Oh my goodness guys, I think we found the workout jackpot.
Hip Hop Power Yoga at Luna Yoga Fitness Center, 708 E. Ninth St., kicked our butt. The only downside is that we're sitting at work writing this for you with our shirts and hair drenched with sweat, still trying to catch our breath.
If you want a yoga class with the intensity dialed up a little more, this is the one for you. It was like a yoga class plus pilates on caffeine with your favorite hip hop songs.
Some background
• Angela is a fairly active 43-year-old mama. She hits the gym at least three times a week where she runs on the treadmill, lifts weights and takes classes. She has most recently fallen in love with yoga and Zumba and enjoys the post-workout zen she feels after a good sweat session.
• Alicia is a somewhat active 23-year-old. She does her recommended 30-minute elliptical workouts three times a week. She loves workouts that will make her sweat a lot and butt workouts.
Notice how red and sweaty we are? We still look like this about an hour after the class. Feeling too blessed to stress.
On the studio
Angela: The studio is very small but really nice. There were six of us taking the class and I can't imagine what it would be like if there were more people. As it was, my foot kept grazing Alicia's leg. I'm sure she liked it though.
I loved the tapestries hanging from the ceiling so I could focus on something other than my abs when trying to hold boat pose. I also loved that they had spare mats for those of us who forgot ours.
You get to look at these pretty tapestries on the ceiling when you're dying in shavasana. It's beautiful.
Alicia: I like that the studio location is close enough to downtown and Fourth Avenue without actually being in the smack dab middle of it. The studio is on Ninth Street and First Avenue in the Iron Horse neighborhood.
The inside is dressed with colorful tapestries, which made it more inviting. It's a small space so depending on how big the class gets, you might accidentally touch someone.
Yes, Angela, I did. Thanks.
On the class
Angela: Dude. It was intense. It was yoga mixed with cardio, dance moves and a little torture.
I sweated so much I looked like I jumped into a pool.
The soundtrack was Ah-mazing. On the way over, we talked about the artists we hoped to hear like Kanye and Missy Elliott. And guess what!!!??? We heard them.
There was a funny moment in class when two of the girls in front of us went running to the back of the room. We thought they didn't want to lunge anymore, but it turns out a cockroach had joined the party. The only guy in class killed it with a yoga block. (Note to self: Bring yoga block next time)
I loved the instructor. She kept telling us we were awesome rock stars. Maybe we are rock stars. Sweaty, red rock stars.
Alicia: Let me just start off by saying that I was really feeling myself this morning. I put in a little extra time to brush my hair and get that winged eyeliner flick just right. I knew I was going to do this class later but I didn't care. After the class, I am still feeling myself — I mean I feel a little more sore than I did this morning but that just means I killed it in the work out. My hair, however, turned from its beautiful blow-dried locks to a curly mess on my head. FROM. THE. SWEAT.
Girl, you are going to sweat. This class is not for the weak. Go in there ready to wreck some stuff up. There were points where I was low key praying for the class to be over. It was so intense. I even caught myself making intense faces like I would if I was about to drop it like it's hot in the club. Was this as fun as being at the club? No, but only because I didn't have a cocktail.
All worth it though. We targeted the abs, the thighs and legs but also somehow kept it as peaceful as a yoga class. I was still child posing and doing my downward dog but those were just transitions to conditioning. It's a beautiful concept we have here, Hip Hop Power Yoga.
Oh and dang, our instructor Chelsea was the most motivating woman of 2017. She was telling us we were rock stars and badasses and it was all that I needed to hear. I was ready to break down from her constant affirmations. She had to have seen me sitting there waiting for the harder parts to pass by but she was still getting us fired up.
Would you go again?
Angela: Yes! This is exactly the type of class I could see myself getting addicted to. It's hard, fun and has great music. What's not to like?
Alicia: Oh, heck yeah! Chelsea said she changes the playlist every week and that's awesome! I was too busy getting down to the Missy Elliot and Kanye bangers to notice that I was squatting like a champ. Pro tip to myself (and probably everyone else): You need a good sports bra that's gonna hold the girls back. I'm glad I wore one today or my boobs would have been waving at everyone while we were doing all that jumping.
Class details
What: Hip Hop Power Yoga
When: Noon on Fridays
Where: Luna Yoga Fitness Center, 708 E. Ninth St.
Cost: $5 per class.
