Pros: Nice studio and predictable class structure. I like that there's no music or mirrors in the studio so you can just focus on your breath and movement. Cons: Inconsistency between temperature and instructors. Sometimes it's hardly warm, and other times it's been so hot I think I might pass out. Some instructors are really fast and pushy which overall leaves a bad taste in my mouth, even though some other instructors are great. Worth a try but definitely not my favorite studio. read more

Lacks a positive nurturing vibe, if you are looking for teachers to tell you you're doing it wrong, this is the right studio for you.

Fantastic yoga studio! They provide great amenities like lockers, blocks for balance, stretching straps and changing facilities. Staff is amazing! The classes are challenging, however that's exactly what you should expect with Baptiste Power yoga. Be ready to sweat, get uncomfortable, stretch, and essentially "rinse" yourself out. Give it a try! read more

the older white ladies are weird and rude. ive been here twice, I wanted to give it a second chance but now can confirm that this studio sucks and will not be coming back. don't recommend especially for POCs there are much better studios nearby where the people are kind, caring, and more cultured read more

I have been practicing at Down Dog consistently (4+ times per week) for the past 10+ years. While I always looked forward to the classes for a great workout that was a core part of my exercise routine, I think the studio has lost something over the past year or so. Most of the newer instructors aren't very challenging and/or talk too much, which limits which classes I am willing to go to (unlike the more seasoned instructors - especially Christina, Laura, Melissa, Sharman, Lara, and Alex, whose classes I would go to over and over again). And the space is barely hot at best or lukewarm at worst, which runs counter to the idea of a hot yoga studio, with the non-functioning humidifier contributing to this as we move into the cooler, less humid weather... and with no visibility into the plan to fix it (maybe an unfortunate financial decision?). I hope Down Dog will address these concerns soon ahead of me and other longer-time students looking elsewhere at the growing number of hot yoga options in the area. read more

EXCELLENT studio with excellent staff and customer service. The classes are packed like sardines but its suprisingly nice because it creates a nice little intimate setting between everyone lol. The staff had high vibrations and the vicinity is always clean. 10/10 read more

Let me preface this by saying that the front desk staff and instructors here are incredibly kind. Before COVID, I was an avid yogi and took classes at Down Dog before discovering Corepower down the street. Tonight, I decided to give DDY another go. Maybe I'm just out of practice but tonight's class was so goddamn hot that I was unable to do some easy poses for fear of fainting. I also shake my head thinking of the militant pace and repeated "up dog, down dog, low plank, up dog, down dog..."and the three in a row bridge and wheel sequences. After years of healthy and successful yoga practice, I know that an overly heated room (of course it has to be hot) and militant pace don't make one practice superior to another. In fact, this kind of practice makes one prone to injuries and inhibits one from deepening their practice or a posture. I was really hoping for a juicy Friday night flow but left with a headache. Perhaps repeated classes here would help with the heat adjustment but beware of this place if you're a beginner or out of practice. read more

I started using this app when I was traveling and then it really came in handy when my gym was closed during the pandemic. Now I use it almost every morning for about 30 minutes. Keeps my aging body nice and limber! read more

For years, I've been wanting to try DDY and last week, while surfing for something to help jump start my routine, I happened upon its schedule, noticed that founder, Patti, was in town teaching a couple of classes, so I signed up. Wow! It was terrific! I went back the next day, another excellent class, led by Brian. I'll aim to return whenever I can - great practice, studio, community and overall energy. read more

This reception area is so spacious, I felt like a class cloud easily be held in the reception area. I like how there were cubbies in one area near the bathrooms and then more near the changing stalls. The studio has no mirrors and mat to mat accommodates 60 people. There are 8 curtained changing stalls and two bathrooms. The studio is a Baptiste studio and I am notoriously NOT a Baptiste fan, but plan to return since I had a great experience. For those who do not do yoga often, Baptiste is faster paced than "normal Vinyasa" and there is less emphasis on one breath to one movement. I've practiced for 15yrs and Baptiste gives me more of an aerobic workout than other forms of yoga. The temperature is kept around 90-95F. You will sweat a lot (so bring a towel - the studio does have them as well but I believe there is a nominal fee). You will often find the #whyddy hashtag on twitter and Instagram, there is a great following and I've NEVER seen the studio without at least a dozen yogi's in class. Parking at this location is tough, but my experience may be due to the snow still remaining on the nearby streets blocking access to the meters. Once the snow melts, I will update my review should I find it easier to park, but for now, plan some extra time if travelling by car. read more

