background info: this review is on the corepower platform as a whole, as well as this particular location, since it is my first and only exposure to corepower. ive been practicing yoga since 2008 and have gone to a variety of studios and classes. i also practice traditional bikram.
--
in the beginning, i admit i wasnt overly impressed or wow'd. since i am a 4:30ish pm yogi who likes to do my yoga straight from work, i had been bound to doing "Hot Power Fusion" every time (a very skewed impression since they offer a variety of classes). that is really my greatest personal complaint [with this location]: the class schedule is the same throughout the week for most slots. for those of us who go at the same time every day and like diversity, corepower is a bit of a let down. obviously if i am ok with changing up my schedule and going at different times, everything is fine. but since 4:30 is a much less crowded class, i am bummed with being forced into a more crowded scenarios to get my variety-fix.
general impression of corepower? it is the "24 hr fitness of yoga", and definitely a solid business. i understand its popularity. with locations all over you can attend with your membership, and hourly classes up till 8pm most days, it works for everyone's schedule. one of the last few studios that offer completely free unlimited 1-week trial, there really is no excuse not to give it a try. i might claim the classes to be a bit mechanical in atmopshere. in other studios i felt like i really bonded with the instructors and classes had personality. from what ive experienced in nearly a month, all my classes have blurred today and i dont really have any favorite instructors. they follow a very standard routine (it is corporate, after all) and its really been...just a workout to me. obviously for most, that is the intent and goal. but for me, a little more personality...some jokes, inspirational talk, and instructor twists and creativity is a good thing too.
my breakdown of the classes:
Hot Power Fusion: i dub thee: "baby speed bikram". if you do real bikram, this class is cake. its not nearly as hot, but follows most of the same poses - just way shorter holding time, and only once (typically), peaceful music & dim lighting, and of course, its only 60 minutes instead of 90. being experienced with bikram, i find corepowers twist on it to be less challenging than id like...and thus i dont feel like im getting *as* good a workout as i want. but this is a great class to get a taste of bikram style without diving into it full-on. the 4:30 class varies from being like 5 people to fully crowded. its a wild card.
Sculpt with weights: It was with this class that i finally get the huge following of corepower. makes sense that is where they would shine, with the name. Sculpt will kick your ass, to put it simply. its an insane strength-building, cardio, yoga mixture that will leave you exhausted and drenched in sweat. boot camp style for sure. sculpt is ALWAYS packed. this is a class to get there early for. I couldnt believe the 8am saturday class. that is probably the most dedicated, driven, in-shape crowd of people ive even practiced with. it truly was inspiring and motivating if you can get yourself up for it!
Heated Power yoga: I only experienced this once, i think, with my schedule. i found it to be fine...but much to easy to compare to my other experiences at Sol in UTC and im left saying "eh." This is where i say its fine but lacks some personality.
as general statements of the location:
Parking: the parking lot is tiny, for sure. at 4:30 you can most always get a spot, but later in the evening cars are crowded in waiting for people to leave and it gets rather gridlocked. easy solution: park on clairemont mesa dr. before the studio, or south on clairemont dr. always plenty of street parking along the houses.
locker rooms: plenty of cubbies and lockers. clean, good amount of showers, and very generous complimentary feminine toiletries. lotion, q-tips, rubber bands, blow dryers, feminine products, etc.
motivation: currently they are doing a bit of a contest for attendance if you come at least 4 times a week through the holiday season. if you do, they are giving out prizes. a nice lil unique feature of this particular studio.
**corepower participates in groupon deals, so be on the look-out for that. my subscription is the $59 unlimited month. start out with the free 1-week trial (i actually got a 2nd bonus week free!) then start your subscription. it makes it a very affordable way to go. read more