Ritual Hot Yoga at Ritual, Financial District (SF)
We said it once and we’ll say it again, this class is straight-up therapy! Ritual Hot Yoga is the perfect recipe for relief in a busy world.
CLASS: Ritual Hot Yoga
TRAINER: Hannah – Her confidence in yoga, mellow demeanor, and well-thought out statements lead the way to a solid and effective flow.
SWEAT: 7/10
LEVEL: This class is for all levels but we advise that you are somewhat familiar with basic yoga poses. It moves pretty quickly but there are plenty of yoga experts around you to follow along with.
TOP 3 TAKEAWAYS:
- Movement therapy — From the spoken affirmations to the rhetorical questions, this class sparks thought and reflection. You will leave feeling like you movement therapy.
- Music and mantras — At Ritual Yoga, you flow to the beat. What does that mean? Basically, every motion is consistent with the songs, and it feels like the music flows through you.
- The mood is set — The atmosphere was 100%. The yoga room is absolute perfection: It’s located downstairs in a basement and the rooms are dark, heated, and candlelit rooms pre-set with mats already out for your practice. Walking in from the bust streets into the calming FiDi studio was a straight-up blissful experience.
MUSIC: The soundtrack to the session ranged, beginning with an instrumental version of a well-known Odesza song and transitioning into an R&B vibe at times. The tempo often switched, keeping us moving and breathing to the beat.
BRING: Come eager to get your yoga on and open to hear new perspectives (aka the instructor preachin’ some good vibes). No need to bring a mat. There are special mats laid out in the room and sweat towels (which you WILL need). Bring a water bottle if you plan to stay hydrated during the practice. As for attire, no shame in keeping it minimal; sports bra and leggings was the most common look of choice in our class.
CLASSPASS: Yes
THE WORKOUT DETAILS
We said it once and we’ll say it again, this class is straight-up therapy! Ritual Hot Yoga is the perfect recipe for relief in a busy world. The class is dark and lit with dim lights.
Hannah started by introducing herself and the other instructor to anyone new to the class. The music began to play and Hannah walked us through the breathing (4 counts inhale, 4 counts exhale). For a few minutes, the class maintained this meditation to music — this is the foundation of the class: Flowing to the beat of music. Then, the flow began. Hannah would state the names of poses and the class would follow. Each time a song changed, the breathing and rhythm of our movements would change to match it.
Hannah gave options for each level to do their thing. Each movement would have a tailored option for level 1, level 2, level 3, and level 4. We kept it fun and challenging by sticking with level 1 and taking it up four notches when possible! Everyone in the class went to their own pace but we all stayed on the same rhythm.
For poses that were meant to be held for longer than normal, Hannah would help pass the time with with encouraging words. For this class, the theme was reprioritizing what is not useful. The way she spoke and practiced the yoga made all of us feel like we were exhaling any negativity.
Sometimes the breathing associated with yoga and meditation can feel uncomfortable for anyone that is new to the groove, but the music in the class was loud enough that it drowns out doubt.
The movements were core-centric and often required balance and were not always the easiest for a beginner, but repeating the sequences helped most of us catch on and get more comfortable each time through. Plus, at the end of class during savasana, they put a cool towel over our forehead and gave us a light massage — and it felt like pure nirvana.
Ritual Hot Yoga | 49 Kearny Street, San Francisco | 415-549-6984 | https://ritualhotyoga.com |