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Although I just started doing yoga, and have not been to other studios, this studio is better than what I imagined a yoga studio would be like. The staff is very friendly. The instructors are helpful and make their classes work for all levels, new and advanced. You can rent a mat and towel if you forget yours. I really like how they have a juice bar right inside the studio. They also sell regular drinks and yoga supplies. I really love this place. If I could change anything it would just be to have the front floors and the walls inside the yoga room a bit cleaner. Otherwise, its a pretty clean studio. This place makes me wish I started doing yoga years ago! read more

Had a fantastic first experience with Hot Yoga at this studio, with instructor Sandy. Her careful yet commanding guidance in the packed, sweltering room left quite an impact on myself and my partner. Going in I wasn't familar with the faster-paced 'Baptiste' style of their hour-long Flow 60 class, but it ended up truly testing the limits of what I perceived my body was capable of. We all were drenched afterwards like I've never been before. Having since taken other yoga classes with Down Dog, I'd definitely recommend this location and instructor. It seems to be more humid and less of a dry heat involved at DDY's Georgetown studio, so you're sweating more but in a way that doesn't leave you feeling as parched. read more

Yeah, I really didn't like this yoga studio, and generally I like hot yoga. There were a few reasons I wasn't so keen, but the main reason is: NO SHOWERS The flow will make you absolutely dripping, and unless you live in the immediate neighborhood, the lack of showers is a deal-breaker. If you don't live nearby, but you don't mind walking around the city soaked in perspiration, then you should shower anyways. The rest of us here don't want to smell your stank. Yo, for reals. As far as the yoga goes, my noon power-hour was perhaps a little more bearable than Bikram, but not by much. The instructor mostly stood at the front of the room, and though he did move through the class making adjustments at points, he spent insufficient time on this considering number of people in the class and the rate we were moving from asana to asana. The poses were all very standard, and there wasn't much creativity in the sequence. There were plenty of vinyasas - too many, too fast, in my opinion, and with insufficient instruction on how to achieve correct form. As a result, the class was full of people doing poses incorrectly. That's dangerous. I especially didn't appreciate the exhortations to go deeper into poses because "sometimes it hurts" and that this is a good thing. The instuctor can't really know if you should be going deeper into a pose, only you can know this, and a yoga instuctor should help you gain knowledge, not egg your ego on. The other reviewer's comment that the classes felt like boot camp is accurate I think. Side note: In my practice, I like to go deep, and sometimes I like to go *very* deep, and I sometimes I like to go fast, and sometimes I like to go *very* fast. Every practice is different, and I consider classes an opportunity to explore and even to push my body on a journey that I am privileged to share with others. The Command-and-Control style of instructing I feel takes this journey away from me - all of the sudden it's the instructor who's driving, and not me. It strips the practice of exploration. I *do* like hot yoga because the heat helps me get deeper into my body, but practitioners shouldn't kid themselves that just because they're sweating they must be getting a better work out. You're getting exactly as good a cardiovascular workout as a similarly-paced Vinyasa studio, only you're losing more water. I would repeat another commenter's statement that this isn't a great place for beginners, because of the paucity of instruction on alignment. I would point out that flow-style yoga is highly improved with some kind of music. I would note that sweating hard feels really good, but that we should all shower afterwards, out of compassion for the suffering of others. I would comment that you may think this place deserves five stars, but if you came here as a complete beginner and you've never tried other styles of yoga or other studios, you don' t really know what you're missing. To sum up: -no showers -very warm and sweaty -very fast and repetitive -no music -also no showers -feels good -see Kristin M's review for a more thorough critique read more

**Slight fabrication alert** Me: Good thing I drank, like, 10 glasses of water today. I'm ready to sweat! Instructor: You are going to die by my hand. Me: Oh come on, it can't be that bad. I'm an experienced practitioner of yoga. I've done it at least six times. Instructor: Do not test me. I once made a man bleed just by thinking about it. Me: That's some weird shit. Are we going to do Downward Facing Dog? That's a funny name. Instructor: This is not a joke! Now you're really going to suffer. Me: Whatev. I'm ready to do this. Let me just grab my...oh look, a text on my iPhone! Ha, it's Dave. He just sent me a quote from The Office. Instructor: ... Me: I'm going to die tonight, aren't I? Instructor: Yes. ******************************************************************* And I did. And I loved it. This was my first vinyasa flow class and I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. It's definitely intense and you will sweat buckets but it's also a great workout. I'll definitely be back, mothaeffas. read more

