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Tower Yoga is about balance, flexibility, and community

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Craig Scharton

I’m a weirdo. I’m a downtown revitalization, old neighborhood, old houses weirdo.

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Jameson Henkle, Kellee Williams, and Jas Singh have opened  Tower Yoga, a really great new yoga studio, in Fresno’s Tower District. The studio is on Wishon Ave., just north of the Tower Theatre, and is in the same building as Goldstein’s Mortuary and Delicatessen. 

To make sure I was thoroughly vetting this place for you, the FresYes reader, I recently attended three different types of classes with three separate instructors. I did a slow class with Jameson, then a Buti Yoga class with Jazmen Moore, then a 5:30 a.m. Sunrise Hot Yoga with Kellee.
 
The class with Jameson was interesting because my lower back was really sore and tight when I showed up. I was considering backing out because of it. But when I walked in, Jameson said, “We’re going to do a relaxing gentle yoga today to loosen our back muscles.” So, since he could apparently read my mind, I stayed and took the class. And it felt wonderful. Afterward, Jameson and I headed across Wishon to Hi-Top Coffee for coffee and avocado toast and to talk about the studio.
Tower Yoga

Jameson Henkle waits for me at the entrance to Tower Yoga, which is in the back of the building

 
The second class was really fun, although I’m pretty sure I’m not its target audience. If there had been a camera on me, it would’ve scored a huge number of views for my comedic performance. This was the Buti Yoga class, which is a very rhythmic, gyrate-your-hips-a-lot tribal dance and yoga combo class. I estimate that I smiled 80% of the time and only grimaced about 20%. My daughter-in-law Amanda really enjoys this class and it cracked her up just to know I tried it.
 
The third class is really the standard for this studio—hot yoga. According to an “ask the expert” article in the New York Times, hot yoga increases flexibility, you can bend much deeper, and you are much more aware of your breathing. Research says it improves balance, body strength, and range of motion, and might even improve arterial stiffness. Kellee, the instructor for this class, was also a great teacher.  
 
So what makes this yoga studio special? I really like any business or place that really embraces its community, and you can really feel the earnest love for building community when you walk in the door. The staff is very diverse and the community of students and practitioners was very diverse. This is important for something like yoga, which really had no commercial goal initially but has morphed into almost a country club atmosphere in many places, especially in the major metro cities. Tower Yoga feels like a place for young, old, rich, poor, expert or beginner.
 
Tower Yoga

The teaching staff at Tower Yoga

 
The best way to connect with Tower Yoga is through their app, which is available for iOS devices. It has their most up-to-date class schedule and you can sign up here. They also have a website and are on social media. Tower Yoga offers one week for free, so that you can give it a try. They also have community classes which are very inexpensive, in order to make sure this practice is available to everyone.
 
As for the physical space itself, it is still being built out but everything that’s been done so far looks great, very sleek and clean. They have bathrooms with showers in case you need to clean up before heading to work. Get there early for your first class to sign in and find the parking lot. The entrance is from the back, so it may be a little confusing the first time, but after that it’s really easy.
 
I plan on continuing. I’m only 57 but I know I need to be much more flexible and I want to keep my balance over the next part of life. Plus, it’s really fun even though it doesn’t come naturally to me. Give these folks a try. I love what they’re doing and they deserve our support and good wishes for their new business.

Valley Sweat Life presents Behind the Scenes: Old Town Yoga with Desiree Heckman

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Jason Farris

Head YES man at FresYes.com
I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES

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Since my transformation, during which I lost 135 pounds, fitness has become an important part of my life. So, as often as I can, I want to bring to you a bit of the motivation that drove me to change my habits.

My friend Heather McCann has started Valley Sweat Life, which is a resource for fitness information in the Central Valley. With her blessing, I post on FresYes.com some of her amazing stories and explorations of our fitness and health community. I encourage you to check out Heather’s site and follow Valley Sweat Life on Facebook and Instagram!

[The following was posted on Valley Sweat Life on May 24, 2018 and has been edited for clarity and formatting.]

