Yoga in Pittsfield

A gentle warm-up readies students at Body Mind Spirit Yoga for a flow of poses, each performed while standing, sitting, kneeling, and lying down. As students go through these motions, they're encouraged to reconnect with their bodies, regardless of whether they're in a beginner, advanced, or all-levels class. Instructors Jim Whiting and Michelle Carpenter, who've been practicing yoga for more than 30 years combined, also helm free guided meditation sessions, during which participants follow mantra-based breathing while perched atop cozy chairs, floors, cushions, blankets, or skyscrapers.

Armed with certifications from the celebrated yoga guru, Bikram Choudhury, Bikram Yoga Glastonbury's band of yoga instructors guides students of all abilities through the 26-posture practice. Students begin the 90-minute workout with a deep-breathing exercise before moving into a sequence of standing and seated postures designed to improve strength, flexibility, and balance. Balmy temperatures help students sink into deep stretches, eliminate harmful toxins from the body, and keep confrontational snowmen at bay. Though challenging, students of all experience and fitness levels can tailor the poses to meet their needs, with the idea that through dedicated practice, students may see a decrease in weight, improved sleep, and greater flexibility.

The teachers at Sanctuary Power Yoga advocate a regular yoga practice as a way to bring greater peace and balance into everyday life. Because of the perspective shifts they’ve each experienced through yoga, they are eager to ease beginners into what may seem like a foreign or strange type of exercise. They teach basic poses in a beginner series, and their heated power-yoga classes suit all levels, emphasizing a flowing sequence that promotes moving meditation. Unheated slow flow allows students to learn proper alignment, and the gently held poses of restorative yoga relieve tension built up from carrying children to school everyday. The studio also holds workshops and events such as reiki sessions and card readings.

While E Studio Hot Yoga may never reach the size of General Electric—one of the companies for which owner Emily has led corporate fitness efforts—it's still an ambitious undertaking. A team of instructors leads the center's classes, which range from ballet-barre workouts set to upbeat music to power-yoga sessions held in a 90-degree studio. Like a crutch with a manufacturing error, the schedules at both the Clifton Park and Latham locations are flexible; classes take place seven days a week, with a variety of morning and evening classes held throughout the week.

At Bikram Yoga Northampton, commitment and focus supersede the search for absolute perfection. So long as you are doing your best, instructors Audrey Liley and Jessika Brandley ask for nothing more. As they lead their students through the 26 asanas—or postures—of Bikram yoga, they provide helpful insights regarding the significance of each. At some point, they’ll likely explain that this specific progression of postures is intended to stretch muscles and promote the flow of blood to the body’s vital organs. Held in a classroom that’s heated to 105 degrees, these yoga classes may also facilitate the breakdown of glucose, fatty acids, and accidentally swallowed ice cubes.

"Torture chambers"—that's how many students of Bikram Yoga would describe the studios where they practice their craft. It's an apropos name for places set at a blazing 105 degrees that feature students twisting their bodies into 26 yoga postures. However, these hatha-inspired positions heal rather than hurt; as students flow through the therapeutic positions, the simmering heat soothes away chronic aches, boosts flexibility, and encourages everything from increased circulation to healthier lymphatic flow.