CorePower Yoga

I’ve just started getting into yoga at other studios, and I decided to give Core Power a chance Sunday morning.
Not sure why we chose this Ryder spin-​type class, but I guess we wanted something different.
Stephanie got us registered and signed up, and gave us the ins & outs of the place. She was hysterical. Very easy to relate to, great personality. We were happy to find out that she was our class instructor!
She is TOUGH. She is thorough, helpful, inspiring, and all around awesome.
She really keeps the energy high and the motivation up.
I will definitely be back!

I recently went to the Lincoln Square studio. I have been practicing yoga for some time but i had the great pleasure of enjoying Arly S on Tuesday at 4:15. Even though it’s considered a beginners class I must say it really is for any student level. she was so welcoming and gave so many different options for each asana (posture) and it allowed all of the students to feel challenged throughout class. After class she made time to answer a few questions I had about postures. go check her out!

Corepower is great. I been to this studio around 30 or 40 times. It never busy.
Easy parking.
Great Teachers.
Manager is super nice too!

I took up CorePower’s free week offer since I recently moved to Chicago and need to find my new home studio. The most convenient time for me to come in was for a class for beginners. I arrived right before the start of class and as a new student, I needed to fill out a form. The lady at the front desk was apparently the instructor for the class that was beginning so she ended up being late to teach her class since no one was there to take over the front desk. I offered to do that paperwork after the class to save her time but she was extremely anxious and seemed confused about it all. After class, she reminded me three times to do the paperwork that I was PHYSICALLY FILLING OUT IN FRONT OF HER with another instructor.
Once in class, I was thrown off by the mirrors and the instructor telling me to look into the mirror to help with modifications. Ultimately, yoga should FEEL right and most classes I’ve been to have instructed me to close my eyes and feel the pose to enhance it. I kept getting caught up in how I looked and how everyone else in the mirror looked which disrupted my flow. The instructor also kept disrupting the flow to demonstrate various poses. She did little to instruct on breathing which struck me as odd since this seems to be one of the more important elements of yoga. All her pauses to demonstrate completely ruined my flow and ultimately, my entire session. This studio places more of an emphasis on yoga as a commodity rather than the art of actual practice. Obviously this is a national chain and they are in this industry to make money so I should have known. I know yoga can be a great workout but that seems to be the SOLE focus of this chain so I will go somewhere that takes a more wholesome, rounded approach to yoga. (Also, somewhere a bit more organized and cost-​friendly)

I had the grossest experience here! I tried to attend a class for the first time and the woman at the front desk told me she «wasn’t trained on the front desk» so she couldn’t help me. So I stood there for 10 minutes while everyone was running around trying to figure out where the instructor for the next class was. Other instructors asked each other «can you teach this class… I don’t know how to!». Finally someone noticed me and told me to sign up on the online system which I had already tried and wasn’t working. They were so confused, disrespectful, disorganized… it was bad. I left and went to pay for a class at another studio when I could have attended Core Power for free. I wouldn’t go back.

This was my first time to this branch (and my second time at a CorePower Yoga studio.) This one in LS was really great and had a very cozy and welcoming feel. (Can’t resist a fireplace!) I took the CoreRyder class with Sheila and the class kicked my butt, big time. It was definitely harder than I thought it would be. But Sheila was AWESOME and a really great instructor.
Locker rooms were nice and clean and everyone who worked there was very friendly. I just wish they had complimentary towels for locker room use. (You can rent towels there for $ 1, but that adds up if you go all the time.) When I take a heated class (which is most of their classes) I have to pack a yoga mat and a towel for my mat and mini towel, so to have to pack an additional towel to use for showering is just a lot of towels. (And a lot of laundry to do quite often.)
But! That’s really my only (small) complaint. Otherwise, this studio seems really great and I look forward to trying out more classes there!

