1 month/final update: Siobhan for corepower is what freedom is to money - what a fantastic instructor! 10 stars ** Towel update: still awful.... I am tired of paying to look like a snow globe. Get it together. More lint than a dryer vent. read more

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I watch Corepower Yoga clients park in the handicap spots of their shared parking lot and run up to yoga class with their mats every single day with zero hesitancey, they share a private lot with 3 other businesses. I have called Corepower yoga about this and they say they have nothing to do with where their clients park, even though this is a private parking lot that is a part of their lease. I have called as a yoga client has been walking into their studio with the make and model of the car, when they had the ability to say something to them in the moment, and they have made it clear they do not care, therefore they condone this action and $$ outweighs the law, others rights, human decenscy, I could go on. Shame on you Corepower yoga. Your care for the community speaks volumes. I truly, from the bottom of my heart, hope that those who have chosen these actions never need to rely on accessibility that is denied due to other's entitlement. read more

I had a lot of fun here but honestly I was very confused with their sign in.... They have you sign in online a Google pad or something that's way too much for me but the actual class was awesome read more

Solid yoga studio - did the 7 day trial and it was awesome. I'm probably going to go here for future drop ins, the classes are exactly the ones you're looking for. However will note that they don't provide towels, and also that the pilates class next door can be distracting. But overall a solid spot! read more

Love the classes- you'll get a great workout in an hour. Facilities are clean and well stocked, the studio has mats and towels to rent. Workers are super nice as well read more

I am absolutely a fan here! I was first introduced to this studio via class pass and took an early Saturday morning class. After my first class I fell in love with the work outs! I love heated the classes, and the teachers are all great! This really helps you feel clean after as you sweat out your toxins! They also have showers available and plenty of amenities like shampoo, body wash, etc. This studio is located in a plaza like area with free parking. It's on the 2nd floor and the studios are quite big. Very welcoming front desk and easy check in process. You can take single classes or sign up for membership. They offer a variety of classes some with a little more cardio while others are your basic yoga class. All in all, love the staff and the environment. I've been to multiple locations and by far, this is one of my top favorite locations due to free parking, and how spacious it is! Would definitely come back! Also they're now offering free classes online via video! Check those out! read more

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Great welcome/lounge space, but changing rooms & studios could use some TLC. I have been a Black Tag member at CorePower for a couple of years now, and I really appreciate their variety of class options and the fabulous core workout. Unfortunately, the Berkeley studios are in need of a facelift. The heat has been inconsistent and cold at the Berkeley West studio. Additionally, the rubber non-slip layer on their weights is beginning to warp and peel off for the sculpt classes. As for the changing rooms, there are a number of broken lockers and the showers are in desperate need of a good clean! I do enjoy their communal lounge/shopping space. There is comfortable seating by the fireplace to hang out and chat with friends while waiting for class. They typically have a number of sales racks for high-end yoga attire that I have fun perusing as well! I really enjoy coming to CorePower and feel that upgrading changing rooms, swapping out the old weights and investing in a better HVAC system would go a long way! Memberships are not cheap and the studio-space should reflect that. read more

CorePower Yoga - Berkeley West - Studio 1 for the 11:30 am Sculpt class - Yoga Near Me - Berkeley, California

They have nice showers and studio But it doesn't feel like yoga to me. It is more like a workout place. The staff are quite friendly. read more

Did an intro month at CorePower Shattuck and mostly went to Yoga Sculpt, but also did Yoga 1 and Yoga Fusion. Yoga Sculpt which is a blend of yoga and crossfit/hit workout. Its fun, tough and I really enjoyed the classes. Teachers were great and led the classes well. Only drawback is that the studio on Shattuck Ave is near campus and there are a lot of students who don't understand yoga etiquette. I come 30 minutes early to class to stretch, do my personal yoga and pranayama, and found that many of the students mindlessly entered the class speaking loudly and making a lot of noise. It's standard for yoga studios to be quiet places for students to prepare for class. CorePower in particular has their yoga etiquette posted all around the studio reminding student to "to minimize talking in the studio", so I thought that students would respect this standard practice. But this often did not happen and I asked several teachers to remind students of this etiquette, some succeeded others did not. My last class, I decided to ask two men who were having a very loud conversation to please respect the yoga etiquette of the studio and they mouthed off to me. Comments like "what are you the etiquette police?", "Ok mom", etc and their female friend coming back at me with "why are you singling THEM out?". You would expect in a yoga room that students would be mindful and kind. Instead say something like "Oh, I'm sorry", "No worries", "My apologies". But instead I got dismissed, belittled and insulted. I went to ask the teacher to please remind the students to be quiet in the studio and specifically told her two men mouthed off to me. She apologized and said she would address it, but completely forgot and I spent the whole class staring straight ahead, trying to ignore the men, as one of them kept looking back at me and made a point to direct his kicks and punches towards me. Fortunately, my husband was there with me and I felt safe, but It wasn't nice for either one of us. I tried to speak with the men after class and they dismissed me, calling me names under their breath and walking off, just as they had done in the studio. I spoke with the instructor, as well, in hopes that she would remember to address it next time and create more safety in the studio for everyone. She agreed she would and understood the importance of my request. I'm giving the studio 2-stars, because I hope that the teachers and their leadership will pay more attention to this important part of teaching yoga and creating safe spaces for students. read more

