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Amy Weaver Surprises Herself, Inspires Everyone

By Testimonial

Amy Weaver was looking to improve strength, balance and flexibility, like most people seeking yoga. But as a kidney and pancreas transplant recipient who is also blind, perhaps no one was more surprised by her progress than Amy herself.

“Being blind with a kidney and pancreas transplant, and having some serious old fractures with misaligned healing, I was not sure that I could successfully do yoga,” she said, “but with the staff’s guidance and encouragement I have progressed further than I ever thought possible.”

Amy has been practicing at Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness for three months, but “very sporadically” between 2002 and 2013, including a class called WarriorLess at The Lotus Seed.

A caring friend encouraged her to try yoga to improve her mobility and state of mind, but she returned to Sterling because she had visited before with previous ownership and an old friend who is a yoga instructor in Fairhope recommended it.

With consistent practice, Amy says she has experienced several changes: “less back pain, stronger on my feet, my balance is improving, I am more flexible and my mental status is better.”

That’s part of the reason she keeps showing up on your mat. “I keep coming back because I feel better mentally and physically, and the staff is so friendly and helpful,” she said. “One gets the feeling that they genuinely care about you. The staff and the other students feel like friends.”

Amy uses the assistance of a staff member, the ballet barre and sometimes the wall, but she is an inspiration to everyone at Sterling because of her determination and dedication.

“I was encouraged to keep trying, I liked the way that I felt and was excited about coming back,” she said of her first class. “I have learned that I can be more disciplined than I thought.”

She credits David, the owner, and the Sterling instructors with the progress she has made. “I could not have made it at any other studio,” she said.

Amy surprised herself, and she believes first-timers can experience the same thing. 

“Give it a try and you will like it, you will enjoy it,” she said, “and you will surprise yourself at what you can accomplish.”

Take 30 days to check out the classes at Sterling Hot Yoga and Wellness for one low price! Get unlimited classes in your first month for just $39. Just see how much you can surprise yourself too!

Nicole Purdie’s First Love Is Fitness, But She’s Married to Yoga

By Testimonial

Nicole Purdie loves a good Pilates, CrossFit or HIIT workout, and it shows. Though strong and muscular as a result, she struggled with pain from a car accident and needed to make a change.

“I had my first car accident, went to the chiropractor and was told I’d have to have surgery on my back if things didn’t change by the time I hit my 50s,” she said, “so I searched for a non-surgical solution.”

That change led her to Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness in 2018. Though she’d never practiced yoga until she joined the studio, she’s found exactly what she was looking for and more.

“Practicing yoga has significantly impacted my mental focus/clarity, mobility, stress management and overall physical health,” Nicole said.

She chose Sterling primarily for the heat, which may help the body to feel more flexible and also reduce the risk of injury.

“The key was the heat,” Nicole said. “I normally work out alone, so I attempted it and the pain was unbearable without the heat.”

The improvements she began to notice were important, but she said the reason she keeps coming back to Sterling is because of the teachers. 

“The atmosphere of the studio and the knowledge of the teachers keeps me coming back,” she said. “Listening to the dialogue of each teacher, I realized that each of them brought something unique and beneficial to each class. I listened intently and I got better with each class.”

Starting something new isn’t always easy, but being met with encouragement goes a long way in sticking with it.

“My first class was with Danni. She made me feel comfortable and OK with my inability to execute the postures,” Nicole said. “She even mailed a postcard to my residence full of encouragement. I still have that postcard which further reiterates the awesomeness of the teachers.” 

True to her first love in fitness, Nicole envisioned doing more Pilates classes at Sterling when she started, but she found an even better solution. 

“I had read the book by Joseph Pilates Contrology,” she said. “His story of healing the spinal issues he faced was phenomenal!

“But the true medicine for me was and still is in the yoga classes. Although Pilates, CrossFit and HIIT workouts have always been my first love when it comes to fitness, metaphorically speaking I am married to yoga! I will be doing yoga in my 80s if I am still able to do so.”

Nicole knows firsthand that everyone begins their fitness or yoga journey at a different place, but the beginning isn’t what’s important.

“It’s not how you start, but how you finish,” she said. “If you put in the effort you will improve and become a healthier version of yourself.”

