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Laura Noah Finds Healthy Changes and More at Sterling Hot Yoga

By Testimonial

Like most people who seek out yoga, Laura Noah was looking for transformation.

“I needed to make a change in my life,” she said. “Lose weight, gain strength and be healthier in both mind and body.”

Prior to joining Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness—then Bikram Hot Yoga Mobile—Laura hadn’t done yoga at all, but that didn’t stop her from signing up. 

Now she’s been practicing yoga for seven years, five of which have been at Sterling. “I’ve been practicing almost exclusively Bikram-style hot yoga,” she said. “It has helped make me become a better musician. With a regular practice, I have increased energy, flexibility and strength. Mentally, I am stronger and more patient.”

Laura is a professional timpanist and percussion educator, and she has performed with the Mobile Symphony, Pensacola Symphony, Mobile Opera, Pensacola Opera, Alabama Shakespeare Festival and other groups in the Southeast.

The yoga and the benefits she experiences from a regular practice are what keeps her coming back. After her first class, she couldn’t wait to come back. She said she thought, “‘I did it! Let’s do it again!’”

When Laura first started practicing, Bikram Hot Yoga Mobile was the only studio in town that offered the original hot yoga sequence of 26 postures and two breathing exercises, which made it an easy choice.

 “It was the only studio in town that offered Bikram-style hot yoga (plus, they were running a sale),” she said.

Sterling is still the only studio that offers the original hot yoga sequence as it was intended to be taught with the proper environmental controls that regulate the room to 105 degrees and 40 percent humidity and with the appropriate ventilation.

Most students are surprised by something that this yoga teaches them. Laura came to yoga hoping to get stronger physically, but she was surprised by “how much the practice changes you both physically, mentally, and emotionally,” she said. “This yoga cultivates compassion and patience for both yourself and others.”

First-time students and others who dismiss hot yoga without trying are usually concerned about the heat, but it’s just part of the practice, according to Laura.

“When you try hot yoga, yes, it will be hot. Acknowledge it, and let it go,” she said. “Just do your best and every day your best will be better than the day before.”

Laura’s advice? “Embrace the challenge and the yoga will change your life for the better.” 

If you need to make positive changes in your life, you can get started with a great deal! With our new member special, practice unlimited yoga for your first 30 days for just $30. It’s the best deal in town!

Candice Cravins Finds Fitness and Wellness Home at Sterling

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Candice Cravins, a long-distance runner who had practiced vinyasa flow and hot vinyasa flow before she started practicing at Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness in January of this year, wasn’t sure anything could have prepared her for the initial shock of entering the hot room. 

“All I could think was ‘does it really need to be this hot in here!?’” she said. “I made it through, picked up my “I Survived” button and the front desk and thought “when can I take my next class?”

Though Candice had taken her first yoga class in college, she was “totally new” to the traditional 26+2 format when she took the Original Hot 60 at Sterling earlier this year. 

“I loved the structure and order of the class, along with the extra challenge of the heat, made a mental note to invest in more sweat-wicking leggings and later returned to take advantage of the “30 Days for $30” offer,” she said. 

As a newcomer to Mobile, Candice passed by the studio every day on her way to the University of South Alabama, and she kept thinking “I really need to try that place out!,” she said. 

When she took a look at the class schedule online, Candice was surprised by the variety. “I loved that I could get my high-intensity interval, strength and core training, in addition to yoga, all in one place and in a group format,” she said. “It also helped that the studio is only about a mile away from my home.”

While building her career as a young professional in academia in California, Utah and Texas before landing in Mobile “by myself and not knowing a soul” in June of 2016, Candice said she was looking for a place to call home and connect with others who valued fitness and wellness. 

“Although I had met a lot of wonderful people and had positive experiences at other fitness facilities during my time here, nowhere really felt like “home” to me,” she said. “With fitness and wellness being such an essential part of my life, it was crucial for me to find a place that felt like home where I could connect with other like-minded individuals.”

Candice credited the community at Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness as the reason she keeps coming back to practice. 

“I feel like Sterling does a great job of fostering a sense of community and belonging for their members, and everyone I’ve met at the studio has been so kind, down-to-earth and welcoming,” she said. “The accountability is great, too—you know your yoga friends expect to see you, so you show up to class!”

