After weeks of shoulder pain, I had to break it to the boot camp trainers this morning that I would not being doing anything that involved jerky upper body movements. Jumping jacks? Sure. Push ups? Urgh, I guess so. I mean, I hate them but I’ll play along. But these crazy hopping, squat thrust things they call burpies? Um, no. I like having feeling in my pinky fingers. At one point, we were supposed to be “popping out” of a push up position to do shuttle drills (formerly known as ‘suicide’ drills – though I feel like we should use the old name; call a spade a spade). And having learned that all that popping was what kept me glued to my heating pad like a broken, geriatric spinster, I simply refrained.
Holy cow, after the number of times one trainer yelled, “You’re supposed to be in push up position! PUSH UP! POSITION!” while I remained vertical, well, I’d be worried that it made me look a little bit obstinate – if I truly gave a damn. But I’ve been off muscle relaxers for two weeks now and I’d like to keep it that way. Plus, all that yoga-ing has made me feel very zen about my workout. I do what I can and accept my body and what it has to offer today. Which is so totally un-boot camp.
DEAL WITH IT.
Speaking of yoga-ing. I’ve been debating about whether to make this an official gripe, but I think I will, in case you’re thinking of getting into yoga and need an honest assessment of the studio. If you’re not and you don’t, feel free to tune out now.
A couple weeks ago, I signed up for the 10 days for $10 introductory offer at Sunstone Yoga. I’ve been a fan of hot yoga since I first tried it in Boston almost… ten years ago. Yes, I gasped when I typed that. Anyway, after your third introductory class at Sunstone, they make it a point to call you up to the desk to go over your “options.” You know, for non-introductory price yoga. Which I don’t have to tell you is pricey. Now, I’d already read about all of my options online. I knew I didn’t want one of their one year, unlimited, auto-deduct packages. I had every intention of continuing my practice there – the room is properly heated, most of the instructors are good – but with boot camp, I would only be up for one or two times a week. I had it all figured out.
After my fourth class (guess I squeaked by the day before), I got called up to the front desk where the yoga instructor/mad dog sales lady proceeded to give me the hard sell – the hardest hard sell I’ve had to put up with in a long ass time.
I don’t know how many times I said, “No thank you. I already know my options, and I will be buying my classes individually,” but it was apparently not acceptable. I could feel my shoulders getting tense as I tried to explain time after time that I was simply NOT INTERESTED. When I finally escaped, I went home and shot them a quick email letting them know I appreciate that they have a business to run, but I did not appreciate their very un-yoga approach. I got a call later that morning. Trying to sell me a package. And then an email. And then another call – this one letting me know that it’s the responsibility of the instructors to make me aware of my “options.” Again with the options.
I’ve since received two more calls and another email.
Basically, I could not feel any less zen about my experience with them. And this morning at camp, my workout partner mentioned the same thing. They want your cash, and they don’t care about much else (except for yesterday’s instructor – who was very concerned with sending energy to my lady parts. Which I fully appreciated).
And… non-yoagers, tune back in. One month from today, I’m going to Disney World with the Boy’s family. That is all. Eeee!
To be fair – cause I love yoga & am a devotee at a great studio – that’s an honest assessment of Sunstone Yoga, not of Yoga itself. I’ve been to a lot of fabulous studios & never encountered such troubles. I think those types of places are pretty easy to spot, usually – better to go with the smaller studios that have a more serious feel to them. I’ll bet Sunstone has lots of gimmicky looking print material?
I’m sorry if it wasn’t clear – it was an assessment of the studio, not yoga (as I said, I’ve been a fan for years)
Wow.
I’m exhausted just reading your post today, let alone actually getting up and moving my body.
Think I’ll go to lunch…
(Oh Disney’s gonna be fun! Hoping the weather is more tolerable than it’s been this past month!)
Little thing — it’s burpees, not burpies. And for some sick reason I actually like them. Then again, I’ve never had pinky pain after doing them. How does that even happen?
It causes a strain in my trapezius muscle with pinches a nerve which causes numbness in my hands. My doctor said no more burpees.
yeah, that doesn’t sound good at all…pinched nerves not a good thing!
It was totally wretched. I mean, not like I wanted to make burpees part of my every day life, but I wanted to at least TRY to keep up.
I suppose after boot camp, even hot yoga seems zen. I’ve been to two classes, and I won’t be going again when any other type of yoga is available. maybe it was the instructor, but the emphasis seemed to be on how much you could push yourself, how much pain you could take, etc. Plus, doing the same sequence of poses each and every class gets…boring, no?
nothing is “free” or almost free, as in 10 yoga lessons for $10
After a similar experience at a gym where I spent 1.5 hrs cornered by a “trainer” with a gut. My “free” visit to the gym didn’t actually say I’d get to use the equipment I guess.
Burpees are a form of torture.
