Trying Hot Yoga Studios in Arlington: CorePower vs SoulFire Yoga

I’ve always wanted to visit new fitness studios and try new classes to review and vlog about them, so last week I finally decided to take action.

Last Sunday, I took a Hot Power Fusion class at the CorePower Ballston location. I was especially excited to attend since we’ve been dealing with a pretty cold January and February. From the moment I arrived, the front desk staff were friendly and welcoming.

The studio was warm, the music had a spa-like feel, and the instructor demonstrated the poses while leading the class. However, there were no regression or progression options offered.

The class itself had a great mix of balance, flow, core work, and stretching, making it ideal for a recovery day. I would have liked the room to be a bit hotter, but I understand that a 95-degree room feels very different in winter compared to summer.

Today, I visited a new studio, SoulFire Yoga in Clarendon, just a mile away from CorePower. Upon entering SoulFire, the energy was lively and welcoming. The room was dimly lit with blue lights and candles placed around the floor, and the décor was eye catching, with large letters on the wall reading, “SET YOUR SOUL ON FIRE.” The music was upbeat and noticeably higher energy than the CorePower class I took the week before.

At first, I thought, this is money. I loved everything, until the room filled up. I’ve never been a fan of crowded spaces, and moving through poses without enough room quickly became frustrating. There were 49 or more people in the room, and the class was taught without a microphone. The instructor read the sequences from her phone and, to my surprise, didn’t demonstrate any of the poses, relying solely on verbal cues.

The class was an easier, fast-paced flow, with encouragement to explore your own movements if desired. If you’re an experienced yogi who’s familiar with yoga terminology and doesn’t mind being packed closely with others, this class could be a great fit. Otherwise, I’d recommend choosing a different class or time of day.

Unfortunately, the crowded environment became too much for me, and I decided to leave about 30 minutes into the class. My experience would have been very different if there had been fewer people and if the instructor demonstrated the poses throughout the flow.

On to the next studio next week. 🧘🏻‍♀️ I’m thinking about perhaps trying out Mind the Mat Pilates & Yoga next week. 💫

If you have any recommendations, let me know.