There’s only one way to get started, exactly where you are today! Join Nicole and others in our Sterling community with our new member special. It’s just $39 for one month of unlimited classes.

Sterling Hot Yoga Provides Everything David Rubey Needs

By Testimonial

David Rubey took his first hot yoga class at what is now Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness about 10 years ago. Though he wasn’t able to begin practicing consistently at the time, he says he never forgot his experience at Sterling, and that’s part of the reason he came back.

“When I moved back to Mobile after establishing a yoga practice at the downtown Birmingham YMCA, I needed to find a studio here,” he said. “I picked Sterling because I had my very first yoga experience there and it was close to my house in Midtown.”

David resumed his yoga practice in Mobile during the COVID lockdown, and he said Sterling came to the rescue with virtual classes that helped him ease back into a routine after being out of it for several months. Though the online classes served their purpose, he was glad to get back into the hot room.

“There’s nothing quite like it,” he said.

David had mostly practiced hot vinyasa, but at Sterling, he has found everything he needs in the combination of instructors and classes offered.

“I can work on strength training in my yoga sculpt class or mindfulness meditation in yin yoga. I can work on flexibility in the 26/2 hot yoga class or go for a balance of strength, flexibility and meditation in my vinyasa flow class,” he said. “I don’t need any other memberships to the gym or other health clubs. All I need is the Sterling community of instructors and students and their hot yoga room. Overall, my decision to join Sterling has been a huge upgrade to my personal wellness.”

With consistent practice, David has noticed changes in mood regulation, body weight regulation, core strength, and flexibility which helps him avoid injuries during high impact activities like playing soccer.

“I have the ability to stay focused, present and be a good human even during the difficult times in life,” he said.

All it took for David to get hooked on yoga was to accept a friend’s invitation to take a class, and the result has been life-changing.

“Practicing yoga is one of life’s hidden gems. If you put effort into your practice, the benefits are priceless,” he said. “It is like a long-term investment in your mind, body and spirit that you will never regret.”

David has experienced firsthand how important and powerful the physical and mental benefits of his yoga practice are, and that’s something he says he will treasure forever. 

“My yoga practice has been an investment in my physical and mental health as well as my spiritual well being. It has helped me overcome addiction, recover from losses of loved ones and generally keeps me in a mindful and healthy lifestyle,” he said. “My yoga practice is something that I will treasure for the rest of my life.”

How could yoga change your life? There is only one way to find out! Sign up for our 30-day new student special here so you can experience all the classes and benefits Sterling has to offer you!

Sheri Granberry Hits Major Class Milestone at Sterling!

By Testimonial

When Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness (then Bikram Hot Yoga Mobile) opened in October 2010, Sheri Granberry took her first class at the studio during the first week.

She wasn’t new to yoga. Iyengar, Anusara, Jivamukti, Baptiste, Ashtanga and even Bikram were among the many styles she’d practiced before she landed at Sterling.

But it was the original hot yoga sequence of 26 postures and two breathing exercises that has consistently motivated her to practice since then, and just last week, Sheri reached an amazing milestone of 2,000 classes!

For Sheri, her practice has become an essential part of her day. “It’s part of my world, just like bathing or brushing my teeth. It’s a body/mind reset,” she said. “For me as I age, it’s more moving meditation and less of attaining a goal in a particular posture.”

She equates that consistent practice with a “type of internal cleansing, a feeling of bodily rejuvenation and a restoration of a fresh day/approach to things,” she said.

Sheri also noted the source of her motivation to practice, her yoga buddy, Flora Thompson. (Read more about their friendship that blossomed at Sterling.)

“A very long time” ago, Sheri was first motivated to practice yoga as “a retaliation to all the Jazzercise that people were doing back then,” she said of the fitness craze that flourished in the ‘80s. 

She had even practiced the original hot yoga sequence on her own outside of the studio setting, and she noted the difference it makes. 

“It’s so much better to practice in a heated room! Your body is like steel,” she said. “It bends when heated, but rigid when cold.”

Many times, it’s easy for students to work too hard in postures, denying themselves the opportunity to find balance, or as Sheri put it, peace.

“The more you force a posture, the less likely you will ever make peace with that posture,” she said of the most surprising things her practice has taught her. “Also my body is never the same day to day.”