This CorePower location is my local favorite. The practice studios have great big floor to ceiling windows that bring in welcomed morning light. The instructors are a great crew that rotates between regulars like Brandon (five stars himself) and fresh faces like Jordan (who brings poses most skip over). It's clean. Lots of lockers. And best thing, it's a two block stroll afterward to the coffee and food on 4th Street read more

I've finally made it to the MECCA of Bay Area CPY! University Ave CPY was the 1st CPY established in Norcal, and I was so glad to have made the trek from South Bay here to practice on a cloudy Sunday morning with a fellow CPY yogi. We took Raissa's C2 and wow, was she such a transformative teacher! The studio itself is the largest CPY I have ever been to, even compared to the San Diego ones and Seattle ones I've taken class at. This is definitely my favorite studio yet. There are three studios...THREE! Oh my gosh. And the restrooms are down this long narrow hallway, that totally threw me for a surprise. SO MUCH SPACE. Their inventory also has a bunch more retail than other South Bay CPY locations, so I enjoyed their selection and super cool dancer's pose mannequins. Corepower yogis need to make their pilgrimage here, and even if you've never done yoga or CPY...still make it a point to come! Parking might be tight during busy times, but I was able to get lucky and park in the private lot shared with the entire plaza of businesses. read more

I love CorePower and I am a proud member. This location (West Berkeley) is my favorite I've been to. It's far less crowded than both the Downtown SF and Downtown Berkeley locations. The first time I came here after the SF one, I was so pleasantly surprised to find that the time in the locker room can actually be stress-free. Who knew?! The only negative is that you have to bring your own locker locks, but I never do and no one has taken my stuff ;) I would definitely recommend coming here if you live in the area for a free first week of yoga. All of the instructors are wonderful, the classes are engaging, and you'll leave feeling energized and happy. read more

I'm trying to get back into my regular yoga routine so I decided to try CorePower! They have an offer for new students- free week of classes... it's a MUST to try them out before you decided to purchases classes. I like to call myself an advanced yogi. I've been a bikram yoga addict for my college years, I have years of experience with vinayasa, ashtanga, yin, hatha yogas... I know what I'm doing, in short. With that said, my first class was the C2 class- recommended for experienced yogis who know all the terms! Overall, it was an *interesting* class. Yes it was a workout- it's heated, fast-paced, you're going to sweat for sure.. but something about doing yoga with upbeat pop music did quite relax me how a normal yoga class would. I kinda missed the quiet vibes of just you and your breath- it definitely tested my focusing practice, trying to tune out all the excess going on. Also the flow as interesting- going from reverse warrior quickly and directly into leaning side angle pose multiple times without having time getting your body in alignment was giving me anxiety. I understand CorePower is much about the challenge and "workout" aspects, which is fair. Keep this in mind when taking this class, especially experienced yogis. I also took the restorative class (which is my all time favorite type of yoga). This class was very nice. You got your incense burning, candles lit, instructor with the most soft voice, SLOW paced, soft quiet slow music- you and your thoughts (or naps). I did enjoy this class. I kinda wish there were a few more poses but overall, I enjoyed it. Many pros about this facility- PARKING WOOP!!!, many studios so many classes to choose from, so clean despite of classes being sweaty, huge and clean locker rooms with all your showering needs, they offer locks for lockers!, and everyone there was so nice and kind! Despite of a four star rating, I would probably not be returning to corepower- it's just not a fit for me. I am looking to receive something different from my yoga practice. But if you want yoga, a workout, to sweat, upbeat/fun... try it out! read more

This is probably my favorite CorePower in the Bay Area for a few reasons: 1) The teachers are all pretty awesome. Haven't had a bad class yet! And you have to appreciate that the classes aren't packed to the gills. 2) The studios are large and full of amazing light! 3) The locker rooms are clean. I'm not gonna lie, some of CorePower's locker rooms are filthy and this is not one of them. 4) There's limited free parking, meaning if you get there early enough, you don't have to search for parking or pay for it. For those of you not in the know, CorePower is flow yoga in a heated room. Each class varies, but I gotta give it up to Yoga Sculpt. IT KICKS YOUR ASS in the best way possible. A few odds and ends: $2 for a rental mat and $1 for the towel. I don't love their bath products, so I tend to bring my own or try to shower at home. I wish the teachers were a little more hands on and a little bit more about form instruction. Other than that, love me some CorePower and glad I signed up for a 3 month membership! read more

