You and the Mat

Will miss thins place. I started going here about 6 months ago when I first moved to Laguna Beach and between Sonny’s morning class and Shila’s evening candle light classes– I was hooked! The place is super cozy and everyone is super friendly. It was truly my yoga community. I hope to go back when I visit LB again!

Just started using my Groupon here. I didn’t think I liked yoga, but now I realize it was the over crowded classes at the gym and sub-​par instructors that didn’t appeal to me. This studio is, in a word, stellar!!! The online class schedule is easy to use and book a spot, the instructors are extremely knowledgable, there is zero intimidation for beginners, and the class offerings cover every level and need. Can’t do the moves? Don’t worry. The instructor will work with you to find something that will work. If you want to try yoga, give «You and the Mat» a try! You won’t be disappointed!

This studio is very beautiful. The two rooms do not have mirrors so you don’t focus on what you look like. The teachers are very good and know how to help you work on your practice. Much much better than the yoga I experienced at Renaissance where I was a member for over a year. I really enjoy the classes here. The other people here are really nice too and are not snobby. They will move their mat if you need space! I also don’t feel judged or self conscious about doing a pose wrong or failing on a pose. If you aren’t sure about this studio, go get the groupon $ 25 for 10 classes definitely worth it :)
Namaste

I absolutely love this studio. I moved back to Orange County and tried multiple studios hoping to find one that felt like «home». I found that here. The studio is beautiful, clean, and the front desk staff greet you by name when you walk in the door. I take classes with multiple instructors and can honestly say that I enjoy each of their styles and classes. Instructors encourage you to rest or to challenge yourself as necessary depending upon your needs for your practice and are very attentive and help people correctly move through poses. The classes are appropriate for all levels as well. Advanced students are given time to practice inversions while other students are given poses or stretches to help in preparation for an eventual inversion.
My favorite class is definitely the Candlelight Yoga (it is currently held on Thursday and Sunday evenings). Shilah is an amazing instructor and I look forward to her classes each week. She ensures to meet each new student at the beginning of class and even asks if anyone has any special requests before beginning. The Thursday night class helps me to push through my Fridays and the Sunday evening class definitely helps prepare me for my upcoming week. The class varies each time which I appreciate so you don’t feel bored practicing the same routine.
Sonny is another instructor that I really enjoy. I’m newer to yoga and he always takes the time to show me proper alignment for poses that I’m not familiar with. I even wake up early to take some of his Sunrise Yoga classes (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at 6:30) and I am NOT a morning person.
I am so thankful to have found this studio.

Loved the class itself and the teacher. It is the non existent customer service that I found not acceptable. However, the owners were on the ball and responded immediately when they learned I was unhappy with their customer service.
As a business owner, your staff can make or break your business. I sincerely believe the owners (who live out of our area) are sincere in wanting to take stress OFF their customers; not increase it. I appreciate that and can relate to an occasional bad interaction between a client (me) and staff.
Hopefully they will see that their staff becomes better at customer service. Their place is beautiful and I loved the one class I attended.
Everyone deserves a second chance…

The owners fill the classes with over 40 students who sign up on groupon, because they want the money, when the size of the studio could safely hold 25! Eric and Denise don’t consider the safety of the students, or honor the teachers’ focus on quality of instruction. Put all this together into a passive-​aggressive interpersonal style and I suppose you have a portrait of the new, corporate style of yoga!
I would not expect the teachers who have worked there when there was a different owner to last long with Denise and Eric! They also do not refund money if a teacher leaves, but insist that they are so expert, it couldn’t possibly matter –they will find you one of «their» teachers! Beyond the pale– the absolute worst yoga studio in the Bay Area.

I love this studio — the teachers, the owners and the girls up front. I’ve had an annual membership for two years and plan on continuing at this studio. Great energy!

I recently signed up for Class Pass and took a yoga for Energy class here. The instructor (Kalynn) and the woman at the front reception desk were so nice and welcoming. They have all the supplies you need to customer your yoga practice (blocks, blankets, straps, mats). I really liked the open set up the studio and the art. The class was challenge and got me sweating. the perfect way to start a Sunday morning!

