Testimonials

November 17, 2011, Yelp 4 Stars

Charming, no-frills Bikram yoga studio.

There's no shower and a very modest changing area for women (it's a curtain separating the side of the mini-lobby. It's very convenient if you live close-by, as then you can just pop out and shower afterwards. However, the no-frills aspect also makes this studio the most affordable of the official Bikram studios, in terms of auto-debit ($79/mo for a one year commitment!) and class cards (5 classes for $60). Larger packages become comparable.

All the instructors are so polite. I think this is a great studio to start your Bikram practice (and I've heard they also gear classes to be more 'gentle' to more, um, mature patrons). If you can, make your first class with Regina (the owner), but I absolutely LOVE Carolini.

Yes, the room is narrow, but I do appreciate that they lay out mats to delineate places for each student/yogi. There's no fighting over space here since they're clearly marked!

The floor is not carpet, but another sort of non-slip pad, which makes this studio non-smelly. They also offer various essential oil sprays to disinfect your mat (or to spray your towel), but these get abused by patrons during practice who apparently aren't sweating enough.

The heat is also pretty hot and consistent, although I love the hot hot center with the heater pointing right at you (although sometimes it dries my sweat too quickly and I get extra parched).

Parking can be a little difficult in the afternoons I suspect, but there's no problem for the 9:15am.

Ingrid C, San Mateo, CA

October 10, 2011, Yelp 5 Stars

I suffered a back injury a couple of years ago. I tried physical therapy, a chiropractor, acupuncture, reposturing , massage therapy, ice and motrin and I was still in pain. Yoga was recommended, but the last time I tried it I felt I would get injured since I get cold between postures. So, I decided to try Bikram hot yoga...to my shock, I started feeling better after just 2 weeks. After 2 months I became painfree! I have been practicing here for 9 months and am addicted to Bikram. I hate to broadcast how great my little studio has been. Great instructors, nice owner, clean, chai tea on Saturdays. Other benefits for me include softer skin, better digestion, and I finally lost the last of my pregnancy weight just in time to send my baby off to UC Berkeley.

Gayle C, San Mateo, CA

October 8, 2011, Yelp 4 Stars

Nice, helpful person at the front desk. Welcoming instructor. Very supportive for newbies to Bikram yoga.

Remember to bring a towel and water, in addition to clothes you don't mind completely drenching in sweat. They do have loaner towels for $1 if you forget. They have a great section on their website outlining suggested clothing, etc.

The class we took was excellent.

I highly recommend giving Bikram yoga a try, but definitely try first before you commit. We were about to do the $30 for 30 day deal, then last-minute relented and did the $15 per class drop-in rate with the kind assurance that if we liked it, we could pay the extra $15 and get the 30 day deal, even the next time we came in (cool beans!)

I'm glad we did, because I found that I have mixed feelings about Bikram yoga itself... was hoping for a little more stretching poses to take advantage of the heat. And it definitely does require a cushion of time I'm not sure I have... making sure to hydrate well enough before-hand, a full hour and a half for yoga (great, but I prefer the hour to hour-15minute time frame for my schedule), then you *have* to change and take a shower afterwards because you are absolutely drenched in sweat from the heat.

Through no fault of this wonderful yoga center, it may just not be the right fit for me. But as a dearly beloved yoga guru once said to me, there is a yoga for everyone, and I would definitely recommend giving Bikram yoga a try, especially at this supportive, affordable place with decidedly groovy healing energy.

Nadia H, Redwood City, CA

October 1, 2011, Yelp 5 Stars

Gayle C, San Mateo, CA

June 21, 2011 Yelp 5 stars

I have been practicing Bikram Yoga at Yoga Health Center for just over a year now. I have tried numerous studios in the San Francisco and Bay Area and this is my favorite. The studio has special flooring, not carpet which means it doesn't smell like some other Bikram Yoga studios. The owner, Regina Bannon French is a delight. Really welcoming and knowledgeable about the yoga. All the instructors I have taken classes from there have been outstanding. If you are looking for a clean, hygienic studio with skilled instructors this is the place to go.

