This year I made a conscious decision to get better about having a consistent practice. People do yoga for lots of reasons but mine are pretty simple: flexibility and sanity. Well-intentioned friends often try to steer me in the direction of fast-paced, loud-music “hip” yoga classes, citing my propensity to be competitive and maybe a little bit agro. Though I enjoy those kinds of classes on occasion, most often when I practice yoga I am looking for quiet and all the weird hippy crap that happens in more traditional classes or settings. I wanna get deep, man.

The best yoga class I’ve had all year happened in a Yin class in Bend, Oregon at Namaspa (where the intro offer is $29 for a month of unlimited yoga for new local residents). I’d always thought of Yin as boring, slow stretching – but the experience was intense almost to the point of being overwhelming. I went back for more. Here’s my take on a few Portland studios I’ve haunted over the past few years. Note that this list is SE heavy because, well, I live in the SE and these are all studios that I’ve chosen to try on my own accord and with my own cash. If you have thoughts, comments or suggestions for other great studios please chime in!

Yoga Union – SE Portland – $15 for 2 Weeks Unlimited

I’m back in Portland for a month or so, so I’ve started an intro offer with Yoga Union, just up the street from my house ($15 for two weeks of unlimited classes).  It’s a single-room studio, community-oriented atmosphere and diverse class offering from restorative Yin to cleansing Hot Yoga to more aggressive Prana Vinyasa. The hot yoga classes I’ve taken so far have been full but comfortably so – and the instructors helpful without being overbearing.

After a week of classes, I give this place a two-thumbs-up. Prices are mid range (One month unlimited at $120 or only $99 with a recurring debit set up, $15 for a drop in, about 5-6 classes offered daily). Changing room is tiny and overcrowded after class (and there’s only one toilet), but everyone there seems to make things work. This place feels very grass roots to me – I sense a lot of pride and ownership from the people practicing there. There are also a lot of white-ponytailed shirtless dudes.

BONUS: Free tea before and after. Large studio space. Yoga 101 for newbs. Super friendly vibe.
BUMMER: No super early classes (earliest 7am) and pretty full classes – arrive early! No lockers only cubbies.
READ MORE ON YELP

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Core Power – SE and NW Portland – FREE for 1 week Unlimited

My old standby for Portland yoga has been CorePower, which offers a week of unlimited yoga for free when you first start out. They have a studio in NW and one in SE – both are modern, clean and what I would describe as “fancy”.  I say this mostly because when I started my very first yoga classes at the NW location, I found a pair of Golden Goose boots in one of the cubby holes, which was my first indicator that I was totally fucking out of my league (I resisted the urge to steal the boots and pay my next mortgage :)

It’s part of a chain with locations in Colorado, California, Illinois, Minnesota and Oregon so you’re getting a pretty dialed-in program and in Portland you’re getting the advantage of two studios, one of which has two rooms -  for about 20 classes offered per day but you’re also getting the prices to match ($159 for a month unlimited, drop in at $18 – yikes! Consider a membership with recurring debit if you do yoga more than 3x per week).  I’ve enjoyed all the instructors I’ve had at both SE and NW locations. I found the NW location to be consistently full of primed, primped, Lulu-lemoned out super hot women so if you feel like rubbing shoulders with the beautiful people, this is a good place to do it.

BONUS: 6am classes, tons and tons of options for classes and special discounted half-price classes throughout the week (the woman at the SE location last time I was there also told me that the discounted classes were free to those who rode bikes, walked or used public transpo to get there – I’ll try to confirm this)
BUMMER: Luxury prices
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RACHEL’s Take – Another opinion on Core Power Yoga from the GnG staff:

I have really enjoyed my yoga time spent at Core Power. I went to day classes mostly and some night classes (those are always really busy-NW is not as busy as the SE at the evening classes). The thing I found most appealing about Core Power is that the hot yoga classes are slightly less hot than bikram and they offer 1 hour hot yoga classes and 1 1/2 hour classes. For me, someone who wants the heat and the work out but also wants to function after I go to yoga, the 1 hour is awesome. Also an hour and a half minimum is a lot of time to dedicate, I’m not always free for that much time to work out. So, I still get my ass kicked but I can do it in less time and I don’t have to sleep it off on the couch later.

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The Yoga Space – SE Portland – $20 for 1 Week Unlimited

I took one class at The Yoga Space last year with a few friends of mine so probably cannot comment on much other than first impressions: it’s small and community oriented offering Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Hatha, Kundalini, Yin, and Restorative. Prices seem relatively on par with other studios of this size ($120 for one month unlimited, $13 drop in, approx 5-6 classes per day).

