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Although summer isn’t here yet, local residents are already working up a sweat at Bikram Yoga in downtown Gilroy and its sister location on Cochrane Road in Morgan Hill.
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Bikram yoga is a variation on traditional yoga techniques performed in a hot, humid room.
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“The 26-posture sequence is designed to stimulate each muscle, organ, gland and system of the body,” said Wendy Mosgrove, owner and director of both yoga studios.
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There are three main reasons for the heat, according to Mosgrove: making muscles more elastic and less susceptible to injury; dilating blood vessels to improve circulation and blood flow; and promoting sweating to help eliminate toxins from the body through the skin.
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“I think some people have preconceived notions about the heat, but it’s really not as scary as they think,” Mosgrove said. “The key is to come to class well-hydrated, on a somewhat empty stomach and have an open mind.”
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Bikram Yoga Gilroy is located at 60 Fourth Street. Tables and chairs are distributed around the welcoming courtyard entrance. The heat is felt immediately upon entering the studio. Sweat-soaked practitioners chat in the lobby after class. The humidity doesn’t melt the blissful looks from their faces.
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“There are all different kinds of gyms around, but it’s pretty unique having the hot room,” said Kelli Lennon, an instructor who’s been leading classes since last November.
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Mosgrove’s yoga studios are designed for cleanliness. Students remove their shoes upon entering. Antimicrobial, antibacterial flooring is used in the practice rooms. The rooms have vapor barrier, thermal-insulated walls. State-of-the-art heater/humidifying systems steadily draw stale air out of the practice rooms. That air is sanitized with ultraviolet light and then filtered back into the rooms.
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The Gilroy and Morgan Hill studios offer a combined total of 60 classes a week. Classes begin as early as 5:30 a.m. and as late as 7:30 p.m. A single class lasts 60 minutes, 75 minutes or 90 minutes. The most popular classes take place early in the morning and after 4:30 p.m. Memberships and class cards are accepted at both studios.
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Mosgrove, a resident of Morgan Hill, founded her yoga studios because she loves helping people.
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“I wanted to share this mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually healing yoga with the people in my community,” Mosgrove said.
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She started practicing Bikram yoga eight years ago when her neighbor invited her to a class. The closest studio was in San Jose. “I felt nauseous and the studio smelled like stinky feet,” Mosgrove said. “But after only six classes I began to notice some significant changes in how I felt.”
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Pain from a neck injury vanished after those six classes. Her insomnia also went away.
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“I kept attending because I knew this yoga was going to change my life for the better,” Mosgrove said. “And it did. The longer I practice, the better and younger I feel.”
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Both studios offer a variety of classes. Inferno Hot Pilates provides a “boot camp” style workout that integrates floor work and high-intensity training.
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“Hot Pilates works on core strength—abdominals, glutes, upper body—and is a more cardiovascular workout,” Mosgrove said. “Unlike Bikram yoga classes, Inferno Hot Pilates classes are always different exercises.”
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“The combination of yoga and pilates is bringing more options for exercise to Morgan Hill and Gilroy,” said Lori Vukcevich, a student who’s practiced at the Morgan Hill studio for two years. She starts instructing Inferno Hot Pilates classes this month.
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Other classes include group meditation and Yin Yoga, a meditative, deep tissue restorative practice done in a dimly lit, unheated room. Bikram Yoga Morgan Hill offers three prenatal classes and one Mom & Baby class per week. Both studios continue to add different styles and classes, heated and unheated.
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While the studios hold the names Bikram Yoga Gilroy and Bikram Yoga Morgan Hill, Mosgrove herself is no longer affiliated with the Bikram franchise. However, she’s a graduate of the Bikram Yoga College of India Teacher Training and is certified to instruct Bikram yoga classes.
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“Because I’ve brought in other types of yoga, I’m no longer strictly affiliated with the Bikram organization,” Mosgrove said. “I don’t pay franchising fees to them anymore. I’m a completely separate entity.”
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Mosgrove personally hires the instructors for her studios. She selects teachers who are properly trained and have a sincere desire to help others.
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“They have to be able to teach from their hearts and that’s not something you can fake,” Mosgrove said. “That kind of love shines through and the students can feel it.”
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Vukcevich says people use yoga to deal with various issues. “If you want to lose weight, you want to quit a bad habit, you want to focus on the positive in your life. Yoga brings that full circle.”
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Ages of practitioners range from teenagers to senior citizens. Mosgrove estimates current demographics are 75 percent women and 25 percent men.
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Mosgrove continues to build a caring community of people based around Bikram yoga. She wants her yoga studios to be accessible to everyone, and asks that anyone with money issues reach out to her so that an arrangement can be worked out.
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“This yoga is meant to be done over the course of a lifetime, all ages and abilities,” Mosgrove said. “No yoga experience is necessary. We teach you everything you need to know. It’s important to consistently practice, be patient and be willing to allow miracles to happen.”
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For details on class schedules, cards and memberships, go to hotyogasouthcounty.com.
This yoga is meant to be done over the course of a lifetime, all ages and abilities. We teach you everything you need to know. It’s important to consistently practice, be patient and be willing to allow miracles to happen.
