Crash Course: extendYoga is located in northern Bethesda, a little off the beaten path from the hustle and bustle of the city’s downtown area. The studio offers heated and non-heated yoga classes for all levels. I crashed the Saturday morning hot power flow class, which according to the extendYoga website, focuses on linking conscious breath with a vigorous and mindful flow. For a full list of classes, click here.

extendYoga is a bit farther outside the DC area than I regularly go for my crashes, but it was worth it to find this little gem of a studio. It is not metro accessible and a bit tucked away – if you look in the middle of that “Parklawn” sign off the side of the road you’ll see a blue lotus. That’s where you should turn in.

There is plenty of free parking outside, which is a huge plus for this city girl. If I have to drive to a crash, I typically circle around the neighborhood for a good 15 minutes before finding a spot. It was so nice to not have to worry about it this time – particularly at 9 a.m. on a Saturday!

Step into extendYoga and you’ll be instantly transported to a schwanky city yoga studio, except with much more space! It is beautiful inside, with shiny wood floors, bright windows, and spotless studios. The front desk area also has a lounge space and yoga-centric merchandise to browse.

You all know how much I love the little details studios include to make guests feel at home. At extend, they have a bar area with cold lemon water, hot tea, cookies, and crackers. What a great spot to grab a treat before or after class!

I love that the owners framed their first yoga mats and used them as art in the studio. What a great idea!

The changing area, two bathrooms, and the heated studio are located the back of the building. Everything is very clean and bright – my favorite combination.

This room is a combination coat room, shoe storage area, and changing space. I love the yoga wall decals – aren’t they fun? It can get a little bit crowded, but I had no issues finding a spot to lay my belongings without feeling jostled or rushed. Those curtains section off a little area where you can change into your yoga clothes. If that’s not enough privacy, head to one of the two bathrooms.

This photo isn’t the best quality, but I wanted to test out the panorama function on my camera to give you a full glimpse at the hot yoga studio. You can see how bright and airy it is – it’s almost impossible to think this gleaming room can reach up to 101 degrees. Sizzle! Not pictured to the right is an area with blocks, straps, bolsters, and mat cleaning supplies.

This is the non-heated studio, located in the middle of extend’s floor plan. It’s just as spacious but has no windows. You wouldn’t know it though; the bright hanging lights and high ceilings give the entire place a very open feel.

The hour-long heated power yoga class I crashed was…in a word…hot. I have been taking hot power yoga classes for about eight years, but the scorching temperatures in this class were above and beyond anything I had experienced before. Well, except for in a Birkam class. How hot, you ask? The temperature hovered around 101. It didn’t help that I happened to be right in the path of one of the heating fans, but judging from the sweat dripping from everyone around me, it was hot no matter where you put your mat. I mention this because some people like heated yoga, and some people like hot yoga. You decide if this kind of heat is for you. (Note: extendYoga also offers plenty of non-heated options…so check out their schedule to see what works best for your needs.)

Allison taught a very accessible, flowing class. The pace was slower than I am used to for a power yoga class: this is great if you want a gentler, more available hot yoga option, but not ideal if you are looking for a butt-kicking, extremely athletic practice. She used creative pose combinations, had very helpful cuing, and walked around the room to make adjustments. For an hour-long class, we worked just about every major sequence and I left feeling like everything had received a very good stretch. And the very best perk? That little rock you see in the photo above. During vinyasa, Allison passed around these smooth stones – which had been refrigerated in lavender water – to place on our foreheads. So simple, but it made for such a wonderful treat after the hot and sweaty class.

Because I’m always looking for heathy ways to refuel after my crashes, I popped into MOM’s Organic Market to grab a fresh juice and grain bowl. It is located about five minutes from the studio, has plenty of parking, and even has a few charging stations for those of you with electric cars. I had never been to a MOM’s before and was very impressed with the  quality and extent of their products. Think Whole Foods meets Yes! meets local farmers market.

There is a little spot inside the store called Naked Lunch where you can purchase fresh salads, sandwiches, grain bowls, home made kombucha, and juices. Everything is organic and made to order. I went with a carrot, beet, cucumber, ginger juice and the Moler Bowl, which had a combination of farro, quinoa and barley with all sorts of delicious veggies mixed in. The entire thing is served warm and was absolutely, ridiculously delicious. I can’t recommend it enough. If you are near the Rockville MOM’s and looking for a quick and healthy meal…this is the spot for you.

