Today I visited Empowered yoga studio in Wilmington, Delaware. It didn't take me long to get there and find it, but as they were tearing up the parking lot, I drove around for some time trying to find a spot. Finally someone must have left from a previous class leaving a spot open, which I quickly grabbed, running into the studio.
An upstairs studio, the reception are was enormous. There was a large shop, couches and chairs, and lots of beautiful wood art hanging on the walls - similar to those I'd seen in Thailand. The girl at the desk greeted me and showed me to the studio, offering me to sign in after class as it was getting late. I was told to leave my purse, phone and all personal belongings in a cubby in the front by the door. I asked her if I could take my wallet in with me at least and she told me it was strongly discouraged. Against my better judgement, I left it there. She showed me into the "Moon" room for an all level Vinyasa yoga class. I loved the idea of practicing in the Moon room, but I was getting a weird vibe about the studio...I tried to shrug it off and enjoy the class.
The room was heated (again, not hot, just heated) as I would expect for Vinyasa class. I sighed, "Crap, I forget my towel - again." The girl who checked me in told me to grab a block and a strap, but when the teacher came in, she didn't check in with anyone, she simply told us to take a seat and begin. The room was packed and crowded, and just as we began to practice, a half naked sweaty man rolled his mat out in front of me...what is it with me and naked, sweaty yogis this week? I let it go, I was there to practice, after all.
We got going quickly. The sequence had A LOT of lunges. Chair pose, lunge, Chair twist, lunge twist, chair and chair, lunge and lunge. It never ended. My thighs were killing me. I couldn't even complain, at least it wasn't my wrist! The teacher walked the room, often gazing out the window while she gave half directions. I found myself often confused and had to watch the rest of the class. She came and adjusted me twice - great adjustments. Sometimes her directions and instructions were dead on and precise, yet other times they were whimsical and confusing. I think it depended on when she was paying attention to her students, and when she was gazing out the window.
Half way through the sweat started pouring out of me. "Crap, crap and crap," I thought, remembering my freshly washed towel sitting in the dryer at home. I thought of running out of the room and buying a Manduka one from the shop - I thought about running out of the room period. I looked around wondering if I were the only one having a hard time. It appeared that I was. I didn't really care, I started to take Child's pose or just come out of lunging sequences just to rub my leg because I was starting to get cramps in both of them. We lunged, and then we lunged some more. Another chair pose, another lunge. She never gave it a break. There was no talk of modifications nor any poignant pauses in the practice. I could barely take it any longer when we finally came to the mat.
The rest is a blur. I really don't know what happened. I was spent and soaked. I just wanted Savasana. I got it for about 2 minutes. Then we sat up and ended class.
I was so relieved to be done and out of there. I was annoyed with myself for forgetting my towel, cramping up and allowing myself to be so distracted. I was annoyed at the teacher too, but what can you do? Well, I decided to shop!
The "Sale" rack had shirts for $38 (the sale price) at the low point. The regular prices were about $58. I stopped looking. I found a small bra-cami that read "Shifts Happen" and decided on that. I brought it to the desk to fill out my paperwork and pay for class and the shirt. I started looking at another brochure for their second location and asked the girl where it was. She started to give me directions ("Do you know where the Concord Mall is?") but I didn't know any place she suggested. I told her I was from NJ and not from the area.
It was then that an obnoxious "regular student" decided to chime in: "I'm sorry," he said mocking my NJ residency. I shot him a look and began to say, "I like NJ," when the girl at the desk broke out in hysterical laughter and then "high-fived" the guy.
I looked at them astonished. Way to make a new person feel comfortable!
Prior to that interaction I had thought about going back to take one of their other yoga classes, but after that I just threw down the brochures and walked out with my shirt. No, I won't be going back to Empowered Yoga Studio...it may be big and beautiful, but it's true, Bigger is not always better!
As I was not "allowed" to have my phone on or in the premises, I discretely took these two pictures of the studio reception area:
An upstairs studio, the reception are was enormous. There was a large shop, couches and chairs, and lots of beautiful wood art hanging on the walls - similar to those I'd seen in Thailand. The girl at the desk greeted me and showed me to the studio, offering me to sign in after class as it was getting late. I was told to leave my purse, phone and all personal belongings in a cubby in the front by the door. I asked her if I could take my wallet in with me at least and she told me it was strongly discouraged. Against my better judgement, I left it there. She showed me into the "Moon" room for an all level Vinyasa yoga class. I loved the idea of practicing in the Moon room, but I was getting a weird vibe about the studio...I tried to shrug it off and enjoy the class.
The room was heated (again, not hot, just heated) as I would expect for Vinyasa class. I sighed, "Crap, I forget my towel - again." The girl who checked me in told me to grab a block and a strap, but when the teacher came in, she didn't check in with anyone, she simply told us to take a seat and begin. The room was packed and crowded, and just as we began to practice, a half naked sweaty man rolled his mat out in front of me...what is it with me and naked, sweaty yogis this week? I let it go, I was there to practice, after all.
We got going quickly. The sequence had A LOT of lunges. Chair pose, lunge, Chair twist, lunge twist, chair and chair, lunge and lunge. It never ended. My thighs were killing me. I couldn't even complain, at least it wasn't my wrist! The teacher walked the room, often gazing out the window while she gave half directions. I found myself often confused and had to watch the rest of the class. She came and adjusted me twice - great adjustments. Sometimes her directions and instructions were dead on and precise, yet other times they were whimsical and confusing. I think it depended on when she was paying attention to her students, and when she was gazing out the window.
Half way through the sweat started pouring out of me. "Crap, crap and crap," I thought, remembering my freshly washed towel sitting in the dryer at home. I thought of running out of the room and buying a Manduka one from the shop - I thought about running out of the room period. I looked around wondering if I were the only one having a hard time. It appeared that I was. I didn't really care, I started to take Child's pose or just come out of lunging sequences just to rub my leg because I was starting to get cramps in both of them. We lunged, and then we lunged some more. Another chair pose, another lunge. She never gave it a break. There was no talk of modifications nor any poignant pauses in the practice. I could barely take it any longer when we finally came to the mat.
The rest is a blur. I really don't know what happened. I was spent and soaked. I just wanted Savasana. I got it for about 2 minutes. Then we sat up and ended class.
I was so relieved to be done and out of there. I was annoyed with myself for forgetting my towel, cramping up and allowing myself to be so distracted. I was annoyed at the teacher too, but what can you do? Well, I decided to shop!
The "Sale" rack had shirts for $38 (the sale price) at the low point. The regular prices were about $58. I stopped looking. I found a small bra-cami that read "Shifts Happen" and decided on that. I brought it to the desk to fill out my paperwork and pay for class and the shirt. I started looking at another brochure for their second location and asked the girl where it was. She started to give me directions ("Do you know where the Concord Mall is?") but I didn't know any place she suggested. I told her I was from NJ and not from the area.
It was then that an obnoxious "regular student" decided to chime in: "I'm sorry," he said mocking my NJ residency. I shot him a look and began to say, "I like NJ," when the girl at the desk broke out in hysterical laughter and then "high-fived" the guy.
I looked at them astonished. Way to make a new person feel comfortable!
Prior to that interaction I had thought about going back to take one of their other yoga classes, but after that I just threw down the brochures and walked out with my shirt. No, I won't be going back to Empowered Yoga Studio...it may be big and beautiful, but it's true, Bigger is not always better!
As I was not "allowed" to have my phone on or in the premises, I discretely took these two pictures of the studio reception area:
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