I love hot vinyasa yoga, particularly Baptiste-style, so when we moved to the neighborhood, I was so excited that DC's only Baptiste-affiliate, Down Dog, was just a short walk away. Fast forward two months of very regular practice there and I'm a bit ticked at myself for jumping in and buying a long-term pass. Yes, it's crowded and oddly managed, but I could live with all of that if the classes weren't so darn BORING. It's gotten so with the exception of 1 or 2 teachers, I can predict every single pose before it happens. And the sequence that just about every one of the teachers there teaches day after day after day is missing some of my favorite poses. Where is the half moon, people? What about a little bit of crow action? How about some standing splits to mix it up? Yes, you get a workout, but I could do this sequence at home with the heat cranked up and get the same benefit (and have more money in my bank account at the end of the day). More fundamentally, from my perspective, one of the real selling points for this type of yoga is that the teachers generally are always mixing it up, so that the practitioner is always having to react in body and mind to new poses and sequences. It's better for fitness and helps you to grow your practice. Plus, it makes it super fun -- like dance or play, rather than grinding repetition. There's already a kind of yoga that does the same sequence day after day, week after week, in sweltering heat - it's called Bikram, and I stopped doing it because it was so darn BORING. I am also with the other commentators on the lack of music-accompanied classes. Often when you walk into class they are playing something funky and fun that would be rocking to do a creative flow to, but then the clock strikes the hour and it turns out that was all a tease. The music turns off, and here we are again, in the Groundhog Day of yoga practices. For some, the repetition may very well be a plus. For me, once my pass expires, I'll be hunting for a new studio. read more

I came here due to the Yelp reviews, but I would have appreciated knowing further details. If you are in your early twenties and new to yoga and think of it as only a sweat this could be your thing. For me, it is extremely cramped with militant barking instructions and absolutely no room to move. Yuppie Yoga and not deep in your body. while I value the instructor and ultimately liked her, the whole thing was just off. I have taken and taught pretty much every level of yoga for twenty years and I do love ashtanga, and I am fine in a mat abutting mat high powered room - taken literally hundreds of classes like that - but this was just not cool. It was too cramped for the style ; frenetic and weird, like getting caught in a frat house when your intention was to go with a cool gathering of friends. Not balanced - I doubt I would go back. Same with my friend who joined me. We practiced in different areas and when we discussed the class later turns out we discovered we both left feeling very off kilter - it was just a weird class. we both would have, on our own, left. But because we came together neither of us did so. I am giving a higher rating because nice staff but I won't return, nor will he. I don't recommend this place for anyone who has practiced a long time, in different styles, or for people a bit more mature. We both would be considered level 3 practitioners. But if you are just getting into yoga, in your twenties and type A, it could be what is needed to grab you. It's a lot like a dance party. And there are benefits to that. read more

I went here as part of my DC yoga quest. It was a mind-altering experience. April makes a very good point, this is not for someone new to yoga. It is extremely challenging, you will push yourself. Personally, I like yoga that gives me some peace of mind and a good ass-kicking workout, all in one. I find the 2 go hand in hand, something about the endorphine rush and the detox aspect of sweating. I had such an amazing emotional release in my class yesterday. I highly recommend downdog for serious yogis or people looking for a really tough workout. The heat really helps you get deeper into postures. Intro deal is good, $35 for a week unlimited and student rates are good as well. The studio is pretty and clean and peaceful. The teacher I had yesterday, Gregory was amazing. Terri is also pretty good. read more

Inside the yoga studio, it's hot and your body relaxes. Inside, the mind relaxes. Attentive instructors guide the stretching and repetition of challenging poses; you move, gain discipline, momentum; feel the inner heat come through, sweat, and let go. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana. Upward-facing dog, downward-facing dog... Inside, you notice how the mind works itself up and when it quiets down; you notice the repetition of certain thoughts. This is a space created for shifting energies. It is an entry point to a practice. You set your intention in the beginning of each class, and while it applies to that session of poses, it stretches and grows in/out to your world. Practically speaking, it's popular and the Georgetown and Bethesda studios that I frequent get quite full; it's wise to get there early for a session. Starting out, you have one week of free, unlimited yoga - great deal, which I didn't know about when I signed up. They offer drinks (a friend introduced me to the Brazilian coconut water, which I love now) and rentals of mats and towels. Instructors are warm and passionate about yoga. The rest is for you and your intentions to work out. read more

Om om me god I am sore. Having never taken a group yoga class I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to keep up and do the proper poses. But my first experience was a good one. I tried the hot yoga, which wasn't as bad as I thought. Was sweating up a storm after and yes there are no showers, but I get grossed out with communal showers anyway. The staff is friendly and helpful. I will most definitely come again. They offer different packages and even have student rates ($12 for one drop in session). So the price seemed pretty reasonable. The location is conveniently placed on M Street in Georgetown, so if you wanna walk around drenched in sweat.. knock your yoga stretching socks off. read more

