DISCOVER Yoga on Chocolate
We offer yoga classes in the Vinyasa Yoga tradition, linking powerful breath with dynamic, flowing movements. Often referred to as meditation in motion, vinyasa yoga cultivates: strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, focus, and serenity. Our highly trained teachers will add his or her own specialty, perspective, and wisdom to your practice. Each tradition whispers its own secrets.
Yoga should challenge your habits, not reinforce them. Just as the student who loves flow is often the one who struggles with stillness, so the student who delights in precision gains something different when asked to move with the rhythm of body and breath. We will always encourage you to practice both what is heavenly and what is hardest for you.
If you love our vigorous vinyasa classes but have never learned how to do the poses accurately, we invite you to explore alignment in our 60 Minute Classes or attend one of our special workshop’s, where you can ask to focus on a specific pose or area of the body that troubles you. Teachers will work with you to develop your knowledge of your body and modify poses for injuries and special conditions.
Even those of us who've taught for decades pledge to keep learning and offering you new ideas, new challenges, and new ways to extend your practice.
We also offer HOT Pilates, Deep Caramel Stretch (Yin Yoga) and Chocolate Barre Workout (No Dance Experience Needed)...
ALL Classes are Done in a HEATED Room (90 Degrees) - WHY HEAT?
Why we practice in the heat
There are a lot of reasons why we choose to practice yoga in a heated room. The heat helps our bodies warm up (sort of like stretching before running) and makes it easier to get deeper into postures more safely. In our experience, the many benefits of practicing yoga asana are amplified by doing so in the heat. Sweating helps us clean out our systems, because toxins are carried to the surface of the skin in sweat, where they float magically away during the process of evaporation.
The heat also:
•Helps us burn fat more effectively by boosting metabolism and melting away water weight in sweat
•Dilates our capillaries to boost the “oxygenation” of all our cells — tissues, muscles, organs, etc.
•Boosts circulation and gets the heart rate up, at times rendering yoga an aerobic activity
•Enhances our immune system by slightly elevating the temperature of the body, which increases T-cell functioning
•Elevates the functioning of the nervous system and decreases anxiety by relaxing the body
Another subtle effect of the heat that you don’t always hear about is that it actually helps us concentrate and stay in the moment. The intensity of practicing in a warm room is hard to ignore, and (at least in our experience) this helps our minds wander less. Since yoga is about staying present in the moment, the heat can function as our ally in this way.
By far the biggest reason we practice yoga in a heated room?
Because it feels good! Sometimes the warmth can be intense, and the sweating messy, but it feels so, so wonderful to purify our bodies in a heated practice (and then go home and take a nice rinse). Heated yoga isn’t for everyone, but many people find that after an initial adjustment period they never want to go back to “cold” yoga.
How hot is it, anyway?
Our thermostat is never set above 90 degrees, and most classes never even reach that temperature. However, because we are all working and sweating together, it can get pretty humid in there, which can make it feel hotter. The good news? A moisture-filled room actually encourages us to sweat more which — you guessed it — means more cleansing and detoxing.
Often, in our more crowded classes, we don’t turn on the heaters at all, and instead let our collective practice heat up the room naturally. This is our favorite kind of heat: tapas generated by students breathing and flowing in their practice.
A word about water
We encourage you to stay hydrated — particularly before you come to class. We have a high-tech hydration station in the lobby where you can fill up your water bottle before class, but we definitely advise you to drink water well in advance of your practice. We also encourage students to bring their own clean enviro-friendly canteens/bottles, we have spring water available for $1.00.
Some traditions discourage drinking water while practicing yoga. We aren’t dogmatic at Yoga On Chocolate, but it can be a challenge to sip your water while we’re flowing vigorously. If you need to drink water during class, be mindful when doing so. And try not to put out the fire by drinking too much! Make sure you drink water after class too. Getting adequate intake of liquids is a pivotal part of benefiting from your Vinyasa practice.
Things to look out for
If you have any doubt, and as always before beginning a new exercise program, please consult your doctor for a “second opinion” before you launch into a heated yoga habit. Once you’ve joined us, here are some uncommon but important things to look out for when practicing in the heat:
•Again — stay hydrated! You might be surprised how much water your body can handle when you’re sweating for 90 minutes a day.
•If, at any point, you feel overheated, dizzy, or nauseous, by all means relax on your mat. Ideally, do so while you are still able to do it gracefully — not when it’s too late! Child’s pose and savasana are great options when you need to take a quick break.
We encourage you not to leave the room suddenly if you feel lightheaded. Whenever possible, stay on your mat and relax. Never hesitate to signal an assistant if you need support.
"When an individual who lives largely in their head is asked to connect with their breath, foot or leg while holding a yoga pose, they immediately come into the present moment. This is a strong tool to take off the mat and into everyday life. " ~Baron Baptiste