Fiona B, Redwood City, CA

May 27, 2011, Yelp 4 stars

This is the only Bikram yoga studio on the peninsula and since I can only do Bikram yoga, I started going there on and off since I moved to the peninsula. I give 4 stars for the following reasons:

1. Number of classes: they have a good number of classes at different times suitable for those who work a day job, or those who can only do it on the weekends. I've gone to their week-day 4:30 pm and 6:30 pm classes, as well as weekend 9 am or 4 pm classes. The weekend classes can be more packed though, so go there a little earlier. I once was late for a 4 pm Sunday class for only 5 minutes and they locked the door so I couldn't even get inside the lobby!

2. Nice instructors - I've been to different instructors classes and overall they are all nice and follow the same protocal. Some talk a little too much during the session, which can be a little annoying; but I have trained myself to tune them out so it does not stop me from going, lol...Once I rushed to the 9 am Sunday class and only to realize that I didn't bring the bottom of my yoga outfit. I asked the instructor if they sell them there and she said no but told me if I want to run home to get it she'll keep the door unlocked for me. So I quickly drove home and came back and that was already 15 minutes into the class and she let me in right away. That was very nice.

3. For first timers they have pretty good deal: $30 for unlimited sessions for the first 30 days. After you can either buy (another promotion) package or pay drop-in rate, which has not gone up over the past few years. Buying a package is a better deal if you are going there regularly.

4. Last but not the least: the reason I kept going back is that Bikram yoga is really good for me. I have very stiff back and had my lower back injured at one point. Bikram yoga really puts focus on strengthening your back with various poses. It teaches the most basic poses which may not look as fancy as some other styles of yoga out there these days, but boy does it really work on building a solid foundation of having the core strength and flexibility. My physical therapist actually advised that I do yoga more to help with my rehabilitation of my lower back and it did! Also I love the simplicity and uniform of what we practice, in any location you go to that practices bikram. I have that 26 poses down and I can drop in any studio I want and practice with ease. I even do it in the morning at home sometimes as I also got the book!

The only thing I am not too crazy about Bikram yoga is the heat, especially in the summer time when it is really hot outside. But the heat is also the reason I was able to progress as it softens my muscles so I am not as stiff. So I understand it is necessary, just cannot stand the heat in the summer. I love going in the winter time when it is freezing out there though.

Claire, W., San Mateo

March 17, 2011 Yelp 5 Stars

I'm very happy with this studio. While I haven't met all of the instructors due to my schedule, I've had very good experiences with Fiona, Cheryl, Elaine and Regina (the owner). It's a welcoming and calming environment and the studio is kept nice and clean. I've certainly seen fancier and larger Bikram practice spaces, but the no-frills style definitely shows in the reasonable pricing. I have done a little research and believe that their pricing is the best on the Peninsula. ($79/month auto debit with a 12-month contract = awesome. I was paying $140+/month in Austin, TX.)
Tips for newbies: Invest in a Yogitoes mat towel (they have a wide selection) and some microfiber hand/face towels as soon as you know you want to continue your practice. Hydrate a ton. Coconut water will help you with electrolyte replenishment post-practice. If you know your body's limitations, injury won't be an issue.
Bikram calls this his "Torture Chamber" for a reason, and it definitely can feel like it in the beginning. Don't give up though - the experience becomes a lot more pleasant after a few classes. There's no feeling like your first step into cool air after 90 minutes of class!

Heather H, Redwood City

Dec, 5, 2010, Yelp, 5 stars

I had never taken a Bikram yoga class before coming here. As like most first timers, I was a little nervous about working out for 90 minutes in extreme heat.

A month and a half ago I decided to just do it, and am addicted now. Every single instructor is amazing...and they each add something different to the class with their voice and personality. I can honestly say that this is my new favorite form of exercise simply because I feel so amazing after class is done. Each day is different, and you might expect to "perfect" certain poses, but that isn't really the case. Like everything else, you can have good and bad days of practice, but the bad aren't that bad :)

I would highly recommend coming here if you want a great 90 minute sweat drenching workout!!

