Crash Course: Edge Yoga is a no-frills yoga studio that will have you conquering your most sought-after yoga poses in no time. The Mixed Levels Yoga I class doesn’t mess around, and you’ll be engaging your core muscles for some complicated poses before you can say Namaste.
where: 2440 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 201 | Courthouse
bring: Water and a small sweat towel, if you want. Yoga mats are provided for free.
perks: Tiny class size, hands-on trainer
sweat score: 6.5 out of 10
wear: tight-fitting clothes to get your flow on
instructor: Mark Greim
cost: Drop-ins are $16 and $13 for students
Hey Fit Crashers! I’m excited to share another DC-area class with you today; this time we’re talking about Edge Yoga in Arlington!
Personally, I am not a huge yogi. Sure, I’ve taken a class here and there, but I’d much rather strap on my sneakers and run miles around DC, or pop into a super sweaty HIIT bootcamp, than get my “om” on. However, I’m trying to change that!
That’s why when my blogger friend Anne of fANNEtasticfood told me that Edge Yoga is a great studio for runners-turned yogis, I was excited to check it out with her. We signed up for the Mixed Levels Yoga I class online, and booking the class could not have been easier.
Edge is located in the Courthouse area of Arlington, right above Papa Johns Pizza. No seriously, it’s right above Papa Johns. Thankfully I did not smell any pizza during the class.
When I first walked up the stairs I wasn’t sure if I was in the right place – it shares a space with the bartending school – but after a quick look around, I saw the small studio with its soothing lighting, abundance of (free!) yoga mats, and calming music. Ah yes, this must be the place!
Upon arriving, the instructor Mark came over to introduce himself, and explained that this class is a little more intense than a basic beginner’s yoga class. He then said that I shouldn’t force myself into any of the poses if I wasn’t ready.
Yikes, what did I just get myself into?
Soon Mark got us started with some basic yoga poses, and the warm air (not super hot like bikram, but just pleasantly warm) helped me loosen up.
As we were getting started, three things really stood out to me about Mark’s class.
First, the atmosphere in the studio was no-frills and totally unassuming; I didn’t feel intimidated like I have in some of the fancier yoga classes I’ve taken. Everyone worked at a different level, and I never once felt like anyone was judging me. The atmosphere was totally positive and encouraging, which is exactly what a yoga studio should be in my mind.
Second, I really liked Mark’s teaching style. He talked pretty fast, and would give us as many tips as he could for each pose. For example, as we would be getting into a pose, he would say things like, “Don’t forget to turn out your shoulders. Your pinkies should be turned to the front. Remember to look forward. Start to bring your left leg back. If you’re looking at your toes, then you’re not looking forward.” He totally caught me with this one! I was definitely guilty of looking at my toes, haha! All of his verbal tips really helped me get into poses the right way, which I found to be super helpful.
Mark was also really good at assisting us with poses when we needed help. Being a new yogi, I was pretty terrible at getting into the more complicated poses and binds, but Mark would always come up behind me and hand me a block or strap. He would also hold me in a position until I caught my balance, and then would walk away to help others. Here he is helping Anne!
I thought this style of teaching was really helpful because it allowed us to get the correct feeling of the pose, even if we were still a ways off from nailing it on our own. Also I know sometimes I feel awkward or embarrassed when I get corrected in a group class, but Mark didn’t make me feel like that at all.
The last thing I loved about this class was the variety of poses. Every other yoga class I’ve taken has been pretty basic in terms of warrior one, warrior two, reverse warrior, etc., and it takes forever to repeat the sequence and then add on a new pose. Mark’s class was very different from that, and he had us doing complicated poses right off the bat.
Not that I could successfully do them, but that’s ok.
Please note – I’m supposed to be doing what the girl next to me is doing. Yeah…that didn’t happen.
There were plenty of other talented yogis in the class though!
Oh finally, something “easy” I could hold! Haha!
The class lasted about an hour and fifteen minutes, and ended with a lovely savasana. Then we were done!