I am not usually a fan of working out in a heated room but when I was invited to take one of Kay Kay Clivio's classes, the hot power yoga class was the only one that fit with my schedule.
Kay Kay is one of the senior instructors at Pure Yoga, and for good reason. She counts Bikram, John Friend, Baron Baptiste and Ana Forrest, all big names in the yoga community, among her teachers. Her classes are known to be highly popular, which I evidenced at the Hot Power Yoga Hour class I attended on Friday afternoon. As I opened the door of the hot studio I was met with a blast of hot air.
People began lining up their mats. I decided to wait outside until it was time for class, and enjoy this gorgeous view instead!
Within the next few minutes the room became full. Kay Kay introduced herself to everyone taking her class for the first time (always a nice touch when teachers do this), and we began.
The 60 minute class was full of power yoga sequences, plenty of balance poses and a good measure of shoulder and hand stands. Kay Kay gave the most eloquent instructions. I could not see her all the time (as she was walking around the class) but I knew exactly what to do. It was the first time I heard a teacher tell the class that in the baby cobra pose you should be touching the ground with only eight points of your body. Apparently I had been doing baby cobra incorrectly all these years! She also gave me some great postural adjustments, especially with "the bridge" where she told me to lift my back higher and pull my shoulder blades closer together, opening my chest much more fully. So this is what a bridge should feel like!
I really enjoyed the class and to my surprise, the heat did not bother me at all.
The Good:
1. The instructor: Kay Kay gave great direction. The instructions were clear enough even for somebody taking yoga for the first time.
2. The class: I loved the flow of the class and how variations were provided to allow all fitness levels to participate. I am still not entirely convinced of the link between a heated room and increased muscle flexibility, but I will say that there was something detoxifying about it.
The Not-so-good:
1. Mats too close to one another: This is not a criticism specifically of this class but of yoga classes in general. Classes try to pack in as many people as possible and as a result you are brushing elbows with your neighbor who is sweating bucket-loads in a hot yoga class.
Overall:
This is a fast-paced and very fun class set to great music. Pure Yoga really has some incredible instructors, and Kay Kay was no exception. I have a taken class with three Pure instructors so far and after each class I always promise myself that I shall incorporate more yoga into my life.
Detox Retox Yoga Beach Retreat:
For those yogis in need of a rejuvenating and detoxifying weekend you can experience Kay Kay's technique in a much more immersive setting as she, along with acclaimed yogi Tanya B, is holding a Detox Retox Yoga beach retreat at Eau Spa at the Ritz Carlton in Palm Beach, FL from Nov 4-6. Participants will be able to take six classes over the three days, ranging from the more vigorous Core Flow yoga to the more restorative Yin yoga. Price is $1100 per individual per room. Check out the schedule below. For reservations call: (561) 540-4811.
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I was invited to take a complimentary class with Kay Kay Clivio at Pure Yoga and was under no obligation to provide a review and was not compensated for this post. All opinions expressed herein are my own.
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Kay Kay is one of the senior instructors at Pure Yoga, and for good reason. She counts Bikram, John Friend, Baron Baptiste and Ana Forrest, all big names in the yoga community, among her teachers. Her classes are known to be highly popular, which I evidenced at the Hot Power Yoga Hour class I attended on Friday afternoon. As I opened the door of the hot studio I was met with a blast of hot air.
People began lining up their mats. I decided to wait outside until it was time for class, and enjoy this gorgeous view instead!
Within the next few minutes the room became full. Kay Kay introduced herself to everyone taking her class for the first time (always a nice touch when teachers do this), and we began.
The 60 minute class was full of power yoga sequences, plenty of balance poses and a good measure of shoulder and hand stands. Kay Kay gave the most eloquent instructions. I could not see her all the time (as she was walking around the class) but I knew exactly what to do. It was the first time I heard a teacher tell the class that in the baby cobra pose you should be touching the ground with only eight points of your body. Apparently I had been doing baby cobra incorrectly all these years! She also gave me some great postural adjustments, especially with "the bridge" where she told me to lift my back higher and pull my shoulder blades closer together, opening my chest much more fully. So this is what a bridge should feel like!
I really enjoyed the class and to my surprise, the heat did not bother me at all.
The Good:
1. The instructor: Kay Kay gave great direction. The instructions were clear enough even for somebody taking yoga for the first time.
2. The class: I loved the flow of the class and how variations were provided to allow all fitness levels to participate. I am still not entirely convinced of the link between a heated room and increased muscle flexibility, but I will say that there was something detoxifying about it.
The Not-so-good:
1. Mats too close to one another: This is not a criticism specifically of this class but of yoga classes in general. Classes try to pack in as many people as possible and as a result you are brushing elbows with your neighbor who is sweating bucket-loads in a hot yoga class.
Overall:
This is a fast-paced and very fun class set to great music. Pure Yoga really has some incredible instructors, and Kay Kay was no exception. I have a taken class with three Pure instructors so far and after each class I always promise myself that I shall incorporate more yoga into my life.
Detox Retox Yoga Beach Retreat:
For those yogis in need of a rejuvenating and detoxifying weekend you can experience Kay Kay's technique in a much more immersive setting as she, along with acclaimed yogi Tanya B, is holding a Detox Retox Yoga beach retreat at Eau Spa at the Ritz Carlton in Palm Beach, FL from Nov 4-6. Participants will be able to take six classes over the three days, ranging from the more vigorous Core Flow yoga to the more restorative Yin yoga. Price is $1100 per individual per room. Check out the schedule below. For reservations call: (561) 540-4811.
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I was invited to take a complimentary class with Kay Kay Clivio at Pure Yoga and was under no obligation to provide a review and was not compensated for this post. All opinions expressed herein are my own.