BONUS: Classes scheduled with 9-5ers in mind: 6:30am for early risers and 5:45 / 7:30pm starts for after work wind-down. Community yoga classes on a sliding scale that starts at $5.
BUMMER: Small, so not as many options.
READ MORE ON YELP

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Yoga Shala – SE Portland – $21 for three classes, good for a month

I attended a few classes at The Yoga Shala several years ago and didn’t fall in love. Studios are fairly small in size and my overall impression was that this was serious yoga for seriously spiritual people. It was a little too much heady stuff for me, but I’m sure it’s perfect for lots of people. The introductory offer is not that mind-blowing compared to other studios but they do have a learning series that I wish had been around when I started out: 4 weeks of 2 classes per week, specifically focused on teaching yoga basics, introducing different kinds of practice and exposing you do different instructors ($75).

BONUS: Childcare available during some classes, specific pre-natal yoga available, cool beginner series offered.
BUMMER: This is sort of the yoga studio I feared when I went looking… seriously heady yoga peeps.
READ MORE ON YELP

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Belmont Yoga – Ellee Thalheimer Yoga for Cyclists and Athletes

I went to Ellee’s class as part of a story I was doing for the Oregonian about yoga and cycling so I’m not able to comment on this particular studio as much as on the work of Ellee herself. The class I attended was different than anything I’d ever experience and while I didn’t get to participate in the entire progression because I was also taking photographs, I was impressed with the casual atmosphere, cycling-specific focus on problem areas and the down-to-earth vibe of the other people in the class. All body types were represented and people wore gym shorts or sweat pants or… cycling messenger knickers. It didn’t matter – the point was in working on the body and having a good laugh while you were at it (Ellee is not only charming, she’s also very funny.)

This class is currently held on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6:45pm. Check the Belmont Yoga website for more information or drop by Ellee’s personal site to learn more about her services (she’s a massage therapist too) and cool cyclotouring adventures.

On the List – Yoga Pearl

This place has been recommended to me by several people. It’s on the list. Sign up deal seems good: $20 for 2 weeks unlimited.

More reviews from Rachel*

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Peoples Yoga – NE Portland

I love The People’s Yoga, there are a really wide range of classes but the amazing thing is no matter if I’m in for a relazing yoga or a super tough session I always come out relaxed. You can pay $8 per class, $38 for a 5 time card, $70 for a 10 time card, or an unlimited monthly membership is $55 if you set up an auto payment. There are other deals as seen on their website. Also if you are spread thin in the cash department, they offer scholarships! $5 of every membership payment goes towards their scholarship fund. I love this place, it’s relaxed, and depending on the instructor you can get your spiritual on-or not. The instructors are really friendly, the studio is great also if you become a member you can get other benefits like bringing a freind for free once a month, and discounts on workshops and events.

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Hot Yoga for Life – NE Portland – $10 for 10 classes when you first sign up

Hot Yoga for Life A warning, this one is hot. The temperature is closer to that of a bikram style yoga and the classes that I have been to are pretty fast moving, in a good way. You get your workout in for sure. Also you get 10 classes for $10 when you first sign up. The studio is a good size, but there is only one which means there is only one class at a time. Some of the classes can get a little busy. Lots of sweaty people. A word to the wise, these hot yoga places can get a little intense. As in the people who consistently go are tough birds and so are the instrucors. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, it’s just good to know what kind of planet you’re landing on before you get there. Don’t be intimidated, these ones are the nice guys. Also if you’ve never done the hot yoga thing, drink water, don’t eat a ton before you go and don’t get down on yourself if all you can do is lie there and sweat for the entirety of the class. It takes time to get used to the heat.

READ MORE ON YELP

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Hook a Sister Up

Where do you practice? What do you like about it? What studios should I try when my intro is up at Yoga Union? Do you have experiences with the places above? Please chime in!

*Who the Hell is Rachel: Rachel kicks ass. She’s a part time studio assistant at Swift Plus Creative. As such, she occasionally pinch hits at the Grit and Glimmer blog. When I found out that she had some strong PDX yoga opinions, I asked her to chime in here. Look for her to bring an additional voice to the blog with a focus on recipes, test kitchen adventures and general Rachel-style awesomeness.

