Forty Degrees

Fabulous yoga! Excellent, positive instruction and welcoming studio. I was in from the states for 3 days and needing yoga. They treated me just like a client who was lifelong.

I tried out the other «Bikram» studios in the city, and well, I have to say I really love this one more, for so many reasons.
They actually allowed me to get the intro special, which is 10 days for 25 Euros. I went to the other studios, but they were only offering that special to students who have NEVER practised Bikram in the past. This studio just acknowledges the fact that you are a new student to their studio. Very cool policy, and inviting.
All the yoga instructors were extremely nice and all taught the classes in English. They were very encouraging and positive. Some studios I have been to can be very militant and strict, but this studio was good with instruction and allowed you to move at your own pace.
The yoga studio itself is pristine and serene. No carpets and beautiful bathrooms that are functional and aesthetically pleasing. Ah, the Europeans got it down.
I like that this studio has lockers that uses codes, kind of like the safes in hotel rooms. It is very thoughtful and you don’t have to deal with locks and the stress of people losing things. I even locked myself out of a locker and they were able to open it immediately with a master key. Smart technology.
The prices here are very good. For each class, I needed a mat, towel and water and it was just 3 Euros for the whole package. They also give you a free drink right after your first class. They really know how to make you feel welcome.
I really liked this studio and when I come thru Amsterdam again, this will be my go-​to studio for my yoga fix!

So far, I am a big fan of forty degrees.
My other bikram experiences in AMS have been at Bikram Yoga on Prinsegracht. First thing I noticed about this place: no carpet. Thank god. The flooring in their studio is a deep grey that is coated in some eco-​friendly, non-​toxic stuff that doesn’t absorb the dripping sweat from every yogi that has come before you. I notice that when my sweaty limbs swipe the floor during class, it is dry quickly after. So you can lie down with your face on your mat and not smell a stench. That alone is a reason to go back.
Other reasons:
— friendly staff. I was greeted with smiles when I came in and they entertain me as I try to speak in Dutch (they respond in Dutch, which I really appreciate!) but are fluent in English. So far the classes I have been in are in English.
— free drink after your first class. It is a small gesture but I appreciate the perk
— no pressure to sign up for a many class pass, they recommend the € 25 for 10 days of unlimited yoga as the first thing to go with
— great location
— very nice locker rooms with free lockers, large showers
— ample space in the halls to sit and relax after class before getting changed
— coconut water :)
— their classroom is pretty big, it already gets full, but I think their class size is doable, not too cramped
— classes at 6:30am! Finally, a fitness/​yoga place that recognizes sometimes you want to get a class in before work (everywhere else I find has morning classes that start at 9am or something… as if everyone that does yoga is unemployed and/​or gets off of work at 5pm)…very much appreciated!
My only complaint is in something that is out of their control, and that is that I wish there was some natural light in the classroom. But c’est la vie.
All in all, this is a welcomed addition to the Amsterdam yoga scene

I’ve seen both ends of the bikram yoga spectrum– the ultra-​serious, ‘don’t move between poses, don’t sit down, don’t faint’ side of bikram to be found at other bikram centers, and then the more relaxed ‘don’t worry if you don’t feel good, you’ll get better’ attitude that Forty Degrees has. When you’re doing something as physically difficult as bikram, it’s hard enough. So if the instructors lighten the mood with a smile or a little joke here and there, then it really helps the situation and makes the whole thing less intimidating.
And to the other poster– I appreciated the cold towel!!!