Old Town Yoga Desiree

Behind the Scenes: Old Town Yoga with Desiree Heckman

By Valley Sweat Life

Desiree Heckman is a yoga teacher and the owner of Old Town Yoga in Clovis. She graduated from Fresno State with a B.S. in Psychology and a M.S. in Counseling. When she is not practicing yoga, you can find her enjoying time with her husband and two young children.

Tell us a little about yourself, your business, how you sweat, and what you do when you’re not sweating.

I am a wife and mama to two sweet kiddos and together our family owns and operates Old Town Yoga. I am originally from Arizona but moved to Fresno with my family when I was 17. I attended Fresno State right after high school and earned my B.A. in Psychology and my M.S. in Counseling. It was there that I met my husband and it was really the launchpad for the life we’ve created together. Now, I cannot imagine calling anywhere else home.

The main way I sweat is through yoga, although I have been exploring acro yoga and climbing lately, as well. Outside of that, I love spending time with my family. One of our favorite things to do is take a bike ride to go eat lunch together.

How did you get started in yoga and what inspired you to open OTY? How has it evolved?

It is a long story because so much happened to get me here today, but it all happened in a very short period of time. I wrote about my journey in more detail on the Old Town Yoga blog, so if you want the entire story, check it out. If you want the short version, read on.

Old Town Yoga Desiree

I discovered yoga through Tone It Up (an online exercise program) in early 2014. I was nearly one year postpartum and I wanted to get back into shape. None of the other workouts in the program spoke to me like yoga did. I tiptoed my way deeper in the practice and continued to fall in love with it. I was unable to attend any of the local studios regularly because of time and money. I was a full-time stay-at-home mom and we were living on one income.

I cultivated my home practice until I became pregnant with my second. I was unable to practice yoga for most of my second pregnancy because of a pregnancy-related injury, and it made that pregnancy more challenging than I thought I could bear. At 38 weeks I decided I wanted to pursue a yoga teacher training so I could dive deeper into the physical practice after being on such a long break. I had yet to discover the multi-dimensional quality of a yoga practice and did not know how to access the benefits I was getting from the physical practice when I was off of my mat.

I found a teacher training that I knew I wanted to take, signed up immediately, and regretted it for the following three months until it started because I was so SCARED. My training was a 10-month process that challenged and shaped me into a version of myself I never expected to be. The process was so transformative I knew I had to bring that type of yoga experience to Clovis. I was still scared out of my mind, but I knew if I didn’t do it I would regret it for the rest of my life.

What changes have you made personally to excel in this?

Attending the teacher training was a big decision, but I truly believe it is the daily small decisions done repetitively that effect the most long-term change. I wake up early 5-6 days a week, and by early I mean 5:15 a.m. I make time for my yoga practice and to continue my education constantly. The amazing thing about this internet age is the access we have to experts all over the world. I am completing a training right now with the top two meditation teachers in the world and if it weren’t for the internet, there is no way I would have been able to do it.

old town yoga desiree

How do you balance it with the rest of your life?

It’s a moving target. So much has drastically changed for my family in the last 18 months that the balance is often very difficult. Pinpointing what are my three top priorities in a given week helps me stay focused on the big picture instead of drowning in the details of everything. When I feel overwhelmed by it all I try to think about how I would shape my life to look like if I had a terminal illness and just a few months to live. That brings things back into perspective very quickly.

What is your healthy living philosophy?

Moderation. EVERYTHING in moderation.

What makes Old Town Yoga unique?

Hands down, the community. The warmth and love that our teacher and students show to each other and to new students is irresistible.

The number one correlating factor to happiness is having a sense of belonging. That surpassed education, location, income, religion, and a number of other tested factors. Our world has become very disconnected from human to human interactions and having a place to feel that you are part of is a priceless gift. Our instructors are highly skilled, but their greatest strength is their ability to shower our students with love and connection.

old town yoga desiree

What’s next for you personally? What’s next for OTY?

A lot of personal self-work. I have been exploring my meditation practice more deeply, and learning to befriend yourself is some tough sh*t. I want to deepen that element of my yoga practice and continue spreading yoga in its entirety to as many people as possible.

I am co-teaching the next 200-hour teacher training that we are offering early next year, and I will be participating as a student in an advanced teacher training that we are starting this August. Continuous education is the name of the game for me. I find when I am doing that, the direction of my path continues to appear and guide me where I am supposed to go.

