Spirit Lab Yoga School @ 38th Street — Local services in New York

I am a photographer and carry heavy equipment for photo shoots. For long photo shoots, I could be running around with 2 cameras and 4 lenses on me for 10 hours straight.

About 10 years ago, a disc on my lower back slipped by carrying a heavy equipment bag. I went to physical therapy sessions to put the disc back in place, but since then, it became like a habit and the same disc slipped about 8 times over the 10 years. Any weakness or wrong posture could easily cause another slipped disc, with my heavy equipment.

In addition to that, I need to always be prepared to move around quickly to get the best shots for my clients.

Yoga has always helped with photo shoots and I used to practice almost everyday, but about 5 years ago, after about my 6th slipped disc, I was no longer able to do yoga because of the pain. Sadly, I had to stop practicing yoga, and switched to some cardio dance workouts.

Cardio dance is so much fun, but it did not help with my back. So I started doing my own back exercises to keep muscles around my back and abdomen. It helped, and the disc hasn’t slipped since 2020, and I was able to slowly and carefully start doing mild yoga again. However, I still had constant pain on my lower back.

A few weeks ago, I happened to take an unheated Vinyasa and Yin Yoga by Melissa at Spirit Lab. She is knowledgeable, flexible and strong, and I could tell that she is an expert in the field. After her class, I started exploring other classes at this studio. And wow. Instructors at this studio are experts at whole another level. I could tell that they actually practice regularly, not just verbally instructing the classes. Not only that, they are so friendly and try to talk to you and listen to you about how you felt/did during the class. I have been to many yoga studios throughout NYC but this studio has some of the best instructors.

So far I took Melissa, Alena, Cayo, Ellie and Sarah's classes, including Hot Pilates, Hot Vinyasa and Bikram. I actually dislike Pilates... so I was at first reluctant to take it, but thought I'd just try it once. Unexpectedly their Hot Pilates classes are not only refreshing and fun, but also so effective for reducing my lower back pain. After only 6 Hot Pilates classes and 5 Bikram or Vinyasa classes, the pain on my back is about 50% reduced. And it was a great surprise that, now I can do yoga again without problem, because of their Hot Pilates classes!

To me, Hot Pilates is for strength and endurance, Bikram is for strength, concentration and flexibility, and Hot Vinyasa is for relaxation and meditation. All three combined is 3x better than just one! I believe their programs are intentionally-built to be effective for the whole body.

When I do certain movements that used to cause pain, my brain still gives me a little warning like "It's going to hurt! It’s going to hurt!" but since I started taking their Hot Pilates classes, many of those became false alarms. And my brain gets surprised, like "What!? No pain??”

When I was talking with Alena after her Hot Pilates class today, she mentioned that she only teaches movements that she can do (and her classes are super hard!). To me, this is a sign that she is a great instructor (and she really is). From my past experiences, some yoga/pilates instructors try to teach movements they actually cannot do. If they have not gone through the process of mastering the movements or poses, would they be able to catch wrong movements on students that could cause injuries? And is what they are teaching actually effective?

If you are looking for workout classes that can actually bring you results, I highly recommend...

This was my first time at this studio — my friend and I were looking to try something new, and since this place had some buzz and was listed as Black-owned, we figured, why not? Upon arrival, I noticed it was a typical NYC hole-in-the-wall type of spot — and honestly, those are often the gems. But not this time. Let’s start with the “locker room,” which is essentially a multi-use area that doubles (or triples?) as a locker room, bathroom, changing tent, office, and storage area. Yes, you read that right — you get dressed and undressed in literal tents. Privacy? What’s that? You’re greeted by two instructors, one of whom made a snide comment about “ClassPass” users. Just a quick reminder: ClassPass users still pay. Credits are not coupons. A paying customer is a paying customer — regardless of the method of transaction — and should be treated with respect. Wild concept, I know. I paid $3 to borrow a mat and towel — fair enough — but then noticed that mats were being returned and reused class-to-class without so much as a wipe-down. No cleaning protocol in sight. So basically, we’re sharing sweat with strangers. Cute. Moving on to the actual class, we made it clear it was our first time. The instructor, Alex, reassured us that she would “mix it up” to accommodate us. Well… that never happened. About 30 minutes in, my friend started to feel dizzy and nauseous — a pretty common first-time hot yoga reaction. She tried to quietly step out, but Alex loudly told her not to leave and to just lie down. Um… excuse me? The girl said she felt like she was going to throw up, and the response was, “just lie down”? Not only dismissive, but also wildly irresponsible. So, my friend follows instructions and lies there. I lean over to check on her — quietly, mind you — and that’s when Alex completely loses her cool. She loudly scolds us in front of the entire class, saying, “There’s no gossiping in here! Ugh, you guys are like an episode of Sex and the City!” I’m sorry… what? Since when is checking on your unwell friend considered gossip? And why is the instructor speaking to paying clients like we’re her frenemies from brunch? At that point, my friend decided she’d had enough — and honestly, so had I. As we left, Alex sarcastically yelled “BYE!” in front of everyone. Incredibly professional, right? I stuck around after class to speak with her one-on-one, hoping for an actual conversation. Instead, she pointed to a chair and said, “Right here is fine.” Because clearly, privacy isn’t a thing in a space where the bathroom doubles as an everything room. I calmly expressed that her behavior during class was inappropriate and unprofessional. Before I could finish, she gave a half-hearted “I know I was, sorry” with the tone of someone who clearly wasn’t. I work around difficult attorneys all day — I know the tone. And that was pure attitude, not accountability. When I said it reflected poorly on her business, she brushed it off and told me I could talk to management. Ma’am, you are management. I didn’t come here to file a complaint with corporate — I came for a yoga class, and I got a public performance of passive-aggressiveness instead. Her final line? “I’m too exhausted for this conversation.” If your job makes you so tired that you feel the need to be rude and dismissive to customers, maybe it’s time to reconsider your career path. For a business that’s supposed to be rooted in wellness, there was very little grace, respect, or self-awareness. Do...

It was my first Bikram class (with Jermaine R) and possibly the last one. The experience felt dehumanizing and traumatic. In the first quarter of the class, the instructor expected everyone to perform synchronously, even during the water drinking-part. After 5-10 minutes into the class, I began to feel intense heat and became a little dizzy, so I quickly took a sip of water and resumed the yoga pose. Jermaine R, the instructor, raised his voice at me and questioned why I didn't follow his instructions. Before I could answer, he jumped to the conclusion and said, "Oh, it's probably a language barrier. I feel like I'm talking to my mom..." I replied, "I have no language barrier, I just need water." He continued to ask why I didn't follow his instructions.

As an immigrant East Asian who moved to the United States when I was a teenager and received both my bachelor's and master's degrees in NYC, now in my 30s, I know my appearance may seem younger than my actual age. What this instructor said just made me feel like all those years of effort were invalidated. It generated a deep sense of frustration and indignation, reminding me of the struggles I've faced as an immigrant East Asian trying to integrate into American society. I don't think this instructor, Jermaine R, would make the same assumption about a person who appears black or white regarding a 'language barrier.' The fact that people need his permission to drink water during Bikram yoga feels oppressive, especially considering the high temperature of 105°F, which can easily lead to dehydration. I like to report this as I would not like others to experience the same. Also, this place should have all their "rules" listed on their website and class description to set the right expectations and have transparency if they expect their attendants to follow their...