Lea B, Burlingame

Oct. 10, 2010, Yelp 4 stars.

Yoga Health Center is WONDERFUL!!! The room is appropriately hot and the practice is intense! The studio has padded floors, surprisingly not stinky, and scented spray bottles for your mat or hand towels. What I most appreciate about this studio is the mutual respect all the experienced students have for one another and towards new students. I would travel to another county (maybe even move) just to practice with Regina, Bill, or Katie, just to name a few. All the instructors are great and have different teaching styles. The studio is clean and has calm energy. The Saturday morning chai tea is a treat too! If practicing on the weekends arrive at least 15 minutes early to get a spot. This studio is for the true yoga students you need not be a fusionistas or lean bodied.

"Struggle a little haaadar" - Fiona
"Enjoy your edge, whatever that may be for you today" - Bill
"Yet is a very important word in the practice of yoga" - Regina
"Stay present" - Katie

Ryan P, Belmont

May 21, 2010 Yelp 5 stars.

I have been coming here for almost a year now. It is a great local studio...Yoga Health Center has great instructors, is clean, well maintained and fun! It's a great studio. I can't say anything negative whatsoever, except for maybe that it's on the smaller side. Great place! E.G. Redwood City

Jan 29, 2010. Yelp 4 stars

I'm completely obsessed with Bikram yoga due to Yoga Health Centers superb introductory promotion ($30 for 30 days) and the instructors enthusiastic, patient and motivating classes. My girlfriends got me to go and I haven't stopped since. The room is small but intimate and the window closest to El Camino was only distracting the 1st class. Once I dug down n dirty into focusing on what I was there for other then the heat - I was in the zone! Each instructor has a unique ambiance they bring to their class. There's no pressure to be the best or most flexible, they promote taking your own pace. I take the morning classes, which are less crowded. The classes are all 90 mins, except for the silent 6am class (my next class to try out! ) and although at first they're hard to endure, they are worth every once of pain. When you leave a rush of positivity is carried throughout the rest of your day (well at least for myself) it's truly fantastic.

Samantha G. San Mateo

Nov 4, 2009, Yelp 5 Stars

I started practicing Bikram yoga at YHC in Jan 2008 with the $30 for 30 day promotion that they always have for new students. This is a great way to get started and I highly recommend it for people who are either new to yoga or new to Bikram.

All the instructors are great, but my favorites are the studio owner Regina and Cheryl. It's amazing how you can learn something new in each class, even if you are practicing the same 26 postures.

I've had a couple of injuries in the past couple of years - an ankle sprain and a shoulder injury. Yoga has helped tremendously with the recovery.

Regina has done a fabulous job with the studio and she has a personal connection with all her students. I highly recommend YHC to anyone looking for a yoga studio in the San Carlos/Belmont area.

MJ, San Carlos

Nov 18, 2009. Yelp, 5 Stars

I LOVE YHC!!!!! I'd been to other studios (mostly in SoCal) and did not enjoy the experience. I started coming to YHC last April and I recently signed up for a year-long membership.

All of the instructors are terrific. The classes are taught in an encouraging, non-intimidating style. No one pushes you to go too far beyond your limits, but at the same time they do encourage you to move beyond your comfort zone. And they understand that some days you feel stronger than others.

There's no pressure to buy the most expensive packages, and the studio is clean, small, and there's plenty of personal attention. I ALWAYS feel terrific after a class here!

Alyssa L., Redwood City, CA

Oct 30, 2009. Yelp 5 Stars
I love practicing Bikram yoga at Yoga Health Center! I've been a regular practitioner at Regina's studio for over a year now.

+1 Star - Teachers.
The instructors are all amazing, and each brings their own unique energy into the delivery of the dialogue! They guide you through your poses without being condescending. They will make suggestions on when to drink water, when not to, and always remind you to go into a relaxation pose if you feel dizzy.