Sieze that one free week of yoga deal and thank your lucky 5 star Yelp reviews that gave you the extra nudge to try CorePower. I want to spend all of my extra time here because the challenge and the benefits are so very needed in my life. I feel like I have had a serious workout after every class. I admire the instructors, who are playful, positive and knowledgeable. The fact that the C2 classes have music is actually a nice touch. This is definitely more of a gym-type yoga studio, less of an ashram, but something about the fierceness of that is what keeps me coming back. My first class had me in child's pose very quickly, so don't be discouraged if it takes you a week to find your rhythm. But my heart and muscles are all the better for going to CorePower. Having a place to stop thinking about everything overwhelming in the world and just focus on my own strength is very encouraging for me. The facilities are great, with good showers and really nice yogawear options. Membership is $79 for your first month and teachers like me get a discount on our monthly membership fees after that. read more

I finally found a relatively slow week in my life so I could take full advantage of the free week at Core Power Yoga. Happily, it coincided with Daylight Savings Time ending and it was the perfect anti-depressant for the "getting dark at 5:00 p.m." blues that I get at this time of year. I was able to get to 6 classes and tried out several classes of Heated Power Yoga, a Restorative Yoga class, and a couple of Ryde & Yoga. I have been practicing yoga for 20+ years and found the classes challenging and fantastic! I usually do 90 minute classes at Groove Yoga and was pleasantly surprised that I got a great workout with only an hour class. There are beginning yoga classes too which I am sure give much more instruction on postures. Despite being only hour long classes, I have never sweated SO MUCH in my entire life (and I typically do heated yoga classes). I felt so detoxed and relaxed afterwards. WOW. It is BYOT (bring your own towel) so make sure to bring a big one to wipe up the puddles of sweat on your mat and surrounding floor. You can also rent one for $1. BEWARE of walking around the room directly after a class unless you want to experience that grotesque feeling of walking directly on another person's puddle of sweat with your bare feet. For some reason, the instructors don't ask class participants to wipe up the area around their mat?!? Only once during my week there, I saw a staff going through the room with a mop (apparently they do this as often as they can, depending on staffing levels). The Ryde bikes are super cool. They tilt to the side so it simulates riding on a real bike. I took Victor's classes and he's a great teacher. All of the yoga instructors were fantastic! The evening classes get PACKED (think: Namaste-like) - I counted 40+ yogis in Monica's Monday evening class. They have three studios which have classes almost simultaneously. PROS: Amazing schedule! SOOO many classes from early morning to late evening! Great merchandise for sale. Cozy fireplace in the middle of the building. Awesome showers! I would give them 6 stars just for this! Fantastic yoga and Ryde classes :) Fairly easy parking in the lot or nearby in the neighborhood. Friendly, approachable staff/instructors. CONS: No small wipe down towels provided for classes (which would help with the sweat puddle problem mentioned in several reviews) I'm a HUGE Core Power Yoga fan already and just purchased a 10 day pass. I could easily see myself buying a monthly unlimited, especially in the winter months! read more

After losing my hot yoga virginity to the CorePower Yoga (CPY) in Sherman Oaks a while back, I fell in love with hot yoga and longed to go to the CPY in Berkeley. Unfortunately, I can't afford classes there (much less a monthly membership) on a management consultant's salary. Then, some unknown force out there took pity on me and lo and behold, Groupon offered a deal: one month of unlimited classes for only $69. Now *that* I can afford! For an entire month, I binged on CPY2 classes (aka Vinyasa yoga in a heated room). When I wanted to take things a bit slower, I threw some Hot Power Fusion classes into the mix (aka Bikram yoga without the smelly carpets). I even took a spin class (unheated) to spice things up. FYI: the room feels hot anyhow, with all the body heat. Also, please note that the classes here focus on fitness, not relaxation/ meditation. The halfway point of the yoga classes are marked by serious core exercises. At the end of the month, I had noticeably toned up my abs and even inadvertently shed two pounds from my 5'4" frame, down to 116 lbs. Yay! If the price wasn't so prohibitive, I'd be hot yoga-ing all the time here at CPY. P.S. Minus one star for the blonde hairs (clearly not mine) that litter the studio floors. Having my face inches away from these things as I'm going through my chaturangas is kind of gross. P.P.S. Despite being the dirtiest of the three CPYs I've been to, the showers are still spa-like and stocked well with basic hygiene products. Note to self: File under "This is Why I'm Hot." read more

I can't believe I live 2 blocks away from this place and it took me this long to try it out!!! I am in love with this place! It gives me a great sweat and I feel amazing afterwards. At first I had a little trouble with Corepower yoga since I wasn't sure how they operated. And I had just gotten their Groupon deal. So I went online to see their class schedule. I picked one out that I wanted to try, but I didn't know if you had to sign up for it or call in to make sure it wasn't full. So I gave them a call. They never answer their phone and never got back to my message that I left. I kept trying for a few days to see if they would pick up, but never did. =( Since I lived so close, I just decided to walk on over there and see if I could get into the class I wanted. It was no problem!! They had me fill out a simple form so I could start my free new student week where I could go to as many classes as I wanted. They have never turned me down for a class because it was too full or any other reasons. And I loved it! They have so many classes to choose from and there are classes started almost every hour! So you can almost fit in anything to your schedule! And another great thing is that they have early morning classes around 6am and late night classes at 8pm. So there is no excuse not to take advantage of their free week! And all the instructors are amazing! Everyone has such a friendly professional demeanor and they have never pushed you into getting any products/membership that you don't want. I can't say enough good things about this place! I highly recommend you coming to try this place! read more