Thanks to her regular practice at Sterling, Candice said she’s become a stronger runner.

“Hot yoga and Pilates have been game-changers for my running: a stronger core, improved flexibility and breathing technique, and better muscle recovery are just a few of the benefits I have noticed after practicing yoga,” she said. “It has allowed me to more quickly acclimate to the heat. Outside of my running, I’ve noticed improved mental focus and mindfulness.”

Practicing yoga and Pilates also helps Candice manage her very busy schedule. 

“As a long-distance runner and indoor cycling instructor, I am always moving, often at a very fast pace. Marathon training and teaching group fitness classes, along with my full-time job in academia, had me wanting to slow things down a bit,” she said. “I knew that yoga could be a great way for me to not only slow things down, find balance and better manage life’s daily stresses, but that it could also improve my running—I now say, “do yoga, run stronger!”

That consistency has paid off for Candice, even in ways that surprised her. 

“Consistency really is key to anything in life—whether it be success in fitness, relationships or your career, to breaking bad habits and forming good ones. I had always had a passing interest in yoga, but never practiced consistently until recently,” she said. “I was really surprised at how much of a difference a consistent yoga practice made in such a relatively short period of time, especially in terms of being more mindful of my breathing patterns.

“It’s made a noticeable difference in how I work through my daily runs and has also made me more aware of subtle nuances in my daily life and how I respond to stressful situations.”

What can a consistent yoga practice give you? There’s only one way to find out! Sign up here for our new member special, $30 for 30 days of unlimited practice!

Candice said, “The hardest part is showing up! It’s okay to be nervous, it’s okay to be a little intimidated—acknowledge that trying something new is scary. It was everyone’s first yoga class at some point! 

“Take it one step at a time, and celebrate all the tiny victories and improvements along the way.”

One 90-Minute Class and Teddy Ward ‘Was Hooked’ on Hot Yoga

By Testimonial

Benefits of Hot Yoga Yoga Testimonial Sterling Hot Yoga MobileIn October 2010, Teddy Ward took the original 90-minute hot yoga class for the first time at a new studio in town, then called Bikram Hot Yoga Mobile. He’d practiced vinyasa and slow flow for about 10 years prior, but he’d never experienced anything like the 90.

“After my first class, I was drenched in sweat, my forearms, wrists and elbows hurt, and my heart was beating so fast and my face was flushed. I didn’t think I’d ever cool down. I was worn out,” he said. “But I noticed an hour and a half later and even into the next day I had such focus and energy. I was able to cook dinner, complete tasks and prepare for the next day in a flow state. I went back the next evening for my second class.”

In the almost nine years since that first class, Teddy said some of the many benefits of his practice have included increased flexibility, balanced strength, joint comfort, peace of mind, weight loss, increased aerobic stamina and improved posture.

It was much more than he expected when he first considered trying yoga. “I needed to lose weight, and I needed to stretch,” Teddy said. “Prior to yoga, I did a lot of weight lifting but no stretching.”

Choosing what is now Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness was easy. “Sterling was and still is the first studio of its kind in Mobile,” he said. “I had never experienced the 90-minute heated series before my first class and I was hooked.” 

It didn’t take long for Teddy to consider becoming a teacher. About a year after he took his first 90, he was signed up for Bikram’s Yoga Teacher Training in Fall 2011. 

After all this time, the 90 is still Teddy’s favorite class. “It’s so complete, he said. “It’s a workout for my mind, body and spirit. When I’m done, I feel so relaxed and complete energized at the same time.”

But even more than the physical, mental and emotional benefits of his practice, Teddy said that, most surprisingly, the discipline he learned through yoga changed his life.

“Sometimes practicing yoga is like a storm that must be weathered. At times my egoic mind wants to go places my body is not ready for, and I have to take a step back and take a breath and continue on and do the things so can do with precision and intensity,” he said. “The things I can’t do…I can attempt. It’s more about the experience of the attempt than any particular outcome. I focus more how I feel on the inside rather than how it looks on the outside. 

“This has translated off my yoga mat and into my life. The experience and the work of life is the reward itself,” he continued. “In that respect, everything is yoga to me.”