What that yoga studio is doing borders on unethical. You may want to consider filing a complaint with the BBB. (I’ve been to many different studios, hot yoga and otherwise, and have NEVER experienced ANYTHING like that!)
It’s too bad you’re not in Boston anymore, I absolutely LOVE my yoga studio and all the people who work there. Yes, it’s very pricey, but they have specials every now and again, and there’s never any pressure to buy the expensive year long unlimited package. The last thing you need after 90 minutes of stretching and sweating in a 110 degree room is someone hassling you with an aggresive sales pitch! If you’re ever back in the Boston area it’s Yoga Crossing in Waltham =)
After I completed my leisurely stroll on the treadmill last night at at the gym, I crunched an ab or 2. All was as it should be until I heard a woman. She was hollering. I ventured toward the hollering and saw a hyperfit woman w/a blond ponytail yelling at about a dozen women, mostly hyperfit, but one definite grandma. It was boot camp, & it scared the crap out of me. So, go you! But not me.
Thanks for the info on Sunstone. I heard about that studio from a friend and thought it sounded like a great deal. I was going to try it out but now I will definitely look to another studio in the DFW. Guess it was too good to be true.
I don’t know how far this is for you, but there is an amazing hot yoga place in Arlington called The Yoga Project. I think it’s on Cooper (?). It’s considerably cheaper than most of the Dallas studios and the instructors are AWESOME. Just a suggestion
Sounds like the heat isn’t the only thing they’ve learned from Bikram. Does the owner collect cars as well?
I’ve never posted before, after YEARS and YEARS of lurking (since almost the beginning) BUT as a certified yoga teacher, I was really disappointed to hear of your experience. Yes, yoga studios and teachers need to make a living, but for me, the yoga comes first. Not just the physical part of yoga, but the whole package.
For those who follow the path of yoga seriously, we try to adhere to a variety of principles to guide our thoughts, actions and interactions with others. AHIMSA- or, “non-stealing” is one of these. This studio and their approach seems not to have been guided by this in stealing your time and energy with their sales pitch. If anyone is interested in learning more about this part of the path of yoga, search for “yamas and niyamas”. These are a required part of any credible teachers training program.
Just to give you more options (I hope that’s not a bad word for you now), I practice hot yoga at yogasport in Dallas and I love, love, love them. All of the instructors including the owner are wonderful and I have never, ever felt pressured to do anything but enjoy life and if that includes yoga, how lucky for me
I too tried sunstone first as it seems liked such a convenient option but I did not like their philosophy (for lack of a better word) at all. I hope you give yogasport a try … maybe I’ll see you there 
I absolutely second Tricia’s comment about hte principles of yoga needing to be in the business’s ethics as well.
And as to Boot Camp, any program that does not apprise its trainers of the injuries, conditions, etc. of its participants and ensure that they respect them (by not letting them continue to bellow at you when you “remained vertical”) is doing you a disservice. Anyone can holler at you and make you feel bad about yourself. The skilled instructor can inspire you to do your best, push you a little further then you thought you could when appropriate, and back off (and maybe even congratulate you) when you state your limits (as they are at this time). So if you continue- and I applaud your motivation and dedication, even while horking- you are going to have to be your own advocate and have your reps with a side of defiance to make sure your workout, er, works for you.
As someone who busted her ass in every aspect of life all her life and is now reforming, I know of which I speak. And I have the permanent injuries to prove it.
Agreed. And you know what’s interesting? I’ve found that the male trainers are so much more accommodating and willing to show me alternative exercises. They are also the most encouraging, while still pushing for good form, etc. The female trainers just sort of yell a lot and one actually said, “If you have to take a break, we get it – we don’t LIKE it – but we get it.”
Um, okay. So much for the fairer sex being the more nurturing.
I would NOT stand for that. in fact I’d ask to talk to the owner. a hard sell is not Zen at all. they should be about providing a good holistic experience for you, not asking for your wallet when you walk in.
my experience to relate: i have a lovely friend who is an amazing yoga instructor. She was working at a studio that i went to for 2-3 years. The management changed and it was all about money money money. They hired new teachers that were like bootcamp instructors, there was NOTHING relaxing about the classes and i left more agitated than when i had gone in. My yogi friend left and so followed a few of the other awesome teachers which sucked for the rest of us who had contracts with the studio. I tried and tried to break my contract, telling them that i was moving out of state and could no longer go there (yes i lied, but they wouldn’t break my contract without me paying it in full). the new manager said “i’m sorry but there is nothing i can do”. it made me so unbelievably angry.
Turns out treating people like cash cows doesnt work with the yoga community. They went under about 6 months after that. but i am a yoga nomad now. no studio to call home and the one where my friend teaches is an hour in traffic away. *le sigh* Lets hope you have better luck.
Sheesh, I will definitely take note that in the Dallas area sunstone equals high pressure. I like the Austin Sunstone studios, but no one pressured me when I first started taking class here. No workout experience should be all about money, much less one involving yoga.