Love this place! All the teachers are amazing and I always leave beyond satisfied!

I have been a member for over a year and I gave it 5 stars until this year. Unfortunately, I have to agree with a couple of recent reviews. Lots staff, instructor and price changes. My favorite instructors Sonny and Kimi are not doing my classes any more. The monthly membership jumped 35% with very inflexible rules. They started doing group ons and the classes are so packed even during the weekday sometimes I’ve had to squeeze up against the window or in the corner. The regulars are leaving. I’m sad because it was a place I really looked forward to coming for relaxing healing yoga and the friendly yoga atmosphere in my community. If prices go up again or they continue packing classes with group ons I will have to drop my membership.

Went here with a groupon i had, everyone was nice and friendly, more flow classes im not into but cute setting

I have been attending this studio for at least a year and a half. I love it, it’s clean, contemporary, has awesome classes, but a few changes have made me go less and less.
* The pricing, but mostly I am very sad that Kimi no longer teaches Sunday night’s Candlelight yoga, which was a slow flow, mellow class and now it’s a lot harder of a class (for what I want and need). The new teacher is great too, but I looked forward to Kimi’s class every single week.
* Then Allison left to open her own studio, the one who taught the Monday night Restorative yoga, another favorite of mine with the music and subtle moves. The new Alison is good but once you love the way one teacher teaches, it changes the whole energy with a different one.
I give it 4 stars because the quality is excellent, not 5 stars because I believe if something isn’t broken, why fix it? Maybe Kimi has other commitments with her family on Sunday nights, definitely not studio’s fault and I’m not trying to bash. They are professionals, innovative and very welcoming. I just miss it so much… :(
I left for a studio in laguna beach with a completely different vibe but I do have to thank the Antoninis for saving my life, when I started coming here I was going through a very difficult time with my mother’s newly diagnosed terminal illness and the meditation classes and kimi and allison’s old class, they helped me in a way I can’t explain. I was able to go through this journey much more calm and collected, otherwise I would have been a mess emotionally. I lost my mother and I couldn’t have done it and survived without the guidance of true professionals. I owe you guys a huge thank you!

Went to Aurora’s prenatal class for the first time today and all I can say is… amazing! I highly recommend any class by Aurora and I’ve heard that the other classes at this studio are fabulous as well. This prenatal class was exactly what I needed to quiet my mind, connect with my baby and center myself for the upcoming weekend! Drop-​in class is $ 22 and though it may seem pricey… it is SO worth it! They also offer packages and monthly pricing. I will definitely be back!!!

This was my first time doing yoga… Very relaxing. The instructor was knowledgable and welcoming. If you are an experienced Yogi, the classes might not be very challenging for you as there is no separation between novice and advanced skill levels.

You and the Mat is by far my favorite studio to practice at. All of their teachers are excellent and they offer a wonderful variety of classes. As an instructor myself, I love the workshops and teacher trainings they offer. I couldn’t ask for more in a yoga studio. Eric and Denise are passionate about what they do and have created this incredible space to welcome people from all walks of life to enjoy the power of yoga. Thank you for meeting me on my yoga journey!

Find your zen and inner balance surrounded by art and non traditional music at You and The Mat!
Finally had the chance to practice yoga outside of my own house and went to my first class since my son was born. I just want to thank them for making that experience truly ahhhhh-​mazing.
I signed up for Yoga Detox with Josh the day before. I arrived 15 minutes early so I can pick my spot on the floor before it got too crowded. Upon walking in, I was greeted (very cheerily… for a Saturday morning… groan) by the girls at the front desk. I just gave them my name and as fast as you can say «Om», I was checked in.
The detox class felt very cardio-​ish, focusing on completing many moves with several breaths to pump up your heart and get you to sweat. Josh was an awesome instructor! He encouraged us to complete moves with «your own practice». Josh played Pink Floyd and the Phantograms which was refreshing. The class left me feeling absolutely energized, refreshed and focused. Ready to tackle a hectic day full of Thanksgiving errands and planning!
Everyone with different levels of yoga knowledge and flexibility is encouraged to sign up for ANY class. Whether you are a yoga virgin or a yoga guru, everyone is in the same class, no levels.
*** I finally found a place where I can drag my husband who resists me at every chance to take him to yoga because he’s afraid he will just look like a complete ass, no yoga pants for him though. He’s got no excuse this time ***
MOMS! Do you want to encourage your child to take up yoga with you? They have classes for kids between the ages of 3 – 8, and junior memberships for kids between the ages of 9 – 14!
I have already booked several classes (mostly with Josh) and I can’t wait to get my «om» on!
Namaste!