What advice do you have for someone wanting to come in to Old Town Yoga for the first time?

Don’t overthink it! If there is something in you that has wanted to try yoga, just do it. Find a class, commit to it and just get yourself to walk through our doors. Within five minutes you will know you made the right decision. I promise.

How one Fresno woman gave up a corporate career to start Four Corners Yoga

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Jason Farris

Head YES man at FresYes.com
I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES

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Imagine the strength it takes to quit a well-paying, stable job to follow your passion.

For Liana Pierce, the decision wasn’t a matter of “if” but “when.”

After over a decade working in sales and marketing, Liana found herself not being fulfilled by her work. She wanted to bring her love for yoga and focusing on the self (and not being intimidated by those around you) to others. Earlier this month, that mission was fulfilled when she opened Four Corners Yoga at Chestnut and Shepherd in northeast Fresno.

I asked Liana a few questions about how she got started in yoga and what it was like to choose passion over paycheck.

Four Corners Yoga

Four Corners Yoga is now open at the corner of Chestnut and Shepherd in Fresno.

FresYes: How did you get into yoga? 

Liana Pierce: My love for yoga started around 12 years ago. I used to just be a “gym rat” of sorts and I remember I was doing a fitness program that had a yoga day. I had no knowledge of yoga at the time and remember going into the day thinking it would pretty much be my rest day. How hard could “stretching” be? Well, needless to say, the yoga day was by far my hardest day of the week. Once I gained respect for it on a physical level, I was hooked, and shortly after I learned to enjoy what it could do for my mind as well. It was the whole package.

FY: You left a corporate job to open Four Corners Yoga. Can you tell me about that?

LP: Yes, I did Sales and Marketing Management for 11 years for Commercial Insurance Carriers and while I am grateful for the experience, I was never passionate about my product. I worked way too many late nights, early mornings, and nights away from my family to not have a passion for the product I was sharing.  

I always thought if I were to do anything else it would be within the health and fitness industry because it is a product/experience that I would find fulfillment in sharing with others. When I moved to Fresno five years ago, I recognized that there was room for growth within the yoga community. I was fortunate to have a business background with my sales and marketing career working with small businesses and decided to start putting pen to paper on how I could make my dream a reality. I joked and talked with my husband for four years about the studio I would open “one day.” And then something clicked and I put in the effort to make what was once a pipe dream a reality. I did a year of research and planning before taking the leap.

I was so passionate about the culture of Four Corners. It sounds silly, but I started with the name and the logo to light a fire under me. I feel so strongly about what the name means that once I had that, I quickly designed the logo to promise myself to not turn back. I had processed the thought too far to not try.

Leaving a stable, well-paying career is terrifying. But if you believe in something enough, you have to at least try. They say the only true failure is to not try. Of course, it helps that I have an incredibly supportive husband, family, and friends to support me and believe in me even when I cannot. I would not have been able to do this without them and I am eternally grateful for their encouragement and support.

Four Corners Yoga

Liana Pierce is the owner and instructor at Four Corners Yoga.

FY: What draws you to yoga?

LP: Yoga/fitness has changed my life for the better and I can’t wait to share it with others. In all my years as a customer in the fitness industry, through many studios, it has always upset me to see that the factor of intimidation has stopped many people from pursuing their health. I am a firm believer that you have to start somewhere and what is right for one body is not always right for another. To worry about what anyone else is doing is to hinder our own progress.

When I discovered yoga, what attracted me the most was the concept of focusing your energy on what is in between the four corners of your mat—you. Not anyone else in the room, just you. However cliché it sounds, the reality is this world would probably be a better place if we all spent more time focusing on ourselves instead of comparing ourselves to others. And so, Four Corners Yoga was born.

