Frequently Asked Questions
I am ready to try Yoga, what should I expect?
Most importantly, know that you are ready NOW. Our motto is to Begin Anywhere, to show up as you are now and know that the teachers are here to share what they love about the practice of yoga on and off the mat. You might feel like everyone is looking at you, but they are not - they are all focused on their own practice and all were beginners once, just like you. Having a beginners mind and not having expectations is what we all strive for in yoga! . Like anything new, be patient with yourself and the process, listen to your body, and go at your own pace. Drink plenty of water before and after class. You will fill out a new student form, but please also let your instructor know if you have any injuries or medical conditions. We have a variety of classes, some heated and some not heated. Find out which class works best for you. Many people find that Gentle Yoga or YIN yoga classes offer more time to get comfortable with the poses. If you take hot power yoga, you should expect a good physical, mental and emotional workout, and expect to sweat. Power Vinyasa Yoga is a unique, flowing sequence of postures done in a heated room, with focus on breath, strengthening the integration of your body and mind. After yoga many people find that they sleep better, are more focused, less reactive and feel stronger.
How hot will it get?
For heated vinyasa classes, we heat the room to about 90 degrees, with 60% humidity. Most people find that their bodies feel more supple and flexible, like they feel in summertime or in a tropical climate. You sweat more when it's hot, encouraging your body to release toxins and excess fluid through the skin, giving the kidneys and liver a break. If you ever feel overheated or dizzy or nauseous during class, we ask that you take a resting pose like child’s pose, allowing your body and mind to relax, slow down your breathing, regroup, and come back to your practice when you are ready.
What should I wear?
Wear clothes you can sweat in, like something you would work out in or go running in. You may want to wear a tighter fitting tank top without sleeves so the shirt does not come over your head or get bunched up when you are in downward facing dog. For Hot yoga, Lululemon, Athleta, Hyde, Zobha make hot yoga gear. Lululemon has a showroom in Portland. We have trunk shows at the studio twice a year. Lululemon’s clothes may seem pricey but they last a long time. We have changing rooms and shower so you can slip into something more comfortable after class.
What should I bring?
You will want to bring your own yoga mat, a towel or yogitoes, and water. Don’t worry if you don’t have these, we have rentals at the studio. We also have blocks and straps for use for free. We also sell Jade yoga mats at the studio. Jade is a great company and plants a tree for each mat sold. Their mats are 100% rubber and good for hot yoga. Manduka also have high quality yoga mats but they tend to be a bit heavier and sometimes not as effective for hot yoga.
What if I am not that flexible?
As Baron Baptiste says in Journey into Power “You don’t need to be some super flexible version of Gumby in order to do power yoga. Any dimwit can wrap their legs around their head; it has nothing to do with health.” This type of yoga is not about contorting or forcing your body where it does not want to go. You just begin as you are and as Pattabi Jois says: "Practice, Practice, and all is coming". Three times a week will change your body, Five times a week will change your life.
What should I eat or drink before class?
Avoid eating anything heavy for two hours before class if you can. Something light, like a banana or piece of fruit is fine. Try to drink a decent amount of water before you arrive and after you leave. Some people find coconut water a good choice for hydrating before class.
Is this yoga safe for pregnant women?
It is best to check with your doctor prior to beginning any exercise program, especially if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. We do not recommend starting a hot yoga practice if you are a raw beginner and pregnant. If you have been practicing hot yoga, have received the ok from your doctor and want to continue once pregnant there are modifications required: no lying on the stomach, no inversions, no twists.
Will my body change?
It depends on how often you practice. For good results you want to practice at least 3 times a week, for amazing results 5-6 times a week. This type of yoga can really torch calories and strengthen muscles. Over time and combined with meditation and mindful eating, power vinyasa yoga can have a truly transformative effect on your entire life.
Good to know:
Drop in classes are $14.
Students pay $12 w/ID.
Discounted prepaid packages are available.Please sign up online in advance to secure your place in class, especially in the evening classes which fill up quickly.
