Pete Howe and Erin O’Keefe are busy outfitting Nourish, a hot yoga and boutique fitness studio in Coal Orchard.
They are aiming for a soft launch at the site of the former St James Pool in December before opening in January.
Erin said: “We were inspired to open the studio after visiting some of the top yoga facilities in New York and other US cities where Pete has been working for the past few years.
“We noticed a distinct lack of purpose-built yoga facilities in the South West and wanted to build something of our own, replicating some of the beautiful studios we had visited in America and adding our own touches.
“Particularly in the cold, dark winter months, practicing yoga in an airy, old village hall or a huge, dazzling gymnasium is very uninspiring. Yoga, after all, comes from cultures with warm climates.”
“It’s certainly a widely accepted fact that stretching is more comfortable when the muscles are warm. Moreover, a nice, warm, calm environment is much more conducive to relaxation.”
The studio will be heated with state-of-the-art infrared heat lamps to boost the immune system, improve cardiovascular health, reduce joint pain and allergies, and will also feature adjustable ambient lighting depending on the type of class being conducted.
There will be a treatment room offering massages and beauty treatments by skilled and accomplished independent practitioners.
Erin added: “We will offer a wide range of yoga classes to suit all tastes, from challenging vinyasa flows to candlelit yin, led by talented and passionate teachers who will have creative freedom over their lessons rather than being bound to a particular standard or set format.
“However, the special touches that we hope will enhance each customer experience will remain.”
Studio temperature will range from a comfortable 28 degrees to a balmy 37 degrees for a more traditional ‘hot yoga’ experience.
Erin will lead Yoga Sculpt classes, a unique combination of power yoga, strength training and cardio, the latest trend in the US; Think HIIT and yoga combined.
There will be group HIIT classes targeting specific areas of the body, as well as private and semi-private personal workouts.
Pete will offer body transformation packages that use the most advanced 3D body composition scanning for personalized nutrition and exercise plans.
Erin added: “We are excited to offer what we consider a holistic service, integrating fitness, yoga and wellness, and building a one-stop shop for nourishing the mind, body and soul.”
Pete and Erin are a ‘fitness couple’; a former Royal Navy physical training instructor, a Great Britain athlete who represented the military in multiple sports, an international-standard CrossFit competitor and an elite trainer to celebrities and military personnel, as well as a certified nutritionist and sports massage therapist; He is a qualified fitness trainer, CrossFit coach and yoga instructor; She has competed in various fitness events and the bodybuilding phase since the birth of her third son, who has a degree in psychology and runs a family cleaning business.
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