One of the largest yoga chains I've seen, but I can easily see why they've done so well! Challenging work outs, yoga that moves. Without being intimidating, despite the Lululemon-esque culture (that's not a bad thing). And... there's parking (in Berkeley? What?!), gorgeously clean locker rooms and showers, and two squeaky yoga studios. LOVE the 2nd floor location that lets you look out on to University Ave... upside down, between your downward doggie. Corepower is definitely power to the core. Not much mindfulness in your practice here; this is lots of physical - and therefore spiritual/ cerebral - work! Ryder classes are 30 minutes and are a super fun and schweaty spin precursor to your yoga class. If you close your eyes, you can totally picture biking your booty off in 85-deg-humid Hawaii. I totally recommend it! I've frequented a lot of yoga studios and this is like my Equinox of yoga studios. read more

I love Corepower! When I was on vacation, my friend introduced me to CP in Costa Mesa where she got her teacher certificate. When I returned to the Bay Area, I decided to try out CP in Berkeley. Your first week is free, and they also have free weekend classes and free yoga in the park. Everyone is very nice and does not pressure you to join. The membership is pricey, but they allow for work-exchange. I tried C1 (room temp), hot power fusion and C2 (heated), candlelight yoga, and the Ryde & Sculpt (half hour on bicycles and other half is yoga with weights). CP seems to focus more on yoga as a workout than a meditative practice, but I did take one class on chakras which I enjoyed. I liked every teacher I tried; they offer many classes each day. This was my first time practicing hot yoga and I was amazed how great my body feels. The heat warms up my body so my wrists don't hurt as they do at other studios, and I find that I am more flexible. Sure I look like I just showered in the class, but the room is well ventilated and does not smell. The room is also spacious and clean. They charge $2 for mat rental and $1 for towel if you don't bring your own. Locker rooms and showers are clean, and they provide a hair dryer, soap and shampoo, combs, q-tips, and hair ties. I've taken Muni, to Bart, to AC Transit to get to the studio in 1.5 hours when I didn't have access to a car - that's how much I liked CP! I wish that they will open one in San Francisco, but I hear there will be one in San Jose. read more

Did the free week, was hooked. Overall the classes, space and teachers are EXCELLENT. When I started CorePower I was previously doing one yoga class a week, now I'm doing at least five classes per week. Definitely for those who are fitness inclined and want to burn calories... this is not the kind of place where you're just moving around a little and chanting. Ryde classes are also awesome! read more

One of my favorite yoga studios! All of the classes are solid!! Whenever I'm looking for a solid class, as in challenging and rejuvenating, I go to Core Power. I appreciate the structure of class, the space of the studio, the heat, retail options (especially sale items), showers, and the common areas. The instructors are also welcoming. I just love that more are popping up all over the Bay! You don't need to sign up for class before, which is both a positive and a negative. Singing up helps one commit to it but signing up prior also can suck when spots are help and then one misses class. I really wish they opened up more slots for Classpass, such as Yoga Sculpt or HPF. Classes generally have space, so I feel like they could open up a few spots for CPers. read more

I love the bouncy floors. The material is different than other locations and it's very easy on the joints. I also like the large studios. Each one has enough room for three rows of mats to be placed with comfortable distance between them. I've been to this location twice and both teachers were very good. Parking is also not too hard to find, either in the shopping center lot or on one of the adjacent streets. My biggest gripe with this location is the locker situation. There aren't enough enclosed lockers (let's not even get into the lack of locks) and I had to put my bag in an open "cubby" locker. Luckily, everything was still there when class was over. read more

I have never dealt with such an awful company. I tried to cancel my membership for months. I asked ppl at the front desk who said I had to call or email someone. I did both and had no response and when I finally did get a response, I showed them my evidence of how many times I tried contacting with out a response and all they could offer me was to reduce my cancellation fee (I still had to pay $145 for a month I wasn't going to use) and then they offered to add in 1 free yoga class for my inconvenience. I told them multiple times I don't want to practice yoga here anymore. I haven't for months. I also should add I never signed anything when I signed up, a teacher did it for me at the front desk and I was never informed of how ridiculous their cancelation policy is, or I wouldn't have signed up. I would be ashamed to work for or affiliate with a big business ripping people off this way. Utterly disgusted. And ironic, for a yoga studio, I might add. Make sure you know what you are signing up for. read more

