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7 min read<\/p>\n7 min read<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been on a consistently evolving fitness journey for the last seven and a half years, and I\u2019ve been a fitness coach for the more recent three and a half of those. I always knew how to work hard, but I wasn\u2019t great about recovery. I\u2019ll be fine on four hours of sleep. Sometimes I don\u2019t even go to bed, I would tell myself, one coffee and two energy drinks in hand. And, my personal favorite: I don\u2019t need to stretch after my workout or practice mobility, I\u2019m naturally flexible.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve matured to understand that mobility<\/a> and flexibility are two distinct concepts. Flexibility is a passive quality, meaning it refers to the range of motion a joint has without resistance; however, mobility is an active one. Mobility speaks to the control and coordination involved in moving through a range of motion. And although flexibility hasn\u2019t been a struggle for me, I\u2019m noticing mobility imbalances throughout my body, as well as muscle tension, after seven years of vigorous workouts with little to no recovery work\u2014which is why I dedicated two weeks to yoga-based training at CorePower. <\/p>\n Currently, my workout routine consists of strength training<\/a> three times a week, athletic conditioning, which includes training elements that test my cardiovascular endurance, physical strength, and power output, and a Solidcore class or two, depending on how my week plays out. I\u2019m also training for Hyrox\u2014a functional fitness competition. As race day approaches, there couldn\u2019t be a better time to incorporate the mind-muscle connection, recovery, and mobility benefits of yoga. <\/p>\n Yoga improves flexibility and also develops balance, promotes mobility, reduces stress, tension, and anxiety. What most of us don\u2019t know, however, is that yoga also fosters connection while increasing awareness of your body.<\/p>\n Reading about yoga and its benefits of blood flow, fascial release, and mental clarity, I thought that I may have found the magic bean that will fix my issues. So, I spent two weeks taking the multiple CorePower class offerings, and these are my honest thoughts. <\/p>\n Ready to dive in, it was time to scout CorePower\u2019s offerings. <\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to be a full-time yogi to enjoy CorePower. In fact, you don\u2019t have to be a fitness enthusiast at all. CorePower is a very welcoming space, whether you\u2019re at the beginning stages of developing a relationship with your body or looking to add a new modality to your already established routine. <\/p>\n Originally founded in 2002 by Trevor Tice<\/a>, the yoga studio now exists from coast to coast and offers six class types in three different categories:<\/p>\n Flow and Cardio ConditioningCorePower 1 (Low Intensity, Low Heat): Learn the fundamental principles and postures of Vinyasa yoga. CorePower 2 (Medium Intensity, High Heat): Flow through more challenging Vinyasa postures and deeper poses while gaining strength.Functional Strength TrainingYoga Sculpt (High Intensity, Medium Heat): Sweat it out with more intense yoga, cardio, core work and strength moves with weights. CorePower Strength X (High Intensity, Low Heat): Power through a strength building, HIIT inspired workout with energizing breath-work.Mobility and Active RecoveryHot Power Fusion (Medium Intensity, High Heat): Flex, bend and sweat with a set sequence of traditional hot yoga and Vinyasa moves. Core Restore (Low Intensity, Low Heat): Reboot and rebuild with postures focused on stretching and breathing.I\u2019ve been out of CorePower practice for about six years\u2014and these were my first impressions back. <\/p>\n Now, I have to be honest. This wasn\u2019t my very first experience at CorePower. I first learned about the studio in 2019 when I moved to San Francisco. My job had a partnership, and I lived directly above them, so I figured, why not? I enjoyed it a lot, so I was excited to revisit it and see if I felt the same.<\/p>\n My first class in New York City was Yoga Sculpt at the Midtown East location. And, since it\u2019s only been 6 years since my last visit, it definitely felt like the very first time walking in. I arrived with no mat, no towel, and no blocks. Just me and my water.<\/p>\n I was able to rent a mat<\/a> for $4. I found that to be very convenient because I can\u2019t always lug my mat around the city if I have a busy day of various gigs. Sweat towels and blocks were available to use. Lockers with keys were also available for safely storing my belongings.<\/p>\n The size of the actual classroom felt small, but it wasn\u2019t overcrowded. There were 19 or 20 people, and everyone had space to do the exercises. <\/p>\n I absolutely stereotyped and expected the music to feel like waterfalls surrounding me or birds were chirping in my ear,, but the coach delivered some solid tunes. She was playing everything from 60 BPM to 150 BPM to align with the intensity of the exercises. And, a lot of the songs were car karaoke-worthy.<\/p>\n As for the workout, I was WORKED. We used small to medium weights for some exercises and bodyweight for others. Many pulses were present, and gosh, do I love a pulse in an exercise. The room was warm, approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and we were most definitely sweating. Personally, I\u2019m not used to working out in a warm environment, so adapting to that while also working through core exercises, conditioning, and strength training, I was struggling a little bit. However, the coach made sure we knew we were allowed to take breaks at any point (and I definitely took a few). <\/p>\n The coach was mindful of everyone’s space while still offering form corrections and support. She gave both verbal cues and visual cues to match everyone’s learning style. And, most importantly (in my opinion), she led with empathy. Options were available to modify or amplify, always allowing me to meet my body where it was at that day. Empathy was a consistent experience in every class that I took throughout my two weeks\u2014and was very important to my enjoyment. <\/p>\n I enjoyed getting out of my comfort zone (and out of my box gym). <\/p>\n I had the chance to take a few different CorePower styles, including Yoga Sculpt, CorePower 2, and CorePower Strength X.<\/p>\n After a couple of sessions of Yoga Sculpt and Strength X, I began to appreciate them more. Initially, it was too hot for me to enjoy jumping jacks, squats, and biceps curls when I\u2019m used to being in a more air-conditioned space. As I took more classes, though, I adapted and began to enjoy the extra sweat. Not only that, but my muscles warmed up faster, allowing me to get right into the workout. <\/p>\n CorePower 2 became a personal favorite of mine really quickly. As I mentioned, I don\u2019t prioritize stretching and mobility equally as I do my training. CorePower 2 felt like everything that I\u2019ve been missing out on. In this class setting, I preferred the room to be warm because CorePower 2 felt less like a workout and more about training mind-to-body connection. The temperature of the room made the flow of movements<\/a> more accessible and the stretching of my [very tight] muscles more enjoyable. <\/p>\n If there are any tips that I can leave you with, it’s to bring a towel to lay over your mat. I didn\u2019t need it as much in the Strength X class, but in Yoga Sculpt and CorePower 2, I found myself slipping on my mat holding still movements from the sweat of the warm room. I felt more stable and was able to hold moves for a longer period of time with friction beneath my hands and feet. <\/p>\n WANT TO IMPROVE MOBILITY AND GET STRONGER? TRY OUR WH+ PILATES X PROGRAM<\/a><\/p>\n Here\u2019s what happened to my body after doing CorePower for two weeks. <\/p>\n No matter the class type, I always left CorePower with a clearer head and a calmer heart (referring to my soul more than my actual heart rate, for the record). In the world we live in, stress is high, and your mind being in ten different places at once seems normal. It\u2019s easy to miss out on being present, so it\u2019s important to reconnect with yourself.<\/p>\n
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