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Run by Glen and Sandy Crinklaw, the Sport Haus is set up to be a cyclist’s heaven with ample room for on and off-road bicycles alike. Busted-up, dirt-encrusted Sidis fill the shoe cubby outside the front door along with garden clogs, rubber boots and tennis shoes. The meadow behind the lodge spreads out in front of you and makes you want to run and run and run and run until you reach the forest’s edge (kid-style).

Head down to the river and cool your feet off or come in the early fall to catch a herd of Elk grazing in soft morning light amid a low-lying carpet of mist. A golden bicycle (full-size!) lashed to the sign out front ensures that you don’t drive past the little driveway as you’re making your way out for a visit.

This place is truly magical.

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Roughly halfway between Portland and the coast, it’s an ideal stop for a long cyclo-touring weekend to see the ocean. Glen knows every logging road like the back of his hand and can spin you an off-road touring journey that will take you to hidden pockets of the coastal range – secret lakes and sweeping vistas.

Sandy is a master in the kitchen and will make sure you’re well-fed and ready for your journey (and if Glen gets to grillin’, well, watch out!). The food is top-notch all the way from homemade granola and cinnamon rolls (and a freshly pulled espresso shot!) to homemade chocolate-raspberry pie for dessert after dinner. I can’t explain how she does it – you have to go eat it to believe it.

The beds and guest rooms are immaculate with no detail left unattended. Communal bathrooms feature luxurious slate shower stalls with sunflower heads that make you want to sing out loud. The counter-tops are made of reclaimed wood (ask Sandy to tell you the story about that slab, it’s a good one) and the other fixtures and details are ridiculously photo worthy.

When your muscles get sore, you’re in luck! Sandy is a yoga instructor and the two have built a studio in the center of the lodge. During the spring and summer, the glass roll-up garage door opens to give you an uninterrupted view of the meadow as you enjoy your practice.

The lodge was “hot off the press” when I visited earlier this summer and a few details were still being worked out, but Glen and Sandy are now fully operational and ready to accept the cycling-yoga-outdoor-loving masses. Look at ‘em! Aren’t they cute! (You can see the entire gallery of photos here.)

In fact, Sandy still has a few spots left in an upcoming yoga retreat. It’s the same weekend as the infamous Cross Crusade Halloween activities, so I can’t make it but if I wasn’t scheduled to be wreaking havoc on Astoria, it’s definitely where I’d be.

Here are the detes – if you decide to go get stretchy with Sandy and Nina, tell them I sent you!

Weekend Yoga Retreat on the Nehalem River
with Nina Pileggi
October 30, 31 and November 1 2009

Join Nina and a small group of yoga students for a weekend getaway. We will be staying at Sandy Crinklaw’s Coastal Mountain Sport Haus, located near Mist, Oregon just 50 short miles from Beaverton. All levels of students are welcome to join us at the retreat.

The cost of the retreat includes six meals (dinner Friday evening through lunch Sunday morning), eight hours of yoga instruction and lodging in the bunk room. A limited number of semi-private rooms are available for an additional $50 for the weekend. We will help you to arrange carpooling to the retreat. During the ample free time you can sit and read on the porch, hike around the property, visit Vernonia, or visit with fellow yoga students.

Nina Pileggi is the founder and director of Sunset Yoga Center in Beaverton, Oregon and an Intermediate Junior I Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor. She has been practicing yoga since 1996 and has taught yoga for over ten years.

Dates and times of the yoga classes:

Friday October 30th, 5:00 – 7:00 (dinner following)
Saturday October 31th, 9:30 – 11:30am, 4:00 – 6:00pm
Sunday November, 9:00 – 11:00am (lunch following)

The cost of the workshop, lodging in the bunkhouse, and meals is $350 (inclusive of all taxes and room fees). Add $50 for a semi-private room for a total of $400. To register, send a $75 non-refundable deposit to Sunset Yoga Center, 10200 SW Eastridge St. #125 Portland, OR 97225.

Space is limited!

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(Aside: Tony Horton is the guy behind P90X, the program I am doing right now.)

As I’m watching his impressive legs move in his little tight yoga pants, I’m thinking more about the fact that he looks like a kid who is ready to watch Saturday morning cartoons, than about the fact that my body is in down-dawg, and what that might mean for my  breath.

He admits several times during the video that "yoga is not his thing".  That is why I like him.  Yoga isn’t "my thing" either but, like Tony, I keep at it because I know that flexibility is key to being a well-rounded athlete.  I also know that the pause yoga gives me is good for my otherwise racing head.

