Heat and yoga: two things that I must admit I do not enjoy. My apologies to all you yogis out there. I have never been a huge yoga fan as I am too impatient and inflexible, and I like when my workout ends with sweat and pain so that I know I got the most bang for my buck. Obviously, yoga is not all about sweat or pain, but still can deliver on both if you do it correctly and for long enough, hence where patience comes in. As a trauma therapist, and friend of yogis, I am aware of the abundance of benefits that I am missing due to my impatience and preference for other workouts. These benefits include, but are not limited to: decreased stress, anxiety, inflammation, pain; improved sleep, weight, heart health, mood, flexibility… the list goes on.
Alas, I decided it would be well worth my time to try a yoga studio, and, why not experience all the hype that has been put into hot yoga while I am at it?
My experience:
I found the local Dragonfly Hot Yoga club, looked up their class list, which includes barre and other fitness classes (I was tempted to use my free pass for the ever-exciting barre, but my conscience was shouting, KELSEY YOU SAID YOU WOULD DO YOGA), and called to make sure there was availability for a newb to join the hot yoga class of my choosing. I decided on the “Flow 75” class; 75 minutes of flow yoga in a room set to 95 degrees.
I showed up 15 minutes early to sign waivers and hear their spiel about the club. I was grateful that no one pressured me into any memberships, but was available for questions. They gave me kind tips to sit towards the middle of the room so that I both don’t feel embarrassed in the front, but can still see the instructor. I sat in the back (my default move in any large room), but with adequate view of the instructor, who, walked around the class the entire time anyway. The room was noticeably hot, but I was surprised at how relaxing and easy it was to be present in. I was anticipating feeling like I could not breathe, but it was quite the opposite. The atmosphere was very obviously “zen” and I was mostly-zen; just slightly intimidated by the surrounding pretzely and very much experienced yogis who were already stretching in ways that I hurt to think about. The instructor started the class with some basic instructions and then our 75 minutes began! I had some basic knowledge of downward dog and cat-cow, and the rest of the moves she called out I was able to figure out by peeking at my neighbors. I was appreciative that she listed each move and how to transition your body to each one, also adding but not pushing more challenging moves for those that wanted. I also appreciated that I was positioned in the back where no one could see my cumbersome attempts at downward dog and the latter. The instructor walked around the room, but did not correct any movements or offer suggestions, which I probably could have used. Nonetheless, I still felt challenged for the whole 75 minutes, in a good way. My sore muscles from earlier this week loosened and melted and I was definitely sweating, working… and relaxing! What a concept! By the end of the class, I felt pretty accomplished and pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the class. 75 minutes passed by fairly quickly and I left feeling like a puddle of fit, but relaxed mush.
Downfalls vs Perks:
This is another club that is pricier than what I'm used to paying, but if you're looking for a specialty like yoga, this seems like it would be worth it, especially considering the variety of class types and times that are offered. Class times varied;earliest time available was 5 am and latest 8:30 pm- awesome! If you really want variety, the deal to have membership split between Dragonfly and Flyght seems nice; you would have your choice between yoga, barre, spin and other fitness classes. Upon further research, the price for membership was pretty comparable to downtown yoga studios, and cheaper in some ways, even!
Atmosphere was very zen and very welcoming; I did not feel out of place or newb-ish like I probably could have in a number of gyms. No one was staring at or judging my workout (except me). The studio was clean and easy to access. Showers, towels, yoga blocks and bands were all complimentary. There is also a tea lounge, of course!
As for judging the technique and instructor, I do not have the knowledge to make a fair assessment, so I will direct you to your yogi friends, or yelp. From a newb perspective, if I were interested in pursuing regular yoga, I think this would be a club I would consider joining!
Logistics:
Location: Downtown, Fitchburg, Middleton and Sun Prairie
Deals: First class is free; First month is $40; students, couples, and single parent
membership deal: $89 per month per person
Membership: $20 for one class; $85 for five classes; $150 for ten classes; $99 per month for unlimited yoga; BarreAmped and fitness classes; $999 for one year membership; other membership options for combined classes with Dragonfly and Flyght Cycle
See this chart for a comparison of all membership options
Technology: Dragonfly does have a mobile app for membership and scheduling
Explanation of Ratings
Ease of Access
How easy was it for me to access this gym? (Distance to travel not accounted for since I want this to be relateable no matter where you drive from.) Was it easy to find or did I have to search a building map? Was parking simple? Do they charge for parking? Do I have to walk a long distance from my parking spot? When I enter, is it clear where I should go and where lockers and bathrooms are?
1- It was a beast for me to get to this gym; the stress of getting started with my workout made me not want to workout.
7- Getting into the gym and getting started was a breeze!