Teddy, who also enjoys a career as a hairdresser, is able to stave off neck and shoulder pain, and discomfort in his wrists, hands and hips—the typical aches that come with the profession.  

“The second part of awkward pose even takes care of my toes,” he said, “so I’m able to stand on my feet for longer periods of time without cramping.”

As a teacher, Teddy is often asked advice on where beginners should start. “My answer is always the same: start where you’re at and go from there. Just START!” 

The 90-minute class is a great place to begin as it includes two sets of each posture, allowing students more time to become familiar with the postures. Plus, everything is within the natural range of motion. 

“I think the thing to overcome is not the heat or the teacher or the postures, but all the thoughts and reactions and things we tell ourselves about it,” he said. “Just get your ass to yoga class! The longer you wait, the more time you waste.”

Take Teddy’s advice! Sign up for our 30-day new member special here. It’s just $39, and it includes all of the classes we offer—including the original 90-minute class! 

 

Mandi Cameron Finds Transformation in Yoga, Inferno Hot Pilates

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Yoga Pilates Transformation Before and After Workout Sterling Hot Yoga Mobile ALMandi Cameron admits she was unhappy, but she was more determined to make positive changes in her life. When she saw that Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness was offering an open house almost three years ago, she “jumped at the opportunity to try two free classes.”

“After the birth of my youngest daughter, I was extremely unhappy with not just my appearance, but my overall health,” she said.

It didn’t take long for her to decide she wanted to commit to Sterling. After the first class she took during that open house weekend, Mandi said, “I went straight to the front desk to sign up!”

That was almost three years ago, and her progress has been significant—in many ways.

“Most people probably don’t remember when I first became a member at Sterling,” she said. “I had not worked out consistently in years. I had just had my second child and my body was most certainly not in shape.

“I was so unhappy,” she admitted. “I hated taking pictures and I feared seeing anyone I knew out. I wanted change.”

Mandi found the change she wanted—and a lot more—by consistently practicing Inferno Hot Pilates and vinyasa flow.

“Honestly, a consistent practice at Sterling helped me to believe in myself. Every class, I try to take the opportunity to be a little better than the class before, stretch deeper, let go, push harder,” she said. “I never considered myself to be athletic, but Sterling has brought out the fitness fanatic in me!”

Sterling was an easy choice for Mandi. It’s only a couple of minutes away from her house, and the benefits she’s experienced—overall improved mood, greater flexibility that enhances her weightlifting, and ability to focus and stay in the present—are worth it!

When asked what keeps her coming back to practice, she sums it up in one word. “Um…sanity! Well, that was what kept me coming at first…that and sheer determination!,” she said. “The quick results you see sure help your drive to come as well. I absolutely love the feeling of sweating everything out— toxins, bad energy, a day that didn’t go right. I ALWAYS feel better after a class. I’ve never regretted taking a class for sure!”

If the process seems too easy, Mandi assured that it hasn’t been. “It was hard. There were a lot of early mornings in the cold, late nights rolling out my sore muscles, begrudgingly making healthier choices,” she said. “But I completely finally fell in love with working out and—MOST IMPORTANTLY—I fell in love with my own skin. Working out wasn’t a chore, but an opportunity to prove to myself what my body—what I—am capable of.”

For that, she credits Inferno Hot Pilates, one of Sterling’s most popular classes that is a bootcamp style, high intensity interval workout, for making her “absolutely fall in love with working out.”

“That hour I carved out for myself where I didn’t have to think about my to do list, what I needed to do for everyone else, just an hour to push myself to the limits while barely hanging on—it was everything I never knew I needed. And it didn’t stop there!,” she said. “Everything I had ever tried before at the gym that I hated? I started loving it. I can’t stop trying new lifts, new classes, learning new things.”

It should come as no surprise that Mandi is now an Inferno Hot Pilates teacher. She pours her heart and soul into every class, just like she does as a student, and everyone loves her and the challenging, but rewarding workouts she leads.

Because of her own journey, Mandi encourages others to try yoga at Sterling. “I think a lot of people are intimidated by the heat. I tell them to embrace it and use it to detoxify their spirit,” she said. “Also, everyone is so encouraging and that there are all levels in every class. You’re so focused on your personal practice that  no one is looking around, so don’t feel embarrassed or like you’re being scrutinized…. We’re all just trying to make it through, I promise no one noticed you fall out of a pose!”

Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness offers a new member special, $30 for 30 days of unlimited practice, to encourage everyone to experience all of our classes. But don’t expect the change you want to happen right away.

“Transformation is a slow journey. Real change is not a quick fix, but day after day of consistency, hard work and commitment. It’s also not linear. Everyone gets in a rut—we’re human!

“Honor yourself, make time for yourself every day, and if you’re unhappy like I was, make a decision right now to do something about it,” Mandi said, “or better yet, come try a class with me!”

For just $30, you can take a class with Mandi or any one of our other great instructors at Sterling. Click here to sign up and take the first step of your own transformation!

 

Flora Thompson Finds Balance, Flexibility and Friendship

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Flora and Sheri - SHYWFor Flora Thompson—and many others—Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness is more than a place to practice yoga. Sure, that’s how it begins. But alongside this healing practice, friendships are forged as well.

Three-and-a-half years ago, Flora made the decision to try yoga. “I noticed a pattern among older people of my acquaintance. Some died of dread diseases, but more often it seemed that they died after experiencing a fall, then another fall, and then a life of incapacity and decline,” she said. “The best weapons against falls are balance and flexibility, and those weren’t things I could start working on at age 70.”

Flora admits she didn’t do much research on yoga studios in the area, but there was one she passed regularly on Old Shell Road. “It was the only studio I knew about when I decided to give yoga a try,” she said.

In the three-and-a-half years she’s been at Sterling, Flora has been a faithful member of “The Breakfast Club,” the affectionate term for the 6:15 a.m. yoga crowd, because it’s the only one that fits with her work schedule.

“I am one of the least athletic people you will ever meet, and my joints seem to be unusually stiff and inflexible, so it was extremely humbling to suddenly find myself in a class with people 30+ years my junior who can move their bodies in ways that make you wonder if they’ve had bones surgically removed,” she said.

But with a consistent practice, Flora has experienced improved balance, flexibility and posture, and she said she continues to see results, especially now that “The Breakfast Club” meets four times a week. In particular, improving the flexibility of her hip flexors has been beneficial for RLS, a neurological problem she has.

Flora readily admits that she is not a morning person. In fact, she has been most surprised by the fact that she has been faithful to an early morning exercise regimen after failing so many times before.

“I have said many times that the fact that I’ve stuck with a 6:15 yoga class for almost four years is clearly the work of the Holy Spirit because the two things I hate most in life are getting out of bed and exercising,” she said. “I’m not sure why this is the one that finally clicked for me after all these years, but I am grateful.”

The results keep Flora coming back to practice, but it’s also the “kindness, encouragement and support of the instructors and others in ‘The Breakfast Club,’ especially Sheri and Chad,” she said.

“When I first started, my instructors, especially Anna and Michelle, would make a point of saying something encouraging to me during class. I confess that my initial thought was, ‘They’re just glad I haven’t died on their watch,’” she said. “Then one day a few months in I was doing Bow and finally managed to grab both of my ankles at the same time. It never occurred to me that anyone would notice, but Anna started applauding; I think she was more excited than I was.

“It really drove home how deep the connection and commitment is among those of us who are taking this journey together,” Flora continued. “Our class is a place where we are able to celebrate each other without comparison or competition. That’s a rare gift.”

When Flora first started yoga, she was hoping to improve her balance and flexibility. Along that journey, she made a special friendship with Sheri Granberry—a faithful member at Sterling since the first week the studio opened!

“One of the great blessings I’ve gotten from Sterling is becoming friends with my Yoga Buddy and Official Conscience, Sheri Granberry,” Flora said. “Sheri has been doing yoga since she was in her 20s, and is a poster child for correct posture and perseverance.”

Sheri is also a dedicated member of “The Breakfast Club,” and she and her tea cup are fixtures in the front right-hand corner of the hot room.

Sheri’s practice has included everything from Iyengar and Ashtanga to Baptiste and Anusara. When she began her Bikram practice, there was no studio in town, but she bought a Bikram book and “practiced at home for years,” she said.

Soon after Flora began practicing, she realized she’d need the help of the ballet barre, which runs along the back right-hand side of the hot room.