Everyone representing Four Corners will honor and promote the culture we are trying to create, which is a culture that welcomes and encourages all body types, fitness levels, etc. This is from our welcome page that best describes the culture we are trying to create:

  • At Four Corners Yoga, we turn stress into strength, doubt into confidence, and strangers into your community. With our encouragement, training, and support, combined with your open mind and heart, you will push yourself in ways you never thought possible.
  • Four Corners Yoga is founded on the notion that in order to advance yourself both physically and mentally, you must focus on YOU and you alone. Too often intimidation and comparison prevent people from achieving their goals—especially in the fitness world.
  • At Four Corners Yoga, we believe that your full concentration should be on what lies between the four corners of your mat—you—because what is right for one body is not always right for another. The Four Corners culture promotes focusing within and honoring what is best for your body and mind.
  • Four Corners Yoga offers all of its students the opportunity to strengthen from the inside out by pushing yourself, for yourself.

FY: What kind of classes do you offer?

LP: Four Corners Yoga focuses mainly on Vinyasa Flow classes that offer a fitness experience that strengthens every muscle (and even emotion) within your body.

Vinyasa Yoga, also called flow because of the smooth way that the poses run together, is one of the most popular contemporary styles of yoga. It’s a broad classification that encompasses many different types of yoga, including Ashtanga and power yoga. Vinyasa is a type of yoga that links movement and breath to attain balance in the mind and body. These classes offer a variety of postures and no two classes are entirely alike.

We offer no heat, intro to heat (low heat), and heated Vinyasa classes.

The majority of our classes are “All Level,” which will offer modifications for all levels from beginner to advanced so there is something for everyone in the room. We will also have “beginner” classes to welcome those that have always had an interest in yoga, but have never tried and want to learn gently.

We are fortunate to have teachers certified in other exercises and plan to add Pilates and Bar workouts to the schedule as well.

Four Corners Yoga

The lobby at Four Corners Yoga.

Four Corners Yoga

Four Corners Yoga studio

FY: What has the feedback from clients been like?

LP: We have had such incredible feedback from the community. We invested a ton into the facility itself to make it a very pleasant customer experience, from a lounge area, to a tea/water/snack bar, to a vanity area with amenities, to a very large yoga room. We have gotten such positive feedback on the facility but, more importantly, people seem to relate to our mission statement, and that is the most encouraging. We have established a community of “founding members” who have been a part of the studio from the ground up when it was still in construction and we are forever grateful to have them!

…

If you’d like to learn more about Four Corners Yoga, visit the website here, or follow Liana and company on Facebook and Instagram.

 

All photos courtesy of Liana Pierce.

How to Arrange Your Mental & Physical Fitness at Old Town Yoga

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Tamera Shoemaker

Garden Blogger at FresYes.com
Forget the Beach! Tamera prefers to soak up the valley sun in the garden. Tamera's love for gardening began 13 years ago after moving into her first home with her husband, Dave. A Clovis native with deep roots in the valley, she has worked for several local nurseries guiding her clients to the right plant for the right spot. With an emphasis on hospitality, Tamera thrives on helping others create an inviting garden that gives joy to the gardener and their guests.
You can find Tamera working part-time at Evergreen Garden Center or trying to keep up with her 2 girls.
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Never being one for New Year’s resolutions, it was purely coincidental that I tried my first class at Old Town Yoga in Clovis on December 31st.  I had been frustrated with my fitness efforts and, looking for inspiration, decided to try yoga.  

Only open for two short weeks, the 650-square-foot studio located in the Saddleback Village center at 325 Clovis Ave. was packed. As owner Desiree Heckman led us through vinyasa (movement with breath to flow from one pose to the next), I felt myself remembering and feeling my strength. Yoga Journal translates vinyasa as “arranging something in a special way,” and I felt not only my physical fitness being arranged, but my mental fitness as well. It was at that moment I was hooked.

The Big Question That Inspired a Yoga Studio

I sat down with Desiree after attending classes for about two weeks to chat about her journey into yoga. Desiree explained that yoga needed to be a part of her system and a lifelong choice—something she did that wasn’t just about reaching an end goal—when she first began practicing. I realized that, without even thinking about it, I had fit yoga into my routine five days a week, so just maybe I was in the right place.

Andy Heckman is responsible for the beautiful artwork at Old Town Yoga.

Desiree knew she needed to get into fitness after the birth of her son, so she dabbled in at-home workouts and running. After trying a few yoga classes around town, she found her true love for yoga from a Youtube channel, Yoga 30. After practicing at home, Desiree decided to go for her teacher training in January of 2016. The studio she used was The Yoga Room in Redlands, Calif., whose owner, Daniel Head, had been one of Desiree’s favorite teachers from Yoga 30. She dove into her training, which consisted of one weekend a month for nine months.

