Sandpoint Hot Yoga classes aim to help folks look, move and feel younger

Editor’s note: I received an e-mail recently from Kerri Kuntz, of Sandpoint Hot Yoga, which said this: Yoga makes people happy, and I would like to invite you to a complimentary class at our studio to see how happy you feel afterwards. The first thing that popped into my head was Yogi Kudu, whom you might remember contorting and cramming himself into a tiny box on the television show “That’s Incredible” back in the ’70s.

The second thing that popped into my mind was fear, knowing full well that if I’m not the world’s least limber person, I’m a stiff second. Preconceived notions aside, when I finally finished the class, a good half-gallon of sweat later, I was indeed happy — happy to be done and feeling all the better for it.

—Eric Plummer

SANDPOINT — A painting hangs on the wall of Sandpoint Hot Yoga with a quote from Bishnu Ghosh, a yoga master. The painting  says this: It’s never too late, it’s never too bad, and you’re never too old or sick to start from scratch once again.

Sandpoint’s Kerri Kuntz, 35, agrees with this sentiment, and believes practicing yoga will take care of all your problems. A Bikram (hot yoga) certified instructor, she opened her studio in Sandpoint nearly a year ago to share her love of yoga with any and all people willing to learn.

Her 90-minute classes take place in a 100-plus degree room, which allows people to stretch more safely and deeper, while also increasing circulation and metabolism and serving as a sort of body detoxification. The class features stretches and postures both standing and on a mat, and provides a serious calorie-burning workout.

“It’s geared for beginners. Anybody can walk through that door, come to class, and not be intimidated,” says Kuntz of her class, which she offers nine times a week. “It’s rewarding to see the transformation that happens in peoples’ lives — emotionally, physically and spiritually.”

Jennings Waterhouse, of Sandpoint, also teaches yoga classes in the same studio. Both she and Kuntz took the nine-week Bikram certification program, logging more than 500 hours of intense study. Waterhouse, who also does triathlons and marathons, believes yoga is a perfect complement to all sports.

“It prevents a lot of injuries and helps heal things from other sports,” she explains. “It’s also a 90-minute meditation. It keeps your mind and body busy, you don’t have to think about anything else.”

Pearl Faux, of Sandpoint, was one of a host of people exiting the hot studio for the cool lobby after a recent class, hair soaked with sweat like everyone else’s. A mother of two and a regular attendee of the classes, she says she leaves feeling empowered.

“I love the way I feel afterward; I have so much energy,” she describes, lauding the strength it gives her. “I feel internally centered and grounded.”

For more information, prices, or class schedules, visit “www.sandpointhotyoga.com.”