“We don’t have assigned places in class, of course, but most of us have preferred spots and I took up residence behind Sheri in the back right-hand corner by the barre,” Flora said. “We had a speaking acquaintance after class, but didn’t really know each other.”

Sheri did take notice of how being by the ballet barre helped support Flora’s practice, especially when someone would set up near it before Flora could get there.

“Sheri is usually the first one to arrive each morning, and after watching me struggle without access to the barre a few times, she started placing her towel in “my” spot to save it for me,” Flora said. “I was incredibly touched by her kindness, and made a point of texting her if I knew I wasn’t going to make it to class so she wouldn’t have to save my place.”

Then, as Flora said, a funny thing happened.  

“What began as an act of kindness on Sheri’s part morphed into accountability for us both. On mornings when rolling over seemed an irresistible temptation, I’d think, ‘No—gotta go. Sheri saved my spot,’” she said. “When she was tempted, she would come just to help me out by saving my place.

“I had enjoyed the class and was committed to it up to that point, but felt fairly anonymous,” Flora said. “Once we made that connection, however, the practice became more enjoyable and my commitment deepened knowing that I was sharing the experience and was accountable to someone else—my wonderful Yoga Buddy.”

Sheri said she is just as inspired by Flora to show up on those early mornings to practice. “Let’s face it, some mornings it would be easier to roll over and go back to sleep instead of getting up for early yoga,” she said. “But I know my peeps, especially Flora, will all have made the effort to get up, so I roll out and make it there.”

Sheri referenced the unspoken pact that they have to show up for each other as a way to stay accountable to themselves. “I’m always glad once I get to the studio,” she said. “Flora inspires me to keep up my steady practice because we are official Yoga Buddies!”

In addition to the balance and flexibility she wanted, Flora found inspiration and motivation in the hot room that she needed. That’s a far cry from her thoughts after her first class—“hoping that I had listed the correct contact information for my next of kin,” she said.

Now she encourages others to try yoga too. “Give it a try,” Flora said. “You haven’t sweated until you’ve sweated in Sanskrit.”

To explore the benefits, friendships, inspiration and motivation you could find at Sterling, try our intro special, and get 30 days of unlimited practice for just $39.

Mel and Chanda Washington Find Strength, Flexibility and Each Other at Sterling

By Testimonial

Mel and Chanda Washington Testimonial - SHYWStrength, balance, flexibility and peace often come to mind when you think of what you could expect to find at Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness. But two students found all of that—and each other.

Mel and Chanda Washington were dedicated yogis before they met at Sterling and married in 2017. Both had only ever practiced original hot yoga or the Bikram method before the studio brought them together.

For Mel, as a competitive tennis player and runner, he was looking for something that would help improve his flexibility and fitness. About 17 years ago, he found it.

“I no longer run road races,” he said, “but I still enjoy long bike rides and hot yoga.”

In 2011, Chanda’s childhood dreams of being a dancer were replaced with the gift of yoga.

“I was always drawn to it,” she said of yoga. “When I was a kid, I wanted to be a dancer. I didn’t make it, but yoga seemed close. I signed up as a birthday present to myself.”

Not long after then Bikram Hot Yoga Mobile opened in 2010, Mel moved to Mobile from New York City.

“I was looking for a hot yoga studio to continue my practice,” he said. “Lucille (the founder and original owner) welcomed me like family, and it has been like home ever since.”

Chanda was intrigued by the thought of hot yoga. “I am also an athlete and enjoy a good sweat,” she said.

From day one, she was hooked. The first class left her feeling like she could “fly,” she said. “I knew the moment after my first class that I would do this yoga for the rest of my life.”

Though Mel’s reaction to his first class was somewhat different, he was determined to keep coming back.

“My first class was in NYC. I remember how hot and crowded the room was. Within the first 15 minutes, I was on the floor gasping for air,” he said. “However, I stayed in the room and survived my first 90-minute class. I was determined to get better, so yoga became part of my weekly workout regimen.”

That approach has paid off. Mel said his regular practice improves his balance, flexibility and overall fitness, and the desire to improve keeps him coming back.

The most surprising thing he’s learned from his many years of practice is to take the practice one day at a time.

