Embra Studio

John Frey

This studio is the best I have ever attended. The instructors are top-notch and the facilities are always clean and organized! There is a great community feel at Embra. I would "highly recommend" to anyone looking for a yoga "home".

John B.

I have been coming to the studio for years after discovering I love hot yoga. I enjoy the clean, spacious facility, the changing room with showers, the quiet radiant heat, and the cork tiled studio floors that get mopped after every class. There are lots of classes, easy parking, and I can book classes online. But most of all I enjoy the people. The staff and the instructors are friendly and competent, inspiring a sense of confidence in the instruction and the operation itself. The instructors don't push and encourage you to do only as much of the pose as you can comfortably. There are always a few men in the class, and some are even in their 60s like me. This was my first yoga studio and I am grateful to say that everything I know about yoga I learned here.

Nisha J

I've been going to Embra Studio prior to the name change. My experience there has been wonderful from the beginning, but especially great over the last two years as I've dedicated more time to my practice. Not only do I enjoy all the classes I take, but the staff and instructors are all awesome and helpful as well. I always walk out of every class feeling better than when I walked in. My practice has evolved quite a bit the last couple of years and it's thanks to the guidance of the instructors at the studio who help push me when I need it.

Rosie Scott

Update May 2021: Modo Yoga may have been rebranded to Embra Studio, but it is still a great place to workout. They've recently added aerial yoga into the regular class curriculum (photo attached of me during my first aerial class), which is a TON of fun. Jules is a fantastic instructor who I'd recommend to anyone. There are now more classes available during the afternoons (1-5:00 range), which is awesome for people like me who get up later in the day. I'd love to see more gentle flow and aerial yoga classes offered at more diverse times. Otherwise, Embra continues to be awesome and make you feel comfortable and appreciated each time you come in to sweat! On to my original review: I was a casual yogi fifteen years ago and dropped the habit in high school. After months of going through two types of physical therapy recently (for weak legs and pelvic floor), I needed to stay in shape without making my issues worse. The problem? I hate exercising with a passion and need to plan a date and time to get myself to do it. I tried Modo Yoga because they had a good "first month" deal. The idea of hot yoga actually sounded really terrible. I hate being hot and sweating, but hey...it was cheap and the Cincinnati location is a nice scenic drive for me. I won't lie: the first time I went to Modo Yoga I nearly passed out. I didn't eat beforehand and didn't have ice in my water. Thankfully, the teacher/class said nothing of my nauseated sway and I felt no pressure calming down and rejoining the moves on my own time. The class is kept around 95-100 degrees (with a break or two of fans/open windows depending on the teacher). After fixing my errors (icing my water before coming and eating a snack an hour before class), I've had no issues with this discomfort. I have attended three classes a week for three weeks now and plan to do the same for the last week of my first month before getting a membership. The Cincinnati location is attractive, has a good parking lot, and the lobby has a selection of yoga mats, pants, towels, and other yogi goods for sale. Prices are a little high compared to what you can get on Amazon, but at least it's there and the selection is good. Modo Yoga has an online schedule where you can either sign up for classes up to a week beforehand. I sign up for every class online to make myself plan on it AND because I've attended every overbooked Roll and Flow class since I joined. It's a myofascial release class that is so overwhelmingly helpful for those of us who have particularly angry, knotted muscles. It releases stress better than a massage. This class really needs to be offered more often so more can experience it; it is EXTREMELY helpful and unique. Save for one instructor who went a little too fast for my liking, they've all been friendly and helpful. Kathryn is by far my favorite hot yoga instructor (she consistently makes you feel welcome by reminding you to go at your own pace and take sips of water so you don't feel like you're the odd one out). Mary is great as a Roll and Flow instructor (again--seriously--offer this class more often than once a week please). As for my hatred of exercise--I still hate being sweaty, and though I hate heat, hot yoga feels productive and soothing enough that I keep coming back. Sweating so much has made my skin noticeably softer to me and my husband, and the heat really helps soothe the muscles as you exercise to help you stretch farther and work harder with less pain or straining. Yoga is perfect for those of us who hate strength training, because you will get stronger and more flexible without the stress. The hour classes go by so quickly. Showers are available for after class if you'd like (sign up for a spot online). Overall, I highly recommend Modo Yoga. If you're new and thinking about joining, try out the one month and I'd recommend a "Gentle Flow" or "Hot 60" class first so you can feel welcome while learning the way classes run. They have so many different lengths of memberships that you'll surely find something up your alley.