» Spotlight: Pure Yoga

Spotlight: Pure Yoga

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

pure-yoga Today, we spotlight one of the newer Upper West Side yoga studios, Pure Yoga. The Hong Kong-based studio, which has flourished in Asia and came to New York City in early 2008, has two current locations in the city, Pure East on 86th and 3rd and Pure West on Amsterdam and 76th, which opened in January (Pure’s growth likely won’t stop there… there is a rumored expansion to a location in Soho and more plans for future growth to additional NYC locations along with LA and other parts of Southern California). We at My Upper West jumped at the invite to check out the Pure West studio and even take a class (all in a day’s work to help out our fellow Upper West Siders!). Click through to read more about Pure West.

We can understand why New York Magazine gave Pure Yoga top honors for yoga studios in 2009 and 2010; even if you aren’t taking one of their fantastic classes, the space is a nice place to just hang out. The main areas of the Pure West studio are elegantly decorated with an Indian feel (while Pure East is Asian-inspired), featuring soft lighting, warm colors, cozy lounge seating, and modern touches. The seven studios, main areas, and locker rooms are spotless and well-organized, with great little additions like a refrigerator with eucalyptus-infused cold towels outside the hot yoga studio and well-maintained steam rooms in each locker room. The fact that Pure Yoga is in partnership with Equinox also doesn’t go unnoticed… look for the complimentary high-end soaps, shampoos, and lotion, along with q-tips, razors, and other get-ready-necessities in the locker rooms. Another perk is that lugging around a yoga mat is no longer required, as classes include clean and non-cheap mats.

Part of what sets Pure Yoga apart from the slew of other yoga studios in the city is the sheer number of class offerings. There are over 100 classes per week at Pure West, ranging over 27 different yoga styles, so you can take your pick to suit your schedule. From early morning beginner classes (a rarity at other studios) to hot yoga to Iyengar to Pilates, you can take a huge variety of classes from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm. There is even a private hot yoga studio for those looking to get one-on-one instruction in hot yoga. Whether you are a yoga novice or have been practicing for years, there is sure to be an uncrowded class at Pure West with a well-trained instructor.

Most classes at Pure Yoga require a membership (rather than a per-class purchase), and the monthly membership fee gives you access to any class at Pure West. If you are interested in checking out Pure West prior to purchasing a membership, you are in luck… My Upper West readers new to Pure can get a complimentary one-day pass to the studio! Simply fill out an inquiry form, and when contacted, mention the free My Upper West pass, in order to redeem. To get more information about class schedules, teacher training, and special programs and workshops, check out Pure Yoga’s website.