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!
Looking for a class that combines the best of Bikram Yoga AND the best of vinyasa flow? We’ve got it! 
Looking for a class that combines the best of Bikram Yoga AND the best of vinyasa flow? We’ve got it! 
Looking for a class that combines the best of Bikram Yoga AND the best of vinyasa flow? We’ve got it! Hot Vinyasa Fusion has been a hit so far, and we’re bringing it back Monday, Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. 
