There is no shortage of yoga studios in the Cobble Hill/Boerum Hill/Carroll Gardens area. You can choose from Vinyasa, Yin, Iyengar, and Viniyoga; heated, low-heat, and room temperature; prenatal and postnatal; even specialty classes for runners and parents with toddlers.
389 Court Street (between First and Second Places)
This studio in leafy Carroll Gardens is one of several local Area outposts. Most classes focus on Vinyasa, a style of yoga with a continuous flow from one posture to the next. (Yoga classes with “flow” in the name are typically Vinyasa.) In addition to classes for various levels of practitioners, the studio offers sessions for parents and their toddlers, prenatal classes, and Jivamukti, which incorporates meditation, spiritual teachings, and a soundtrack ranging from Mozart to John Coltrane to George Harrison. A smattering of non-yoga classes are taught as well, such as karate for kids, kickboxing for adults, and Gymtronic, a series of resistance exercises designed around a weight-and-pulley machine.
185 Sackett Street (between Henry and Hicks Streets)
The Three Little Bears would have appreciated the options available at Brooklyn Yoga Project: heated, low-heat, and room-temperature Vinyasa classes. For the heated sessions, the studio is a sultry, humid 85-95 degrees Fahrenheit; for low-heat, the temperature is a somewhat more moderate 80-85 degrees. Weather permitting, “unheated” classes are taken outside to the studio’s garden. In addition to Vinyasa, the studio offer Iyengar-inspired sessions, which emphasize body alignment and the elements of each movement.
97 Bond Street (between Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Street)
In addition to standard Vinyasa classes, this studio offers the more challenging Power Vinyasa as well as Viniyoga, a highly individualistic method that focuses on the spine in relationship to breathing, and Yin yoga, a slow-paced style that is almost the antithesis of Vinyasa, with poses held for as long as 20 minutes. Private classes are available, and little ones are not left out: Come and Play Yoga introduces children ages three to five to poses and breathing exercises.
310 Atlantic Avenue (between Hoyt and Smith Streets)
Classes at this sunny ground-floor studio are limited to eight people, to ensure that each attendee receives individualized attention. The yoga classes are Vinyasa in nature, with an emphasis on coordinating breathing with movement. Pilates is also on the class menu, as is Strength & Length, a multidisciplinary workout developed by The Floor’s instructors that encompasses yoga, Pilates, and fascial release, which is believed to improve mobility.
Iyengar Yoga Institute of Brooklyn
525 Pacific Street (between Third and Fourth Avenues)
A basic Iyengar standing pose. Image: Matthew Greenfield/Wikimedia
As mentioned above, alignment is the focus of Iyengar yoga. This is not limited to alignment of the body and breathing when moving and holding positions; it also pertains to the alignment of body, mind, and soul. There are classes designed for various levels of experience, from novice to advanced, as well as open-level community classes and classes tailored for people with HIV or AIDS. In addition, special workshops are held on many weekends. For instance, Un-Block Your Routine, on March 31, will introduce wood and foam blocks as a way of enhancing your yoga routine.
162 Court Street (at Amity Street)
Though Mala offers several levels of Vinyasa classes, it is the specialty classes that really distinguish it from other studios. These include Yoga for Runners, with poses designed to improve flexibility and minimize injuries; the self-explanatory Healthy Hips & Backs; and Core Strength, especially suitable for postnatal women.
498 Court Street (between Luquer and Nelson Streets)
Prema takes a holistic approach to yoga. Its flagship Complete classes incorporate not just Vinyasa movements but also meditation, chanting, spiritual teachings, music, and aromatherapy. It does offer specialty classes as well, such as Align, which concentrates on the muscles used during various sequences; Slow It Down, held on Sunday evenings and designed to prepare you for the week ahead; prenatal classes; and Wall, which uses a wall as support to aide with Iyengar-style alignment. Prema also hosts several series of monthly workshops, such as Living Light: An Exploration of the Chakras and Friday Evening Self-Practice, which includes live music.
225 Schermerhorn Street (between Bond and Hoyt Streets)
The heat is on at Tangerine, with the studio temperature at around 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The Vinyasa-style classes include Flow & Restore, in which a moderate flow session is followed by the use of roller balls to self-massage and release tension; the all-level Power Flow; and Foundational Flow, with special attention given to alignment and breathing. The studio puts just as much attention to minimizing its carbon footprint. The yoga mats are made from biodegradable tree rubber, the radiant heating panels are energy efficient, and the studio prides itself on being paperless.