Pros: Great instructors, very friendly and helpful staff, easy parking most of the time, great class times. Cons: Absolutely filthy, The mirror are smudgy, the lockers are mostly broken, the floors in the lobby today had trash on them, I slipped in the bathroom on the wet floor. I would NEVER, EVER consider taking a shower there. Gross. For $199/mo they seriously need to step up their game in the hygiene department. For now, I will stick to the new Rockridge local. I know it is newer and therefore these things are easier to maintain but really. At boutique prices the experience needs to be be attractive and clean not give some one a creepy, don't touch anything feeling. read more

After two months of sweating my face off at Corepower, I can officially give 'em the 5-star stamp. There's very little to complain about here, with (fairly) easy parking, a packed schedule of classes, legit instructors that understand you're here to get a serious workout, clean and spacious studios, not-too-crowded class size, and reasonable pricing. I bought a 10-class pass, but since I've been going so regularly I figure it's time to commit to the monthly membership. During these chilly winter months, the idea of hanging out in a heated room, sweating out my holiday toxins is just the motivation I need. Do the free week trial! It's what got me hooked, and it's the most virtuous addiction I've ever adopted! read more

Nothing but praise for the location and the instructors. Monika, Lacey and the crew are attentive, knowledgable and a pleasure to interact with. The place is kept spotless (the yoga rooms and the locker rooms) and, much to my surprise, it has no smell at all - a minor miracle considering how much sweat pours onto the floors. I went there for for multiple months and loved every moment I was there. Then I had to leave, as I was moving out of state. I had a monthly membership, which was a fantastic deal, that I was going to cancel. The surprise - the cancelation terms were absolutely absurd. I figured canceling mid-month would be enough, which still gives the company a half month of pay for nothing. Apparently the main organization requires a 30day notification + 2-3days to process the paperwork - basically an entire billing cycle and more. You won't notice this until you have to leave as well. It's essentially designed to extract a full month of pay. I would have gladly gone back when I returned to the area and recommended the place to others, but watch out for the membership terms - they are decidedly consumer unfriendly. read more

I'm going to piggy back on the other reviews this stdio is great and I also love that you aren't packed in like sardines in the locker room and classes. I also take classes at the one on Fremont street and I have to get there 30 minutes early to get a place I want and a locker that works. One thing this studio doesn't have is wipes in the studio and seat covers in the bathrooms. I definitely think there should be wipes to clean off the weights because I am almost 100% sure they aren't cleaned after each sculpt class. At any rate, teachers are great, parking is usually easy, and I love the classes especially sculpt! read more

So, after 3 years I'm canceling and here's why: 1) Price vs. Availability. For some reason the new manager cancelled all the classes in between 5 and 6:45 (if you're not there by 5 your next class starts at 6:45 unless you want to take a beginner class). I may not know much about their business model but aren't those prime work out hours?? I attempted 3 times to ask for ANY class to take in between and was thanked for my feedback but met with no change. Unfortunately they also cancelled all the sculpt classes on the weekends except for the 8am which is a bit early for a homie trying to sleep in. 2) All spin has been taken out. I justified the high membership price tag on the fact that I could get my cardio in as well but that's no longer true. 3) High teacher turnover. 4) Cleanliness. It's really gone down hill at this location. I've had ants crawling all over me, I've been bitten by mosquitos, and my bare feet have turned black from walking on the floors. I really loved CPY for a long time and I'll definitely drop in and do a few classes here and there. Props to Raissa, Shauna, and Heather! read more

I really like the C2 classes here, I get a really good workout. We spend most of the 60 minute class working hard- flow series, abs, balance, squats rather than stretching and meditating. A lot of people think yoga is only about getting more flexible and meditating, but this place will definitely strengthen your core and tone you up. Corepower Yoga is a hot yoga studio by the way. Pros - SUPER clean facility, lockeroom is like a spa! - Awesome teachers and friendly staff - It's hot yoga but none of the classrooms smell bad at all!!! (no carpet thank god!) - Parking lot!! - Great workout, teachers are attentive and will correct you so you can get the maximum butt kicking - Convenient location. It's right off of University Ave exit so it's convenient if you're taking the freeway Cons - Expensive :( I bought a 6 week unlimited pass through Groupon so I've been going several times a week for 5 weeks now but after this expires I'm not sure if I can go as often as I'd like at $18/class - Could offer more classes: for instance C2 is only offered at 6:30 tonight for those of us who want to go after work there's not much option The only reason I gave this place 4 stars instead of 5 is because of their pricing. I wish it was more reasonable. $18/class is pricey. read more

