I love this yoga place, and I can't say enough wonderful things about Randy, the instructor. He is a great guy and a dedicated Ashtanga yoga person. I was going to him for years before COVID came along and ruined things. But his yoga studio -- great vibe, wonderful people, just a good place to be. It carried me through a lot of tough times. I really hope to return one day soon.
Doris L.
Dec 2018
Ashtanga yoga follows a traditional formula from India, and Randy, the founder of Ashtanga Yoga Belmont, has trained with its founder Patthabi Jois in India and with Eddie Stern in the US, bringing to his teaching a depth of knowledge and a gentle attentiveness to each student in the individualized Mysore method. I am grateful to have found the yoga space Randy has created. Under his teaching I have progressed from disability to ability over the past five years and watched others make the same amazing journey. Some students are quite advanced, while others like myself find great benefits in a slower pace. All are given individual instruction as needed under his watchful eye. Randy is devoid of self-promotion; students must discover his studio for themselves and decide for themselves if this is the right place for them. I am very fortunate that I have done so.
Aimee C.
Jun 2018
I've done a lot of yoga over the past few years and felt very attracted to ashtanga but was afraid to try it until about six months ago. My spouse and I both came to Ashtanga Yoga Belmont and Randy welcomed us, letting us watch Mysore, validating our concerns about starting over, and reassuring us that we could do as much or as little as we wanted. I started a six-day-per-week practice and my spouse chose three. We both love what we do every day and are so grateful to Randy for his gentle yet encouraging approach. The assists are helpful, never unwelcome. He is respectful of our individual bodies and their flexibilities/issues/injuries and never pushes us to do more than we can. We love how individualized Ashtanga is and are grateful we found Randy, whose respect for tradition has made this a practice we hope to keep up for as long as we can.
Lisa L.
Jun 2018
Randy is a good teacher. He doesn't give you all the speech typical yoga studio give you -- setting intentions every class and talking about all the muscle movements so that you can do yoga "scientifically". Yoga is a practice you do every so often and you gradually get good at it. Ashtanga is a very vigorous routine and yoga as type of workout activities can cause injury. Listen to your body and do what you can. Randy has a years of practice practice himself and he understands and are able to explain how to get in poses unlike some other 200 hours trained yoga teachers who can't do anything themselves in their own yoga practice because they are too busy teaching and trying to make money and they don't practice at all and do not know how to get in a pose. if you are interested in Ashtanga and are determine to keep practicing, Randy is a good teacher you can go to.
Amy C.
May 2018
I tried several other yoga studios and settled with Randy. He is one of the best in the area. I have been with him now for more than four years. When I have had injuries, he knows how to take it slow and let my body heal. I'm not sure I understand the one star reviews here. Ashtanga is not for everyone. It is a rigorous, demanding kind of yoga and you have to be willing to push yourself. For the reviewer who said she had to have an MRI after doing a Marichyasana A, that is really weird.
Paul Miller
Mar 2018
Been going here for a few years. Randy has a ton of experience and a lot more training than a 500 hour teacher has.
ivy c
Dec 2017
If I could give this studio zero stars I would, for the reason that follows. One day last May, after studying at Ashtanga Yoga Belmont for about 5 months, I was in Randy's led primary class. Because I was feeling a little bit sore that morning, I was taking it easy. At that moment (while I was doing a forward bend, Marichiyasana A) the teacher, Randy, walked up behind me and started to push on my spine so I had to go forward deeper into the bend. I screamed involuntarily, something I normally would not do but his pushing me was such a surprise and also painful; still, despite my yelp-scream he continued to force me down so that my upper body was lying completely flush with my lower extended right leg; he proceeded to hold me down for the 5 counts. When I came up I was disoriented, and although I was able to walk out of the class, my condition rapidly deteriorated. Two emergency room visits and an MRI revealed that all five of my lumbar discs had been extruded/protruded, my sacrum displaced, and three of the vertebral discs were impinging the spinal nerve. My left leg collapsed and was numb below the knee for 2 months. The pain was immense, and I couldn't walk, sit, stand, or lie down, much less sleep. As a result, I had to learn to walk again, little by little, beginning with a few steps. Months later, I can walk but my life has been forever changed by what I consider a reckless and non-consensual yoga adjustment that was really more of an assault. My spine specialist said yesterday, "You were assaulted." My spine was straight when I walked into AYB but now it is crooked; I no longer have a reflex in my left leg. So, no, I would not recommend this studio or this teacher, and I'm writing this review so that this information -- about my experience -- will at least be known.
David Itkin
Sep 2017
Randy changed my idea of what Yoga is. His teaching style is very personal - he truly cares about each of his students and I believe he forms a bond with each one as he did with me. His presence inspires patience and diligence, and the serene vibe of the studio is palpable as soon as I enter. He emphasizes attention to detail and has high expectations. No music is played as Ashtanga practice is intended to be a meditative experience. Though I am temporarily going to a different studio since I'm moving, I will always view Randy as my teacher who really got me into Yoga.
