Portland Power Yoga

The staff is super friendly and helpful! A really great workout. The studio is very hot so be prepared and bring some cold water and a towel.
The bathrooms and studio are always clean.
The only downside is parking can be tight but I have never not found a place.

I hated this class. But I can recognize that what they do, they do really well. I didn’t realize it was going to be heated, and I really can’t do yoga like that so I was pretty miserable. I felt very defeated at the end because I basically laid there the whole class, fighting against the urge to just leave, but it did look like the rest of the class was enduring a very challenging class. I can say the instructor was fabulous, including her assist. They were great at setting me up prior the class — in a way I’ve never seen done before. The drop in rate was totally reasonable. If anything, the experience made me realize, they I need to get my act together, but just probably not at this yoga studio because it seems like this is their M.O. All very impressive though, and I’d recommend for not the faint of heart!

Super welcoming– awesome power yoga class w/​Alice.
Challenging but in the best possible way. She offered corrections to protect my shoulders and knees (hyperextending).
Thanks for the hot tips to save my shoulders and knees!

I am new to yoga and have been attending Portland Power Yoga for a few months now. This is a great place for people new to yoga because the instructors are helpful and welcoming. You will get a great exercise, sweat and fill energized after. The hour of power at noon is a fast paced challenging workout that makes for a great break from work.

I started yoga when I was 70 years old, and have now been coming to PPY for 4 years. It is every bit as good as other reviewers have said for all the reasons they mention. My reason in writing is to say that doing this kind of yoga regularly has made me stronger, better balanced, and much more flexible than I have been in most of my adult life. I encourage older people to give it a try (at least 5 – 10 classes). It makes getting older easier for sure!

Wow, wow, wow! No yoga snobs here! Loved the friendly welcome, the bright and sunny studio, clean wood floors and just the right amount of heat! Coming from the world of Bikram, where instructors often act like gods, it was a nice change of pace to have the staff introduce themselves and really make sure that I was comfortable.
The class itself was my favorite yoga class thus far. It was fast paced, creative in the flow, combined challenging positions with periods to recover (resting recovery that is), and most of all I liked that there were not minutes and minutes of holding the same pose. My heart rate got up there, I was challenged and the time flew by (the true sign of a great class).
The instructor, Kristy, was encouraging, had excellent cueing and walked around the room to make sure that all students had the guidance that they needed.
The lobby is large and there are plenty of places for shoes, coats & bags. The studio is bright and inviting with soft yellows and sunbursts on the walls and soft music in the background. From the feel of it I would say the room runs around 85ish, but I am not sure. It was hot, but a comfortable hot, like laying out by the pool on a sunny summer day (can you tell I am over winter?).
Best part, $ 10 drop in classes, $ 59 newcomer special for 30 days of unlimited classes and various other affordable package options after your first 30 days. And you can sign up for both your package and classes online — super easy! No excuse not to give them a try.

By far– the most welcoming yoga studio and most importantly — the most bang for
your buck. They HELP you along the way and it is just an amazing practice.

I’m home for the holidays visiting family and I had a craving for power yoga. There is none to my knowledge in Lewiston, my hometown, so I drove an hour to come here for the first time on Friday. It was worth every second of the drive. I already look forward to coming back. Here’s why…
They’re very welcoming to newcomers. From now until the end of the year there is a special rate of $ 10 for drop-​ins ($ 16 usually). First-​timers to PPY get a free mat and towel rental ($ 2 each, usually) as well as a complimentary packet of electrolytes to add to water. In addition, if you’re new they make it easy for you by setting up your mat, towel, blocks, and straps towards the back of the class so it’s less intimidating. All you need to do is show up!
The space is nice, clean, and calming. The room we were in was large enough that even with a good amount of bodies (*room filled more after pic was taken*) we didn’t have to be mat-​to-​mat and too close to each other. After each class a staff member cleans the floors so it’s ready for the next.
The instructor and class were awesome. I took the Hour of Power class taught by Cathy (Kathy?) at noon on Friday and it was exactly what I needed. It was the ideal pace — constant flow and movement, but not rushed. The slower, gentler types of practice are not for me — I get bored and sleepy; my mind wanders. I prefer a semi-​rigorous, athletic style. This was perfect.
It was also the ideal level of intensity, challenging but (mostly) do-​able, even for someone who hasn’t done yoga in a long while. The room was heated to a nice temperature — warm, not overwhelmingly hot. It should be noted that PPY endorses the practice of Baptiste Yoga, founded by Baron Baptiste.
I left drenched in sweat and felt like I had a great workout. Several hours later a bit of muscle soreness began to set in and the following morning I was sore in the best ways — signs that I had not wasted my time. Since the class I’ve also had a sustained sense of mindfulness and calm.
Best yoga class I’ve ever taken. I am feeling ambitious and looking forward to returning for the two-​hour New Year’s Day class before a long drive back to Connecticut. Hope I make it back here sooner though.

