Relax and bCalm at a Local Yoga Studio

recently won our best of reader’s poll, so we decided to have ourselves a chat with the owner, Lesley Reilly, and find out what sets them apart from other traditional forms of workouts.

Reilly teaches Baron Baptiste yoga which is a more physical practice than Hatha or other traditional yogas.

“It is taught in a heated room,” Reilly said. “And it is a much more athletic style of yoga. Postures flow from one to the next without a break in between making it more cardiovascular. It is a powerful, intense and personal physical  practice.”

Reilly herself became involved as a way to heal from several years of high impact training.

“I had double knee surgery several years ago, “Reilly said, “and I was unable to spend time in a traditional gym. I needed alternatives. I attended my first yoga class and I felt a dramatic shift in myself and knew I wanted to be a teacher.”

Reilly started her business in her home three years ago, and as her daughter got closer to college , she decided to be brave and open her own studio.

will be celebrating their first anniversary on April 7 with two free classes at 8 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. There will also be celebrations throughout the day, raffles, giveaways, chair massage, music and much more.

“We have been so welcomed by the community, and I feel so blessed,” Reilly said. “We have been unbelievably supported.”

Reilly runs 25 classes a week, and is currently holding a runners class for those preparing for the marathon as well as the casual runner.

"This program will provide marathon runners with the strength and flexibility to achieve peak performance while avoiding injuries,” the bcalm reads.

There is also a post-race component to this class.

bCalm is currently offering a 200 hour yoga teacher training workshop for anyone who may be interested in pushing themselves to the next level.

The describes the teacher training like this: “bCalm is a certified teaching studio. Instruction is anchored in the Baptiste Methodology and taught by Lesley Reilly and Jane Cargill, both Baptiste instructors. “

Reilly wants people to know that yoga is for men too.

We find about a 60/40 split, “Reilly said. “And that’s changing and growing everyday."

Asked where the name bCalm came from and Reilly noted that it was a direction to herself.

"I used to be the Energizer Bunny,” she said, “so for me, I wanted bCalm to be a place where people could go and leave their life stories and their stress behind and just be themselves.”

Interested in trying a class, but not sure what to do or bring?

“Show up with an open mind and no expectations,” Reilly said. “Yoga is for every body and yoga is for life."

For more information visit the website. Costs vary, but a drop-in class is $15 for adults and $12 for students.