I didn't know that Core Power Yoga classes are all heated. They should advertise this for new members. Especially on the class schedule for the beginner class 1 it just says beginner class 1 it doesn't say "heated" like all the other classes are labeled. I decided to try it anyway because I was there ready to start at 8AM... I got really sick so heated yoga is not for me and I'm sure many people get nauseated; dizzy and sick so they should offer juice(sugar really helps in a pinch) in their fridge in addition to the water they sell; just a thought. The rooms really do stink; I don't know what the answer is to fix that, some people have horrible body odor and what the hec? It just ruins it for everyone else...? When the heat is too much to take and the room stinks you can count on feeling sick that is for sure. This gets in the way of anyone's work out... Finally I have to agree with other posts that the instructors do not teach proper alignment etc..I severely hurt my neck, I've been having pain for 5 days now that starts high on the right side of my neck and travels down through my shoulder and arm...this is a beginner class so I expect help with the poses. Over all I give two stars rather then one because the studio is really nice and I loved the women's bathroom/locker room. It was very clean and had everything you could possibly need. The registration was easy and the staff are friendly, I just won't be back to enjoy it. Good thing they do the one week for free so you can have a chance to see if this is for you or not. read more

Yes, like you, I drove by it for months. And yes, maybe like you, when my pants get too tight I find a month special for a new workout place. Which means I've tried it all: Dailey Method, Bar Method, Burn, BodyRok, Yoga Works, Funky Door Yoga, and dozens of others. So how does CorePower compare? Yays: 1. Maybe it's because I'm in Berkeley (and far from the Marina), but it's refreshing that the classes are full of real human beings. I don't feel like I'm crashing a sorority party, and actually feel comfortable in my hole-riddled non-Lululemon apparel, with my chipped manicure and stubbly legs. 2. 99% of the teachers are on my wavelength (perfect energy, pacing, non-irritating voices, encouraging, good music). Personal faves include: Grace, Addy, Monika, Carolyn, Emily (who is leaving). 3. They have a great variety of classes (mostly an hour each). Yoga Sculpt is Bootcamp, Hot Power Fusion is Bikram, Yoga 1 is a great intro, Ryder is spinning, Corerestore is restorative, Yoga 2/3 is a fabulous hot yoga flow, and my favorite is Yoga and Spinning. I took a class like this in LA at YAS and I've been dying for it for years. And here it is. 4. The heat is moist and comfortable. It's not dry or painful in any way so you don't contemplate suicide throughout class. 5. They have a clean and spa like locker room. This is huge. Not all yoga places or specialty gyms offer showers. And the ones that do are much more expensive monthly. So at this price, I'm impressed. Nays: 1. One of their rules is no strong scents for chemical sensitive people. That's great, but I think there should be a deodorant requirement. The crystal. Something. It's too damn hot to end up next to the one jerk who smells like onions. That should go for instructors as well. 2. I do miss my longer more traditional yoga classes. It would be nice if they offered a few 90 minute classes per week. It would also be great if they changed up their flow a bit. Lots of low lunges and chair poses. Overall, my pants are looser, I never cursed an instructor out in my mind the entire class, I never felt judged or uncomfortable, it was never overcrowded, and I really enjoyed the variety. In the end, I will not be joining because I really would like to get back to a yoga practice that is a bit more mindful, and longer. I'm not sure yoga as a sport really offers all the benefits of yoga. But if you're into working hard, melting lbs, and sweating, this is your place. read more

