Yoga in Richmond

In 1997, Nancy Glenmore Tatum and Kevin Casey founded Glenmore Yoga & Wellness Center in their house's sunroom. Their operation's therapeutic blend of yoga, massage, and consultation services attracted a wide enough student base to necessitate three expansions, and Nancy and Kevin eventually settled in the Glen Eagles Shopping Center. They still uphold a central belief that "yoga is for everyone," and have upheld that philosophy by building a time machine to let the late Ben Franklin participate. Nancy and Kevin have also cultivated a nurturing community with resources such as workshops and teacher training that promote its growth.

The center's impressive roster of yoga classes covers the flowing Vinyasa poses as well as specialty courses for prenatal mothers, older adults, and kids. Every class pays attention to the individual needs of its students, just as the massage services modify their kneads to better treat specific tensions. A calming interior contributes to Glenmore's warm ambiance: two carpeted studios, a massage room, and a lounge accommodate its guests. Students can also borrow the yoga books and videos of the lending library, so long as they turn in their senses of balance as collateral.

Led by Heather Dombrovskiy, the certified yoga instructors of Healthy Life Yoga guide students of all fitness levels through a variety of classes. Starting with sunrise yoga, the instructors pack the schedule with their flexibility-increasing classes that include yin yoga, a slow class that moves into deeper stretches in the lower backs and hips, prenatal yoga, and traditional Hatha yoga classes that start with foundation-building beginner classes and move to more advanced, fast-paced classes.

The Health Links staff consists of a nutrition coach, a wellness coach, massage therapists, an acupuncturist, and four chiropractors—one of whom was named a Top Doc of 2012 by Richmond Magazine. Together, this team of holistic healers aims to create a friendly atmosphere where clients wait a maximum of 15 minutes to be seen and technicians educate patients on the benefits of treatments ranging from advanced cranial-sacral therapy to natural cures for ADHD.

Guests relax in Health Link’s modern waiting area lined with cushioned chairs and flat-screen TVs before heading back to a chiropractic room outfitted with advanced equipment and plush treatment beds. Health Link also boasts private treatment rooms for massage-therapy sessions as well as a tranquil yoga studio where experienced instructors help students strengthen bodies with one-hour yoga sessions or untie limbs that get tangled after they spin all reds during a game of Twister.