Success Stories
Meet some of our amazing Thrive students here! These stories represent a fraction of what we hear every day from our members over the last 15 years.
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Meet some of our amazing Thrive students here! These stories represent a fraction of what we hear every day from our members over the last 15 years.
Dr. Rita Fields’ thought-provoking journey with Original Hot Yoga will bring you to tears.
The Mother’s Day gift A. Danielle Adams never dreamed would keep giving back to her for 14 years and counting.
A member for over 14 years, A. Danielle Adams regularly attends Jenny’s Tuesday 10 am class in Farmington HiIls, where she has become a calm, steady presence in the studio.
How Original Hot Yoga helped Randy & Regina Goodman bounce back from replacement surgeries and find a mental release.
When years of running began to take its toll, Original Hot Yoga helped Elda Mersinaj break free from persistent joint pain—and more!
How Original Hot Yoga helped Diaz Saunderson manage pain and transcend mental roadblocks when nothing else worked.
Concerned about aging gracefully? Take a look around the Thrive studios—and find out why age is just a number.
Feel a lot better, flexibility has improved. My blood pressure and lipid numbers have improved dramatically. Of course I have also complimented my yoga practice by making other lifestyle changes like eating right and regular exercising.
The first thing I experienced is learning to breathe correctly and successfully. As a result of actively and regularly attending, I am more relaxed. It has impacted my thinking (positively) and has assisted me in increasing my physical and mental strength while improving my overall functioning health.
“The mental benefits are excellent. My mind is clear. I’m able to relax and focus. My attitude is positive and I notice that has an affect on others. My sleep is 90% better. My digestion is wonderful.”
My hips and hamstrings are tight from running and this allows for me to get areas stretched and strengthened that are usually are overlooked. I didn't often push myself outside of my comfort zone, now I enjoy it. I love going to different classes and hearing different stories (or different playlists)! With the repetitiveness of the flow (which I love knowing what is coming next), it's nice to open your mind to new thinking
“I feel that my mind and body connection is getting stronger. My concentration and my joint flexibility is getting better. The balance on my one foot is getting better. Overall I feel better and stronger.”
When I started practicing yoga in California and then back to Troy, I noticed my back pain was gone. At that time I was working 12 hours a day, heavy labor moving parts for GM. that takes a toll on your body and everyone working around me was much younger! It took me a few weeks of hot yoga to really notice a difference. All of the sudden I realized I didn't need the pain medication anymore. I was getting up one day, moaning, and realized “I don’t have any pain, it’s gone!”. The pain still comes and goes at times, and the yoga really, really helps.
I was sitting on the side of my bed putting on my shoes. I bent over to tie my shoes and hello, it was a HUGE struggle! I knew right then I needed to do something about my health – things were trending in the wrong direction! I actually started swimming two weeks before my first class with Jenny. But winter was upon us, and so I opted for the hot yoga room over jumping in a cold pool. So glad I did!
I came to hot yoga with a friend and her daughter at their invite to try something different. I was unable to play soccer, run and workout due to a foot injury. My hips we’re getting tighter and tighter and more pain with moving from a sitting to standing position. I was slowly getting stiffer and stiffer. I had fallen into a little slump and new I needed to do something.
My first class was on a packed Saturday morning in March 2016. I wore baggy cotton shorts and a cotton t-shirt. I couldn't straighten my arms over my head in half moon. I couldn't get my hand anywhere near my foot in standing bow. I could barely put pressure on my knees during fixed firm.
I could go on and on about the physical benefits, but the mental health benefits are equally amazing. I have faced some daunting challenges the last several years and I can honestly say that it would have been incredibly difficult getting through those times if I didn’t have this yoga and this community in my life. It has had a calming influence on me.
“Every aspect of my life is better since I started practicing Bikram Yoga. I feel that my mind and body connection is getting stronger. The balance on my one foot is getting better. The quality of my golf game has improved. I am more flexible in my back, hips and shoulders.”
“I am living a normal life again. I can vacuum my house, cook on my feet for hours (I love to cook, so this is great!). I couldn’t do household chores or grocery shop for big items without help, now I do these things again by myself, which is AWESOME.”
“I’ve become much more mindful, centered and able to handle everyday stressors and I’ve lost 40 pounds doing this yoga! I’m setting health priorities and boundaries at work and sticking to them.”
Thrive student Nancy Baydoun is a lifelong athlete, but it wasn’t until she regularly practiced hot yoga that she truly noticed how great her body could feel and achieve peak performance.