Amanda S.
I love this yoga place, and I can't say enough wonderful things about Randy, the instructor. He is a great guy and a dedicated Ashtanga yoga person. I was going to him for years before COVID came along and ruined things. But his yoga studio -- great vibe, wonderful people, just a good place to be. It carried me through a lot of tough times. I really hope to return one day soon.
Doris L.
Ashtanga yoga follows a traditional formula from India, and Randy, the founder of Ashtanga Yoga Belmont, has trained with its founder Patthabi Jois in India and with Eddie Stern in the US, bringing to his teaching a depth of knowledge and a gentle attentiveness to each student in the individualized Mysore method. I am grateful to have found the yoga space Randy has created. Under his teaching I have progressed from disability to ability over the past five years and watched others make the same amazing journey. Some students are quite advanced, while others like myself find great benefits in a slower pace. All are given individual instruction as needed under his watchful eye. Randy is devoid of self-promotion; students must discover his studio for themselves and decide for themselves if this is the right place for them. I am very fortunate that I have done so.
Aimee C.
I've done a lot of yoga over the past few years and felt very attracted to ashtanga but was afraid to try it until about six months ago. My spouse and I both came to Ashtanga Yoga Belmont and Randy welcomed us, letting us watch Mysore, validating our concerns about starting over, and reassuring us that we could do as much or as little as we wanted. I started a six-day-per-week practice and my spouse chose three. We both love what we do every day and are so grateful to Randy for his gentle yet encouraging approach. The assists are helpful, never unwelcome. He is respectful of our individual bodies and their flexibilities/issues/injuries and never pushes us to do more than we can. We love how individualized Ashtanga is and are grateful we found Randy, whose respect for tradition has made this a practice we hope to keep up for as long as we can.
Lisa L.
Randy is a good teacher. He doesn't give you all the speech typical yoga studio give you -- setting intentions every class and talking about all the muscle movements so that you can do yoga "scientifically". Yoga is a practice you do every so often and you gradually get good at it. Ashtanga is a very vigorous routine and yoga as type of workout activities can cause injury. Listen to your body and do what you can. Randy has a years of practice practice himself and he understands and are able to explain how to get in poses unlike some other 200 hours trained yoga teachers who can't do anything themselves in their own yoga practice because they are too busy teaching and trying to make money and they don't practice at all and do not know how to get in a pose. if you are interested in Ashtanga and are determine to keep practicing, Randy is a good teacher you can go to.
Amy C.
I tried several other yoga studios and settled with Randy. He is one of the best in the area. I have been with him now for more than four years. When I have had injuries, he knows how to take it slow and let my body heal. I'm not sure I understand the one star reviews here. Ashtanga is not for everyone. It is a rigorous, demanding kind of yoga and you have to be willing to push yourself. For the reviewer who said she had to have an MRI after doing a Marichyasana A, that is really weird.
Paul Miller
Been going here for a few years. Randy has a ton of experience and a lot more training than a 500 hour teacher has.
ivy c
If I could give this studio zero stars I would, for the reason that follows. One day last May, after studying at Ashtanga Yoga Belmont for about 5 months, I was in Randy's led primary class. Because I was feeling a little bit sore that morning, I was taking it easy. At that moment (while I was doing a forward bend, Marichiyasana A) the teacher, Randy, walked up behind me and started to push on my spine so I had to go forward deeper into the bend. I screamed involuntarily, something I normally would not do but his pushing me was such a surprise and also painful; still, despite my yelp-scream he continued to force me down so that my upper body was lying completely flush with my lower extended right leg; he proceeded to hold me down for the 5 counts. When I came up I was disoriented, and although I was able to walk out of the class, my condition rapidly deteriorated. Two emergency room visits and an MRI revealed that all five of my lumbar discs had been extruded/protruded, my sacrum displaced, and three of the vertebral discs were impinging the spinal nerve. My left leg collapsed and was numb below the knee for 2 months. The pain was immense, and I couldn't walk, sit, stand, or lie down, much less sleep. As a result, I had to learn to walk again, little by little, beginning with a few steps. Months later, I can walk but my life has been forever changed by what I consider a reckless and non-consensual yoga adjustment that was really more of an assault. My spine specialist said yesterday, "You were assaulted." My spine was straight when I walked into AYB but now it is crooked; I no longer have a reflex in my left leg. So, no, I would not recommend this studio or this teacher, and I'm writing this review so that this information -- about my experience -- will at least be known.
David Itkin
Randy changed my idea of what Yoga is. His teaching style is very personal - he truly cares about each of his students and I believe he forms a bond with each one as he did with me. His presence inspires patience and diligence, and the serene vibe of the studio is palpable as soon as I enter. He emphasizes attention to detail and has high expectations. No music is played as Ashtanga practice is intended to be a meditative experience. Though I am temporarily going to a different studio since I'm moving, I will always view Randy as my teacher who really got me into Yoga.
Gerald Walle
Wonderful Ashtanga studio.. Randy is great.