I would go back here except...it is SO CROWDED. As in, I can barely move. There are many things I like about this studio (location, teachers, atmosphere) but I really just can't do it any more. I am a small person and I have good control of my body but I literally kept bumping into the people next to me. We were sweating on each other, a little bit of which comes with the territory, but I literally saw people fall into a heap because we were so packed. There just was not space to complete many of the moves required by the practice. The one thing they do to deal with this is to put mat markers down on the floor, but seriously...my advice to this place would be to take just a few fewer people for each class and increase the quality of their practice. It might be better in the middle of a week day, but I work so for me this is not an option. As it is...I just can't. read more

This is THE place to go if you want an extremely challenging workout/yoga practice! You'll leave totally sweaty and, hopefully, feeling like it was totally worth the money and time. The practice here is regimented, disciplined, long, hot & sweaty, without focus on spirituality (there's no meditation or dharma talks here, although 3 ohms at start and end) and taught nearly identically across all instructors. This is the place to go if you want the same kick-ass workout every time. This is also a good place for those that need that 'bootcamp-like drill sargent instruction' or for those that really want to push themselves physically and mentally to keep going - even doing that sixth shaking wheel when you're completely exhausted. Since there's very little alignment and safely cues here, I would just warn yoga beginners to have a good foundational knowledge of safe alignment because you will be told to do some risky stuff (e.g., standing backbends, head stands, dropping head back in camel, etc). Also, if you're looking for a spiritual or inward-looking/meditative yoga practice, I would recommend another studio. One thing that I think could be an improvement: I've been going into the final cool-down poses (pigeon, etc) and savasana overheated and thus having a hard time settling down instead of dreaming of ice baths. It would be nice if the fans could be turned on high or room otherwise cooled when we start the cool down phase. read more

I want to start off by saying that I used to go to this studio 5-6 years ago when they were in the old location. It was amazing - high ceilings, lots of light, hot and tucked down by the canal. I had to get there 15 minutes early just to get a spot, packed with 60 people wall to wall - I left exhausted, drenched, and excited to come back for more! It was intense 1.5 hour flow with nonstop movement. I moved back to DC hoping for that same feeling at the new location and am sad to say I am not receiving that same level of intensity, heat or energy in all classes. Now a lot of the classes end in meditation, are yin yoga, which I understand some audiences prefer - I just miss this being THE hot power yoga studio of the city and knowing if I show up I'm getting the same intensity and level from all instructors. read more

As a fan of Baptiste style hot vinyasa yoga, I was excited to see that DC has a studio right by where I was staying that seemed similar to Baptiste and came highly recommended. My first impressions were great. The people at the front desk were very friendly and helpful and made me feel more welcome than I've felt at most studios. The studio itself had a nice warm, inviting atmosphere, and while it does get a little crowded, it never felt totally stifling. The community vibe seems really strong and supportive here. The first teacher I had, Derek, was AWESOME. I loved his friendly, enthusiastic personality, and he delivered a strong, challenging class with encouragement and humor and not too much pushy/preachy BS. Alison, on the other hand, was pretty much the polar opposite. A fine instructor who led an intense class and gave great adjustments, but a little too in-your-face for me. Her instruction was this odd juxtaposition of drill sergeant-esque commands and mumbly spiritual/philosophical musings about not having to be prefect and staying in/seizing the moment, blah, blah, blah.... I went back a third time and took Melissa's class, which I found to be somewhere in the middle of Derek and Alison in terms of style. She was solid and gave me a couple of great alignment tips and adjustments, but kinda "chastised" people for resting and for not staying up in wheel pose and gave maybe 45 seconds at the end for savasana (!!) Overall, I found the style of instruction here to be a little too "military power yoga" for my preference. I'm used to kick ass baptiste style classes that bring you to your edge, but the coercive language and delivery of instruction (not to mention the lack of alignment cues and chances to slow down and get into a pose with proper form) were a little jarring to me. That being said, I will totally go back here when I visit DC again because the classes here did bring the heat, the sweat and the power and left me feeling rinsed out and stronger. I will definitely seek out Derek's class and would highly recommend him, especially to newbies... read more