I rediscovered this studio recently and had a way better experience than my initial visit over 3 years ago. I’m definitely making it a priority to come here every time I’m up in Maine. The owners, Alice and Charlie, are super friendly and went out of their way to make me feel welcome. You can really tell they care about building community here.
Alice’s class was amazing, very skillfully and mindfully taught. I learned so much about alignment and brushed up on the basics while going deeper into some more challenging poses. I felt like I got a yoga «tune up.»
I also took classes with Darcy and Alex. Darcy taught such a well paced, strong, but nurtruring flow at 6:30 AM, which I really appreciated, and Alex teaches a dynamic, challenging, high energy flow that I’ve become hooked on. All three teachers also offer some great insights without sounding too preachy/“platitude-y.“
This studio is a gem and I highly recommend it if you like a sweaty, rigorous, athletic practice.

The best yoga studio in the Greater Portland area.
Let’s get the basics out of the way:
* The studio is clean, comfortable, and is decorated well.
* The teaching is top-​notch.
* The heating/​humidity system is great (it’s hot yoga).
Ok, now onto the more intangible stuff, which is probably just as important as the tangible for a yoga studio:
* This place is owned by a couple (Alice and Charlie), who’s presence can be felt very strongly there. There is a clear vision at work in the studio, from the teaching to the locker rooms.
* The teaching is Baptiste Power Yoga. The classes are varied, but within a framework that has been honed and refined. Each posture and flow serves a purpose, and none of it is frivolous. This consistency also allows for familiarity and a sense of developing mastery over one’s self and one’s practice, which is, some would say, what yoga is all about.
* The teachers and staff get to know you and care about you. They’ll great you by name when you walk in the door. They’ll call out your name in class (in a good way). They’ll remember your injuries. The individual attention given in group classes makes me feel like I’m getting a private each and every time. I’m not sure how the teachers do that, making everybody in the class feel like they’re the only one they’re talking to, but it’s awesome.
* It is welcoming. The first time I showed up, I had pre-​paid online, and when I walked in the door they said, «You must be Aaron!» with a great big smile. They had already laid out a mat in the studio for me, and proceeded to give me a tour of the place, ending at my mat when I was ready. You don’t get that sort of attention, and friendliness, everywhere.
* The community, and sense of community, is outstanding. My wife and I have made good friends within the community there, and we continue to meet new and awesome people. It’s a very diverse crowd in terms of age, gender, and experience.
Here’s what you won’t find at Portland Power Yoga:
* Music. Great music plays in the lobby and in the studio before class, but with the exception of a few special classes and events, the actual classes are not accompanied by music. The breath of the group and the sound of the teacher’s voice, and your own headspace, are what’s there for you.
* Super-​spiritual yoga talk. While there’s plenty of attention given to the self and matters of the mind, emotion, and personal development, there’s very little mention of spirituality during classes, which I really enjoy.
* Jerks. I never get the sense that there’s a silent competition going on around me.
If you’re looking for power yoga in the Portland area, I can’t recommend PPY highly enough.

Heat? Check. Tons of sweat? Check. A great workout that will leave you sore for days? Check.
What can I say to fully describe just how awesome PPY is? It’s more than a yoga studio, it’s a community. I used to sevateer here (volunteer) which meant that I cleaned the studio after class in order to get free classes. Even after moving away and only being able to come to classes on occasion, I’m still greeted by my seva name with a smiling face. Even if you’re new, it’s not hard to become part of the community! The teachers are all so nice and knowledgeable, and if you go to them with concerns about any sort of ailment before class, they’ll help you with adaptive poses. I would specifically suggest taking classes with Alice (one of the owners) and Darcy (Portland-​area fitness guru) as these classes have continuously kicked my butt. I’ve also taken a number of beginner/​intro classes with Charlie (the other owner) that have left me feeling like a complete yoga n00b.
If you get the chance, check out the Funk n Flow class they offer occasionally, it’s heated yoga set to a funky playlist, and glowsticks are on the house!
As for the studio itself, it’s meticulously maintained, I would know, I used to clean it. Sometimes the studio can get a little cramped, but that just goes to show what a great place it is! One last note, bring a towel if you want to shower, the ones they have are great for wiping the gallon of sweat off your face, but not nearly big enough to use as a post-​shower towel!

If you like a hot athletic practice, this is your place in Portland.
A full schedule of classes makes it easy to squeeze a class into the busiest of days. The experience, regardless of instructor, is consistently great. Always challenging, always a solid workout. The flow in each class is pretty much the same, which in my opinion is both good and bad. There are exceptions. Clean studio, friendly staff, and a great yoga community.