“Every experience or day is different. Accept what your body can do on that day,” he said. Hydrate before class.”

Chanda has experienced greater strength and flexibility through a regular practice, but she gets even more than physical benefits from yoga. “When I am practicing, I am able to calm my mind,” she said.

And it’s that feeling that keeps her coming back. “I need hot yoga in my life,” she said. “The feeling I get after practice is always amazing. It doesn’t matter what is going on in my head or in my body, I always feel better after class.

Like Mel, Chanda has learned patience with herself and her body. “Some days the poses are easy and some days not so easy. I have a very competitive nature.” she said. “I have learned to be easier on myself and remember that yoga is a practice and that every class I show up on my mat is is a good class.”

While the practice provides life-changing benefits, it’s still accessible for first-time students. Every class is a beginner’s class!

“It will change your life! Not only will it change your body, but it will change the way that you think both in and out of the hot room,” Chanda said. “You will be a better person!”

Mel’s advice for first-time students? “Remember to breathe and stay in the room.”

Mel and Chanda said they feel a deep sense of belonging at Sterling.

“SHYW is like family,” Mel said. “They care about your health and well-being.”

Chanda agreed.

“Sterling Hot Yoga Mobile is my happy place! As a regular at Sterling, I feel like I am part of a family, a healthy family that looks out for each other, motivates each other and nurtures each other’s growth,” she said. “It will also always be a special place for me because it is where I met my husband.”  

What can you find at Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness? Only one way to find out! Sign up for our new member special. It’s $30 for 30 days of unlimited practice. Click here to get started!

Dot and Phil: One of the Studio’s First Power Couples!

By Testimonial

Hot Yoga Benefits Client Testimonial Sterling Hot YogaNot many students can say they’ve been with Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness since the doors opened. But Phil Purpura and Dot Small can.

Dot actually was one of the very first students to practice at then Bikram Hot Yoga Mobile before it was officially open!

“My first class was on then-owner Lucille Moran’s wedding day,” Dot said. “The studio was not finished, and we had no heat and air. It was August, so I had a pretty good idea of what it would be like with heat.”

Dot and Phil’s yoga journey began when Dot met studio founders Lucille and Bill during their search for a home in Mobile.

“We immediately became friends,” she said (which should come as no surprise if you know Dot and/or Lucille!), “and I felt I had to try the yoga even though it didn’t appeal to me at the time. Turns out it was just what I needed most, and I’ve been practicing here ever since.”

For years, Dot said her chiropractor had been encouraging her to try yoga to address the chronic neck pain she had “from hitting too many bad golf shots.”

But that wasn’t what prompted her to start her yoga practice. So what finally got her and Phil in the hot room?

Dot says, “Lucille,” and Phil says, “Dot!”  

Like Dot, Phil had never practiced yoga, but once the studio was officially open, he’s been here faithfully too, and his regular practice has paid off and keeps him coming back.

“I noticed an improvement in flexibility and also it improved my golf game, strength and coordination. I sleep better too when I practice regularly,” Phil said. “All the benefits I’ve received are enhanced when I go consistently, stretch more and become better at the postures.”

That neck pain Dot was experiencing? It was better within a few weeks, according to Dot. After not going in for her regular appointments, she ran into her chiropractor, and when he asked where she had been, she said, “I told him I was doing yoga, and I was cured.”

But the other benefits Dot experienced were just as significant.

“The breathing was the biggest change. I thought I knew how to breathe, but I didn’t,” she said. “Another significant thing I noticed was that I could handle difficult situations better without becoming upset. The mental aspect for me was as great as the physical.”

Like many students, Dot and Phil found their first class to be challenging. Dot said, “If this is 90 minutes without the heat, I’m in trouble!” Phil said, “I was glad I made it through.”

But, as many students who keep coming back find out, Dot and Phil know practicing consistently is worth it, and the results can even be surprising.

“I am stronger than I thought and more coordinated than I imagined,” Dot said. “I love the heat!”

Though everyone in the room had different physical abilities, Dot was aware that everyone did the poses as best they could. She also noticed how much she had to focus during class.