The pros: - Great instructor and workout; loved the pace. (Which made up for some of the cons...thus the 3 stars). - Great location. The cons: - Expensive - $18 for drop-in class. - Too crowded...they really pack in students and have tape marks on the floor to place mats. And the tape marks/mats are literally 6" away from the next...there is NO room to even stretch out arms in poses. Ridiculous! - The rental mats: I travel for work and thus rent a mat in whatever yoga studio I can find. The rental mats here are $1 (very reasonable), but are super thin and calling it a mat is real stretch (pun intended.) read more

I've been coming here for about 2 years, irregularly (once a month or so). If you are a yoga pro, familiar with poses and knowledgable about yoga, then this is a good fit. If you are a beginner or if you want to learn new poses, this is not the right place. The sequences are pretty much the same in every class and the instructor does not show you how to do the poses. So if "Eagle" or "Crow's Pose" is not already familiar to you, you'll find yourself looking around and trying to mimic your neighbors. The instructor is walking around, verbally instructing, but rarely actually getting in front of class and showing you how to move. I feel that the classes were much more about working up a sweat and not so much about deepening the pose or correcting your posture. I go here because I want a work out. Sometimes I feel bored doing the same "down dog, chaturanga, up dog, down dog" sequence 5x in a row, but it's the closest studio to where I live so I'm pretty much going for the convenience. There's a new studio called CorePower that just opened up and I'm hoping to try it. I also like having music and there's no music, but that is a personal preference. Biggest Plus: the front desk staff is incredibly nice and always helpful Biggest Minus: pools of sweat on the floor after class! it is very crowded with mats lined up right next to each out, no space between. after class, the sweat makes the floor very slippery so be careful. if you rent a mat, you need to clean it yourself. I prefer to dispose it somewhere so it can be washed in a machine for sanitary reasons. wiping it off with some spray and paper towels just doesn't quite seem clean enough. read more

Love this place. I try to come for at least one class every time I'm in town. Personally, I'd prefer the room a few degrees cooler, but that's the style, so a-ok. They were also very accommodating when I did classes there while pregnant. read more

Some of the other reviews are a little critical of this place, but I disagree for the most part. It can get crowded and it's usually ridiculously hot (they don't call it hot yoga for nothing), it is actually a really great experience. It is definitely a more intense workout than most yoga studios I've been to. Also, I was relatively new at yoga when I started here. I did the beginner classes (Tues / Thurs at 7:30) for a few weeks and then moved to the more advanced. I never really found it too strenuous to handle, except maybe in the summer when it's already 100 degrees out. I tend to have a lot of energy most of the time so this certainly affects my perspective, but don't be turned off of this place too quickly. It's definitely worth a shot. Also, Gregory is one of the best yoga instructors I've ever had. Definitely not a "boot camp" approach - he very much incorporates philosophy and the traditional yoga experience into the workout. read more

I have been going here for almost 7 years now and believe that it is the best yoga in the entire Washington metro area. The classes are consistently challenging and you always know what to expect. The difficulty level is high, but that's the reason to go!!!!!!!! The community is very kind, supportive and nurturing. And all of the teachers are magnificent. (Especially Derek) Yes, parking in Georgetown proves to be challenging, and yes, the classes are a little pricy, but in my opinion, the classes are totally worth it! You will leave feeling more alive (and possibly enlightened) then you even knew possible. Namaste! read more

I signed up for the free week trial at Down Dog. I have experience doing hot yoga so I was ready to sweat. I also read the previous reviews which were helpful. I went to Patty's class which was beyond intense. She is a fantastic teacher and it was really nice that there was an assistant with her that was coming around to adjust postures. It's important to remember that yoga is a practice so just because the teacher says to do something doesn't mean you will be able to. Needless to say I consider myself in good shape and I had to take a few breaks during class. If you are a beginner avoid class with Patty. This is the only Hot yoga studio in Georgetown so really your choices are limited. The studio was packed for both classes I went too which means you might accidentally kick someone when doing a pose or you might get kicked. I also felt uncomfortable doing headstand as I really didn't want to fall on anyone. There were at least 65 people in the studio which increases the heat in the room. They only have one bathroom and three changing rooms. As you can imagine it gets quite cramped before and after classes. There is only one studio as well and when classes are back to back you don't ever see anyone in there mopping the floors (gross!). You don't know if that's sweat on the floor from the last class or cleaning spray from people cleaning their mats. read more