While thinking that owning her own studio would be a long-term goal, Desiree was inspired by an interview on one of her favorite podcasts, The Tim Ferriss Show, where this question was posed: “What’s keeping you from accomplishing your five-year goal in six months? The answer is usually you.” So, in the midst of her teacher training, Desiree decided that Old Town Clovis needed a yoga studio.  

She began to gather with friends in the park to practice. “I was very open with them and it helped people connect with me early on. I was never trying to be someone I wasn’t. I would tell them, I’m teaching right now and I don’t know what I’m doing. Come out, please. You’re doing me a favor.” This openness is still true of her teaching style today. Desiree welcomes each member to class with open arms. Whether a beginner or advanced, you will feel challenged and encouraged.  

A Studio is Born

Over the next few months, Desiree was able to see private clients and even hold groups for employees during their lunch breaks. After calling a local gym to see if they could use her as a sub, Desiree was asked to teach a permanent class. Still not feeling at home, she faced her fears and decided to take the plunge into small business ownership. With the support of her husband, Andy, she began looking into spaces and found the location of their studio in September. Doors continued to open for them and they were literally opening their doors for business by early December.  

Desiree started the studio teaching classes alongside a fellow yogi, Crystal Uyeno, whom she had met while practicing locally. By January, Old Town Yoga added two additional teachers, Heather Kane and Corie Lyons, to accommodate more people and offer more class times. The instructors have a true passion for yoga, for people, and for community. Yoga may not be everyone’s perfect fit, but it is definitely worth trying— especially since OTY is offering a two-week trial for just $30. 

As they continue to figure out what works best for class times, level options, etc., Desiree and her fellow instructors are constantly encouraged by members like mother/daughter team, Danielle and Donna, seen in the photo above. When the photo was taken, it was mom Donna’s first yoga class ever. Several classes, calories, puddles of sweat, tears, and laughs later, they are both hooked. “Literally life changing,” says Donna. 

The most important thing to remember is this quote from Dr. Judith Lasater: “Yoga is not about touching your toes, it’s about what you learn on the way down.”

[photos used with permission from Old Town Yoga]

Fresno Fitness: Favorite FREE Workout Spots

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Francesca

Fitness Blogger at FresYes
Francesca is a former NCAA Divison I tennis player who decided to become a fitness renaissance woman after college. In her free time she like to Crossfit, swim, run and bike, participate in Spartan races and do anything that requires her heart rate to spike way up.
She lives in Fresno with her husband and two Boston Terriers, Babushka and Bambino who like to run after soccer balls just like their dad.

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Working out can definitely be expensive. Between the fancy equipment and the gym fees, “getting in shape” can add up. But it really doesn’t have to! Especially if you live in Fresno. Here are some of my favorite FREE spots to get a really GOOD (and did I say Free?!) workout in our home town:

Woodward Park Hill Training: I went to walk my “babies” a couple of weekends ago at Woodward Park and we ran across this family who was doing hill repeats at one of the trails. I couldn’t help but join them on a couple of uphill sprints and it turned out to be such a GOOD workout! The Lueras told me that this was their weekend routine and that they came to Woodward Park to workout as a family every weekend. I thought it was the coolest thing ever!!!! (Mental note for when I have kids of running age 🙂 )

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Woodward Park is located at 7775 N Friant Rd, Fresno, CA and it is full of walking/running trails and hills.

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Ratcliffe Stadium: Located At Fresno City College is the PEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRFECT venue for a great workout! I live close by so I usually jog there from my house (about a mile and a half), and then I proceed to go up and down the bleachers ….for a long time. I know, that might sounds boring, but it really isn’t. Stadium workouts are a great way of breaking down the monotony of a gym, since you can work on your endurance and on your strength using the stairs and the track in multiple ways. Here are some examples:

Strength:

  1. Pushups: Inclined with your feet on a step and your feet on the floor or vice versa to make them even more challenging or triceps dips
  2. Stairs Lunges: Front, Side and Jumping
  3. Inclined Bear Crawls: Up the stairs (outchy!)