Extremely rewarding. hot and awesome. tough but fair. I’ve been going every day on a 10-​pack. I love it so much and it’s already changing my body. I go to the Sculpt classes. The monthly rate of $ 155 — which is a great deal for unlimited access to top-​quality yoga instructors — just isn’t affordable for me right now TIP: They offer student discounts on a ten-​pack but I am long out of school. I don’t know what I’m going to do! I’m down to my last class. Sad.
I particularly love that they have regular midday classes. I’m self-​employed, I can go during the day and that’s a HUGE plus for me.
I also think at that price range, they should offer hand towels for free. Mats? nah. Towels? yeah. I suppose in a hot yoga studio, they’d just end up doing everyone’s laundry.
The exterior is a little grim but the inside is beautiful. Combo shop and sitting area. Great instructors, everyone SO NICE, and highly talented. Always free parking a few blocks east on Lawrence. I agree the parking situation is annoying if you don’t know the deal.

The best yoga studio around! The place is very clean and the staff is awesome. I personally love Ryder, a total kick your butt workout. Lora S. and Alexandra are awesome instructors for Ryder. HPF is another one of my favorites. It’s a good mix of relaxation, a challenge and sweaty yogi fun.

Beautiful, clean studio with hot yoga classes that leave you refreshed and like you’ve gotten a work out. I just wish corporate hadn’t gotten rid of the front desk staff at Chicago CPY studios as the doors remained locked between classes and it puts unnecessary stress on the yoga teachers who have to do twice the work and also make it to class!
That being said, this is my favorite studio. Most teachers are down to earth and are humble. I also like the people who attend thus location.

This is one of my favorite locations. I go to 3 CorePower locations on the north side, including suburbs. I like the teachers here, the size of the classes isn’t crazy packed and they always have a great availability for classes.
My biggest gripe is the parking. Having to pay for LOT parking is annoying. Also, I feel rushed to leave. Not the best thought at the end of Savasana…
If there was a way for CP customers to have a free parking pass here, I’d be her at least 2x a week.

I stood on a scale.
It was a bigger number than I expected, in fact, it was terrifying.
Granted, family visited and that meant all the tourist eating– Chicago Hot Dogs, Billy Goat Cheezbourger, Ginos East Pizza… Lots of epic calories, heavy eating, followed by an achy body, sick feelings and yes, vile shameful weight gain. Chicago takes food seriously. Sadly, my ass shows it all mortifyingly seriously as well.
Lucky for me (and by extension all of Chicago) Jonathan V. the instructor takes yoga seriously and encourages me past this fat Britney stage, I can only get better.
It’s very nice to enjoy full positive reinforcement on a Thursday. I highly recommend you go see him to feel stronger, more flexible and not fear the scale or indulgent eating.
Your first week of yoga is free– no small feat– so you can try the different classes and instructors to find where you fit in and how to feel better. I feel a lot better, was wearing a bikini earlier today and am looking forward to going again, Thanks Jonathan!

I’m obsessed with the Sculpt class. I leave each class feeling like a new person. I typically take classes at the gym because I feel like I have to do it, but no Corepower, I go because it’s «me time».
I wish there was some option for childcare, many of the barre classes have it, I can only go on weekends because I have no one to look after my little dude while I’m in class. Oh well, great workout regardless.

Great building! The studio was nice and the locker room was spacious! Really well-​maintained! There’s a pay for parking lot which is more expensive than street parking but easy.

This is my favorite CPY studio just because it offers the most variety and it’s close to home. I love the Ryder/​Hot Power Fusion combo. By the time I finish both classes, I’m drenched and feel fantastic. I also recently discovered the Restorative Yoga class, which I want to take regularly to address my tightness, especially in my lower back.
I don’t like is having the weights in a separate room for Sculpt class. It’s just a little annoying to have your hands full of weights and trying to open and close the door. There is also no free parking. You can find free street parking nearby, but at peak times you might park a few blocks away. Not a huge deal, but during Chicago winter, a block seems like an eternity.

Took a level 1 here. Studio is nice, but it didn’t seem as clean as the Roscoe location. Check in was easy, class room was nice and the level 1 is done at room temperature. The instructor was helpful as she did hands on assists. She went around and adjusted everyone and explained all the poses and how to modify them. This studio isn’t very crowded at least when I went so that was nice.