5 Stars: Amazing workout, I feel awesome every time I leave 4 Stars: - Really crowded... sometimes too much so, the should make their max class number at least 10 people less - and if you happen to get a spot to someone who sweats A LOT (everyone sweats), it's disgusting because your mat is filled with the other person's sweat... now that I think of it, these people should be required to register for 2 spots. Kinda like fat people and airplanes.l 3 Stars: - Lack of variety in classes - I've gone to the gtown studio and the Bethesda studio for about 6 months combined and regardless of teacher or day/time the classes are 98% exactly the same. The physical workout is amazing, but you don't really get a chance to grown in your practice/learn new poses. That being said, there's something to be said for standardization because all teachers are pretty much equally as good/bad and you know what you'll get every class (if that's what you want). - Rather inconvenient location (unless you live in Gtown) - You spend WAY too much time in down dog. It's not necessary to hold it for 5 breaths after every salutation. Sometimes salutations are fun when you do a couple in a row. Crazy, I know. 2 Stars: - 99% of the time they don't correct the people doing the pose wrong. You'll spend your whole life doing it wrong unless someone tells you otherwise - No Showers Overall, I think it could DEFINITELY be better... but I keep going back for the sweating - it really is addicting and overcomes these probably otherwise fatal flaws. read more

This studio has been a second home to me over the years. I don't agree with everything they do all the time (some teachers get really new agey and the dogma can be intense) and think the front desk staff often leaves a lot to be desired - but if you go regularly enough you will meet some interesting people and see that there's a real sense of community here. During parts of my life I really needed that - and luckily did find it. It is overpriced in my humble opinion. I wish they offered the student discount to us often-stressed teachers. If you can find a teacher you like, though, and can afford - and can access its tight location - then you might enjoy it for a while. Personally I liked Paulina, Khalil, and Alice. read more

Down Dog is the studio that got me hooked on hot yoga. I was a little leery walking in on my first day since my only hot yoga experience up to that point was a Bikram class I took in college, which I absolutely hated. I also didn't really "get" yoga since none of the classes I'd taken felt like a particularly good workout and I wasn't too keen on stretching my body into uncomfortable positions. But after talking to a friend who had been practicing there for a while, she assured me that it would be unlike any other yoga class I'd ever taken. When I first walked in I immediately noticed how TINY the space was. Between the people leaving class and gathering their belongings and the people arriving for the next class, there were bodies everywhere! And since it was the dead of winter, standing outside was out of the question. But, even though it was super crowded, no one really seemed to mind, so I just went with the flow and waited patiently for it to clear out. After things settled down I put my belongings into one of the cubbyholes and went into the studio. By the time class started the room was packed! Each person was literally 3 inches from their neighbor, but again, no one seem to mind so I just went with the flow, LOL. What happened next was an hour of one of the most intense workouts I have ever had. Between the challenging vinyasa flow and the heat, I worked every part of my body and sweat my ass off! My friend was right, it was definitely unlike any other yoga class I had ever experienced and I was pleasantly surprised. Needless to say, I kept coming back for more. I took advantage of the one month free deal they had going on at the time and went at least four times a week. The only reason I am not a member now is because Georgetown is probably the most inconvenient part of town for me. Even though I have a car, I like to work out right after work and getting to Georgetown from Brightwood Park by 6 PM is damn near impossible. It's a great studio tho, especially if you live in the neighborhood. The only reason I deducted one star is because there is no locker room/shower. That means you have to go home before you can change out of your funky, dripping with sweat, yoga gear. Ugh! read more

If you love military style power yoga in a 100 degree room, this is the place for you. I don't consider myself athletic or one that enjoys working out, but for some reason I really like hot, power yoga at Down Dog. It's just a great way to work out, be in a class with people, it helps you to stay motivated when you see others working hard as well. I show up, do what they tell me to do, and in an hour and a half I feel amazing afterwards! And maybe it's because it's all over with! hahah. I'm still learning all of the breathing and techniques but so far it's been a really good experience. The first half of the class is pretty tough. Second half is more relaxed in laying down poses. I've been going to down dog over a month and half now. I know yoga is suppose to be more relaxing but i think i would be bored without the heat and the brute style of yoga this place offers. The teachers are pretty good. My favs are angie meyer, lana beex, and patty ivey. Not in any partucular order of fav. Try to take a class with 2 instructors. Teachers walk around and help with alignment and adjustments. Every class is in a heated room. The people that attend these classes take it seriously, there is no messing around. Price is very reasonable i think. Find the info on the website. Bring 3 friends and get 1 free class! I get tge 10 pack for 2 months. Comes out to $15 a class. You get one week free (7 days)after your first paid class. Mats, towel, block is free first time. Studio is nice and big with high ceilings. 1 bathroom. Storage area for your things. There are no showers but i wouldnt shower there anyway so that doesnt bother me. I highly recommend Down Dog. Its addicting and its a great workout! More importantly, one of the best things you could do for yourself. Join now! Namaste. DDY Tips: Wear comfortable workout clothes. I would advise not eating before class but drinking lots of liquids. They also advise not drinking during your workout. Don't try to leave the class during your session. Going from super hot to cool can shock your body. That is why they ask you not to leave, and just sit in child pose. Go to class 15-20 mins before to pick good a good spot, relax, and stretch. Class fills up quickly. For a first timer, go on a saturday morning. The class is not packed like sardines and room is not as hot since they have just turned on the heat. As it collects during the day, you really feel the difference at the 7:45pm class. It's hot as hell. See you at the DD! read more