Cost/Budget-Friendly
This rating is pretty subjective, but I will try to compare to the average cost of gym memberships, which according to Statistic Brain Research is $58 a month in the US…. WHAT?! Maybe I am cheap, but that seems absurd at first glance. In fact, thinking about it initially made me laugh and imagine all the Manhattan Yogis or California Crossfitters shelling out their monthly paycheck to stay buff and zen... until upon further research, I found this to be absolutely average and actually pretty close to what I was paying at my previous gym (although I was paying slightly less because I paid 2 years up front and had a deal I kept carrying over). Many gyms are actually much higher in price, and other gyms are much lower in price (think your basic Planet Fitness and Anytimes). So, yes, this is truly an average. I will base my rating on the following: A budget friendly gym would be based on both how their monthly rate compares to the national average and how much value I see in what is paid. So, while a high intensity boot camp may be more highly priced than a basic gym, you are also basically getting personal training time for each whole hour you pay for, which is obviously worth more. The question will be, is it budgetable and is it worth the cost (subjectively).
1- This gym would cause me to ration out peanut butter and jelly for the month to make it a part of my repertoire.
7- HOLLA for a DOLLA! This gym both fits easily into my budget and feels worth the cost. I’m paying money for my health, but it feels darn worth it.
Friendliness of Staff
This rating is important, especially if the gym requires a lot of time with gym staff. I don’t know about you, but when I’m working out, I am feeling pretty vulnerable, sweating, probably using equipment wrong and looking like a fool. The last thing I want is to pay for some jerk to make me feel worse about it. This rating is all about whether staff members were kind and encouraging; helpful, but not judgmental, extra points if they also make you laugh.
1- I may have felt like crying in the gym bathroom and/or had to turn while doing reps so I could grumble or avoid eye contact with the unpleasant staff.
7- These guys are my new best pals. They were definitely laughing with me, not at me.
Knowledge/Helpfulness of Staff
This is pretty self-explanatory. Did the staff know what they were doing? Were they experts in their field and able to instruct me in an accurate way and a way that was dumbed down enough for me to get the workout right? Did they cater to my individual workout needs and challenge me when appropriate or give accommodations when appropriate?
1- I think the gym picked these trainers up off the street. I purposefully had bad form and they said, “Great job!”
7- No wonder we pay them for what they do! They instructed with great precision and catered to my individual strengths and weaknesses.
Effectiveness of Workout
This rating begs the question: Did this workout pack a punch? Did I get what I asked for when I showed up today? Do I feel like I sweated and moved as much as I would have hoped? If there wasn’t much structure, was there enough equipment or space to do what I needed for an adequate workout?
1- Did I workout today? Or did I pay money to change into my gym clothes and people-watch?
7- The sweat is real. I left this place with a strut in my step, feeling like I’d accomplished a feat for the day, and I called my mom to tell her about it.
Cleanliness
Self-explanatory, I hope. Looking at hygiene and organization.
1- When was the last time this place was cleaned? I felt like I was contracting a disease with every step. I also left with a limp from tripping over equipment.
7- This place shined. I felt free to move and sweat knowing that I wouldn’t be soaking up the last guy’s sweat or tripping over his dumbbells. They run a tight (and very clean) ship.
Atmosphere
Is this a place in which I feel comfortable and look forward to being? Do I feel like I can jam to my own tunes or the gym’s tunes without the distraction of roidy man grunts? Is there enough space for everyone to do their own thing? Is it a warm and inviting place or a cold and stoic place? Does this place promote good vibes or did I feel like I entered a dungeon?
1- This gym felt like the DMV. Shared glances and conversations are not welcome, unless you want peace and quiet-then your neighbor is probably the loud one. No one smiles. Everyone is waiting to get the heck out of there.
7- This place is where it’s at. Music fits the workout. Conversation is easy and minimal unless I’m feeling chatty. Smiles>grimaces, but not forced or cheesy "who-drank-the-Kool-Aid" smiles. I feel like I have a cool club I belong to, kind of like how it felt going to the community center for snacks and games in Middle School.
Fun!
This is also self-explanatory, and not really a necessary rating. The gym is not meant to be fun at all times, nor do I expect it to be, but if I workout and happen to have fun at the same time, what a win!
1- Zero fun had, sir. This was all work, no play. Or no work, no play.
7- I feel like I just left the state fair of gyms! Everything was exciting and kept me engaged, and I just didn’t want it to end.
Challenge Level
Yet again, self-explanatory.
1- There was no presentable challenge. My 4-year-old niece could have done this.
7- I felt significantly challenged! This gym pushed my limits in an effective and safe way.
Class Options/Schedule Variability
1- I can only get to this gym on the weekends because their hours don’t fit my work schedule.
7- This gym has various early morning, afternoon, and evening options available!
Ratio of Members to Equipment
1- I had to wait 30 minutes to use an elliptical and the only dumbbells available were ones I could lift with my pinky or couldn't lift at all.
7- There was plenty of equipment for everyone!
Independence vs structure
This rating isn’t necessarily bad or good on either end. It depends on what you’re looking for!
1- This is a very independent gym. I had free reign to do whatever I wanted, when I wanted, how I wanted. Zero instruction was offered. No plans followed.
7- This is as structured as a gym can get, They tell you where to go, what time to be there, what workout to do, and how to do it. Not much free reign in what you’re doing.
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