Yoga says: "Sit here, Heidi.  Sit here right in the middle of this amazing pain.  Think about it.  There, that’s a good girl."

Steven over at Mud, Sweat, and Gears may admonish me for speaking openly about yoga, which he has commented is the "secret cyclocross weapon".  Unfortunately, as a fairly-so-far-non-fast beginning racer, I fear I probably am not yet qualified to claim to have secret weapons.  However, after meeting Michael Sylvester (former World’s level ‘cross racer, bike-fit genius, and super-yoga-person), I have a sneaking suspicion that Steven may be onto something.

If so, then accept this pre-emptive apology: I’m letting the cat out of the bag.

Back to Tony Horton.

In my little workout room yesterday, with Tony plastered humongously onto the wall by the projector, I am not getting into the yoga groove that I know is possible.  In fact, I don’t feel loosened up at all.  Tony’s voice is not soothing and smooth like the cute lady at the shala.  Tony is not getting me "there".  Tony is not doing it for me.

I finish the 90 minute yoga workout and jump into the shower, disappointed.  Moments later, as my hands scrub my little pea-head, I make a decision.  Yoga again.  Real yoga. 

I’ll go back to the studio up in the NW and suffer at the hands of some super-hottie little girl in the beginner class tonight at 6:45pm.  I need my fix, goddamit.  I need my yoga high!

The yoga studio that I favor is in the "fancy" part of town.  I live diagonally across the city in the "not-fancy" part of town.  I like my side of town better, but I suffer the little Yoga Queens with their Lululemon bags and $1200 boots (no really, when you see a pair of Golden Goose boots stashed in a shoe cubby, you know you are somewhere fancy) because I haven’t found a studio on the eastside that does it for me.  Besides, most of the little Yoga Royalty ladies are actually pretty nice.

In a crowded class of about 15 goils and 1 boy, I get what I came for.  Calm, pain, clarity, sweat, even-ness, respite.

I also get an absolutely killer leg workout.

And amid the searing pain of holding, holding, holding (those bastards make it look so easy!) I solidify and finalize my thoughts around what I want for myself this year, and how I’m going to make it real.

More than anything, I appreciate the way that yoga is "quiet".  Not in the aural sense, but in the experiential sense.  It is so different than any other physical activity I do.  Slow and intentional.  Reflective in its agony.  Relentless in its insistence that you stop rushing and start paying attention.

I lay in corpse pose for a good ten minutes after class wraps up.  The room is warm but not hot.  The lights are dim.  The Yoga Royalty are gone and I have the room to myself.

I remind myself to come back sooner rather than later.  Then I drive home in the freezing rain and winter blackness.  The world is a stark contrast to the warm-toned paint and toasty temperature of the studio.

At home it’s hot tea, last minute emails, and bed.

I’m not a yoga-person, but I don’t mind pretending every now and then.

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Technorati Tags: yoga, fitness, life, reflection

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It’s true, I’m a pretty high energy person (the people in my life right now are laughing at my use of understatement), but I’m definitely not always motivated.  I was thinking about this yesterday because Skwigg answered this question for the second time on her blog and I liked her answer the second time around just as much as I did the first. 

She says it best, so I’ll leave it in her words:

Q: How do you stay motivated and on track? I tend to lose steam on a new program after the first week or two.

A: Motivation, as in being all rah-rah excited, doesn’t happen to anybody, or if it does, it’s fleeting. I’m not motivated to workout. I do it both because it needs to be done and because I’m emotionally invested in it. Very much like bathing and brushing my teeth. I may not always enjoy the process or the time it takes, but I do it at the start of every day because it makes me feel good about myself and gives me confidence. I don’t want to be all scary and stinky and have people run from me. :-) However, at no point do I feel "motivated" to haul myself out of bed in the morning and get in the shower. I just do it and don’t entertain the idea that I might not. I’m someone who bathes. You can be someone who exercises. It’s just that matter-of-fact.

In the beginning, until your cruise control kicks in, you can focus on the emotional investment part of it. Find a dream or aspiration that you want to make real and then spend as much time as possible visualizing your new life. How will it feel? What will you look like? What will you wear? What will people say? What will you do? What will you eat? What will your day be like? That’s powerful stuff because it creates the mental shift necessary to pull off just about anything. Without the mental shift, you can make as many lame-ass attempts as you want, but nothing will ever stick. Your mind has to change before your body can. You have to know that this new reality is possible, and you’ll know it’s possible because you’ll see it every day in your head.

