About Bikram Yoga Downtown Hartford

As a former cubicle dweller, Natasha Roggi knew she needed to do something that could rejuvenate her tired mind and stiff limbs. Though she emerged from her first hot-yoga class feeling sweaty and somewhat shell-shocked, she began to feel her body growing stronger and her mind becoming sharper with each subsequent class. Before long, she found herself headed to Palm Desert, California, to become certified through a nine-week Bikram program, forging a new, healthier path through life.

Since 2012, she has assisted others along that path—first at Bikram Yoga Downtown Hartford, then as owner of its successor, Hartford Sweat. Nowadays, though, her facility has expanded to feature multiple fitness disciplines and more than two dozen other instructors.

• Studio A: This room is heated to 105 degrees and 40% humidity for a challenging sequence of 26 yoga postures and 2 breathing exercises. Bikram yoga for all experience levels helps even the stiffest muscles melt into deep, soothing stretches.

• Studio B: Students will still sweat in this studio, too, but it'll be due to dancing to a heart-pumping beat. All levels of yoga including HotPower, vinyasa, gentle, yin, and restorative are offered. Zumba sets easy-to-learn dance steps to salsa, cumbia, hip-hop, reggaeton, and other international rhythms for cardio fitness of different intensity levels.

• Studio C: In this state-of-the-art barre studio, students strengthen and tone their bodies while developing graceful balance and stability. The low-impact, ballet-inspired class combines bodyweight movements, yoga stretching, and controlled breathing with routines that incorporate hand weights and resistance bands.