The Yoga Circle

I loved my first hot yoga class with Stephen and look forward to attending more soon. The studio is inviting and easy to locate. Stephen is an extraordinary instructor with passion and wisdom to share with his students. I was welcomed instantly by Stephen as if I were an old friend. I felt comfortable and confident as a "newbie" to hot yoga. Stephen encouraged each of us to utilize the class as our personalized class and to make modifications and adjustments as needed. I am blown away by how Stephen and the other educators/healers have created a supportive community. I am incredibly thankful to have found a home away from home. I highly recommend scheduling one of Stephens's yoga classes! A friend recommended Stephens's class to me and I am grateful.

I decided not to support this yoga studio because of their sexist policy written on the FAQ tab of their website. They state "Bra tops are helpful with a cover up for your modesty. Males are welcome to not wear a shirt..." I'll determine what's modest for my body, thanks. Despite their high ratings, this blatant sexism turned me off completely from even taking a class here.

I am addicted to my Wednesday morning Kundalini Yoga class.

I had put off a deal I purchased online for right under a year, and finally got my butt over to The Yoga Circle so I wouldn't miss out on what I spent. I had no idea what I was going to stumble upon.

I attended Kerry's Monday morning Kundalini class and fell in love with this challenging practice. Over the years, I have created a routine of running, Zumba(ing), and weight training. I didn't think I would be able to calm down for a yoga class. This training offers the opportunity to extend your abilities in yoga, but also come out with a peace of mind and a well-balanced physique. I need this class.

Unfortunately, my schedule doesn't allow me to attend the Monday class often, but I do make it to Gabriela's Wednesday 9:30 class regularly. It's wonderful that it's in the middle of the week and gives me a chance to be re-energized and leave with a clear head and standing up straight!!! :)

Caution, this is a unique and challenging form of yoga. The Yoga Circle offers other classes and one can see a schedule on their website. Stephen (the owner) has built a great studio with a strong staff and a loyal following. Check it out!!

Fantastic place for many different yoga practices. All of my teachers have been awesome. I definitely wouldn't consider myself a regular here but I've been randomly over the past 8 years and always have the same great experience each time. The facility is awesome and you can book online from there website.

Ever wanted to do hot yoga that isn't too hot? This is the place.

I tried Bikram yoga, but the full-on lights and the military-style teaching didn't match my yoga vibe. Then I heard about Yoga Circle from a friend, went in for a class, and fell in love. The room is heated to various levels depending on the class (but it is always warm), they offer a range of yoga styles (vinyasa, hatha, proper hot yoga at 105 degrees, etc), and have a pretty good number of classes each day.

The setting is fantastic- a dimly lit room, sometimes with background music on, only one mirror in the front (I don't always want to see what I look like from behind while in eagle pose), and a window. It is peaceful and calming, while the classes are challenging and leave me feeling nicely worked out and flexible.

They lost a star for organization- it is a bit chaotic. I prefer studios that let you sign up for and view classes online (usually its the MindBodyonline system, but any system would be good) and that lets you know how many classes you have left in your package... Yoga Circle uses sticky notes with your name on them if you are out of classes... a bit inconvenient!

Otherwise, awesome place, knowledgeable instructors, the perfect workout :)

Beautiful studio with expert direction! Probably one of the most challenging yoga classes I've ever taken, but not so hard that I didn't feel like I could keep up. I felt like I got a great workout and a deep stretch. The perfect yoga class!

I'm a complete noobie to yoga, but Stephen has been wonderful, accepting, and caring.

I was searching for Bikram Yoga when I ran across this place. Upon seeing the Hot Yoga and Vinyasa classes, I decided to give one a try. I did the hot yoga today and walked out feeling rejuvenated and relaxed. My body really needed this class! The instructor, Stephen, was very helpful and relaxed. The instructor's energy sets the energy for the entire class so this is very important.

I will recommend this place to people(:

Best yoga in Birmingham! Experienced & inspiring teachers, awesome room, and a variety of specials, events, and classes.

Stephen, Christine, and Shannon are my favorite teachers but I really never have gone to a class there I didn't love! I would definitely recommend Yoga Circle to anyone. This is a place for all levels and an environment for healing and rejuvenating.

Namaste.

I have a hard time rating this place. I am an out of town guest, and only came twice. Rates were inexpensive and they offer a second class free, which is a nice introduction to the space.

Align + Awaken with Kim Drye was one of the most intelligent, subtle yoga classes I have ever taken. Very much alignment based, definitely Iyengar, and beautiful. Much slower pace than I was anticipating, but I worked hard and it was lovely. I basically floated out of there. She was attentive and kind and offered TONS of personal attention. I felt very seen by her and I think everyone else in there did too. She knew people's names and created a great atmosphere of community and ease. I was so happy to have actually LEARNED something in a yoga class that I rushed back the next day to take a second class.

I took Fierce Flow with Natalie and was really excited because the description mentioned arm balances and challenging postures. Great- I love arm balances and generally have a very strong physical practice (and am myself a vinyasa teacher, so I thought this would be a great fit). Unfortunately, this was probably the worst yoga class I've ever taken. Absolutely unsafe, unintelligent sequence, no alignment cues whatsoever, she forgot things between sides, pumped loud music, and shouted things like, "Great job rockstar yogis!" which made me cringe. The energy was frenetic and weird. After looking around the room and realizing that everyone was doing something completely different and that half the class looked midinjury, I actually left an hour into this 90-minute class. This is the second class in the eight years that I have been practicing yoga that I have ever left early. I was so disappointed.

If I return to Birmingham I would definitely return to this studio, as I loved my first experience, the studio itself is clean with minimal decor and nice natural lighting, but I think the range between teachers was strange and unpredictable.