On Wednesday afternoon, Alyssa Rios was auditioning. While eight black infrared heaters were emitting heat into a small, unfurnished room, the thermostat was reading 92 degrees. But Rios hopes the number will be 105.
“I’m doing the test, because we’re working on better insulation, so it won’t take that long (for it to heat up),” she said. “…I said, ‘Let’s make it as hot as possible. ”
Hot yoga – where one stretches, flexes, and centers one’s body in a variety of poses in a room where the temperature ranges from 80 to 109 degrees – has become a popular exercise choice over the past few years.
Dr. Edward Laskowsky, co-director of the Division of Sports Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, told TODAY in 2020 that the requirements of hot yoga “raise your heart rate so that you get some cardiovascular disease or conditioning of the heart,” which means it’s not just a mental and spiritual exercise but Cardio exercise, too.
And at Rios’ new studio, Soul Fire Yoga in South Bend, she plans to offer just that.
“The main goal is for people to create a support network where everyone wants to connect,” said Rios. “Here I feel comfortable and everyone feels welcome.”
It is located at 2314 E. Mishawaka Ave. In the South Bend’s River Park neighborhood, the business will offer yoga classes, spiritual healing, massage services, and a community space. In addition to hot yoga, a variety of other yoga classes will be available, from beginner-friendly to more advanced basic options, as well as children’s classes. Classes will also be offered virtually, and payment options range from membership to login.
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Just a year into her yoga journey, Rios said she started practicing yoga after her close friend Mitchell John died suddenly in 2020.
“It was really my first experience with really intense grief and I really needed to make a change in my life,” she said. “…I really want to highlight that people are here for each other.”
With the tagline “Light your fire to light up the journey,” Rios envisions her business as more than just a yoga studio. In the front room, she plans to offer a retail space featuring goods from local artisans. Along the long hallway that leads clients into the signature infrared heating room, she plans to hang artwork from local artists along the wall and rotate the work on a monthly basis. It also plans to offer various creative classes in the main yoga room, where dance, art and teaching classes can also be offered throughout the year.
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“This is a source to ignite that inner flame within you to make a difference, find your passion, find your employees, and feel supported and connected,” she said.
As part of that connection, Rios said she wants to make sure her work exudes diversity, too. Rios, who is usually known for her attraction to white women, said she wants to connect with other demographics to let them know that yoga is about communication and inclusion. It has made great strides to achieve this by employing a diverse staff of coaches.
“I really want to just try to let the other residents know that you don’t have to be white and that it’s accessible and they don’t have to go in and think there’s no one else like me here,” she said. “…I think it’s helpful to have a diverse workforce and build on it as much as we can, but I think just having all the other things we offer opens doors even more.”
But when she opens her business, it stays a bit up in the air.
Initially slated to open in April, Rios was forced to cancel grand opening plans when it was notified that proper permits for the building had not been withdrawn. She has since dealt with red tape and paperwork.
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“It’s a waiting game and kind of hard, because I don’t have the answers, so it’s really painful,” she said. “I try to stay positive.”
Rios hopes to open the doors to her business by June, but in the meantime she is focused on getting the place ready when opening day comes.
“It’s very emotional, because I’m willing to share it and share this with everyone,” she said. “…I’m just trying to maintain that positivity and I hope it is and will happen when it’s supposed to.”
Contact Mary Shown at 574-235-6244 and mshown@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @maryshownSBT and @marketbasketSBT.
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