Clayton Yoga Studio

I don’t subscribe to the notion of «coincidence,» nor do I hold anyone or anything responsible for whatever experience I have. I came to teacher training at Clayton Yoga knowing that I would receive what I was meant to receive – and was thrilled with the experience. Our class was able to study with 3 separate groups of students in teacher training, and in doing so I befriended many new Yogis and Yoginis… and together we were able to learn and investigate our path together, sharing and encouraging, and becoming living resources for each other. Additionally, we were given several amazing guest lecturers/​instructors who contributed a great deal to a very diverse curriculum. The path of Yoga can be a very personal one – and I know that the teacher training I have received will continue to help me become the best teacher I can be. Not every program will be right for every student of Yoga looking to get on the path of a teacher… but this program was exactly what I needed, and I know I will be a better teacher because of it.
Currently the studio has expanded its teacher base, so there is something for everyone – and the classes are intimate and vary in style, as each teacher has their own particular expertise and flavor. I would encourage the readers of this review to follow their heart to their mat, and to remember: it is YOUR practice… you make it what it is or is not. Give Clayton Yoga a try – because ultimately whatever experience you have anywhere is up to you! That is Yoga. And Clayton Yoga is a great place to really put that specific Sutra into action!!! Namasté!

Please listen to my warning and do NOT take the teacher training course with Clayton yoga. I am a beginner only a year of experience with yoga but wanted to be a future teacher yoga. I met with Michelle and she assured me you could come into this with little experience and be fine. I came to the 15 day course which she was late and already expected us to know positions without teaching them. She didn’t want to teach us anything, just grab a buddy and teach each other. The whole day she talked about how amazing she is and how much money she makes, and put us down if we said anything good about ourselves. The second day I didn’t even want to go but I went so I could tell her I wasn’t feeling comfortable with how the course was going. After that it was like a switch flipped and I became her new «pet». She basically bullied me for my age and inexperience. Calling me out the entire 9 hour day. Making me her slave, telling me to go get her water. or do this or that for her. It was extreme age discrimination. When we came back from a short break an hour before the day ended she brought out contracts for us to sign. Mind you I only put down a portion of what the class costs. She forced everyone into to signing and when I went to read it in detail she got in my face and said you already know all my rules you don’t need to read it! Thankfully I didn’t sign, brought it home and it was missing a convenient page. the one with the payment agreement. I never went back and took it as an expensive lesson learned. She tricks you to stay in because its a 3000 dollar upfront no refund class. She is a scam artist that is money hungry, she doesn’t care if you learn to become a yoga teacher or not. Please don’t make the same expensive mistake I did.

I bought a Groupon for this yoga studio. When I first looked at their schedule on their website and went to a class, the door was locked. I called and the person apologized, offering me an additional free class, that had to be used in November. I went to two subsequent classes. They were fine, but the instructor offered little support and never provided any direct instruction or adjustment with my postures. The room is very small, also.
After my first couple of classes, I attempted to go to class two more times, both of which were unsuccessful, because the studio was closed. One time a note was on the door, the other time the exterior door was just locked. I found this incredibly frustrating, as I was showing up based on the class schedule on the website and I was attempting to use a Groupon that was expiring.
I’m not sure why the owner does not use the studio’s Facebook page to communicate class cancellations.

There is absolutely nothing positive to say about Clayton Yoga or the owner, Michelle. It is a shame that someone like Michelle is able to run a studio and especially shameful that she is able to instruct yoga teacher training courses. I hate to even have to give this studio 1 star. I received my teacher certification at Clayton Yoga over the summer and was completely crushed and appalled with Michelle and the course. I have been practicing yoga for years and have never encountered such an awful person in the yoga community. The only pass Michelle gets for her despicable behavior is the fact that she is clearly mentally ill, you only need to have one conversation with her to realize this.
Through out the course she had many episodes where she would have a complete melt down, lash out at students and really was just a bully. Michelle actually made some students break down to where they had to quit the course due to her bullying and crazy antics. And this wasn’t the type of «tough love» bullying, this was plain old mean, insulting, mocking behavior that you would expect from a 12 year old mean little girl. People pay a lot of money to enter the teacher training program with the hope to achieve a dream of becoming a teacher. Unfortunately that is all this program is to Michelle, a way to SCAM hopeful students out of their money while providing nothing in return in this course. The police were actually called during our course because of an altercation between Michelle and a student. The student wanted her money back because we soon realized Michelle was scamming us out of our money and not running an actual teacher training. The scariest part of this altercation? The police officer telling us they have been called several times in the past about the same situation with Michelle and students.
It was not just Michelle’s disturbing behavior that made this course so devastating, it was the complete lack of structure to the so called course. Michelle requested several assignments and practice to be completed before the course started which was to be expected. The issue was that she lost several students homework and then persecuted them for not turning it in. She asked for very personal essays that we put much thought and effort into and to have it lost or worse, handed out for others to read so she could figure out who’s assignment it was! Michelle’s knowledge of yoga or lack there of is most concerning. She would attempt to teach us some things that even the newest yogi would know how incorrect it was. It actually got to the point in our course that our group had to band together and request that Michelle actually teach us something! We spent most of our day practicing «restorative yoga» which was really Michelle’s outlet to nap, yes take a nap like a child or just another way for her to pass the time since she did not really have a structured lesson plan. Michelle would ask us for certain articles or for our class to research something that did not pertain to us actually teaching yoga. We soon realized that she was collecting this information for her personal use, she would collect articles that she requested from us and she would use them for her website or for her next teacher training.
I could go on and on about the horrendous behavior during this course from Michelle but I’ll spare you. Bottom line, DO NOT TAKE THE TEACHER TRAINING COURSE OR ANY YOGA CLASS WITH MICHELLE. She will tear your dreams to pieces. I know it is enticing to take one of her «15 day intensive» courses but save yourself the heartache. Sure you will get that certificate but you could potentially loose your desire to teach, you will learn nothing unless you are lucky enough to have a great group as I did where you basically are teaching each other the material and you will be miserable every single second of the course. There are so many wonderful studios in St. Louis that have teacher training courses that will actually TRAIN you to be a teacher. If I could do it over, I would have taken one of the longer trainings with another studio in a heartbeat. Every single person in my class was equally as miserable. Some decided to not take action and move on with life after this experience, some chose to report Michelle and Clayton Yoga to the BBB and my hope is to keep others from wasting their time and money with the scam of a program.