3.5 stars - Dog dog gets my approval. The hot classes are more intense than regular temp. classes. I didn't like how there were 30+ students in the room. There was plenty of space, but a teacher can't watch for individuals who need help and can't give the extra touches (essential oil, savasana adjustments, temple rubs, teaching variations for injuries or different levels. After 4-5 classes, I haven't gone back because I live far away and don't really like hot yoga. It reminds me too much of triathlons or "extreme sports". read more

I felt very welcomed here, however now that my free week is over I don't think I'll be coming back. I really appreciated having the opportunity to try it out for free. Hot yoga isn't for everyone. I've been doing yoga for over a year and in the middle of my first class I felt like puking. I really wouldn't recommend this place for a beginner, or for someone prone to heat stroke (though it did make it easier on my recently healed broken wrist)! I can't imagine what this place is like in the summer. Maybe it'd be better if there were showers. This place smells like sweat and patchouli, and everyone has to leave soaked in sweat. I was not digging that. read more

I really enjoy DDY! I was no yogi when I first walked in the door here after getting a recommendation from a friend to try it out. I love that all the instructors I've experienced are extremely helpful and I don't have to feel worried about making a mistake, asking for help or falling out of a pose. Now 2 months later I feel like I have a good foundation and this is one of the best workouts I've ever experienced. I am also a runner and it's helped me loosen up my hips and hammies a ton. With that said there are things that do not bother me at all that may bother others like it does sometimes get crowded and you are close to the others around you. I've found 2 great classes that don't get too busy. The front area does get a little crowded after class and there are no showers. I walk one block down and use my WSC membership to shower if needed:) So overall I love it and highly recommend DDY. Your body will feel amazing afterward! read more

Down Dog Georgetown is a fantastic yoga studio that offers challenging hot yoga practice a la the famous Baron Baptiste. Studio Fundamentals: Small space right off of M-Street near Dean & Deluca. Vitamin Water/Smart Water/Coconut Water for sale at the front desk. Small changing booths upstairs, and cubbies to store your stuff. Heated pretty hot, and made only hotter by the body heat of dozens of sweaty yogis. What I love: - Awesome, challenging power yoga practice. Even if the room wasn't heated to 100 degrees, you'd feel the burn. In every class, you immediately jump into down dog and are constantly moving until savasana at the end. Your heart rate will be moving quickly, and you'll often be sore afterwards. It often kicks your butt and makes you feel great. - I've never had a bad instructor, possibly because everyone sticks to the same basic routine. I will say, Patty's class is insanely challenging. But I've liked everyone else just as much. - The $50 intro month is a fantastic deal, and the classes aren't too terribly priced after that--they're pretty much in line with most other yoga studios in the area. - They'll be opening a yoga studio in Clarendon soon! What to know: - Because the practice is so challenging, you need decent yoga foundation in order to keep up with normal classes. The class moves really quickly, and I've never seen any of the instructors to give detailed instructions on how to get into specific positions. - The lobby space in front of the studio gets CRAZY before and after classes, especially on weekday evenings and very very especially when your class is back-to-back with another one. - No showers! Kind of a bummer when you get this sweaty, but with so many people you'd probably never get a chance to shower anyway. - Bring extra towels. Not just one for your yoga mat, but also a hand towel and maybe a headband to keep sweat from dripping into your eyes when you're inverted, which is the worst. read more

This has to be short because I'm on my way to Down Dog Yoga now, but this is the best yoga place I have ever been. I lived in New York for 6 years and never found a place that compared. It's hot, but not too hot. A great workout that forces you to focus and push yourself. Sometimes one instructor plays this mystical flute at the end, which sounds hokey, but is beautiful. And I'm glad they incorporate a few sit ups so you don't get the yoga belly - you know, skinny but still soft. Ew. Oh, there aren't showers at Georgetown, so go home right after. read more

