Stronger Together: Burn + Yoga
by Andrea Jarrell
We’re excited to share PureFire’s new blog “Fuel For Thought.” Author and PFY Teacher Andrea Jarrell interviewed Nicole Dockx, Pure Fire’s Director of Teaching, Talent and Member Experience who designed BURN to be the perfect complement to yoga. Here, they discuss how Burn was born and why it works so well. We hope the reflections, interviews, prompts and more you will find here fuel you and your practice.
Fuel for Thought:
Thoughts that spark action. Tips that fuel your practice. Inspiration to keep the fire lit.
What inspired you to design BURN?
My goal was to make people feel strong, capable and lit up! I come from an athletic background and am a longtime yoga practitioner. I wanted to create a dig-deep, form-focused workout that would bring out everyone’s inner athlete. BURN layers small, controlled movements with bursts of cardio all energized by music. It’s a powerful heated workout that both men and women feel equally challenged by and enjoy.
Why bring BURN to a yoga studio?
To me, BURN belongs in a yoga studio. Yoga trains you to stay when things get uncomfortable. You’re in a pose, your body is working, your mind wants out. You learn to breathe and stay. That’s resilience. BURN takes that skill and turns up the intensity. It’s faster, louder, more dynamic, but the work is the same: don’t quit, and don’t let your ego take over. The mental discipline you build in yoga shows up in every BURN rep.
From a training perspective, what’s the connection between yoga and BURN?
Yoga builds body awareness: how you move, where you’re strong, where you compensate. That awareness makes BURN effective. It keeps your form strong, your movement intentional, and your body safe under intensity. Everyone can do both Yoga and BURN. The formula: one session per week for beginners (yes, really) and two to three sessions per week for steady
progress.
Almost everything we read about longevity points to strength training. Does working with light weights in BURN provide similar benefits?
Yes, and this is something I feel really strongly about. BURN uses lighter weights, but the work is far from easy. The effectiveness comes from time under tension, repetition, and intentional fatigue. That’s what builds muscular endurance, supports bone health, and strengthens the mind. In BURN we’re also training coordination, rhythm, and focus — which is incredibly valuable for brain health.
What do people take away from BURN?
What’s most important to me is how people feel when they leave. BURN isn’t just a workout; it’s an experience designed to leave people feeling strong, energized, and confident in their bodies. It’s also highly adaptable. You can make it low impact or high intensity; accessible for beginners and challenging for advanced students. Ultimately, the big goal is to help people build a sustainable relationship with strength that’s not intimidating — it’s empowering.
PureFire Yoga's Next BURN Teacher Training is June 6–7 & June 13–14 at the Bethesda studio. Learn to lead this signature, empowering experience. For information about the training, contact nicole@purefireyoga.com