“I had to focus on myself because if I looked around, I would lose my balance and I thought everyone else probably felt the same way,” she said. “I didn’t feel self conscious. “

Phil said he was surprised by how much flexibility and strength he could gain and how much he could grow in quieting his mind. “I thought I was pretty strong and in good shape,” he said, “but hot yoga showed me I have plenty of room to improve.”

Phil recently completed the 21-Day Healthy Habits Challenge at Sterling, which meant completing 21 classes in 21 days. Research shows it takes about three weeks to set a new habit.

“It exposed me to different classes, instructors and students, doing yoga at different times of the day, and I found there’s even more to all of the offerings at Sterling than I had previously experienced,” Phil said.

Several things have changed since Dot and Phil started practicing at Sterling. Of course, the name was different in 2010, but class offerings have changed as well.

“When I started and for the first few years, we only had 90-minute Bikram-style classes,” Dot said. “Then came Iron Hour, the 60-minute express hot yoga, vinyasa, Inferno Hot Pilates. I found that using the weights in Iron Hour and building my core in Inferno Hot Pilates made the regular hot yoga easier.”

Dot said she enjoys all the classes, but it’s the community she really loves.

“The Sterling instructors and the other students are like my family. They encourage me to come more, and it’s not just good for me; it is fun,” she said. “Even when I go to one of the classes that is not my norm, I know the instructors and everyone is friendly.”

The best thing a first-time student can do is just try, according to Phil. “It’s probably different than your preconceptions,” he said. “There are half a dozen different classes, each with different benefits for your body and your mind. You can’t get a feel for it until you try it.”

In short, said Dot, “It’s life-changing.”

Ready to try hot yoga and experience what it can do for you? Sign up here for our new member special, and get 30 days of unlimited practice for just $30!

Christa’s Original Hot Yoga Practice Replaces Need for Knee Surgery

By Testimonial

Yoga Benefits Yoga Testimonial Yoga for Knee Injury Sterling Hot Yoga MobileSometimes yoga testimonials can seem unbelievable. Could yoga really help the body repair itself enough to not need surgery?

But for Christa O’Harrow, it’s quite true. Four years ago when some knee problems flared up after her years of jogging, a friend gave her advice that would change everything.

“I required a knee operation and actually was scheduled for one when a friend suggested I try Bikram yoga instead,” Christa said.

At the time, Bikram Yoga Pensacola had just opened. “Not wanting to have the operation in the first place, I gave it a try,” she said. “The best decision I ever made!”

Not only did her newfound Bikram practice improve her knee problems, but also eliminated the need for the operation.

“I absolutely love the practice,” Christa said. “It’s not only beneficial for my body but also my mind.”

Before she discovered Bikram, Christa practiced hatha yoga and Baron Baptiste hot yoga. About 20 years ago, she sought out yoga for some of the reasons people usually do.

“I needed to improve my posture,” she said. “Sitting bent over a computer most days, along with dealing with a stressful career, I needed some relief.”

And, as usual, yoga provided that and more. “It changes your outlook on life,” Christa said. “For me, I became much happier and more grateful for being alive.”

Less than a year ago, Christa became a beautiful addition to Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness. (She even moved to be closer to us!)

“I moved to Mobile for a number of reasons, one being Sterling Hot Yoga,” she said. After Bikram Yoga Pensacola closed, she found Sterling’s environment to be “friendly and inviting” and the teachers “knowledgeable and helpful.”

Being closer to the studio helps Christa get more of the practice that her body craves.

“Honestly, it’s my lifeline. I need it,” she said. “I travel a lot and my body revolts after missing a week or two of Bikram. My joints ache and my knees act up.  For me, it’s the best way to keep old age at bay.”

Christa had her doubts about whether original hot yoga—the standard 26 postures and two breathing exercises—was the best way to prevent the aches and pains of aging. But, of course, consistency with the practice proved to her otherwise.

She said even the slower pace of the practice encouraged her to come back. “The yoga I practiced before Bikram was fast-paced flow, and as I aged, my ability to move slowed, so Bikram was perfect!”

Christa credits a consistent practice with keeping her “young, mindful and grateful,” and she has some simple advice for new students considering yoga.

“Do yourself a favor and try it,” she said. “Your body and mind will be forever grateful.”

