You know I was obsessed, OBSESSED with Core Power Yoga after visiting the Ballard studio a few weeks ago. So when my good friend, Kolena recommend we go to Yoga on Monday night, the Fitness Hero recommended we go to the Capital Hill studio. Why not? Can't go wrong!
Kolena and I headed to the 7:30 PM C2 Core Power Yoga class. This class is described as one that "strengthens, balances and detoxifies your entire body and mind as you move through more challenging postures and connected breath." It sounded TOUGH. Not only that, the room is set to 95-98 degrees with added humidity. Yes, they ADD HUMIDITY! I knew I was in for a true challenge.
The studio itself is at a great location in Capitol Hill - on the corner of Broadway and Republican. When you walk in, the studio has a lofty feel as it covers two floors. The retail area is smaller than the Ballard studio but still had a lot of great stuff and a bunch of great sale items. The woman that checked me in, was also the instructor. She was very friendly and helpful.
The one feature I did not like about the Capitol Hill location is the locker rooms with restrooms and showers are upstairs while the studio is downstairs. So I headed upstairs to lock my stuff away and use the restroom. Then wore my flip flops downstairs and stored them in a cubby on the first floor. Just a minor inconvenience but a small note about the layout.
The studio itself is nice and spacious. As soon as I walked in, I was hot. I hadn't even done anything yet and I was hot. NOT a good sign! Kolena and I set up in the back of the room. The class filled up very quickly and by the time we were ready to start, the room was filled up with just enough room in between all of our mats.
The instructor (Juliana) started off by giving us a moment to close our eyes, clear our heads and connect with our bodies. It was a good reminder as we got into class that we were here for various reasons and needed to set our intentions and focus on them. From there, we moved into sets of traditional yoga poses. All of them were standing yoga poses that ultimately ended with your Chaturanga. What I loved about Juliana was her energy and her constant encouragement. She also provided several options throughout the flow to push yourself, test yourself and often, help you feel more comfortable. She never actually sat in the front of the room (she didn't even have a mat set up) so this allowed her to walk around the room and help as needed. I would note that if this is the first yoga class you take or are not as familiar with yoga poses, be prepared to rely on a neighbor to show you what each of the poses are. I had to rely on people around me as several of the poses faced different directions of the room.
The one thing I will note about this class is that the added humidity made it HOT. Uncomfortably hot. And you are talking to someone who runs cold. About 40 minutes into the class I was sweating so much I had to stop every 2-3 minutes to wipe sweat off my face and body. It was that bad. I rarely drip in sweat and I think this was the first time I remember being so uncomfortable that I could not get through my poses. Outside of this, the class was great. It ended with your typical Savanna which was definitely much needed for me!
All in all it was a good class to stretch out my body but not sure if I will go back simply because of the humidity factor. Both Juliana and the studio itself were great!
Workout Scale:
Cardio: 0/5
Core: 2/5
Legs: 1/5
Arms: 1/5