Stanford Aerobics and Yoga

I was a TA for the ballroom dance classes held here during the 2012 – 13 school year. Having said that, I probably used the facility around 20 times (to put things in perspective).
Location-​wise, it’s pretty close to the on-​campus grad housing and their dining facility. Medium convenience if you are on-​campus. If you were driving from say, Stanford shopping center, though, driving there would take a while (lots of stops along the road and lots of pedestrians so long wait times).
The actual facility is great and offers a variety of classes. They even post a class schedule next to the entrance by the mailboxes.
I dislike how the restrooms adjacent are often locked in the evenings. If there are still activities, all resources should be available! Partner dancing involves sweating and physical touch. Students shouldn’t have to feel like they can’t wash their hands. That’s definitely an issue with Stanford’s facility management though. Also, lighting in the area is generated by sepia colored lamps, which I hate. It makes it hard to see things and everything just looks dim (read: safety issue).
Overall, the place is great for exercising. It’s a well maintained, newer, welcoming space.

Great workout for the price.
I’ve tried several of their yoga and fitness classes, and they are a great value. They provide all the equipment necessary, like mats, straps, and blocks. If you want to try out different fitness classes, it’s the perfect way to try some out and see what you like, since the classes are only $ 6 for hour-​long classes and $ 9 for 1.5 hour classes.
It does get pretty crowded, especially in the early evenings, so that is a drawback if you’re looking for a relaxing yoga class or for a lot of individual attention. If you’re new to class it’s a good idea to let the instructor know you’re new and sit near the front of the class near the mirrors.
Enjoy!

If you are a Stanford-​affiliate, this is one of the best ways to access aerobics and yoga classes. Location? Excellent. Parking in the evenings is free on Stanford Ave, but you can probably bike/​walk from wherever you are anyways. Price? The best. $ 6 a class (usually) and super affordable all-​access passes for the quarter or year.
I’m most enthusiastic about the times. While there are tons of PE classes at Stanford, most are at obnoxious times. I don’t want to go work out in the middle of the afternoon — I’m busy then! The SAY classes are predominantly in the morning and evenings.
Kelly’s kickboxing class is awesome. The group is small enough (10 – 20) that she knows what fraction of people are new and if people are not keeping up or not. Of course, the best part is that it is a super fun workout! The instructors are (primarily) Stanford students themselves, so they are doing this because they want to, not because it is their job. You know that everyone in the room will be having fun!

SAY is awesome. A great variety of workouts, with several options for morning and evening classes, which makes it easy to find a class that fits in your schedule. All the instructors are nice and helpful. And you can’t beat the price $ 70 a quarter for unlimited classes.

The $ 70 quarter-​long pass is a great deal — unlimited classes for three months. Candice’s pilates classes are awesome — my legs always feel like jello during and after class… even though most of the class is spent lying on your back! The Zumba classes are also great — they’re so much fun, I almost forget that I’m working out! I always leave the class drenched in sweat. For yoga lovers, there are yoga classes pretty much every day — sometimes twice in one day.

Classes with SAY are an amazing deal. For $ 70, you can go to unlimited classes all quarter long. They offer yoga, pilates, and aerobic-​type classes. Pilates on Saturday morning is an especially good workout, I always feel good (but sore!) afterwards. Yoga classes vary a lot depending on the instructor. The good thing is that you can try them all out and decide which one works for you. Also, sometimes the yoga classes get REALLY crowded, and I don’t think they ever turn people away, so it’s useful to come early to get a good spot.

Affordable classes that give you a great workout. I particularly like Candace’s pilates challenge (which sets the bar much higher than I can reach, meaning I am always getting a good workout) and Shilpa’s Friday conditioning class, where I always leave with shaking, quaking legs. I used to attend Keri’s step classes before my knee injury, and those were always a great cardio and lower body workout. In terms of the yoga, I find it «ok», but then again I am more of a pilates person than a yoga person. If you are looking for «yoga ambiance» and that whole mood of meditation thing, I didn’t find it here, but instead prefer to take the occasional yoga class at Avalon on California St, which sets that mood and also gives a good workout.
They also have a pretty stocked equipment set, and will provide you with anything you need, such as resistance bands, weights, and mats.
Overall, the SAY program is AWESOME! I always get a top notch workout, and don’t leave feeling broke (money-​wise, that is).

Stanford Aerobics and Yoga (SAY) caters specifically to the Stanford community, though it’s not limited to students, staff, and faculty. I’ve been to a number of classes here for yoga, aerobics (step, bootcamp, and kickboxing), and pilates, but yoga is by far my favorite, especially when it’s taught by Kelly (who also teaches at Avalon Art & Yoga Center).
I’ve never really been into yoga until I started going to Kelly’s flow yoga classes. I went to a handful when I was an undergrad at Cal, but didn’t like them much — the instructor either went too fast, or was too much of a hippie for me. Kelly gives the perfect guidance, balancing strength and stretches, with meditative and mindful breathing. I’ve gone on average once a week since early 2007 and it has increased my strength and flexibility a ton!
The class schedule at SAY changes quarter to quarter, since it follows the Stanford system, but there are plenty of offerings. I feel that some of the classes aren’t challenging enough (especially the kickboxing classes), but they are a good workout. And for the price (something like $ 155 for 3 quarters, excluding summer), SAY can’t be beat!