If you have a yoga mat, please bring it.
If not we have Jade rental mats available for $2.Hydrate before and after class, preferably with Electrolytes.
Try to practice on an empty stomach.Bring a towel or yogitoes. If taking hot yoga, the room is heated and you will sweat, releasing toxins and clearing your body from the inside out. We have towels available for $1 per use.
We have blocks and straps available for your use for free. Please clean your block after use.
Please arrive 10-15 minutes before class to allow time to sign in and settle onto your mat.
Please plan to stay the entire class. If you must leave early please tell the teacher before class.
Please do not bring cell phones or shoes upstairs. You can leave anything you don’t need for yoga downstairs.
There is plenty of free parking at the studio.
We understand that life happens and you might be late for class occasionally, it is not a big deal. Just please enter quietly and wait until after the OMs at the beginning of class.
We take Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, cash, or cheques.
Perkville Rewards
When you sign up online or in the studio you will receive an email to register with Perkville, our Rewards Program partner. Perkville tracks your points and rewards progress. Once you register with Perkville, you get points when you attend a class, refer a friend, or post about Wicked Good Yoga on Facebook.
Earn 5 points when you attend a class!
Earn 20 points if you refer a friend to our introductory membership (30 days for $39- brand new students only)
Earn 10 points when you post about us on Facebook!
You will get an email introducing you to the rewards program – you can opt out at any time. When you refer your friends (through a company called Perkville who are doing the backend), they’ll get a special offer in their email from us! It’s for new students and they only have 48 hours to buy it from the moment you send the email – so let them know!
Redeem a voucher at 150 points for $15 to put towards your classes, workshops, memberships, yogitoes, a new mat, massage, or whatever you need to meet your yoga needs. Keep earning points throughout your yoga practice to continue earning vouchers!
WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT BAPTISTE YOGA?
The Baptiste inspired Power Vinyasa Yoga practice is a vigorous, flowing practice. There are a few important concepts to keep in mind during this practice:
Drishti
Drishti translates to a soft, focused gaze. This is often easiest to do by focusing on one spot in front of you on something that is not moving. Looking around the room or at others scatters your energy and can cause distraction. Maintaining drishti brings your energy and focus inward, calming the central nervous system and centering your practice. It is also a metaphor for one you need to put your attention on, and what you need to take your attention off, on your mat and in your life.
Breath
The type of breathing encouraged in this yoga practice is called ujjayi, which means victorious breath—it sounds a little like Darth Vader’s breathing. This breathing is done through the nose, with a slight restriction at the base of the throat, and when you exhale through the nose, imagine you are trying to fog a mirror. You will hear instructions related to your breathing during practice, such as inhale lengthen, exhale twist, or inhale upward dog, exhale downward dog. The breathing in this practice is closely linked to the flow of the asanas and is very important to the integration of body and mind, calming the nervous system, and energizing the body through the flow of prana, or life force.
Foundation (from your hands and feet, you find your core)
You will hear instructors encouraging you to press down into your hands, press your feet back, and pull your belly button up and into your spine, creating the uddiyana bandha, or root lock. We keep the abdomen engaged to support the spine and tone and strengthen the abdominals throughout class. This bandha also helps to encourage ujjayi breath expansion in to the chest and upper back.
Tapas (heat)
In Baptiste yoga we work to build an inner fire, through the physicality of holding the poses, engaging uddiyana band, consistent ujjayi breath, which combined
with the heat of the room helps wring out impurities and toxins. In yoga tapas is also referred to as a discipline, staying in the fire when things become challenging, which is a skill you can take with you off your mat and into your life.
Flow/Vinyasa
In Vinyasa yoga each pose is linked to the next, and the flow generates energy or heat, changing the way prana, or your life force, flows through your body by releasing areas of stuck, stale, restricted, or closed energy. People often experience a renewed sense of vitality through this practice and the release of long held patterns of tightness and tension. While we move consistently, it is important to practice the yogic principle of ahimsa, or to take care of yourself, and take child’s pose if you feel dizzy or need to rest.