Melt Away Stress at Westminster's First Dedicated Hot Yoga Studio

A new hot yoga studio opened above Gold's Gym recently. Patch checked in with Center Street Yoga Manager Lynne Olexy to learn more.

What is hot yoga? According to Olexy, in a hot yoga class the room is heated somewhere between 85 and 95 degrees allowing for deeper stretching.  The muscles, tendons, and ligaments become soft and more flexible. 

Olexy said the heat promotes sweating which is a method of cleansing to aid in the healing aspects of this style of yoga.  The sweating also promotes calorie burn which can lead to weight loss.

Center Street Yoga is the first dedicated Hot Yoga studio in Carroll County according to Olexy. 

"Many people from Carroll County have been traveling to downtown Baltimore to take a hot yoga class," Olexy said.  "It is nice to have a studio right here in the county."

The biggest challenge in opening a hot yoga studio in Westminster Olexy said is getting the word out as well as educating the public that this is not a Bikram studio--the room is not at 105 and they don’t follow the 26 posture series. 

"This is a Vinyasa flow class which is a vigorous flowing style of yoga, Olexy said.  "In a vinyasa class this 'breath synchronized movement' flows from one posture to the next which may be different from other forms of yoga." 

Center Street Yoga is located in the upper level of Gold’s Gym but the yoga studio is not tied to Gold's. People can take yoga without joining the gym Olexy said.

According to Olexy, all of the instructors have been trained through Charm City Yoga in Baltimore. 

To learn more about Center Street Yoga visit the website at www.centerstreetyoga.com.