I took a free yoga class here through Lululemon recently. I’m used to small, local studios such as Namaskar and Moksha, so this place impressed me! Staff at the front desk were super helpful and after signing in, I was given a scan card for my next visit.
I got lost finding the locker room and accidentally walked into the men’s. Seeing an old dude’s wrinkly butt was not on the agenda that morning! Even though I ran out screaming and covering my eyes, I easily found the women’s locker room. Oh, and they let you borrow locks for free!
The class was heated, but not exactly «bikram» from what I was told. I think it was because we did vinyasa. Anyway that was my first time doing heated yoga and it was quite the experience! I’m still a beginner so some of it was too fast-​paced, but that’s how multilevel classes are. I liked the instructor and enjoyed the class, but heated yoga isn’t for me!
I’d like to check out other classes, but their discount is only for full time students. What about us part time students who work full time? *sigh*

I love CorePower Yoga! I had been eyeing it for awhile when great groupon deal appeared and I jumped at the opportunity.
The facility is very neat and clean with nice locker rooms.
Every class I have taken has been great but Hot Power Fusion and the Ryder are my favorite. I love the flow of the classes and always leave feeling great. It is not necessarily a zen yoga place, but if you are looking for an awesome workout this is it!

I LOVE COREPOWER! Hands down my favorite yoga spot.
Recently took Ryder and I sweated like NEVER before… NEVER BEFORE! I’m not a biker and I thought I would try something different since I’ve tried all the other classes here. WHY NOT?
It was the most painful, rewarding, difficult 45 minutes I’ve ever had. Yes it was my first time so of course, I expected some pain but everything hurts… thighs, knees, butt & arms. It’s a great workout and I feel proud that I finished it and really challenged myself. Who knows, this may become one of my favorite workout.

I love CPY! I’m actually more of a Roscoe Villager, but since they don’t have their own page, I will post on Lincoln Square’s.
I’m not an active person. I did come to CPY with a little bit of yoga knowledge (On Demand Yoga videos) and I’m glad I did because their C1 is a little challenging for brand new people. But it’s pretty easy to pick up on. I LOVE their HPF and their 1.5.
The teachers are so nice and helpful! They know when to help adjust you and when to let you learn by yourself.
My only complaint is that CPY is a little pricey, but I think work the $$$.

The Lincoln Square studio has 3 studios — one of which I’ve never been to, always end up in Studio 2, and one of the few to have Ryder — a special spinning bike. Men’s and Women’s locker room are located next to one another with no door. Very easy to walk in to the wrong one!
I was fortunate enough to receive a unlimited one month pass, I decide to amuse myself by doing a 5x single week personal challenge. As you may tell, I am a beginner.
Their website lists out the beginner classes and here’s my personal take from easiest to hardest.
*CoreRestore
Feels like room temp, heavy focus on breathing and stillness, slow pace, long stretches — this is one thinks of as traditional yoga.
*HPF — Hot Power Fusion
Feels hot, also more focus on breathing with variation on poses, slow-​moderate pace. This is quite a leap in difficulty level and lots of toxins will be released from this one class.
*CoreRyder
It’s like a spin class, except the bikes can tilt side to side. Not sure how this fits in the scheme of difficulty so I stuck it in the middle. It’s only as easy or hard as you like, with respect to the ease of RPMs you want to cycle. Tried it once and since it was 90 degrees outside, our instructor was nice enough to have the room cool instead. Thank goodness! My advice is to make sure to get their early and adjust your bike seat and handle bar to fit you so you can «lift» comfortably for the ride. Surprise factor — got more of an upper body workout.
*Intro to Power Yoga — C1
Feels warm-​hot, moderate to somewhat fast pace depending on instructor. Intense poses, strength and core workouts.
*Intro to Heated Power Yoga1.5 ***Not for the faint of heart***
Feels scary hot, fast pace. Challenging poses. Increase on balance, standing one leg poses. I got lost on some of the poses as I wasn’t sure what the purpose of the twists are suppose to stretch. Challenging to keep up when it’s very hard to breath and slippery in sweat. (Warning: possibility of losing your lunch or passing out may occur.)
What I learned from this challenge is yoga isn’t just a form of exercise, it’s also taking the time to learn something new and breathing through with each movement you make. It’s also very doable to practice regularly as a beginner and the classes are taught mostly like a class where the instructor will tell you the name and show you how to do each pose, so even if you have no idea what Eagle pose is, after a few times of seeing and hearing it, you do eventually learn and can try out the workouts at home — minus the hot steamy room.