Endurance:

  1. Single stair sprints
  2. Box jumps to the top of the stairs
  3. Mountain climbers
  4. Track Sprints

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Another great stadium option that I’ve used in the past is the Buchanan High School Stadium 1560 N Minnewawa Ave. in Clovis.

Lululemon Athletica Sunday Yoga Class: Every Sunday morning at 10 AM, you are invited to participate in a complimentary yoga class before the store opens its doors to the retail public.  All you need is a yoga mat, 50 minutes of your time and an open mind to try something new (each week you will get to learn from a different guest teacher with his/her own style of yoga!!!)

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This Sunday 14th they are offering a special Valentine’s Day Vinyasa class at 9:30 followed by coffee and cookies. Click here to RSVP and for more information

Lululemon Athletica is located inside the Fig Garden Village at 712 West Shaw Avenue in Fresno.

Fresno Fitness: Sole 2 Soul – Yoga for Runners

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Francesca

Fitness Blogger at FresYes
Francesca is a former NCAA Divison I tennis player who decided to become a fitness renaissance woman after college. In her free time she like to Crossfit, swim, run and bike, participate in Spartan races and do anything that requires her heart rate to spike way up.
She lives in Fresno with her husband and two Boston Terriers, Babushka and Bambino who like to run after soccer balls just like their dad.

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There are a few things in life that feel as good as a good Yoga class at the end of a day! That is exactly what Sole 2 Soul Sports in River Park is offering every Sunday night at 6:30PM!

As I have mentioned on a previous post, after a week of working a lot of hours, and, trying to be fit in between, I tend to be fairly lazy on Sundays. I also do a poor job at stretching before and after my workouts, which has caused me to lose a lot of the flexibility that I had when I was younger. This has also hurt me on my quest and lifelong dream of being able to do a perfect and sustained handstand hold (the straighter you kick the easier it is to stay balanced when you are upside down) and to learn gymnastic tricks in my mid 30’s 😀 So when I found out that Yoga teacher Jeremy Hovan was hosting a Yoga class, specifically geared for runners, on Sunday nights, I was game to try it!!!

Sole 2 soul Yoga

Yoga is an excellent complement activity for all kinds of athletes. In the case of runners, Yoga not only reduces stress and helps prevent injuries, but it can also help these endurance athletes become stronger. Jeremy Hovan agrees: “Yoga can be of immense benefit for runners. Yoga helps loosen and lengthen all the muscles of the body, to reverse the muscle tightness caused by running, and to make your body more flexible and stable. Yoga improves strength, balance, and mental control which can help any athlete with his or her performance”

Sole 2 Soul provides a very cool setting for the class. Their Fresno location not only carries a GREAT variety of running shoes and clothes, but their walls are covered with motivational messages, posters with local race information and all kinds of cool running gear. It is hard to leave the store unmotivated. Besides, they are a locally owned business who supports the local running community by organizing weekly fun runs and partnering with local races.

Sole 2 soul Yoga

Jeremy encourages everyone to join his Sunday class: “Yoga for runners at Sole 2 Soul is a great opportunity to connect with fellow runners and yoga enthusiast a like. The thing about it is that you don’t have to be a runner to join in! Having class on Sunday night is great for people who are looking for something to do to finish up the weekend and prepare for the new week ahead. I encourage anyone and everyone to come in! It’s a great fun crowd in a great store. You’ll meet a lot of awesome people!”

yoga at Sole 2 soul

 

Last Sunday I totally meet some awesome people who shared with me their local running and fitness routines (and more ideas for my blog) and the races that they were planning on participating in the next few months. I really want to sign up to some races now! Plus the class did an outstanding job at opening my tight hips, legs and back and also helped me finish my week on such a positive note!!!

yoga at Sole 2 soul

In my experience the best workouts come from coaches and teachers who are passionate about their own practice. This is exactly what you will find at Sole 2 Soul’s Yoga class. After class, Jeremy told me: “I am very passionate about health and fitness and yoga has helped me get into better shape, become more patient, and learn to let go and allow life to unfold beautifully. That is why I love it.” I COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF!