How are those New Year’s resolutions holding up?
If you’re thinking about giving up on your goal to stay active in 2018, stop right there. There are plenty of fitness options in the area, some of which are new to the community. From CrossFit to yoga, there are opportunities to stay active, reduce stress and form relationships right in Olde Pickerington Village.
Kula Yoga and Wellness
18 W. Columbus St.
www.facebook.com/kulayogapickerington
The first official yoga studio to open in Pickerington, Kula Yoga and Wellness welcomes the community to practice with skilled and authentic instructors at its new facility in the center of Olde Pickerington Village.
“The word ‘Kula’ means community, tribe or chosen family,” says co-owner Jamie Eversole. “We chose this name because it embodies our vision for our business: to both create a space for community and to be an active part of the Pickerington community.”
Offering a wide range of classes, Kula has every skill level and age range covered. This includes everything from beginner hatha yoga, to hot power flow, to restorative and yin yoga.
“As we grow, we plan to add more specialized classes like prenatal yoga and children’s yoga,” says Eversole. “In addition, Kula Yoga and Wellness will house two private practice mental health counseling offices. We also hope to bring in a massage therapist or other body worker.”
As its name suggests, Kula is all about togetherness, offering comfort in community.
“We believe that people will find that Kula is a safe, positive and enjoyable space that feels like home,” says Eversole. “We were drawn to Pickerington because it has such a strong sense of community. We fell in love with the downtown area and our building and wanted to be a part of the revitalization of Olde Pickerington Village.”
New clients are eligible to receive 30 days of unlimited yoga for just $30. Participants may also pay one class at a time, with discounted rates for students, seniors and members of the military.
Violet Community CrossFit
140 W. Borland St., Ste. 300
www.violetcommunitycrossfit.com
Definitely a more intense form of physical activity, CrossFit is a great way for anyone to challenge himself or herself mentally and athletically.
Violet Community CrossFit embodies a sense of community much like the one at Kula.
Though people join CrossFit for the same reasons anyone joins a gym or starts a fitness regimen – to lose weight and feel healthier – there are countless reasons that people stay involved.
“They become attached to the community, or the coaching, or the programming, or the workout buddy they have made, or the new skills to learn, or the daily challenge, or the change in how their clothes fit, or the desire to compete, or the accountability, or the safe place to grow or any number of (other) things,” says Violet Community CrossFit co-owner and head coach Bekah Dilworth.
Dilworth personally got involved with CrossFit after a friend challenged her to try it out in 2011. Now, the No. 1 goal of the studio is for participants’ work inside the gym to improve their lives outside the gym.
“That can look very different depending on the individual,” says Dilworth. “Some will see improved physical energy throughout their long work days, some will experience more mental toughness, some will be able to balance in the snow better and some will have increased self-discipline.”
Classes are offered every day of the week except Sunday. Classes are available at 5 a.m., 6 a.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. weekdays, and high-intensity boot camp classes take place at 12:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Free community workouts take place at 9 a.m. Saturdays.
Combustion Brewery & Taproom
80 W. Church St.
www.combustionbrewing.com
You read that right. The last fitness opportunity on the list is, in fact, a brewery.
It may seem a bit unusual, but yoga and beer make a great match. If you don’t believe it, check out one of the many yoga events held at the Loft, the private event space above the brewery.
Combustion partners with different instructors to bring in events such as Bend & Brew, Yoga at the Brewery and Saturday Morning Yoga. Some events are free, but most require sign-up and a fee.
Karissa Carpenter of Native Yoga teaches a weekly one-hour class every Wednesday in the Loft at 5:30 p.m. This class is a power flow class, meaning that there is a focus on cardio and getting the heart rate up. If you want to drop in for one of these classes, it’s $10, or $80 for a 10-class pass.
Carpenter also hosts the Bend & Brew events, which include a one-hour yoga class followed by a free flight of beer or mimosas for each participant, or two drink tickets; a tour of the brewery and access to a local vendor fair. These quarterly events are $30 in advance or $35 at the door.
“These events are fun, light-hearted and great for people who don’t take their yoga too seriously, but are serious about great-tasting beer,” says Carpenter. “The 2018 Bend & Brew will be on February 10, with a flow that will incorporate options to modify with a friend or lover (for Valentine’s Day).”
Saturday Morning Yoga is hosted by Darlene Kuzmic. This free class is held most weeks, depending on the private event schedule at Combustion. For those who are familiar, this is the cold-weather installment of Yoga in the Park.
Jenny Wise is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
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