Bottom line: Fantastic, clean, warm (literally), friendly and extremely well-run place which will truly challenge you like none other. More oriented toward the challenging kick-butt-workout rather than mind-body aspect of yoga. Beginners will want to start with C1 (non-heated) or hot-power fusion class - the C2 & sculpt classes are not for the faint of heart. I tried this studio after seeing a flyer near the Berkeley campus asking "Ready to SWEAT?" The "sweat" in capital letters intrigued me, being the masochist extreme crazy person that I am + yoga lover (see previous reviews for more elaboration). I did my usual google/yelp-stalking online, found out the studio is a franchise located through cali and the midwest, and offers multiple heated vinyasa/bikram-type/sculpt classes in an efficient 1-hour window. I've taken mainly C2 classes along with the "sculpt" and "ryder" classes. First off, I could rave for about 3 paragraphs about how clean, new, and wonderfully pristine the actual studio is. The place is just so...clean, like *genuinely* clean, without any of the heavy-incense-attempting-to-mask-over-stale-sweat-smell cover ups. Having toughed it out in the bay area's c. 1950s buildings lacking showers (!) or featuring unreliable plumbing/ dubiously "cleaned" locker rooms, I was floored at the spa-like showers (THIS is what they call water pressure) and bathrooms in this studio. Seriously, I could get a membership JUST for the locker rooms, to finance my daily showers. They have hairbands, q-tips, soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion, towels, hairdryers, impeccably cleaned showers and automatic toilets...seriously, no need to wear shower shoes. But I digress. For those of you actually looking for a yoga class rather than a shower, the cleanliness of the locker room IS in fact relevant, because you will likely sweat more than you ever knew was possible (if you take one of the heated classes). The C2 is INTENSE. Picture BIkram-level temperatures, but you're actually moving and flowing and doing arm balances and core work. Structure of a typical C2 class: Typically the class gets "right to it" (ie no meditation or breath work), goes through a few flows (sun A's, sun B's and variations thereof) - the flows are creative, although sometimes a bit short. There is always some ab work in the middle (pardon the pun), by which point the sweat is starting to pour...and then balancing poses, arm balances and various other twisty-stretchy poses, after which you melt down and surrender in a sweaty, exhausted, wrung-out puddle of savasana. I've been attending the studio for about 6 weeks now and have grown to love it. There are classes offered all day; the 1 hour time frame is perfect, as is being able to roll right out of class drenched in sweat and hop into the luxe shower. Even though the temperatures are hot, the studio itself is spotless (antimicrobial wood floors) and there is this interesting heating system (that looks like a squiggly hot air balloon + humidifier all-in-one) that ensures air circulation and succeeds in making it seem less "hot" (it's 98 degrees!) But what I love most about the studio are the amazing instructors - they are just nice, down-to-earth, friendly people. I am a huge fan of Becky and Carla's C2 classes, and Monika's C3 on Saturday is also awesome. Becky has an incredible enthusiasm and energy; Carla's flows are fantastic and she's a sweetheart (plus she gets a lot of the poses and sequences packed into each class). Monika, I believe, is the owner of the studio and judging from my brief interactions with her, seems like a stickler for details and efficiency (part of the reason the classes start and end on time, and things are so organized). The studio also has 2 unique offerings = "Yoga Sculpt" and "CoreRyder" classes. If you are ready to torture yourself beyond all known means possible for the sake of a toned body, definitely take Becky's YogaSculpt class - it's essentially Vinyasa Yoga with weights. I've seen ripped guys in that class tremble and quake while doing the 100th weighted push-up or lunge squats in warrior 2. It's super intense, so I'm building up my way to taking about 1 or 2 of these a week. CoreRyder is a spin class with a catch: the bikes lean side to side. Which is why in just 30 minutes you feel completely worked out. Good cycling teachers that I've taken classes with include Mariah (she is an absolute gem), Austin and Diana - you will be amazed how good of a workout you get in 30 minutes of riding! My wish list for this studio: Free towels (it sucks when you forget your towel and have no change - because you'll need something to wipe off your personal flood), weekend/weekday morning C2/yoga sculpt classes, and 45-minute spin classes. And a location in SF...I wish!! Check this place out - it's pretty amazing. read more

Nice big clean studio. Great teachers. Great routines. Horrible customer experience. I was a huge fan of Corepower yoga until I spent 30 min in shitty holiday traffic and arrived 15 min late to class. I was frustrated and bummed I was late but excited to get my yoga on even if it was for only 45 min. I really loved Corepower. I always left happy and relaxed. "Oh, we're sorry, you can't get in. You're over 5 minutes late." "What?" "Yeah we don't allow people to enter if they're over 5 minutes late. It's 15 past." "I just drove 30 min in traffic to get here. No one told me about this 5 minute rule." Here's the thing. I find that 5 minute rule totally reasonable (especially for yoga). What pisses me off is a) they didn't tell me about this rule and I could have turned around and gone home b) They should have communicated the rule when I signed up and c) Being treated like an idiot makes me even more angry. If a customer has an issue, there's probably something wrong with your process. Hearing them out will make it better. Ignoring them will not. This is my first ranty Yelp review. I guess Corepower did a good job screwing me over. read more

Dangerous levels of heat, terrible customer service, and they actually lock you out! Yes, this is corporate "yoga," if you can call it that, where they are so cheap they don't have someone staff the desk. Like everyone, I got suckered in by their free trial, reduced price black tie membership, and class list, but what I found out is that you are much better off going to a real yoga studio. Their sweat inducing classes felt great...at first. One class was so hot that everyone complained that something was wrong but the teacher didn't care. In other classes, people actively have trouble with the heat, sitting down, getting woozy, getting way overheated. I've done plenty of hot yoga, drink a ton of water but found that with the heat and humidity and lack of safety control, the heat at Corepower is just too much to get an effective workout. When I spoke to customer service about the excess heat, the person on the phone who said he was also a "yoga" teacher, actually told me that he had a problem with the heating units being broken and overheating his classes! This is a HUGE safety issue and there is no proper regulation. It's up to the teachers, who are NOT actually taking the class. But fine, you're now addicted to the heat. Well, don't come late! Yes, they actually LOCK the doors if you come late even by 1 minute. Today they actually locked the door before class started! What if I just want to shower, or wait inside for the next class? Too bad. (BTW, I've cancelled my membership, but like COX still have a contract for a few weeks.) They are so cheap that even though this corporate giant has like 100 locations, and charges crazy fees, they can't pay to have someone run the desk or even answer the phone! Yes, phone calls get routed to their corporate office! Even cancelling was a huge process. Go to a local Berkeley or Oakland studio where you can actually enjoy doing yoga, not worry about overzealous teachers and overheated rooms, get the studio to actually answer the phone, and not randomly get locked out! read more