+1 Star - Class size.
Regina, the studio owner believes in providing quality yoga, and is not concerned with quantity or packing as many students as possible into the room. Class size is limited, making the yoga experience and the space to move through the postures comfortable and safe.

+1 Star - Heat.
The temperature and humidity is always just right... by eagle pose, my arms are sweaty enough to align well. In camel posture, the spine is open so you can safely go into the deepest back bend of the series. You will sweat buckets and feel absolutely amazing afterward!

+1 Star - Super clean.
Of course the brand new rubber floors are new so its clean. But there is special attention paid to keeping the surfaces and loaner mats clean. Essential oils are available in spray bottles for students to clean their mat and towel. The feeling and smell is of clean and caring about clean.

+1 Star - The other students.
This is one thing that is not the fault or credit of the studio, but I want to give a star for it anyhow. My experience has been that the other students are generous and courteous. How many times have we had our yoga practice RUINED by rude (cell phone ringing, texting), competitive yogis? Everyone here seems super blissful and just happy to try it out. Nice vibe!

+1 Star - Regina's Chai Saturdays!
If I could, I would give Yoga Health Center six stars:) Regina makes the best chai tea for her Saturday morning classes! It makes getting out of bed to get to a 7 or 9am class much more manageable, knowing there's a great cup of homemade chai and conversation waiting for you at the end of the 90 minutes. Regina has created a true sense of community!

Six stars in my book, five stars on yelp... if you're at all curious about Bikram yoga or a regular practitioner traveling through the area, Yoga Health Center is the studio to check out!

Cory P,, Redwood City

Oct 26, 2009
Hi Regina, the new website is great, as are all the other "upgrades" you've been making lately. The Yoga Health Center is a wonderful place to practice; keep that Bikram Yoga groove going in San Carlos!

George Heblack, San Carlos.

Oct 12, 2009. Yelp, 5 Stars.
I have been going to Yoga Health Center in San Carlos for almost a year now. I have nothing but great things to say!

FIRST: THE STAFF
The owner Regina is one of the nicest studio owners I have ever met. She's not a business-first kind of person. She cares about the people who come to the studio. She gets to know new people by name. She even makes her own Chai tea and lets everyone have some after class.The teachers are equally wonderful. They're friendly, helpful to new students, and always willing to offer advice before or after class. Although I love them all, I must admit I have favorites. Bill only teaches occasionally but he's amazing. I also love Katie's class. She's very energetic, which helps me keep going.

SECOND: THE STUDIO
Until recently, YHC had a carpet in the studio. They now have a new rubbery kind of floor that's much more hygienic, and very comfortable to practice on. Other studios have hard wood floors, which hurts my knees in kneeling positions. This type of flooring is perfect. The space is long and narrow, which I didn't love at first. But it's grown on me. I like how there are only two rows, meaning everyone can see themselves in the mirror. I also like that I can practice by a big window and get sunlight all through the class.

THIRD: THE COST
Yoga Health Center is more affordable than other studios I've attended. The first month is $30 for 30 days. After that, you buy one month and get one month free. The drop-in rate is $15--less than other studios--and the monthly packages are cheaper, as well.

LASTLY: MY OVERALL IMPRESSIONS
Yoga Health Center is a friendly little spot with good people. I get a great work out in the 107 degree heat, and I also get a little zen in the savasanas throughout the class. Lori D, San Mateo, CA.

I am not flexible, I am not thin, and I am not young. I started Bikram in 2002 at the age of 55. I could barely touch my knees and I thought I hated heat. The heat is now my friend, allowing me to stretch in ways not possible in a cold room. Recently I had major surgery; my recovery was fast and easy. It is Bikram yoga that keeps me vital and healthy. What a gift I give myself each time I attend a Bikram yoga class at the Yoga Health Center. Joy Kellman, Atherton.