What’s your favorite spot for a healthy post-workout meal?

*extendYoga generously waived my drop in fee. This post is not an endorsement and all opinions are my own.

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Crash Course: Hold on to your yoga pants ladies and gents, because this class is one heck of a ride. Ninety minutes of power vinyasa flow in a heated room packed to the gills with sweating, exhaling, bending yogis. Come through the door knowing that you will be pushed to your limits physically and mentally. Hate other people sweating on you? Not big on trying new things? Like to look fresh after working out? Then I suggest you go somewhere else. Down Dog is a rocking experience that will leave you in a pool of your own sweat, exhausted, elated, and wondering when you can come back to do it all over again. Sign up online and come early, the classes fill fast. Click here to see the schedule.

I first discovered Down Dog Yoga in college. It was a short walk from my cramped apartment and offered a reprieve from the dull whirling of the gym. It kicked my butt from the very first class and still does so today, eight years later. Honestly, it’s one of the main reasons I keep going back to Down Dog; the instructors are consistently good and I never leave feeling like it was a workout wasted. In the studio’s own words:

Down Dog yoga is a challenging practice. But, our method, no matter your age or experience level, will push you to healthy edge and pull more out of you than you ever thought possible. All you need is the willingness to take a leap of faith and a desire for a lifetime of good health.

Studio

The Georgetown studio is Down Dog’s flagship location. It’s a small building located at the end of the cobblestone alley next to Dean and Deluca. Your best best is to follow the streams of folks with yoga mats rushing to get a space in line.

Speaking of which: evening classes fill up fast and the line is often out the door. I’d recommend getting there at least 20 minutes in advance, and prepare for a bit of jostling and stress as you squeeze through the droves of spandex trying to secure their spots. The class is oh so worth it, but the pre-class rush is enough to spike anyone’s blood pressure.

Once you make it inside, head to the back to find changing rooms, storage cubbies, and a bathroom. Perk alert: the bathroom is stocked with makeup removing wipes and extra hair ties.  

The studio itself looks sparse when empty, but cram 60 or so bodies in there and you’ll be happy for the blank wall space.

Blocks, straps, cleaning solution, and a separate bathroom are located in the back of the classroom.

Class

Class starts and ends with three ohms. If you’re me, this may cause you to awkwardly laugh. My advice? Giggle…and then try it.

The 90 minute class is similar to bikram in that it begins with standing poses and then moves on to floor poses. It’s very different from bikram in that it flows quickly from pose to pose without a regimented sequence. There’s a powerful momentum that takes hold around the 10 minute mark and doesn’t let go until the final resting pose.

See those mats? This is how close you will be to your neighbor. You may as well make the best of it and introduce yourself!

The main focus throughout class is on the breath. Down Dog works with ujjayi breathing – a fancy word for breathing through your nose. You will hear a lot of “inhale, exhale” from the instructors. It seems like a no brainer, but when it’s 96 degrees and you’re twisted in three different directions and the guy next to you is projectile sweating…a reminder to breathe is helpful.

The instructors move throughout the studio during class. They will step on your mat. They will adjust your hips to a whole new level of “sensation.” They will say things that make you laugh and wonder and think (and think again). The intensity of the workout is often matched with the intensity of the overall experience. Hang on for the ride, I think you’ll end with a smile on your face.

As with all yoga, the poses are only as intense as you make them. Some days I go in and bang through the poses like a yogic rockstar. Other days I spend 45 minutes in child’s pose dreaming of ice cubes and dry clothes. You never know how your body will respond to the heat and the intensity of the workout, so try not to get discouraged if you’re down on the mat more often than not.

Instructor

TanO has been with Down Dog for a few years now, and his classes are some of the most popular. For a good reason. He delivers a crazy challenging class with heavy dose of thought-provoking tid bits. Some of my favorites from today were “you have to get through it to get to it,” “you’re your best yoga teacher, I’m just the guide,” and “you don’t think you’re a yogi? You’re here, aren’t you? It’s time to own it.”

So if you come by Down Dog in Georgetown, make sure to say hello to TanO and all of the other instructors. If there’s one you swear by or avoid like the plague, I’d love to hear about it!

 What’s your preference: bikram or hot vinyasa flow?

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