ClassPass Review #6 - Good & Twisted Yoga
1018 Gateway Drive, Chaska, MN 55318
(952) 448-9642, goodandtwistedyoga.com
As you already know, early February I signed up for a ClassPass account. You can read about that here. Below is a recap of the 6th studio I tried out using the "pass". If you'd like to read other studio recaps, use the search bar above and the search term: ClassPass.
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Having just done a stretch class over the lunch hour on Thursday, you'd think the last thing I'd want to do again the next day is ... well ... stretch. But for some reason, nothing quite does it for me like yoga does when it comes to needing to work out muscle soreness.
Plus, I haven't done a heated yoga class in almost a year. And I've been dying to visit the studio that's practically in my backyard.
So, that's how I ended up at Good & Twisted Yoga.
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Of course, the one time I decided to arrive less than 15 minutes early for a class, it just HAD to unexpectedly snow the night before. And then I ended up behind some dumbass going 15 mph in a 40. And my gas tank was on empty.
Let's just say that when I arrived to Good & Twisted, I was a bit twisted myself. Or at least, my undies were in a twist, if nothing else.
Thankfully, I was not the only one struggling with traffic delays, so I wasn't the last one to check in for class. That helped me relax right away. And it also meant I had a quick second or two to check out the digs.
No, your eyes don't deceive you. Those are FREE TOWELS in the locker room. Man, that was luxury!! I was in heaven. Had I known they provided towels, I wouldn't have packed one to use post-shower. Now I know.
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Since I didn't have a ton of time before we were scheduled to start, I didn't get to spend as much time as I would have liked perusing the two studios, locker room or retail area in the entry. Basically I just browsed as I walked to the bathroom, threw all my things in a locker, stripped off my extra layer of clothes (we'll call it sub zero temp proofing), and shimmied over to the studio class was being held in to roll out my mat.
Being that this was a hot yoga class and heated to 100+/- degrees, I made sure to bring my mat, a yoga towel to place over it (a beach towel will do if you don't have a yoga towel), and a large bottle for water. Oh, that reminds me - my bottle was extra easy to fill thanks to their snazzy water fountain.
That was the first time I'd seen a fountain like this in a gym. And you can call me a nerd if you want, since I was pretty excited about it. I guess if you've spent as much time as I have fiddling with water fountains and trying to fill a water bottle, you'd understand. Moving on...
When I settled in to my mat, I realized I had forgotten how some folks like to keep an extra dry hand towel or washcloth nearby their mats to wipe their face as they sweat. To me, that didn't' really matter anyway, as I stopped doing that after about a year's worth of hot yoga practice. So, despite the forgetfulness, I was set to go.
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When everyone had settled into the studio, the instructor began our practice. She mentioned that the heat was a tad lower at the start than it ought to be and apologized for that but ... I considered it a blessing, because as soon as the studio hit the proper temperature, I was sweating like a beast.
The general "bones" of the class were modified sun salutations with some added warrior poses and plank work. I really liked - no LOVED - the way the forms all flowed from one to the next, and could tell that there was some definite thought put into the planning of the class.
Additionally, the instructor was fantastic. Her delivery felt natural, flowed well, and didn't feel overly scripted (as some bikram based classes can be). I may have even developed a little girl crush on her because she had such pretty eyes and some fantastic tattoos, but that's neither here nor there.
Eventually, our time sweating came to an end, and we wrapped up class by lying on the floor, doing some simple spinal twists, and ending in a savasana.
Not gonna lie, at the end of class when I had showered and was dressing for the day, I felt like I was dreaming. It was almost as if ClassPass karma was shaking my hand for sticking out the last two studios I'd dealth with. This experience was so fantastic that I just couldn't believe it was real.
Eventually reality struck, and I noticed I had to go. At which point, I hopped in my car to head to work. Boo-hoo-hoo.
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So, what did I think overall?
Well, as far as difficulty, hot yoga is definitely a challenge. Plus, this is a faster paced flow class, and the instructor only talks you through the forms (she did not roll out a mat herself and demo the poses). If you are new to yoga, I would recommend you take one of Good & Twisted's more beginner based classes rather than jumping straight into this. But, if you're familiar with a standard sun salutation and some variations on that form, you'd be ok in this class.
DIFFICULTY - medium/high
SKILL - best for those with some yoga background
In regards to staff and environment, I would rate this studio extremely high in both categories. Quality of instructor wise, this was likely one of the best yoga classes I've ever been to. Quality of environment wise, the entire facility is beautiful, and brownie points for towels, soap / shampoo / conditioner in the showers, and a fancy water fountain.
STAFF AND ENVIROMENT SCORE - extremely high
And of course - the most important part: would I do it again?
WOULD I DO IT AGAIN? Already registered for the next session!!
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So now, what class is next?!
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