Sheri has been a fixture on the front row as long as most of us at the studio can remember. Her focus, dedication and warmth is what we all love about her!

“It’s a lifetime thing that benefits both body and mind,” she said. “It’s not about being able to do all the postures; it’s about showing up.”

That was her advice for first-time students, to simply show up. But in the 10-plus years she’s been at Sterling, we think she’s got some pretty great advice for everyone!

“Listen to the dialogue. Try not to fidget and add extra movements. Keep it fluid and soft. Try to incorporate some beauty in your practice with stillness and grace. Try not to compare yourself with others. You be you!”

We’d love for you to show up at Sterling and begin your yoga journey with us! Come join Sheri and our amazing community for one low introductory price if you’re a first-timer.

Kayla Gatlin’s Yoga Practice Helps Her Navigate COVID-19 Stress

By Testimonial

Kayla Gatlin is a respiratory therapist at Mobile Infirmary, and her job has become understandably more stressful during the COVID-19 pandemic. But she made a change a year ago that’s made all the difference. 

“When I moved to Midtown a year ago after some big life changes, I wanted to improve myself, body and mind,” she said. “[Starting my yoga practice] was the best thing I could have done for myself during that time.”

Kayla was never a big fan of going to the gym, and she never participated in any sports because she felt like she was too uncoordinated. But she didn’t let that keep her from trying yoga.

“I was very nervous about my first class, but after I arrived I was glad to see people of all ages, sizes and skill levels there. I was unable to do many poses, but I wanted to keep coming until I could do them all,” she said. “The staff at Sterling was so welcoming and encouraging, I couldn’t wait to come back.”

In the year that she’s been consistently practicing, Kayla has physically gained muscle tone and flexibility and mentally greater focus and more clarity and peace.

“I keep coming back because of the change it has made for me mentally and physically, and because of the staff and new friends I’ve made there,” she said. “I like mixing it up with Pilates and Iron Hour strengthening in addition to the regular vinyasa and Bikram classes. Going to the gym was never for me, and the classes help me to push myself further than I thought I could.”

Kayla used to feel “too uncoordinated” to participate in sports, but even that has changed through a consistent yoga practice.

“What I’ve learned is that with patience, practice, consistency (and a lot of hydration) anyone can be good at yoga,” she said. “It feels good to see how far I’ve come in my practice.”

Kayla is grateful for Sterling’s selection of day, evening and online classes that have made yoga accessible even with her 12-hour shift work schedule and the stress of the COVID pandemic, as well as Sterling’s continued commitment to safety at the studio.

“The staff at Sterling is exceptional. They are very understanding and accommodating to personal needs, work schedules, etc.,” she said. “During the COVID pandemic, they went the extra mile by offering online streaming classes and taking extra precautions by disinfecting the studio after each class and taking temps at the door so we could continue our practice safely, which I greatly appreciate.”

Kayla vividly recalls her first class and understands that trying yoga, much less hot yoga, for the first time can seem intimidating. But she wants to share some wise words with anyone considering a class.

“At some point in time, it was everyone’s first time in yoga. Everyone in the room around you has fallen, but they got back up. Never be afraid to try something new. Your practice is unique, don’t compare yourself to others, but strive to do your best in the body you brought to class,” she said. “The heat is not as overwhelming as it seems, and the more you practice the more you crave it.”

If you’re inspired to take your first yoga class, you’re welcome to join us! Every class is beginner-friendly, and we want to help you find relief from pain, anxiety, stress or whatever is prompting you to consider yoga.

You can get started for just $30. That gets you 30 days of unlimited practice with us to try all of the classes we offer. Take the first step and sign up here!

Sterling Changed Tyloria Crenshaw’s Life in Multiple Ways

By Testimonial

Like many people when they seek out yoga, Tyloria Crenshaw was looking for something to help relieve stress when she discovered Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness in 2011. 

“I had gone through some life changes, and one of my best friends was diagnosed with breast cancer,” she said. “I saw a story on Today about Bikram yoga. I googled and found a studio in Mobile. I called Lucille, went by the studio and the rest, as they say, is history!”

Tyloria hadn’t practiced yoga prior to her start at Sterling, but the initial results were enough to keep her coming back! 

