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Monthly Archives

August 2019

Take Up to Two FREE Classes in September With Food Drive Donation

By Events

Looking for a reason to return to your practice? Or do you have a friend or family member who’d like to check us out?

September is National Yoga Month, and it’s the perfect time to give it a try. We’re making it easier than ever with our September karma cause.

During the month of September, which is also Hunger Action Month, first-timers and comebacks can take up to two FREE classes with a donation of two non-perishable food items.

Donations collected will benefit Feeding the Gulf Coast Food Bank. We invite everyone–even current members–to contribute to help us do our part to end hunger in our community.

We’ll accept food items Sunday, Sept. 1 through Monday, Sept. 30.

Let’s pitch in and do our part to give back to others and spread the benefits of yoga!

 

Plan Your Yoga Around Our Labor Day Holiday Schedule

By Announcement
Labor Day is coming up, so we’re going to let our hard-working staff take a little bit of a break to recharge.
 
Don’t worry! You’ll have a chance to get your yoga in over the holiday weekend! See the schedule below:
 
Sunday, Sept. 1
9:30 AM – Original Hot 60 ONLY
 
Monday, Sept. 2 – Labor Day
8:15 AM – Inferno Hot Pilates
9:30 AM – Original Hot 90
 
Our regular schedule will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 6:15 AM, so we’ll see you bright and early!
 
Have a safe and relaxing Labor Day weekend!

What Physical Conditions Can the Original Hot 90 Address?

By News

Much of the research into the physical benefits of the Original Hot 90-minute yoga class is anecdotal, with practitioners testifying that it helps address their back pain, eliminate the need for costly surgeries, reduce their dependence on prescribed medications, etc.

There are far fewer scientific studies that have proven these claims, but they are out there!

An article published in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine summarized the findings of the studies that had been to date.

The research confirms that Original Hot Yoga improves range of motion, single-leg balance and strength. 

It is also considered an alternative to more traditional exercise for its effects on blood lipids, insulin resistance and glucose tolerance, making it a viable option for those who want to address related health conditions without medicines.

Another study conducted by researchers at Colorado State University found participants in the study showed elevated heart rates (160 bpm on average) and higher core temperatures (about 100 F), but both were in a safe range.

Caloric burn during a hot yoga session can be about 300 up to about 500 based on several factors, including age, weight, body mass, experience and motivation.

It is classified as a moderate-intensity exercise, equivalent to walking briskly for a full 90 minutes.

If you haven’t tried the 90-minute class, do your body and your mind a favor and take it! 

You have five opportunities every week to work it into your schedule and see what it’s all about!

 

Happy Hour Yoga With Friends and FREE Sushi Returns Friday, Aug. 30

By Events

Do you have a friend you’ve been trying to get to yoga? Or has it been a while since you practiced with us?

Every Friday, our Happy Hour Yoga With Friends class at 5:30 p.m. is designated for us to welcome friends–new and old–for FREE!

But on Friday, Aug. 30, we’ll be offering FREE sushi too, compliments of our neighbors at Rock N Roll Sushi-Midtown.

Whether you’re a first-timer, a comeback or an active Sterling member, you’re welcome to join us for Happy Hour and enjoy some great sushi immediately following the class.

If you’re a current member, we need your help to show our visitors what an awesome community Sterling is. 

If you’re a first-timer or comeback, we want you to join us to experience all the exciting classes and events we offer! 

 

Yin + Yoga Nidra Returns Sunday, August 25 Don’t Miss This Amazing Combination!

By Events

Students always ask about when Yin + Yoga Nidra will be back on schedule. We’re happy to announce it’s on the schedule this month!

Candlelight Yin + Yoga Nidra will combine the slower-paced (and unheated!) practice of yin yoga with the calming meditation of a yoga nidra. Don’t miss it on Sunday, August 25 from 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.! 

Yin yoga is practiced on the floor and features longer-held postures, which helps improve flexibility, patience and stillness.

Paired with yoga nidra, or “yogic sleep,” the two practices are relaxing and energizing.

In the powerful “dream state” of yoga nidra, the goal is not to sleep. Instead this powerful guided meditation helps address and alleviate many medical conditions, as well as reducing anxiety and depression, resetting negative thought patterns and beliefs, and more.

Non-Sterling members can experience this class at a special drop-in rate of $10. You can reserve your spot here!

Be aware that this class fills up quickly, and while we do provide props, such as blocks and bolsters, at the studio, you are welcome to bring your own, as well as a blanket, small pillow or eye pillow to help make you comfortable during the yoga nidra. 

 

More Benefits of the 90-Minute Original Hot Yoga Class!

By News

While the physical benefits gained from the Original Hot 90 can’t be overstated, but it is just as transformational mentally and emotionally. Here’s why:

Breathing. The breath helps focus the mind. It helps create connection between the body and the mind, inviting and grounding you into the present.

Repetition. Repeating the postures is a powerful diagnostic tool physically. But it also allows you to practice letting go of what you think you know about your body to deepen and connect.

“Moving Meditation.” As the teacher guides you through the class, there is nothing for you to have to think about. Your body moves with the words, which helps you disconnect from the busyness of life and enter into a meditative state.

Stillness. Learning to be still between poses and even during poses is another opportunity to experience meditation in the class. Resting in savasana during the floor series (about 11 minutes in total during the Original Hot 90) helps reduce stress, decrease inflammation and promote your emotional well-being!

If you haven’t tried the 90-minute class, do your body and your mind a favor and take it! 

You have five opportunities every week to work it into your schedule and see what it’s all about!

 

Please Let Us Know How We’re Doing!

By Announcement

Sterling is committed to making our studio the best in Mobile, and we can’t do that without your help!

Yes, we won the 2019 Nappie Award for the Best Yoga Studio in Mobile, but we’ve already got our sights set on next year.

But more importantly, we want to make sure you have a top-notch class and overall experience each and every time you walk through our doors.

When you see the red suggestion box at the studio (it’s right by the front desk), please know that you are welcome to share your feedback on what we can do to improve your experience–in or out of the hot room! 

 

Get Rid of Stubborn Body Fat, Lift, Tone and More With Body Contouring Treatments

By Announcement

Want to shed cellulite or firm your body, but afraid of surgery? Try a body contouring treatment from Coastal Contours & Wellness!

One of our latest wellness offerings, body contouring using ultrasound cavitation and radio frequency is the best non-surgical technology available today.

Body contouring treatments from Coastal Contours & Wellness can help remove stubborn body fat, tighten and lift the skin, and remove cellulite.

Special pricing is available for current and new Sterling members. 

Please contact us if you have questions or when you’re ready to sign up!

 

Candice Cravins Finds Fitness and Wellness Home at Sterling

By Testimonial

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.”

What Makes 90 Minutes of Original Hot Yoga So Special?

By News

When Bikram Hot Yoga Mobile was founded in 2010, the Original Hot 90 was the ONLY class on the schedule.

Some students still swear by this sequence of two sets of 26 postures and two breathing exercises.

Multiple studies have proven that this healing, therapeutic sequence is the best medicine for many aches and pains.

All movements are within the body’s natural range of motion, and practicing regularly can help maintain or restore the movement potential of joints.

For many, the 90-minute class is considered the prescription the body needs, while the 60 is the maintenance when taking a 90 isn’t possible.

If you haven’t tried the 90-minute class, do your body and your mind a favor and take it! 

You have five opportunities every week to work it into your schedule and see what it’s all about!