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Taka Kibby Seeks Flexibility, But Finds More With Hot Yoga

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When she first discovered hot yoga at SHYW after someone recommended it to her six years ago, she didn’t like it at first. “It was hot and steamy and smelly,” she said.

But after practicing at SHYW regularly since then, Taka described the practice as “addictive.”

“My body appreciates it,” she said.

Initially, her goal when she started her yoga practice was to gain and retain flexibility. But Taka said she’s experienced even more benefits than that.

“I don’t get sick like catching a cold,” she said, “I’m more focused, and I know how to find a peace within myself.”

Now Taka would say it’s what she wasn’t looking for that keeps her coming back to her mat. Among those reasons, she listed “to meditate, to keep me in shape, to detox and to get total body therapy.”

Everyone who’s tried—and loved—hot yoga has often not always felt that way about it. But the difference is they tried and kept trying.

That’s Taka’s advice to new students interested in trying hot yoga for the first time. “Give yourself an opportunity to try to find yourself and peace within,” she said, “and you will find strength, flexibility and relaxation.”

Just because you try doesn’t always mean it’s easy. Even for Taka, who practices consistently, some days can be a struggle, but pushing through that is what makes yoga worth it.

“Every practice is different—some days are more of a struggle than others,” she said. “It is up to you to make it happen, for better or worse. But those days that you make it for a class are better than the days you missed.”

Taka encouraged first-timers to try hot yoga at SHYW because the staff will make it easy. “All the staff at Sterling is very friendly, open-minded and helpful,” she said. “They will make you feel welcome.”

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Scott Singleterry Finds One Challenge Leads to Another

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In his early 20s, Scott Singleterry immersed himself in running. Pushing himself through training and running long distances, sprints and hills became routine.

“As I was starting this journey, I became interested in breathing techniques that would help to excel my practice,” he said. “This led to reading and researching that would eventually transfer my regular practice from running to yoga,”

Seven years ago, Scott’s yoga practice began with a book on asana. He specifically searched for ways to open his hip flexors and take pressure off his knees.

That was before his father introduced him to Bikram Hot Yoga Mobile, now Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness. “Before I ever thought about having a regular yoga practice, my father introduced me to the founder of Sterling Hot Yoga, Lucille Allen Moran,” Scott said.

Thanks to her dynamic personality and inspirational influence, “Sterling was an easy choice,” he said.

In the six years since that he has been practicing at Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness, Scott has not only immersed himself in the original hot yoga practice, but also he completed Sterling Hot Yoga Works Teacher Training in Summer 2015.

“Sterling has been a solid foundation that has allowed me to grow in ways that I certainly didn’t expect, but in ways that make me grateful for each new moment of expansion,” he said, reflecting on his journey.

“This has become much more than a fitness routine for me,” Scott said. “It opens my mind and spirit. I remember thinking early on after one of the 90-minute classes that it didn’t matter what else happened out in the world that day, I had just conquered my own world in the hot room.”

Scott said he is reminded that he can’t control everything that happens, but that he simply has to take one day at a time and “just breathe, everything else is optional.”

It didn’t take long for Scott to fall in love with the traditional 90-minute original hot yoga sequence of 26 postures and two breathing exercises—the only style of yoga offered when he first started practicing at the studio.

“I had done the long runs, I had done the weight lifting, and though I experienced benefits from these styles of fitness, it’s hard to describe the feeling I had as I laid in savasana after kapalbhati (the final breathing exercise),” he said. “I felt exhausted, rejuvenated, invigorated, all at the same time. It was a link to discovery of something that shall continue to help me grow for many decades to come.”

One of the most surprising lessons Scott has taken away from yoga, among the “too many to count,” is the power of control over distractions and the acceptance of change.

“Life is strange sometimes, hard sometimes, confusing sometimes. Yoga is a break from these distractions of me getting in my own way. It allows me to stop, take inventory of where I’m at that day, pause, and just breathe,” he said. “I have learned that change is the only constant, and as long as I am open to my awareness of myself in the moment, I can make these changes more intentionally to propel me in the direction of where I desire that I am.”

Scott encouraged others who are thinking about beginning a yoga practice at Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness to just do it! “You are stronger than you know physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually,” he said. “Awaken yourself to your full potential. You can!’

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