“When I first started, I dropped about 2 dress sizes and came off several medications,” she said. “Now that I have a consistent practice, my doctor just tells me to keep doing what I’m doing.”

But Tyloria didn’t stop there. 

“My friends encouraged me to share this [before and after] after so many people were shocked by my previous photo. The one on the left was taken Sept. 12; the one on the right Dec. 31,” she said. “What did I do? A major lifestyle change! I changed my eating, took a good long look at myself and stepped up my yoga practice. I made it through the holidays and gallbladder surgery and still managed to lose more than 20 pounds!”

Among those changes were giving up sugar, stepping up her yoga practice with the help of Sterling’s 2020 year-long yoga challenge and regularly using red light therapy with Coastal Contours & Wellness.

“I have lost 31 lbs since September, 4 inches off my waist and I’m building muscle in my legs and arms,” she said. “I’m so grateful for this challenge and this yoga. I’m committed to my healthiest self!”

Seeing those results is part of what keeps Tyloria motivated to keep practicing. 

“I see the changes in my body and my health overall, and everyone is always so positive and encouraging,” she said. “I get support from people as soon as I walk in the door. After a while, your body gets used to it and starts to crave the stretching, breathing and sweating. It’s great stress relief, it’s meditation and relaxation. I don’t have ANY trouble sleeping!”

But it wasn’t always as easy as Tyloria makes it seem now, going on nine years after she started practicing. 

“My first class was a 90-minute class, and it was taught by a visiting teacher,” she said. “It was challenging, but it was something I wanted to do. With every posture, I kept thinking ‘I’m going to learn this; I’m going to do this; I’m going to get this!’

“I wasn’t’ discouraged—just determined,” she said. “It was hot and I kept looking for ways to cool off. I was wiping sweat! But after a while, I was so focused on what I was trying to do, I didn’t worry about sweat or anything else.”

Along with Tyloria’s determination, staying focused on her newfound yoga practice was easier because Sterling was close by, convenient and it offered a flexible schedule. 

“Most of all,” she said, “ everyone was so friendly and positive. Even when I was feeling down, no matter what was going on with my day, I would be so glad to get the studio. It is truly my happy place!”

Since practicing consistently, Tyloria has noticed major changes in her body and mind, but she’s most surprised at the smaller changes that happen by being dedicated to showing up on her mat often. 

“I’m surprised by the way my body responds in small ways,” she said. “Maybe deeper breathing, greater stretching, lengthening and expanding. I’m building muscle and feeling and looking leaner. I’m amazed that I can put my leg over my head in standing bow (my daughter begs me not to tell people that) and that I finally can touch my forehead to the floor between my feet!”

Getting started can be intimidating for new students, but Tyloria said it doesn’t have to be because yoga is “equal opportunity.” 

“Anybody can do it! You don’t need special skills or equipment,” she said. The hardest part is getting in the room—just do it! You will get so much support from teachers and other students. It is the most positive, encouraging thing you can do for yourself. Your body will thank you and your mind will be grateful!”

But perhaps the biggest impact Sterling has had on Tyloria’s life is influencing her to become a yoga teacher. 

“Even as a teacher, I feel that my first responsibility is to a consistent yoga practice,” she said.

“I owe it to myself and to my students. I think the students are encouraged by it and I think it makes me a better teacher because I’m right there with them. Bottom line is that I believe I should ‘practice’ what I preach!”

Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness changed Tyloria’s life in many ways, and it can change yours too. To get started, sign up here for our 30-day intro and get unlimited classes for just $39! 

 

Haley Hall Loves Sterling Classes Because They’re Different

By Testimonial

Haley Hall had taken several barre and Pilates classes over the years, but she hadn’t really practiced yoga before she came to Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness nine months ago.

Her busy lifestyle prompted her to consider fitness options that would help relieve stress. “As an educator, my days are often rushed and very busy,” she said. “I was looking for a workout that not only helped my body physically, but mentally as well.”

Haley found the “engaging group fitness class” she was looking for at Sterling, but the studio offered other bonuses as well. “I chose Sterling because of the convenient location, and I had heard great things about it!”

