| rev:text
| - Go to Arrichion for a workout -- not necessary to practice yoga.
So, I have sort of a love/hate relationship with this place.
I'll start with the negatives:
(1) Some classes are entirely too hot. Don't get me wrong, I love the heat and I understand that heat is the point of "HOT" yoga. But, the studio is entirely too hot to focus on yoga practice. Even after attending classes on almost a daily basis for three months, my form is highly compromised by the heat. I find myself slacking off or half assing because I am just trying to avoid passing out. Seriously. I practice classical Pilates, which requires focus and awareness of every muscle in your body, so I am very conscious of the form of each yoga pose and want to do each pose correctly . The extreme heat really screws with my ability to fine-tune my yoga practice. Some classes are better than others (as some instructors do not keep the room as hot) so some days I get a lot more out of it as far as my yoga practice goes. In short, I don't believe this place is for yogis who are obsessed with form and breathing technique -- this place is for athletes who want another form of workout. I don't think they try to hide this fact, either.
(2) Too crowded. I hate having to get there 30 mins before each class so I don't get stuck in the one spot left right next to the heater. I like the 6 AM classes because they aren't as packed. But, if you are planning to go anytime after 5 PM, get there early and be prepared to squish into a tiny room.
(3) Music. Same music every class and it's not good music.
(4) Cleanliness. I know it's hard to keep a hot yoga studio looking and smelling good -- but come on. It smells like a foot. I wear sandals into the yoga room (which most places do not allow) because I don't want to walk on the carpet of the changing room. I am really really really surprised that I haven't contracted some kind of weird fungus or at the very least a cold from going there.
So, why do I continue to go?
(1) Challenging. It is so hot in there that I really challenge myself to do the proper yoga poses or other exercises (push ups, ab work, etc.) without passing out or quitting. And afterwards I do feel stronger. These classes have helped my endurance tremendously. For example, I didn't run much at all over the winter and have been able to pick up running 5-6 miles with no problem.
(2) Instructors. Everyone is very very nice, in my opinion. They are more than willing to help you or answer any questions. I have been to two other yoga studios in town, and I think Arrichion has the nicest staff. It is a family-run operation and you can tell they put SO much hard work into it. I respect and admire the family very much and I think they will continue to grow.
(3) Class times. The schedule is pretty convenient, and I like the 45-minute time frame. The types of classes are also varied, and you know what class is going to be like before you go.
I will continue to go to Arrichion because of the challenge and the instructors. However, I will ALSO attend other hot yoga classes in Charlotte (many other studios have $5 other other cheap options) to work on my yoga practice. I will use Arrichion more as a "workout" than a "yoga practice" -- because if you come into the studio with the "workout" mindset, you will not be disappointed.
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)