BIKRAM INSTRUCTORS
All of our instructors at Bikram CoolSprings are certified to teach the Bikram Method of Hot Yoga. Each instructor at Bikram CoolSprings studied the Hot Yoga method for 9 consecutive weeks and received more than 500 hours of instruction from Bikram Choudhury himself, along with his senior staff. Bikram instructors are required to recertify every 3 years; and currently, our teachers are the only instructors in the Middle Tennessee area who have fulfilled all their requirements to earn and maintain their good standing with Bikram Choudhury as certified Bikram instructors.
Why it is important to be taught by a Bikram Certified Hot Yoga Instructor?
It takes more than a hot room and a list of postures to make your Bikram Method Yoga practice a safe, rewarding experience. Bikram Method Yoga is a specialized form of yoga, requiring appropriate training and knowledge to teach it effectively.
Bikram Choudhury, the creator of Bikram Yoga, personally trains and certifies his hot yoga instructors to ensure that his methods and philosophy are preserved and properly taught. To be certified as an instructor in the Bikram Method of Yoga, an instructor must complete an intense and consecutive 9 weeks of on-site training requiring more than 500 hours of study (all studio owners have successfully completed a 6 month apprenticeship under the direction of a Bikram certified senior teacher). A hot yoga studio guided by a Certified Instructor provides the best possible instruction in the Bikram Method. The Bikram CoolSprings instructors have a continuing connection to Bikram Choudhury and his training staff, allowing our studio to draw from all of the resources Bikram's training center has to offer. This includes special seminars, posture clinics, guest instructors, and answers to questions which may arise in a particular practitioner's Bikram Yoga practice.
Many can claim they teach "Bikram Yoga," but unless there is a Certified Bikram Instructor supervising how and what is taught at that studio, you are not getting true Bikram Yoga.
Molly Magdelena
I'm glad to add instructing Bikram Yoga to my list of things I'm passionate about. God, family, friends and teaching Bikram Yoga are all first on the list of a fulfilling life journey for me. Whenever I have the opportunity to share God's goodness I'm fullfilled; whenever I'm able to fellowship with my family and friends, I'm fullfilled; and whenever I'm able to share Bikram Yoga with anyone, I'm fulfilled.
Since completing my 9 weeks of training with Bikram and his staff in 2007, I've had the opportunity to teach in Hawaii, North Carolina and Kentucky. If you've been practicing pure Bikram Yoga you know what a difference it can make in every area of your life. However, if you've never had the "pure Bikram" experience, I encourage you to try it, try it again and try it one more time....you'll experience the results which are often life changing.
I thank the students here at Bikram Coolsprings for being so supportive and encouraging.... you are absolutely the best students on this earth. I thank Kristin, (Hot Spot Yoga - Louisville), Trudy (Bikram Yoga Winston Salem), Bruce (Bikram Yoga Greensboro) and Vicki (Bikram Yoga North Shore - Hawaii) for welcoming me to their studios and for being awesome mentors. I thank Jenny (Bikram Yoga Alpharetta), Cassie and PJ for planting the seed that started me on this journey. A very special thanks to you, Misty. I love you Mama. I thank my husband, Rob for his unselfish, unrelenting and loving support; and I thank God for paving and making a way all the time!
Molly Magdelena is passionate about Bikram Yoga. She discovered yoga after years of working as a Certified Nursing Assistant left her with nagging lower back pain. After a few weeks of yoga, the pain was alleviated. She began practicing several times a week, and could feel and see the changes it made to her body and mind almost immediately. While practicing at various studios, Molly witnessed students who were able to stop taking heart and diabetes medications. She thought this was nothing short of miraculous, and decided to become a teacher to promote Blkram Yoga as an astounding tool for self-healing. She feels blessed to be a part of this beautiful system empowering people to enjoy good health. As a Certified Bikram Instructor, Molly studied with Bikram Choudhury himself, in the intensive 9 week teacher training program. She takes every opportunity to learn from renowned senior teachers by attending seminars, and spending time at Teacher Trainings and competitions. Molly served as a staff member at the Fall 2008 Teacher Training.
Caroline Pedersen
From a very young age, I loved doing physical things. I have always enjoyed the competition of sports and physical fitness. In high-school I was a 3 sport all-state athlete and went on to take a 4 year basketball scholarship to a Division I University. I have also enjoyed playing some competitive beach volleyball. I continued my love of sports and fitness by building a career in brand management in the fitness industry. Eventually, I moved from Chicago to Nashville with my husband and now have 3 beautiful children. After having three babies, however, I began to experience back and knee pain. I was also tired much of the time. Then I found Bikram yoga ... a practice that has healed my back and knee pain and restored my high level of energy. For the first time in all my years of fitness, I found a practice that really spoke to me on many different levels. I wanted to share the benefits of this practice with everyone so I decided to become a Bikram teacher! In Spring 2009, I graduated from Bikram's 9-Week Intensive Yoga Teacher Training and returned to Nashville to teach here in Cool Springs. I want to lead others to a place of healing, fitness and wholeness that this practice can create. The practice of Bikram Yoga is a gift to be shared.
Kate Jenkins
Kate Jenkins is a Nashville, TN native and currently resides in Birmingham, AL. She began practicing Bikram Yoga in February of 2008. Immediately, after her first class, she knew that she wanted to share Bikram Yoga with the whole world! She completed Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in the spring of 2009. Since Alabama has no certified Bikram Yoga studio, Kate hopes to open a studio in Birmingham in the future.
She completed a Bachelor of Music Therapy from Loyola University in New Orleans and practiced Music Therapy in New Jersey, New York, Florida and Alabama. She has been a Certified Spinning Instructor since 2006 and also enjoys cycling outdoors. Kate is active with dog rescue (Schnauzer Love Rescue) and mentoring her little sister, Jazmin (Big Brothers Big Sisters). She is still also very involved with her Pueblo Indian culture in New Mexico and travels there frequently.
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