Yoga Health Center and its wonderful, friendly, and knowledgeable teachers support our mid-Peninsula community with a crucial resource that helps us maintain health and vitality. I always tell my friends that it's my favorite resource in San Carlos! Best,

Ben Fuller, San Carlos.

"Regina, thanks for the great yoga class. You are an inspiration! I'm in the process of signing up for another year. I really like the results I feel from yoga. Yoga is not easy for me but I'm hanging in there. The patients I've seen from your studio have done extremely well with chiropractic care and it has been very rewarding. Thank you."

Dr. Tyler Tollstrup , Belmont.

I just wanted to drop you a note to tell you of my yoga breakthrough experience. I have been a fitness enthusiastic for a long time - running, weights, and now yoga. Since November when I started to do yoga religiously, it has positively impacted my weight training. In as little as 3 months, I was able to increase my bench presses from 60 pounds to 75 pounds unassisted, 85 pounds machine assisted. For years I have tried to increase my strength training and couldn't, yoga has made the difference. As a working mother, it's hard to find time to do all the activities you want, but yoga is definitely part of my core now....Thanks for helping me find yoga and its benefits,

Colleen.

The consistency of Bikram yoga at the Yoga Health Center is the cornerstone for my health and feeling of well-being. The tougher things get, the more important its role. Especially when I have lots of international travel. Helps me sleep, helps digestion and helps keep my weight in check. My friends tell me it helps my attitude too, I'm easier to deal with when I am doing my Bikram. 5 years and counting.

Joel Kellman, Atherton.

"Regina, I just wanted to say thank you for introducing my wife and I to Bikram Yoga. We are truly enjoying the instructions we are receiving from all of your instructors. They are knowledgeable, inspirational, and most of all very supportive in helping us reach our personal best. The great atmosphere that has been created in a very heated environment makes learning the yoga postures, understanding the breathing/balancing process, and working the internal organs, an awesome way to rejuvenate, relax and radiate our body, mind and soul." Jay P. Redwood City.

"I started Bikram yoga three years ago. Having had asthma and constant respiratory infections, I literally have never been healthier. Just ask my family. They know. To control my asthma, I go to the allergist regularly for immunotherapy (allergy shots). I have been receiving shots for 8 years and since starting Bikram yoga three years ago, I have noticed two significant improvements: the first being a dramatic increase in peak flow (ability to exhale) and a ceasing of respiratory infections.

Prior to Bikram yoga, I would receive a peak flow between 480 and 550 at best. Now I frequently register in the 600's and 700's. The peak flow is monitored every time I go for allergy shots. Secondly, prior to practicing Bikram yoga, I was prescribed antibiotics at least three times a year for respiratory infections.

As a classroom teacher, I was really starting to wonder how much more my lungs could take. Miraculously, I have not had one respiratory infection in three years since starting this practice and have also dramatically reduced the number of colds I was getting. Now thanks to this practice, I can continue the job that I love. Thanks Regina for having this studio."

Carolyn B. Belmont.

"The experience I have enjoyed at your studio has been outstanding. I have felt accepted, welcomed and appreciated I am a hard person to make "happy" as a customer, if you will.

I am confident I will stick with it. I am a "stick to it" kind of person and I do not get uptight if life's normal ebbs & tides get in the way of something temporarily. In short, I think you all are stuck with me in some form or fashion! : )

I try and come every other day as I have found I "do better" when I have a day to recover. Since Jan 03 I have lost about 45lbs. This Yoga is undoubtedly my favorite and most rewarding exercise beyond what I do with the kids. With appreciation, see you soon.

Carolyn W. Foster City.

Hi Regina! I just wanted to let you know how happy I am to be back at your studio practicing Bikram yoga again!! It has been quite a long time since I was on a regular routine. I truly missed the energy, gratification and physical/emotional benefits.

While I was "away", I was working out at a local gym. I have to say that the energy was different and I notice/experienced negative impact on my joints. Having only been back one week, I am much happier and relaxed! I look forward to practicing on a regular basis, sorry this is a bit long but I wanted to let you know how much I missed your studio! Namaste,

Debbie M.

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