The minute I walked into Portland Power Yoga, I felt at home. I started doing yoga to fix some back pain, but was turned off by the chanting and the spiritual component. I just wanted the physical… or at least less of the new-​agey stuff… PPY’s classes seemed direct and tough, and definitely physical. When they started the studio, Alice and Charlie,(the owners,) were running the joint on their own, and you could see their committment! Since I have seen them grow, add more teachers, move into a new space… They added assistants to the classes as they grew to help with alignment… Watching the growth has been inspirational.
Alice trains the teachers in a careful and consistent manner. She’s a tough teacher, but there’s a softness there, too. I have taken a 40 day challenge with her, and I can only imagine how great her teacher training is…
While the classes are fairly similar as far as the range of poses, the Baptiste style runs through these poses to stretch, strengthen and detoxify all of the bodies’ systems… The personalities of the instructors shine through. And guess what? They do sneak a little spirituality in here and there, along with some perspective on the other aspects of the eight limbs of yoga. It’s subtle, but it’s there.
I know some want their yoga to feel mystical or magical, but I like mine grounded in real life, thanks…

In my travels to the wonderful city of Portland, me I decided to stop in to this studio for a 90 minute all levels class. The yoga is a baptiste power style with core exercises blended in. The studio was very clean and the staff very helpful. The studio was well heated too. As a 1^st time student here they gave me a free class as well as a mat and towel. Throughout the class they have an assistant instructor who just focuses on each students alignment. She gives physical assists to correct form the whole class. As a regular yogi I found this to be a little annoying. I like to alter some poses because I know they feel better for my body and the constant critiquing kind of rubbed me the wrong way. To be fair she did ask me before class if I wanted the adjustments and I did agree. I just didn’t think there was going to be so many. The yoga seemed somewhat basic and there was very little Sanskrit used. The instructor was very knowledgable but kept the class atmosphere very loose almost too loose. In the 90 minute class we did cover a ton of poses which was good. You definitely leave here feeling like you’ve had a solid workout. All in all you will get a great practice here and I would return when back in Portland.

I’ve been going to PPY for over 3 years. As a runner, I wanted to find a way to cross train and stay injury free. Hot yoga quickly became as big a presence in my life as my long runs. I have been so fortunate to find a beautiful, clean studio with such a knowledgeable and helpful staff! As my practice continues to grow, I appreciate how the changes have enhanced my life far beyond the physical aspects of the practice. I highly recommend Portland Power Yoga!

PPY is a terrific place. Welcoming, nurturing and comfortable, it offers hot yoga with good instruction, accessible class times and lengths (although I wish there were some 75 minute classes) and terrific instructors, each with his/​her own style. The heat really helps me get the most from the class which is important when you typically go to 60 minutes classes (which I do) and have arthritis (which I also do). THe 6:30 am classes are energetic, but mindful of our recently awakening bodies. Try it! I guarantee you’ll be hooked.

I dropped by Portland Power Yoga a few years ago to try it out and am continually drawn back to the qualified and inspirational teachers, friendly staff, positive energy and great commuity of yoga practitioners. PPY recently moved to a new studio space which pretty much resolved any complaints I may have had about the studio amenities. There’s great light, lovely décor and plenty of bathroom/​shower space (this had been an issue at their former location). Parking can be tough because some classes are really popular but the desk staff is always happy to help direct you to an alternative parking spot. Better yet… get there early.
This is also one of the only studios I know of in Portland who has regular, highly trained assistants working in their classes. It’s really nice to have somemone who appears to have a good working knowledge of yoga and anatomy helping you to feel your best in the pose… it’s like a mini-​massage periodically throughout class and also help me to give that extra effort where I might not otherwise.
Definitely worth the trip. I suggest taking a class from Alice or Charlie, the owners, if possible (but the other teachers are great, too!). Unlike some yoga studio owners who are kind of ‘absentee’, these guys are always around and working hard to make people feel at home in the space. They are both amazing and accomplished yoga teachers and practitioners but are ‘real people’, too… (versus the stereotypical 19 year old, skinny, fanatical vegan-​type I used to associate with yoga teachers).
If you want a vigorious, heated yoga practice guided by a great teacher in a beautiful studio that doesn’t hide behind a bunch of hokey, esoteric mumbo-​jumbo than this is the place for you. Try it!

I have been here a few times and i keep going back… It’s not my absolute favorite in Portland but the class times are very easily worked into my schedule which is a plus. Jessica is a good teacher and I enjoy her classes. The new location on cove street is very nice.
My one complaint is that its SO HOT. I realize it’s hot yoga but sometimes I really feel like I am going to suffocate and evaporate. I have done a lot of yoga elsewhere and have never felt that before, but it has happened on several occasions here.