Ok, not the greatest with reviews but here we go!
Wife and I have taken classes at the studio off and on for the past 2 years. We will continue there. We’ve had some great instructors that are no longer there and ones that are still there.
Studio: Yes it is small and fairly spartan but a surprising # can fit in the room. I’ve personally attended classes that were the instructor, one other and myself versus classes where there were 13 other people.
Instructors (just going to list the current ones I’ve attended):
Michelle (owner): Definitely about her business and I respect her for that. Always willing to talk and engage at the studio or when seeing her out and about. The flow her classes are always challenging to me. I always find myself in a new pose or an old one with a new twist. That’s what I like about her instruction.
Kristin: Favorite instructor currently there!!! Super friendly, listens (although everyone listens to request), and operates her class with a flow that I’ve gotten to really like. The music she plays ranges from stereotypical yoga music to stuff that is mixed with some nice beats. Yes… I’ve bobbed my head to music while in various poses (but that’s just me). The last class I had, I set my intention for my practice to be kick ass… and several of the poses kicked my ass that day. I loved it. Usually at the end of her class, I’m in a state of fatigued bliss.
Alex T.: While ear hustling, I’ve heard many of the people say she has the best class bc her class is more «athletic.» I’ve been in one or two of her classes (had to stop bc of work schedule) and loved it. I think her classes are more physically demanding and challenging. She is knowledgable and had me properly in poses like never before. From a guy that goes to class with sweat wrist bands on, trust me when I say you won’t be disappointed with her class. It is for all levels but will offer a challenge.
Gladys: If traditional Vinyasa Flow is yang, Gladys will serve you up the yin. Peace, relaxation, stillness and re-​energizing come to mind when I think of her classes. Almost every time I attend one, I come in wanting to sweat and get a great workout but through her practice I leave feeling refreshed and mello (sometimes having not sweated at all).
In summery, I will be honest and say that I haven’t been to many actual studios. I look forward to trying hot yoga and Brikram (sp) yoga. Clayton Yoga will definitely be my staple yoga center for a long time to come. I enjoy the classes, dig those that come out (us males are few and far between there so it is always great chatting with the fellas that come out), have experienced increasing strengths in poses, opened up/​released some joints/​twists/​muscles and have loved it all. Simply put, my practice there has helped me to better my posture, control and breath deeper, make it easier to put my pants on and walk better.
Namastè

The studio is old and small. No more than 6 mats can fit. Owner is rude. Wrong attitude for this business. Don’t waste your time, there are to many good studios in town. I recommend Yoga Source, Urban Breath and Big Bend Yoga. This studio won’t be around long. Surviving on Groupons with short expirations to take advantage of people who can“t use them in the allotted time since you can only fit 6 mats in he studio.

Quick update: I’ve now been to 5 classes, and just want to add a few thoughts.
Classes are still generally small. Michelle is again more «spiritual» than I prefer, and I still like Linda. Gina is also good.
Though at a class today, Michelle was filling in for another teacher (so perhaps she was a bit stressed). There were 6 – 7 people in class, and at the beginning Michelle walked around asking for people’s names so she could keep track of classes used. One patron had some sort of 5-​class deal, and had used 2 so far, and didn’t know it had expired. Michelle stated (rather impolitely) that she is a small business owner (with which I agree), and that she can’t honor the deal (okay, understandable).
The patron could either purchase a class pass (on the spot) or pay for a single class. (Meanwhile, all of this rather rude explanation was going on in front of the rest of the class.) After reviewing the price list (which Michelle handed to him), she decided to pay for a single class. Michelle stated that she needed to pay cash (and/​or maybe check) before class started. She explained that she left her wallet in her car (and obviously class was needing to start), and Michelle just kind of stood there. Keep in mind that many people leave their belongings in their car and come to the studio with just keys and a mat. Anyway, she decided to leave. I support her decision, after the way Michelle treated her. For someone who practices yoga, meditation, calmness, spirituality/​religion, and encourages these practices in class, Michelle should have been more polite and calm. My bet is that patron won’t be returning.
So, I might continue going to classes (since I’d like to finish my Groupon), but I’ll probably avoid Michelle… stick with Linda, you’ll enjoy it.

This was THE WORST yoga class I have ever been to. The studio is cute and really small, but the instructor (Michelle) was a total joke. She talked about herself for the first 5 minutes, was super rude and snappy, and was late. Her alignment was horrendous and she offered NO assistance or help to anyone in the class. She also charges $ 18 for this awful 1 hour class. Didn’t break a sweat, didn’t get anything out of it, and left feeling more frustrated than when I first got there. DO NOT GO TO THIS YOGA STUDIO!!!