crow) without any cues on how to set it up right. There were even people in the class who had never done yoga before. The staff does not seem to be trained in the proper practice of yoga or in the classic philosophy. It felt more like an aerobics class than a yoga class. The instructor gave off the vibe that you should feel bad or lazy if you weren't holding a pose, rather than honoring yourself and your own limits. These instructors need to be trained better.

The class also had about 50-60 some people in it which is overwhelming for a yoga class. They need to limit the amount of people in the class. You receive no attention and less instruction with this many people. It seems to be more about the money than the yoga. They even charged me 2 dollars to simply rent a towel.

This is really more of a fad yoga than classic yoga. If you're looking to develop a lifelong practice I do not...

I want to begin by saying I’ve been a loyal customer for several years. I’ve brought guests, referred friends and family, and have genuinely enjoyed being part of the Funky community. That’s why I was so disappointed by the unprofessional experience I had at the front desk today with Morgan.

Instead of being met with understanding or a willingness to find a solution, my friend and I were treated dismissively and asked to leave—simply for trying to explain what we had been told by multiple staff members at different locations. We were made to feel as though we were being dishonest, which was both surprising and upsetting.

A suggestion: if someone is working in a customer-facing role, they should have the skills and temperament to handle public interaction professionally.

Unfortunately, Morgan does not seem to have a grasp of respectful communication or customer service fundamentals. Rather than seeking to help or understand, she was confrontational and unhelpful.

In the past, I’ve had poor experiences with certain instructors and chose to avoid their classes while continuing to support others I enjoyed. But when front desk staff fail to address concerns and treat long-standing customers rudely, that reflects poorly on the entire business.

There are many quality yoga options nearby—and even if there weren’t, I wouldn’t feel comfortable spending another dime here if this is how your team treats...