Sorry folks, I'm not drinking the Kool-Aid. I was in town for a conference and thought I'd give this place a try, since it was close to my Georgetown Hotel. First of all, $18 for yoga (plus $2 for a towel and $2 for a mat rental) is pretty expensive. I live in Boston (not the cheapest city), and I've never paid that much for a yoga class before. When I got into the studio, I spread out my mat next to the wall. Quickly a women (one of the class assistants) came over to me and told me I needed to line up the corners of my mat with some tape marks on the floor. Doing so would have put me right up against the wall, and I'm tall; I have long gangly arms. As I didn't look forward to repeatedly whacking the wall during class, I found some tape marks in the middle of the room instead. The class quickly filled past the point where it seemed reasonable to fit in any more students. It was packed. I felt like I couldn't do all the poses like I normally do, because I didn't want to stick my sweaty elbow or butt into somebody else's personal space. Hot vinyasa flow yoga has never been my favorite yoga style, but especially not the way it is practiced at Down Dog Yoga. I felt like we were being told to fly through the poses so fast it was actually dangerous. A lot of yoga poses can be bad for your joints if they are done wrong, and I didn't have enough time to think about alignment at all. This irked me, big time. Also: ending the class with crunches? There is research out there showing that crunches are actually kind of bad for your neck and back. You know what's good, Down Dog Yoga? Exercises like holding a plank position for an extended period of time. But holding a pose for an extended period of time would be against the frenetic crowded sweaty mood of this class, I suppose. The teacher also didn't offer any suggestions of modifications for any challenging poses. In fact, she mocked us a few times for drinking water, and told us we should have drunk water BEFORE class so we didn't need to "waste class time" drinking. Guess what, Down Dog Yoga? I paid $22 for this experience, I can spend the whole time drinking water if I want to. I felt nauseous and irritable after this class, and had a weird popping in my hip for the next couple of hours - not my typical yoga experience. I would never come back to this studio, or recommend it to anyone. read more

I saw the one-star posting from 2/14/15, where someone was very upset after being turned away from a sold-out class. I wanted to offer another perspective. First, 2/14 was a unique day because one of the teachers at DDY was moving away and this was his last day of teaching. Everyone flocked to his classes to say goodbye, which is a great example of the tight knit community of DDY, and how special this teacher is. Having been there myself that morning, it was indeed crazily busy and his classes sold out because everyone wanted to see him before he left... As a general review... I started practicing the Baptiste style of yoga in Baron Baptiste's Boston studios, and when I was making plans to move to DC several teachers in Boston recommended that I check out Down Dog. Now, several years later, I am still a regular at DDY, and would not go anywhere else. Patty maintains extremely high standards for her teachers, and you will not find a better group of teachers at any studio in the DC area. The teachers know their stuff, and they care about, and get to know, their students. The classes are very challenging, but also empowering. No matter how lousy of a day I might have had at work, when I leave DDY after an evening class I feel absolutely renewed and positive. On the weekends, taking a class in the morning gets you in the right mood to have a great day. In addition to the excellent classes, the DDY community is uniquely special. There are many "regulars" like myself who have been coming to the studio for years, plus new students coming in regularly who are welcomed enthusiastically. Teachers are very attentive to new students, and will suggest ways to modify poses. Many classes have a teacher as well as an assistant in the room, and the assistants (like the teachers) have a solid grounding in physiology and alignment and are really awesome. The community at large is a very open and welcoming place, so even though "power yoga" might sound daunting, it really is a safe space to come into, whether you are a beginner or experienced student. When I first started practicing at DDY what really struck me was how quickly people got to know me, including people at the front desk greeting me by name after only a few classes. This is really unique for DC, and it's a culture that Patty has fostered, to make DDY the special place that it is. When you hear people say that Baptiste yoga has changed their life it might sound a little strange. But once you start going to DDY regularly you will see what they mean. DDY is like an oasis where you can recharge yourself and face your challenges with less reactivity. That said, maybe you just want to go to class to get in shape/lose weight/get stronger/be more flexible. You will get that, too! And in that case the mental calm and focus will be just a bonus. Some extra advice: You will sweat a lot during class... I agree with another reviewer that you're best off bringing multiple towels - a large one for your mat and a small one for your face at a minimum, plus an extra to use when you change after class. (You can also rent a mat and towels.) If you're new to this style of yoga you're better off practicing in the middle of the room, not at the very front or against the walls. That way you can see what everyone is doing from all angles. Weekend morning classes are busy, so it is best to arrive at least 20 minutes early. Sometimes classes sell out, so you might have to check in and wait till the next class, in which case there are plenty of coffee options in the area, and you might need that coffee anyway... :) read more