TEAYS VALLEY - Putnam County has a new way for residents to get healthy without stepping foot in a gym.
Lifespring Yoga opened its second studio at 3657 Teays Valley Road, across from West Teays Elementary School.
After the success of her Charleston location, owner Emily Jones decided to open a studio in Teays Valley.
Some of her students would travel from Putnam County to attend classes at the Charleston location, Jones said. The new location also benefits people who live in areas like St. Albans, nearly equidistant from both studios.
Jones said she thought long and hard about opening a second location, and came to the conclusion that both the Putnam County community and Lifespring could benefit from the second location.
"It just made sense and it was worth it to give it a shot," Jones said. "What we learned from the Charleston studio, I feel like we can come in here and take that experience and provide something nice for this community."
"Ultimately that's what it's about - providing something valuable and beneficial to the people here," Jones added. "We found that when we take care of them from our heart, everything works itself out because they take care of us from their heart."
The new studio features a padded, supportive floor specifically designed for activities like yoga. Jones is planning on installing infrared heat soon for hot yoga. This allows the body to become more flexible and limber, and is good for people with arthritis or who are low in vitamin D. Instead of circulating hot, dirty air, Jones explained, infrared heat uses light to provide heat.
The studio offers yoga classes for all levels, but Jones plans to offer more classes for beginners at the Teays Valley location to give residents a chance to try yoga.
For beginners, Lifespring provides everything a new student might need. The studio has several yoga mats for students to "test drive" and find one they might like to invest in.
"All we really need them to do is walk in the door," Jones said.
Jones advised new students to wear clothes that are fitted and stretchy, nothing baggy and nothing too tight.
Lifespring Yoga works to make sure everybody feels comfortable in the studio. One of the misconceptions of yoga is people believe they have to be flexible and strong to start.
"It is not a pre-req to be flexible," Jones said. "It's modifiable for absolutely everybody and you gain flexibility and strength."
Renee Huffman, of South Charleston, said she enjoys the floor of the new studio compared to most yoga studios with hard floors.
Huffman is training to be a yoga teacher and said the new location makes finding class times more convenient for her.
"Lot of the studios have hard, thick floors, and it's harder on your knees," Huffman said.
Both studios have a new student special, where beginners can try a week of unlimited classes for $20. Jones recommends trying as many teachers and classes as possible during that week.
Jones also hopes new students in Putnam County will eventually turn into yoga teachers for the Teays Valley studio. Teacher training starts in May and is five months long.
For more information on Lifespring Yoga, visit www.lifespringyogawv.com or call 304-590-1388.
Reach Laura Haight at
laura.haight@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4843 or follow
@laurahaight_ on Twitter.