HOTBOX YOGA Heats Up Manayunk to 95 Degrees

When walking into, a corkboard counter and smiling face greet you. Beneath your feet are bamboo wood floors throughout the two-story building.

You can park your bike inside the entrance or park your car across the street in the parking lot. Perhaps then you will head to one of the two dressing rooms to change out of your work clothes.

A waiting area sits toward the back of the building. Bins line the wall to stash your shoes and diagonal from that, you may find one of the seven yoga instructors lounging in the teacher’s lounge before class.

Refillable water containers are encouraged with a water cooler upstairs in the heated to 95 degrees yoga studio that fits 50 people. In fact, the whole building, business and concept is meant to fit into Manayunk Development Corporation’s “green” plan, according to HOTBOX YOGA teacher and owner Brad Young.

 “The story is such that I feel that yoga should be accessible and fun for everyone. This particular town had the ‘green’ feel to it with health having a very big presence here. I wanted to create a space that was as eco-friendly as possible while providing great yoga where you can walk or ride your bike if you wanted to,” he said.

Young uprooted himself from a business in Pittsburgh to create the eco-friendly studio in Manayunk.

“Yoga became the only thing that really put me in the moment. It toned my body in an incredible way and taught me to practice patience, gratitude, calmness and forgiveness in everyday life," he said. "I’ve been practicing yoga since I was born because everything around you is yoga. Although, there are moments in my life where I wish I had a consistent yoga practice because I know it would have helped me in those situations."

There are multiple yoga studios sprinkled around the area. However, HOTBOX YOGA is the only hot Vinyasa yoga studio in Manayunk. As demonstrated by Young, the heating system kicks on quickly, quietly and settles at 95 degrees. An air-conditioned bathroom and first floor await sweaty clients.

What is the difference between the two types of yoga?

“We release toxins in our body two main ways, through an exhale of the breath and through sweating. We can achieve both of these at the same time through a comfortably heated yoga practice,” Young said. “I love what I’m doing and it absolutely never feels like work and when it does the yoga removes any stress in my life.”

Young is just one of the seven yoga teachers at the studio.

“Each teacher comes from a background where he or she is involved in the community. We are focusing a lot on giving back to a number of local charities and foundations. We will be alerting students of these events on Facebook and through our e-mail list. So like us on Facebook and join via e-mail to be notified of these charity classes. Our first one is taught by Maura Manzo and is going to be 'Off The Mat', we haven’t announced a date yet,” he said.

Things have just sort of fallen into place for Young as he quickly sold his house in Pittsburgh, bought the space on Main Street and even brought Lauren Foster, a teacher from Pittsburgh with him.

“I just moved to Manayunk two weeks ago from Pittsburgh. Brad was a practitioner at a studio I taught at in Pittsburgh for quite some time. Although we didn't know each other at the time, we were always in and out of the same Pittsburgh studio," she said. "I'm sure I had him as one of my student's at some point in time."

Foster was relocating to Philadelphia area because she is beginning a graduate program at Bryn Mawr College's School of Social Work this fall.

"With all of our mutual friends, it got out that we were both moving to the same area at the same time with one common denominator: yoga. I was planning to teach yoga, and he was planning to start a studio. It was the perfect match! After a mutual friend put us in touch, I've been as committed to the opening of HOTBOX as Brad is,” she continued.

Foster finds that yoga practices can extend way beyond the studio.

“Yoga is an ever-changing experience for me. What I love most about it, I would say, is how there is no finish line. My practice is always evolving, my teachers are always transitioning, and I'm always growing as a result," she said. "There is no end to this practice. That is what I love. It can also serve as an avenue into other disciplines, which is also great. The practice translates to all components of our lives, until the mat is just our avenue to the practice, and we can start living our yoga everywhere, everyday."

Foster continued, "Although we are not a Baptiste Certified Studio, I personally am a Baptiste-inspired teacher. Baron Baptiste is a man who took the great components of all styles of yoga and fused it into one accessible practice. Although he wasn't the only pioneer of this form of yoga, he was a big one.”

Young plans on becoming a stable staple in the Manayunk community.

“The vision is to create a space that will allow people to find true health along with a deeper spiritual connection. This powerful flowing style is open to everyone. We believe that the purpose of yoga studios is to foster community and to give back in every way possible,” said Young.

To see teacher bios, pricing and class schedules, visit http://www.hotboxyoga.com/.