Not only did original hot yoga, vinyasa flow and Inferno Hot Pilates provide the stress relief she wanted, but they’ve helped her get stronger and “always have a feeling of being more calm and centered after class,” she said.

It’s that feeling that keeps Haley coming back to practice consistently. 

“Carving out a specific time for yoga provides me with the opportunity to slow down, relax deeply, and simply focus on the moment,” she said. “As an educator, I consider myself a lifelong learner. I appreciate yoga being a constant practice rather than a final outcome.”

But more than that, Haley said classes at Sterling are just different compared to other workouts she’s done.

“I have found that yoga calms my thoughts, and I focus on my body and my breath during class, and I block out the other thoughts,” she said. “In other workouts, I find myself going through my mental checklist of the day, rather than focusing on what I am doing. Sterling classes are different when it comes to the mind-body connection.”

Like most students, that wasn’t the first difference Haley realized. Sterling classes are hot(!) to help the muscles stretch more safely, working to restore and maintain natural range of motion. But getting acclimated to the heat is usually one of the biggest adjustments new students have to make. 

“When the class first began, I thought there is no way I will make it through this heat!,” she said. “But after it was over, I felt amazing!”

Haley admits she isn’t always one to try out new things, so she has been pleasantly surprised how practicing consistently has given her the courage to do that.

“Sometimes I am scared to try new things, such as a new pose I’m afraid of, but since practicing yoga, I realize we are all practicing and no one is perfect,” she said. “So I would say it has encouraged a willingness to try new things!”

Haley had to overcome some fears even to just get started, but now she said she craves yoga when she’s away from it.

Her advice to first-timers? “Just do it! You won’t regret it,” she said. “I never considered myself a flexible “yoga” person, so I was always afraid to try yoga. Then I realized yoga is for everyone!”

Everyone is welcome to join us, and like Haley said, you won’t regret it! 

“The people at Sterling is one thing that makes it so special. It is a great community of people who are very positive and encouraging!,” she said. “Classes are Sterling are often the highlight of my week, and I always leave the studio feeling better than when I walked in.”

We want to be the highlight of your week too! You can get started for just $30 and get 30 days of unlimited classes. Click here to join or sign up at the studio when you take your first class!

Myrtle Delgado Describes Sterling as Fun and Life-Changing

By Testimonial

When Myrtle Delgado took her first class at Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness two years ago, she admits it wasn’t at all what she expected.

“Wow, this yoga thing is really hard!,” she said thought at the time. “I think I was expecting to just suffer through an hour of some boring stretches.”

But the changes in her life that Myrtle has experienced in the two years since is anything but boring. 

“If someone had told me a year ago that doing the classes at Sterling Hot Yoga was going to make a real impact on my daily life, I’d have been skeptical,” she said. “But, that was when I was largely a runner and felt any workout wasn’t really complete if running wasn’t involved. Now a full year into Sterling classes, call me a convert!”

Physically, Myrtle was looking for relief from long-standing sciatica and hamstring issues, which she attributed to her routine of “basically all running and NO stretching,” and it got to the point she was in physical therapy for it. 

“Over the past year this has all but disappeared which I have to attribute to the continued practice of varied yoga classes,” she said. “True, I’d cut down and almost out all running, but that was only because I realized I could feel totally spent and yet rejuvenated—simultaneously—with these classes and without the painful aftermath!”

Myrtle is a dedicated regular at Sterling, most often in Iron Hour and Inferno Hot Pilates, which are great ways to build core strength. But she also takes yoga and yin, both of which improve flexibility. 

She attributes all of the classes with the benefits she’s experienced from a regular practice, including better flexibility, less stress, an overall feeling of calm and faster recovery with running. But she’s been most surprised by one thing. “I can now find a stillness that I never recognized,” she said. “I’m still working at this, but I am proud of my progress!”

Myrtle said she loves that there is always something happening at Sterling, such as the “fun, motivating” challenges like bingo that help her stay consistent, or the “perks” of free sushi offered once a month after the Happy Hour Yoga With Friends class.

While those are great reasons to come back and practice regularly, Myrtle is most drawn to the studio for one thing: the people. And they made an impact from the first day she walked into the studio.

