Lauren Pusateri
August 26, 2018 20:31
I signed up for an unlimited package prior to meeting the instructor, which obligates you to a six month period. Tricia, the owner/instructor, has a wealth of knowledge on the IY method; HOWEVER, her attitude and disemination of that knowledge to students is perhaps the worst I have ever experienced. If you are not wanting to participate in a military-level compliance, this is NOT for you.
My first experience with her was when I showed up for a class, walked-in and peered around the room trying to find the instructor. Unbeknownst to me, Tricia, who had been there watching me try to locate the instructor for 5 minutes and whom I thus assumed was a student, turned out to be the instructor! She eventually begrudgingly asked if she could help me and ended up giving me a private since I was the only one in class that day. Let's just say that, at a minimum, she was unprofessional.
I have scoliosis, a herniated disc, stenosis...you get it. Needless to say, out of all of the PT, pilates, yoga, etc, instructors I have taken from over the years, I found her lack of awareness of how these issues affect your movement, or lack thereof, and demanding you continue to try the poses, despite your verbalizing your limitations, startling. I have never had to engage in arguments with an instructor on my diagnosed, many times over, and actually visible scoliosis. A good instructor would LISTEN, acknowledge, and move on. We spent so many pointless minutes arguing about my scoliosis. However, Tricia finds a person's own awareness of their bodies, even if they believe that they can eventually move past the limitations down the road, threatening to her instruction. That is key.
Anyone who asks questions, comes in with a base-knowledge that conflicts with her opinions, is threatening to her authority on IY. She then becomes belligerent, belittling, and asks you not to participate in poses you feel you can safely do and comfortably do, as she did not authorize you pushing yourself. As an ex-collegiate level athlete, I have been pushed, however, I have never endured militarized instruction. Well, not until this yoga class at least.
Now to my last class. This is a real yoga class story that could have been a Seinfeld episode. Tricia began arguing that I was not listening to her, and after stating that she did not in fact give that particular instruction, she began arguing again. I was in fact trying the pose, but was not doing it to the level she preferred. After I told her "you have to keep trying," she lost total control, yelling that it was her business and that she could be sarcastic in response to me telling her "not to be
Sarcastic, as it was not helpful." These are the moments I could have submitted to the Seinfeld production team. It ended with her repeatedly screaming for me to leave her studio, and me telling her to "have the decency to let someone get their shoes on." I know people can write whatever they want for a review, but this is how things actually ended, I swear and so would the one other person there who told Tricia she just had to get out of the pose she was holding while this was occurring. It was hilarious in retrospect. But having someone a foot from your face while yelling is very provocative to most people, and a recipe for disaster. I would not recommend she repeat this method of "parting your own ways."
And though I do not recommend her as a yoga instructor, I was proud of myself for sticking to the class as long as I did and not breaking down, despite the belligerence. I would, also however recommend her as a pre-boot camp prep-instructor.