The Experience

Hear what People have to say about Down Dog:


Rachel Ceppos

Typically when I sit down to write an email to an organization, be it a retailer or the DC government, it's to voice a complaint. So, it is with great pleasure that I write this email not to air grievances, but to show my gratitude and appreciation.

Late in the summer of 2008, while training for the Marine Corps Marathon, I pulled my groin. The summer Olympics had just finished and I was feeling, well, very Olympic. So I decided to hurtle a massive log while trail running. It was a terrible idea with pretty drastic consequences. The pain was unfathomable and I could barely scamper across the street, much less complete a training run. Dejected and incredibly pissed that I had to defer my entry in the marathon, I began to look for a form of exercise that would allow me to heal, and still keep me active. I'm an avid swimmer, but swimming just wasn't getting it done. A friend suggested I try your studio. As a teenager, my ballet teacher had convinced me to enroll in a yoga class to increase my flexibility. My memories of this class were less than favorable. The instructor was uninspiring and the classes were just generally boring and unfulfilling. Desperation to find some sort of restorative exercise trumped the reluctance I felt due to my past yoga experiences.

So in late November that year I started at Down Dog. Almost immediately I felt relief from the symptoms of my injury and was truly enjoying the classes. Once spring surfaced I was back to running, I finished three half marathons between March and May and felt like I'd never suffered an injury. Still ... I wasn't ready to give up yoga, and now I'm pretty certain I never will.

The physical benefits I feel are undeniable, I'm a stronger swimmer and a more efficient runner. It's also done wonders for my emotional wellbeing. Certainly I consider myself well adjusted, but when I started at Down Dog I was about a week away from my 30th birthday, was in my first 3 months of marriage and dealing with the general insanity of life (friends, family, school, work, the tanking economy, etc.) Yoga practice helped me gain some balance within my life, with turning 30, with the stress of the first year of married life.

Now I am one year in to my practice and completely dedicated. I've brought my husband and a dozen of my friends to class and they all love it. I'm hoping at some point to advance to headstands, handstands and all that good stuff. Maybe 2010 will be the year I get some private instruction, I'll certainly put it on my list of New Year's resolutions.
Diana Morales

This practice has changed my life. After years of having a gym membership that seamed to show no real results, it was coming to Down Dog Yoga that has given me the boost I needed. After just two weeks, I have begun to see differences not only in my body but in my lifestyle. It has been in great part to the instructors, who are committed to teaching wonderful classes, that I have been motivated to come to at least three classes a week. I have even gone as far as to cancel my gym membership because I feel more rewarded day after day from the yoga sessions at Down Dog. Thank you very much for allowing me to discover what really works best for me.
Barbara Jones

I am 48 years and I have scoliosis for which I had surgery when I was 15 years old. With the exception of the 6 lowest vertebra, the length of my spine is fused with rods down each side. The surgery was a good success with only some limitations in my activities. (I'll never by a Olympic diver for example.) For the past 30 years, I have been able to stay pretty active and do very well with activities such as cycling, spinning, and other indoor aerobic training machines. I lifted weights within the my limits. However, over the last 10-15 years I had really noticed growing stiffness, aches and thickness around my waist. The crooked spine of mine was making my shoulder blades ache constantly driving me to seeking treatment with pain relievers and I was having to go to chiropractic massage at least twice a month. Sitting on airplane would leave me practically unable to stand up straight and I was unable to sleep through the night. Since I am limited on weight lifting for muscle strength & tone due to my condition, I decided to try yoga. I have been attending regularly for 4-5 months and I cannot believe the improvement in my back and body.

When I started, I could not even perform an up-dog pose. I was careful not to exceed my limits in the beginning of my practice. With the kind attention and sincere help of my instructors (thank you so much Jeanne and Kate), I am devoted to yoga for the strengthening of my back muscles. I can bend and flex more than I ever have. I rarely have back pain, even after long air flights. I completely quit seeing the massage therapist as I don't experience the discomfort that drove me there in the first place. With my crooked spine, this means my joints were constantly are "out of line" giving me tendonitis in my arms and knee aches. But no more! The arm strengthening (thanks to those high planks) has helped my tendonitis I'd say 90% and I am hoping with more practice, my muscles will be so strong that my tendons will not have to work overtime. Thanks to Warrior poses, my knees are strong too!

Yoga has boosted my ability to do my other sports. My husband and I recently completed Bike Virginia in June. I rode nearly 300 miles in 5 days (in the Blue Ridge no less), and I was sorry when it ended! I was able to ride strong and feel just great the next day. This compares to people younger with no spine issues that were in a lot worse shape after the 5-day ride. I attribute my performance and endurance to consistent yoga practice. Yoga is now an addiction for me. My husband and I attend together at least 2 to 3 times a week. My husband is equally impressed with how much yoga has helped me. Pain pills seem to be a thing of past for me. The most I ever take now is an occasional Aleve. How wonderful I can have this quality of life! I can see so much of a difference in muscle tone, my waist line, and I haven't even gone into the benefits of my
mental health!

All I can say is yoga is the best thing I can do for myself to stay strong. The constant positive attitude of the instructors and the true enjoyment they exude just keeps me coming back. Even when I think I am at my max, they push me deeper into a pose I never thought I could attempt, let alone hold. Ok, sometimes I do call Jeanne and Kate a "yoginator" but they all know I love the studio and the people. Thank you Down Dog for opening in Herndon. You have a loyal devotee.
Marilyn Mundy

I'm thrilled to be a part of your community. All I knew before I started with you all is that I wanted to breathe better and stand taller. Little did I know that Down Dog was the answer! My body and I have been together for more than 60 years, and it was time for me to give it a little love from the inside out. Thank you Patty, for you and your instructors and instructors-to-be. They are kind, knowledgeable and just plain beautiful!