I highly and whole-heartedly recommend Tru For U. In the month since I started going there (and eating more healthily) I've lost ten pounds and feel full of energy. I actually look forward to every fitness and yoga class I attend - never, ever the case in the past - and I want to go every day. It just feels good. I'm disappointed when my schedule precludes dropping in. The classes are offered with a good range of times and the ability to double up on back to back fitness and yoga sessions, if desired, which I've noticed people do. The instructors have all been excellent, the desk staff informative and helpful, the other members friendly and pleasant, and the price is very reasonable. I like that there are members ranging from their 20s to retirees, women and men, at all levels of fitness. The physical space and atmosphere are inviting and, being a yoga studio, are at the other end of the spectrum from a big gym or the YMCA, which I don't care for. This is a cozy, pleasant, attractive place; it has a spa atmosphere and somehow makes me feel welcome and comfortable when I walk in the door in spite of being an overweight, middle aged gal without sleek workout wear. To give you an idea of the scale of the studio there is an entrance foyer with front desk and kitchenette for getting water, a separate, heated yoga room with laminate flooring and a mirrored wall, and an exercise room with a cushioned rubber floor where the fitness and spin classes take place. These rooms are not small, not big - just right. There is also a separate section at the front of the building where spa and chiropractic services are offered, but I haven't explored these options to date. I was able to try unlimited free yoga and fitness classes for a two week introductory period and within a week knew I'd found, for literally the first time (at 51 years of age), a place to exercise and work on improving my health where I felt at home and where I actually wanted to go. The classes have let me strike an effortless balance between gently challenging myself and not overdoing it, and that is entirely due to the skill of the instructors, who are conscientious about including modifications for newbies and those with physical constraints. I'm made to feel like I'm an integral part of the class along with the fit members who are bending like pretzels. And I am seeing and feeling definite results. What else can I say...the facilities are clean, there's free parking right behind the building, and with my membership plan (there are various options) I can just borrow a provided yoga mat, water bottle and towel every time I go - I like this convenience. For me an added bonus is that I live close to the studio, so I'm glad it's located where it is on Talbot St., and I'm thankful I took the step to check it out. It's well worth a try : )
- Ten years ago I was a cardio junkie. My daily routine consisted of a cardio class at lunch and weight training in the evening followed by an hour of running, biking or watching TV from an elliptical machine. The challenge that I was facing was that I couldn’t sleep. Having shared this with a friend she suggested that I try yoga.
A few weeks later I tried a BodyFlow class at the gym and walked out thinking it really wasn’t for me, however I was wrong and that night I slept...and I slept well. This eventually lead to me trying a yoga class. In a short amount of time I began to really enjoy yoga and started wanting more. In my search for more I walked into my first hot yoga class and got hooked. My butt had been kicked and I still slept like a baby that night.
I continued to explore the world of yoga and booked what I thought to be a relaxing yoga retreat with Baron Baptiste. It ended up being an incredibly intensive Power Yoga Teacher Training/Bootcamp but my life was transformed. Since that time I have accumulated over 500 hours of training under Baron Baptiste, including Level 1, Level 2, The Great Program and the Art of Assisting. In October of 2011 I was invited to assist Baron at an all day immersion in Chicago.
I am very grateful for the opportunity to share my practice with the community.