“Sterling immediately felt warm (no pun intended) to me and welcoming,” she said. “No one ever made me feel that I shouldn’t be there regardless of my complete lack of experience. In fact, I found the complete opposite with kind words and encouragement.”

That continued sense of belonging and of course the ongoing challenges of each class keep her coming back.

“It is really addictive to walk in the room and immediately relax in that heat!,” she said. “But more than that every single class is a challenge in its own unique way, and I love the people—the teachers and students are filled with a positive energy—I always leave invigorated (and sometimes pretty sore), and I just love it!”

Yoga is more than practicing postures on your mat, and Myrtle said she realized that during a recent surgery experience. 

“My ‘aha’ moment from a mental standpoint was from an oral surgery I recently had which lasted almost three hours,” she said. “In the past, I’m pretty sure I would’ve opted for the anti-anxiety medications offered (as pretty much anytime I drool or have a dental procedure it make me nervous), but instead I was able to close my eyes, focus on breathing and body position, and got through it calm and relaxed (of course having a fantastic surgeon also helped!).”

How does Myrtle sum up her experience at Sterling?

“All this to say that the classes are challenging but also fun and fabulous on multiple levels and really can have a significant impact on your life,” she said. “As one of our instructors Mandi likes to say “how you do anything is how you do everything,” which I do believe. So ask me today about Sterling—I say pass the punch, I’m all in!”

To experience what Myrtle said she’s experienced, she encouraged first-timers to just be willing to try classes at Sterling, and it may take more than one class to find something that clicks.

“You must try it to feel the difference it can make,” she said. “There are so many positive benefits both physically and mentally, and the beauty of Sterling is that if you don’t particularly care for one type of class there are plenty of others that are all so different to try as well!”

Ready to give yoga and Pilates a try? We offer a great new student special of just $30 for your first month. For a dollar a day, you can start to experience just a few of the life-changing benefits. What a deal! Sign up here!

 

Katie Turner Discovers Yoga With a Little Help From a Friend

By Testimonial

Katie Turner discovered yoga three years ago after being “dragged to a HOT 90 class by a friend” in Birmingham. 

“I had never been very flexible and I was sure that I wouldn’t be able to do it, but I survived and I loved it,” she said. “I signed up for a membership after that and have been hooked ever since.”

Katie described herself as a regular in Hot Pilates and Buti yoga classes after surviving the HOT 90, so when she moved back home to Mobile about a year ago, she was determined to continue her practice. That’s when she discovered Sterling.

“The Hot Pilates classes are my absolute favorite, and I saw that they were offered at Sterling,” she said. “I signed up for the initial $30 for 30 days and loved it.” 

Katie has experienced many benefits from her yoga and Pilates practice, such as injury recovery and improved energy levels.

“The biggest benefit that I have experienced would have to be complete relief from lower back pain that had plagued me for years from a previous injury. I’ve also noticed that when I keep up a regular routine of yoga/Pilates, my energy levels are up and I feel capable,” she said. “Amongst other things, this leads me to wake up earlier, to be more productive at work, to put more effort into my relationships. I function at a much higher level in all aspects of my life.”

But the most satisfying reason Katie keeps coming back is reaching new levels in her practice.

“I come back to practice because I love how yoga/Pilates makes me feel. There is nothing more satisfying than my body doing something that it was not capable of months before,” she said. “Also, the lavender towels at the end of class do not hurt.”

Katie took her first Pilates class—and first class at Sterling—in September 2018. Though she said it was obvious to her that she hadn’t practiced in months, she said she “was excited to see how strong I could become.”

Looking back over her consistent practice, Katie is most surprised by her changed mindset and how much she is able to accomplish.

“Before yoga, I had never really had a workout practice or consistent routine. Never in a million years would I have pictured myself being able to do some of the things I do now,” she said. “I am really proud of the endurance that I have built up to be able to get through some of these classes because they are tough!”

Getting to this point in her practice didn’t happen all at once, Katie admits, so she encourages new students to be patient as they work toward the results or goals they have in mind. 

“Flexibility and endurance are not built overnight,” she said. “Any sort of goal is worth putting in the work!!!”

Practicing in the supportive environment that Sterling offers has made putting in the work a little easier for her.