Her point about making the mental shift is crucial.  In 2001 I felt like I wanted to "get fit" so I started a relationship with a trainer at 24 hour fitness.  I wasn’t really ready, though, and he knew it.  I didn’t last long.  I wasn’t committed enough.  My mind hadn’t changed at all – I’d just been reading too many fashion magazines.

I love the comparison to personal hygiene and her comment that she does not entertain the idea that she "might not". I’m not always the bouncy, screaming, dancing, jumping cheerleader that I am at a ‘cross race when I’m watching the Mens C race.  Sometimes I’m a slow-moving, sleepy-eyed grogg-monster dreading the idea of prying myself out of bed to go watch Tony Horton boss me around in his little yoga pajamas.

I still get up and go do it. 

Yoga isn’t what I’m good at.  It doesn’t excite me the way that lifting arms and shoulders does, but that’s exactly the reason that I have to stick with it.  I’m working on my weaknesses.  I’m doing the hard work.

Speaking of which, its time to get at it.  I finally broke down and bought a yoga block this week.  The "Yoga X" video is more advanced than anything I’ve ever done and last week I was left in the dust about 50 minutes into the 90 minute session.

My ego hates the yoga block, but I have a feeling my hammies are going to love it.  I plan to spend less time in child’s pose today.

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For years and years and years my favorite sports bras were two plain black ones that I got from Fred Meyer as a sophomore in high school.  You heard me right – I’m still wearing sports bras that I bought in high school.  Sweetheart, the boobs, they do not grow. Everything else grows, but not the boobs.

I digress. These sports bras – they were indestructible!  I mean, they still are.  They’re amazing!

Of course, when Sal infected my brain with this bizarre love of technical clothing, I had to start branching out.  Soon I was buying a lot of stuff from Adidas because, as the kids in the street say, they’re shit is tight.

My second favorite sports bra was therefore a black Adidas bra which featured full belly coverage.  O how I love this sports bra, let me count the ways.

So between my favorite three bras, I figured I had pretty much everything I could ever possibly need.  I mean, these things were cherry!  How could you top them?

Then my little yoga friend, who shall remain nameless, taunted me one day as we left yoga together.  I was wearing my typical yoga outfit of running knickers, my favorite sports bra, and a wife beater.  (Hey, I like to keep it simple.)

"You should try Lululemon." he said, "All the cool yoga kids are doing it."

You may already know this, but Lululemon is wanna-be feel-good hippy clothing that no hippy could ever afford.  This is yoga fashion snobbery at its best.  "$50 sports bras!" I scoffed.  Never!

And then my Little Yoga Friend gave me a $100 gift certificate to Lululemon for my 30th birthday (thanks) and a few months later, after building up some courage, I entered the Lululemon kingdom to see what riches were there.

My god.

My god, people!

The quality!  The design!  The function! 

I wanted to hate it.  I wanted to walk out, call him up, tell him what I’d purchased and say nonchalantly, "Yeah, it was great." in that tone that really meant, "It was just ok you pompous, snotty yoga jerk."

But I couldn’t.  Because I am here to tell you that Lululemon provided me with my new favorite sports bra.  To be fair, it’s classified as a "tank".  The torso is long!  Truly long!  It covers my belly and even leaves enough fabric so that I can scrunch it up a little, which makes my little belly much less self-conscious.

The shelf-bra inside is freaking brilliant – made of super sturdy, super comfortable mesh nylon.  The fit is immaculate. It doesn’t pinch, it doesn’t slide, and it makes your shoulders look all cut and dreamy.

I want 20 of them.

Now.

Part of the reason that I was gunshy about Lululemon is that I think Lucy (a similar type of store) is wildly over-rated.  I’m not over the moon about their design, I’m luke warm on their quality, and I just don’t think they’re doing anything super revolutionary.

I’m here to say that Lululemon blows Lucy straight out of the water. No comparison.  None.

So, if you’re ready to spend $50 on the most ass-kicking tank you’ve every owned, you should check them out.  They still don’t have eCommerce (hellllooooo, Lululemon, get a clue!) but you can order the phone if they don’t have a store in your area.  I went with the Power V Tank, but they’ve got styles to suit all the ladies (and all the rack sizes possible).

I loved the tank so much that I bought a pair of capris and a jacket too – I’ll tell you about those later :)

In the meantime, if you’re not ready to spend $50 on a stupid tank, Champion is offering free shipping on every order and I bet you can get one of those classic little numbers like the one I’ve had since high school for about half the price. :)

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