State-of-the-Art Hot Yoga at Gainey
The Gainey Village Health Club and Spa opened its new 1,200-square-foot hot yoga studio Oct. 17. The state-of-the-art facility is self-contained, and its system allows instructors to control the humidity level as well as the intake of fresh air.
“We took our time to find and develop the space, which is in the spa,” says Carol Nalevanko, DMB Health Clubs and Spas president. “It is a complement to our spa experience.”
The simple room sports a hand-painted mural of the yoga symbol OM (above). Mirrors reflect the image, and it is also etched into the glass door to the studio.
In addition to its controlled environment, the new studio has an antibacterial mat-type flooring that is cleaned after every class, eliminating the opportunity for mold in the moist environment.
Hot yoga is not a new concept, and various forms of it have been popular since the ’70s. At the Village, instructors developed a sequence of yoga movements to create their own program, naming it Village Hot 60 and Village Hot 75 (minutes). Participants practice the same sequence at every class, and beginners are welcome.
Hot or not, yoga in general is among the fastest growing exercise activities in the U.S. Like the other three Village Health Clubs and Spas (DC Ranch, Camelback and Verrado), the Gainey Village Health Club and Spa has a regular yoga studio as well.
“Our members have been asking for hot yoga,” Nalevenko says. “We wanted to do it right.”
– C.Miller