YogaSix — Newest Yoga Studio Is Now Open in Market District Plaza
A Modern Take on an Ancient Practice
August 2020
If you are curious about yoga, you are not alone. Yoga has become so popular worldwide that there is now an estimated 300 million people who practice it. Thirty-six million of those people are in America. Yoga has virtually exploded in recent years with statistics showing that between 2012 and 2016 the number of Americans who practice yoga grew by 50%, to the point that it is said that one in three Americans have tried yoga at least once.
Not bad for a discipline that’s been around for 5,000 years. But its longevity doesn’t mean it’s old and outdated. In fact, yoga is now more modern and relevant than ever, and a case in point is YogaSix in Carmel.
Started in 2012, YogaSix is a franchise described as a modernized yoga brand. It was acquired more recently by Xponential Fitness, the owner of numerous boutique fitness brands including Club Pilates and CycleBar, among others.
Beginnings of YogaSix Carmel Studio
YogaSix Carmel studio owner Abby Nebughr was searching for a fitness-related business to buy when she came upon Xponential and its newest brand, YogaSix, which has experienced phenomenal growth. Hundreds of franchises around the country have been sold and 42 are open. The studio in Carmel, located at 11503 Spring Mill Road, Suite 700, near Market District, was one of the first 20 to open nationwide.
A pharmacist for 25 years, Abby was diagnosed with thyroid cancer on her birthday two years ago. This health issue, combined with feeling burnt out in her profession and the fact that she would soon be an empty nester, pushed her to take action to make changes for the next phase of her life.
Deciding to buy a yoga studio was a good fit because of her lifelong passion for fitness and, in particular, a passion for yoga. “I have worked out my whole life, and yoga is the one thing I always come back to because it’s something I can always do. Yoga is a very healing discipline,” she says, adding that her daughter first introduced her to hot yoga as a way to recover from an injury. “After my first class I knew this was for me. I feel I can make a difference in more peoples’ lives in one month with yoga than I could in 25 years of pharmacy.”
YogaSix Is Different Than Other Yoga Studios
YogaSix is named for the six different formats of heated yoga classes that are offered. It is geared for all levels of experience, all ages, shapes, sizes and genders. The methodology makes it consistent and simple for anyone to follow. Familiar words are used to lead, not sanskrit, so there’s no confusion or looking around. One goal of YogaSix is to debunk the stereotype that often surrounds the practice of yoga and make it more accessible to everyone.
Abby says the studio itself and the style of teaching is not only more modern but is less intimidating and more comfortable. “There is nothing else like this; it is so unique. I’ve been to studios where I didn’t feel comfortable, and this is just a place where everyone is welcome; all different levels; all different shapes and sizes. We are all on our own path, and we are here to meet you where you are on your mat.”
One of the people that actually meets you on your mat is lead teacher Lana Ramer, who has a Ph.D. in Recreational Leisure and Wellness Studies and at one time taught on the university level. She says she was sick and miserable until she found yoga. “From that moment of walking into my very first yoga class, I walked in stressed out with a headache and just feeling terrible and walking out feeling that I’ve been saved; that is my before-and-after moment.”
Ramer says one of the big missions of YogaSix is taking yoga out of what she calls the fringe woo-woo world. “We really try to make yoga very accessible, very down-to-earth and explain to people the very real benefits that they get on the physical level and the emotional level,” she says.
The physical benefit of getting your body moving and stretching is only half of it, Ramer says. “Another really big component is focus. At the beginning of class, we do a minute of centering. So bringing your body to yoga is just half. In other things, you can zone out, but in yoga, that doesn’t work. Bringing your mind to the practice is the other 50%.”
Ramer says you leave your phone outside during the session, there are no windows in the practice room, the lights are dimmed and change color and the music is louder. All of this is done to create a cocoon experience in which it is just you and your practice and focusing on your breath. “So you’re giving your brain a break from the boom boom boom,” she says
Six Formats /Classes
Ramer stresses that yoga is for everyone, and the six formats all have different amounts of intensity and heat. “With heat, what happens is you get the opportunity to get deeper into some of those stretches because you were warming up from the inside-out, but the outside-in also helps. On top of that, you’re getting a lot more detoxification action because you’re sweating a lot more,” she says, adding that it helps soreness go away faster.
These are the six formats offered at YogaSix:
Y6 101
Everyone starts somewhere. Maybe you’re brand-new to yoga or are looking for a way to ease back into your practice. These classes will develop your strength, flexibility, comfort level and stamina as you challenge your body and mind. Y6 101 classes are led by expert instructors who will skillfully guide the class through a full-body experience, complete with breathwork. Your YogaSix journey begins here in a gently warmed room.
Y6 Slow Flow
These classes flow at a slowed-down pace so there’s time to explore individual postures and transitions. Newer students find this builds confidence and familiarity, while more experienced students refine the fundamentals of alignment and dive into deeper focus. You will gently engage, open and strengthen the body by tapping into accessible poses, fluid movement and breath in a warmed room.
Y6 Restore
Calling all runners, spinners, constant-sitters and never-quitters. Whether you’re training for a half-marathon, pushing weights or stuck behind a desk all day, Y6 Restore classes are for you. These classes emphasize floor postures in a warmed room to stretch, open and release the major muscle groups of the entire body. Students who take this class regularly report fewer injuries, improved sleep and reduced aches and pains.
Y6 Hot
Come hydrated and get ready to sweat in our heated practice rooms that’ll leave you feeling detoxed and invigorated. The YogaSix signature set sequence, Y6 Hot combines yoga postures synced with your breath, a fun and challenging balancing series and dynamic core work designed to add energizing fire to your life. This sequence will leave you feeling perfectly balanced inside and out, from bottom to top.
Y6 Power
Heat it. Push it. Work it. Y6 Power classes are heated, strength-building, full-body blasts designed to build focus, endurance and flexibility. These vinyasa classes move at a steady pace to keep your practice fluid, creative and energizing. This workout will take your body and mind through a heated, sweaty and challenging journey. Y6 Power facilitates breakthroughs in body and mind, so count on leaving with a sense of energy and empowerment.
Y6 Sculpt & Flow
Leave your shoes at the door and everything else on the floor. Y6 Sculpt & Flow classes are the perfect blend of yoga and weight training in a warm room. A dynamic yoga warm-up will get your heart rate up and muscles warm, before you dive into an intense, cross-training workout that uses dumbbells, bands and body weight exercises to challenge muscular strength, endurance and cardiovascular thresholds. Then cool down with some juicy yoga stretches to leave you in a puddle on the mat. Y6 Sculpt & Flow is the best of both worlds—a total body workout plus a killer yoga vibe. Expect a fun playlist and loud, high-energy music throughout.
Health and Safety Precautions
Like many businesses, YogaSix Carmel was affected by COVID-19. The studio opened on April 16 and closed the same day. It reopened on May 22, and Abby says it is gaining momentum. In fact, she notes that their General Manager, Lauren Harney, broke an Xponential Fitness record across all eight of the companies’ brands with the most membership sales in one day for a pre-sale studio.
As for cleaning and safety, the studio is following strict guidelines that include limiting class capacity to 15 people at 6 feet apart. The studio room is deep cleaned with an antiviral spray after each session, bathrooms are cleaned with bleach and the air is continuousy purified by a germicidal UV light and all the air from the room is purged for 15 minutes after each class providing new fresh clean air. “It’s a lot cleaner than my house,” she jokes, adding, “I feel like if you’re going to go out and work out, this is a lot better than a big gym because there’s one room. We have a boutique environment, so there’s not much square footage. We can control it and clean it very well.”
Abby believes now, with COVID-19 among us, is an especially important time to practice yoga. “Everyone is stressed out, and yoga is great for your mental health and your physical health. If you have to pick something, this fits everything. I think we need yoga now more than ever.”
Benefits to Membership and Getting Started
YogaSix member RJ says he gets great benefit out of his membership. “I practice yoga primarily for the physical benefits of increased mobility and recovery from running, cycling, strength training, and sitting at a desk while working. Practicing at YogaSix not only meets my needs by providing a variety of classes, such as Power and Restore, but also exceeds my expectations due to the high quality instructors, heated classes, and positive environment that also help me leave class feeling recharged, detoxed, and mentally refreshed. “
Here are some of the benefits of membership at YogaSix:
● No contract and no commitment.
● Memberships can be used at any YogaSix in the country.
● There are seven certified instructors and a wellness adviser on staff and always available.
● 25 classes are offered every week with early morning and evening classes.
● Lockers and changing rooms with deodorant, dry shampoo and body wipes.
● Essential-oil-scented towels after class.
● FloWater 7x purified alkalized water with electrolytes.
● Full line of retail products available for purchase, including Lululemon products for women and men along with Niyamasol yoga clothing made from recycled plastic bottles, Beyond Yoga apparel and many other lines.
● Convenient location on US-31/Meridian Corridor near Market District grocery store.
● Call or text for more information: (317) 771-6049
Stop by YogaSix studio at 11503 Spring Mill Road, Suite 700, Carmel, IN 46032 or schedule your class online at https://www.yogasix.com/location/carmel. Take advantage of the SPECIAL OFFER: intro full week of unlimited classes for $20.
Coming Soon: YogaSix will be opening a downtown location at 745 9th St, suite 800 Indianapolis IN 46204, 317-619-7447 and another location soon in Fort Wayne!
Writer:
Ann Craig-Cinnamon
Photography:
Laura Arick