I’m torn… I absolutely LOVE this place… it is my happy place… a slice of heaven in my daily circus of life… I want to tell the whole world how great this place is — the studio, the teachers, the staff, fellow yogis…
YET…telling everybody how great it is = risking more and more people to come = getting more crowded and making my happy place a less of a happy place, perhaps?
But for now, I will leave the highest rating ever and my highest regards to the wonderful yoga studio in my neighborhood :)
I love you guys so much — I’m so glad I found you — I will definitely bring my kids in for a class very very soon :)

I cannot express how much I love this studio! Since my last review, I’ve been visiting very infrequently – yoga class here, yoga class there… Whenever my body felt like it needed some yoga and whenever I could afford it. It wasn’t until the beginning of this month that I committed to a monthly membership ($ 75/​month for unlimited classes with a minimum three-​month commitment). Most of the instructors since my last review are no longer at this studio, but the «new» (new for me) instructors are incredible people.
First of all, let me tell you how much I appreciate that the instructors and receptionists remember my name. As someone who doesn’t frequent the studio (until recently), I love that they take the time to know each person’s name that walks in through those doors. It nurtures a sense of care and love; I’m not just another customer.
They strip away all means of judgement – judgement of yourself and judgment of others. All of their classes are open to all levels. Every sessions I’ve attended and every instructor I’ve been graced with present alternatives. There are days when I feel better or worse than others so I can adjust accordingly within a class, but if I’ve labeled myself as a «beginner» or «intermediate» yogi before I’ve even walked in, I’m doing myself a disfavor.
Honestly, I could go on and on praising You & the Mat but who wants to read that! Just try it for a week. (They have a good deal for new students, too.) I promise you that you won’t regret that decision – might even become hooked!

I love this studio, it’s gorgeous and the teachers/​fellow students are all really nice. Taking yoga and prenatal yoga tremendously helped me with my pregnancy this year. In fact, I took Paulette’s Happy Hour yoga class just a few hours before going into labor. I’ve taken class from Paulette, Denise, Erin, Kimi and lots of prenatal from Colleen Hieber (who is incredible … I cannot praise/​thank this woman enough).
Class availability is excellent; there are lots of times and options to choose from. Plus, you can book with ease from the You And The Mat (YATM) app on your phone.
I also like that a lot of props (yoga bricks, bolsters, blankets, straps, etc) are used; they’re clean, readily available and no one is too proud to use them, which makes a difference.

I love you and the mat! It’s awesome that all of the classes are All Levels because you have the ability to take a class any time during the day, and you can try out different types of yoga classes. Whereas, the last yoga studio I was at only offered beginners classes at 7:30am or 9:00pm, the rest were midlevel-​advanced, which I couldn’t do, so I was stuck only going at those times. You and the mat provides variety and lots of opportunity.
If you are new to yoga, I highly recommend Erin Nealy’s classes. 5 stars for her, she is an amazing instructor. I love the Discover Yoga class (just wish it was offered more often… they only have it once a week right now) and the Yoga for Energy class.
I also love how friendly the staff is, and that you are able to book your classes online.
My only recommendation would be that they offer new people the first class for free. I paid $ 22 for my first class to see if I like it, then had to pay another $ 50 for my first month unlimited. Now that I know how much I enjoy going to you and the mat, I wish I would have just signed up for the month unlimited from the start (or had been offered my first class for free).