This place is quite nice, especially for a heated yoga studio. The facilities are clean, do not smell weird at all, and seem to be an appropriate size for a yoga studio. I've done hot yoga at multiple studios, and this place is much cleaner than any other heated studio I've visited. Studios: there are three rooms, one of which has spinning cycles (I haven't used them yet). The floors are made of some wood composite material, with springy stuff underneath, so it's soft on your feet and joints. NO CARPET. The floor material must be water resistant because sweat and condensation doesn't soak in. Locker room (women): very nice and spa-like, with 3-4 stall showers and toilets each. There's at least one private changing room, if you care. There are no locks for the lockers, but the locker rooms are not accessible from the street, and they claim to have no problems with theft. There's free shampoo, conditioner and body wash in the showers and free mouthwash, lotion, deodorant spray and q-tips in the changing area. Negatives: (1) You need to bring your own mat and towel(s), or pay $$ to rent them. (2) Considering there are three studio rooms, the class hours and class selection are somewhat limited. I really like the core fusion class, which is mostly a shorter version of a B**ram yoga series with more core/belly work, but it's not available at the same time every day. (3) Biggest negative is the $$, it's expensive compared to other hot yoga. I have a discount on one month of yoga, but after the month is over, I don't know if I can afford the monthly fee, and the drop-in cost is high. Like other studios, they have a program where you can be a studio cleaner in exchange for yoga, but I don't know the details. read more

A great yoga studio! I tried the free week and that was enough to get me to sign up. Now, a month later, I'm really glad I did it. All the good things everyone is saying I've experienced also and the first two are huge for me: Great and super nice staff. Great and super nice management. The classes are varied and they run all day from something like 6 am to 8pm in the evening. You can go in almost any time and there will be a class starting soon! The studio feels more like a spa than a gym. Very comfortable and inviting. I've been in a few classes that were full and the ventilation system really did a great job. I have done a LOT of hot yoga over the years and this place has by far the best ventilation of any that I have attended. That is a big deal so I'll list it by itself: The Ventilation System works great! Music is played in almost all classes and I usually like it a lot. That covers the highlights of my experience. No 'cons', all 'pros' :) Yoga is a highly personal experience. Most of the classes at Core Power are 'workout' oriented if that makes sense. You will feel it in your muscles the next day and that is just what I wanted. You can take classes are much more gentle too but if you just show up at random times most of the classes you will find are more of the workout type. Try the free week and see if it is a good fit for you! read more

I must admit - every time I have been in Berkeley, I've only gone to yoga studios on Shattuck Avenue. However, my boyfriend literally lives down the block from this Core Power location and I never bothered venturing inside. This all changed when he gave me a trial pass. We decided take a 9 am hot yoga class together offered on Saturday morning. Core Power is located upstairs in a small business complex. Once we arrived upstairs, I was impressed by the reception area and studio. The studio was very clean and had a charming seating area. There were various merchandise items (like yoga pants, shirts, mats) against the wall as well as a sales rack. The air had a slight lavender fragrance. As we approached the front desk, we were immediately welcomed by instructors and staff. Due to it being our first time at the location, we were asked to register out information on two (2) Ipad stations at the front desk (I mean talk about being up-to-date with technology!). Since my boyfriend and I had our own yoga mats and locks, we did not have to rent either items from the facility. Core power does provide rental mats for small fee. Following registration, I entered the woman's locker room/rest room in order to change. The locker room is beautiful! It has soft lightening, small very clean, and offered plenty of personal toiletries for use. There did not appear to be a large amount of lockers available. After I changed, I met my boyfriend in the studio. The hot yoga studio had several large windows (over looking the parking lot and side streets). All the patrons already inside were very quiet and focused on their breath. While my boyfriend found that to be a bit odd since the class did not start for another 20 minutes, I appreciated the quite as it possible for me to focus and ease into practice. The instructor was amazing and made me feel very comfortable, as if I was one of her regulars. The practice was intense but she always made sure that we listened to our bodies. Also, she played wonderful music that made the class all the more enjoyable. My boyfriend and I loved coming here (he became a member right away...I will once I move to the Bay). This is a wonderful place for yoga practice ! read more

If you're an athlete looking for yoga that will make you feel like you're actually getting a workout and isn't too touchy-feely, this is absolutely the place to go. I've been trying to get myself into yoga for years b/c my flexibility is horrible, but I always find it boring or too new agey. I totally understand that some people want yoga to be a more meditative, spiritual experience, and to each his own. But it's not my thing, and I really appreciate that this place doesn't force that aspect of yoga on you. There are actually a bunch of good power yoga places in the Berkeley area these days, but what sets CorePower apart for me is the following: 1. The classes are only an hour, which is enough time for me to feel like I'm working but not enough time to get bored. 2. The music during the classes is great- has words, songs you know, not just like tribal drumming or Enya or something. 3. It's hot but it doesn't smell. For real. It's amazing. 4. They have some unique offerings, such as a spin/yoga class and yoga with weights. Again, catering to more of the athletic crowd. LOVE IT here read more

Love this studio. Incredible instructors and wonderful environment. I got strong, fast!