“I have loved coming to Sterling Hot Yoga since day one! The instructors and staff have been so supportive and kind. They really push you to work towards the best version of yourself,” she said. “I can’t wait to see where my practice will take me!”

You can join Katie at Sterling and work toward your goals together! We offer a $30 intro special for new students that includes 30 days of unlimited practice. Click here to sign up. There is no better time or deal to take the first step to a healthier, happier you!

 

Christy Lock Finds Community and So Much More at Sterling

By Testimonial

Christy Lock relocated to Mobile from Atlanta in April 2016 for a job, but making that transition was tougher than she thought it would be.

“Aside from my partner, I didn’t know anyone,” she said. “That wasn’t a huge deal because I’m an extrovert who is fairly outgoing.”

The small-town Alabama native jumped in, joining civic organizations and getting involved with professional communities, but Christy didn’t feel a connection with anyone. 

“In addition to the challenges of breaking into a new social scene, things at work weren’t what I thought they would be,” she said. “I didn’t feel fulfilled in my personal or professional life, and I was beginning to regret the move to Mobile.”

It didn’t take long for the stress of all of that to take a toll. When her mental and physical health began to suffer, Christy turned to exercise. 

“I’m a huge fan of group fitness, but I was challenged to find a gym that I enjoyed—if I liked the classes, the schedule didn’t fit or if the schedule fit, I didn’t care for the classes,” she said. “I was in a slump, so I came up with a million excuses.”

Until October, when Christy made the decision to try a class at Sterling. She had taken a few yoga classes at gyms here and there, but she admits she didn’t know anything about yoga when she started.

“To be honest, I’m not sure I fully recall my first class,” she said. “However, I remember being greeted by the door (I was probably running late), and everyone was so welcoming. It was a small 90-minute class taught by Lucille. The rest was history.”

But it wasn’t always easy. Christy said it took some time to get used to the practice and figure out pranayama breathing, which she “didn’t understand at all,” she said. “It took me several months before I figured it out.”

Christy made the commitment to keep showing up and setting intentions, and the consistency paid off. “The postures began to feel more natural and my focus shifted,” she said. “All of the extra stuff that work and life brought I was able to set aside for my time in the hot room. 

“After classes, I noticed that I felt strong, yet refreshed. I started connecting with other yogis and looking forward to seeing them in classes,” she said. “I found myself a part of a group that valued encouragement, strengths and humor, which was just what I needed.”

Christy had finally found the answer to the community and connection she was looking for and a group fitness setting that improved her physical and mental health.

“Now, I’m in a much better space, both personally and professionally, and I attribute much of this to the work I’ve done for myself through yoga and the encouragement of the community at Sterling Hot Yoga & Wellness,” she said. 

Specifically, Christy said a consistent yoga practice has given her more mental clarity and focus, stress relief, a sense of community a more positive mindset. 

Prior to practicing a Sterling, Christy hadn’t practiced yoga consistently, but she knows the secret to what keeps her motivated.

“The challenges,” she said, referring to various studio-wide challenges often held throughout the year. “I don’t know why, but I NEED to fill out all of the cards.”

The other thing that keeps her coming back to practice is the community she was searching for when she first moved to Mobile.

“The people—I love the sense of community and the energy at Sterling!” she said. “The encouragement from the instructors and the camaraderie of the regular yogis is empowering.”   

Christy said she can’t remember what she thought about her first class experience. But “what did I get myself into?” is “sometimes what I think before going into some of my recent classes though… haha!”

Most surprisingly, Christy has found through a consistent yoga practice that she was not as connected with herself as she thought she was.

“I’m not at intentional as I thought, especially in relation to my mind body, and breath. I was surprised at how out of tune I was with my body before I started practicing,” she said. “Yoga has helped me set better boundaries and let go of things that steal my energy. Now, I pay attention to what I need from my practice and what the practice needs from me. I can see the payoff when I step off of my mat.” 

Christy remembers what it’s like to want to try yoga, but come up with reasons not to. She’s been there! But she’s got this great advice for first-timers.

“Give it a few classes to figure it out. Do what you can. Some days are better or easier than others—and that’s OK,” she said. “No one is watching you (except the instructor) because they’re focused one their practice or in their own heads. Plus, it’s too hot to worry about what anyone else is doing. And drink lots of water!”

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